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TAFSIR AL-QURTUBI
Classical Commentary of the Holy Quran
T RAN S LAT E D B Y
AI S HA BEWLEY
DAR AL-TAQWA
“Fight In The Way Of Allah Against Those Who Fight You..” This was
the first Ayat to be revealed with the command to fight. There is no
disagreement that fighting was forbidden before the Hijra by the
words of Allah, "Repel the bad with something better"(41:34) and
several other similar Ayats which were revealed in Makka. When the
Prophet emigrated to Madina, he was commanded to fight and this
Ayat was revealed. Ar-Rabi' ibn Anas and others said this. Abu Bakr
As-Siddiq, however, said that the first Ayat revealed about fighting
was the Ayat in Surat al-Hajj: "Permission is given to those who are
fought against because they have been wronged."(22:39). The one in
this Sura is more frequently cited as being the first.
The Ayat for the permission to fight was revealed about fighting in
general and the instruction is to fight not only those idolaters who
fight the Muslims but also those who do not fight. The command
refers to the time when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant
him peace, went out with his Companions to Makka for 'Umra. When
he camped at al-Hudaybiyya near Makka, the idolaters prevented him
from continuing on into Makka and he remained there for a month.
They made a treaty stipulating that he could return the following year
for three days and that there would be no fighting between them. After
concluding this treaty, he returned to Madina. The following year he
made preparations for Hajj and the Muslims feared the treachery of
the unbelievers and did not like the idea of fighting in the sacred
months and in the Haram.
Then this Ayat was revealed, meaning that it is lawful for you to fight
if the unbelievers fight you. So the Ayat is connected to the prior
mention of Hajj and entering houses by the back door. After this the
Prophet fought those who fought him and refrained from those who
refrained from fighting him until the Ayat in Surat at-Tawba (9:5)
was revealed, "Fight the idolaters," and this Ayat was abrogated.
This is the position of the majority of scholars.
Ibn Zayd and ar-Rabi', however, say that this Ayat was abrogated by
Allah's words: "Fight the idolaters totally," (9:36) in which he was
commanded to fight all the unbelievers. Ibn 'Abbas, 'Umar ibn
'Abdul-Azlz, and Mujahid said that it is an Ayat whose judgment
remains operative and means: "Fight those who fight you and do not
transgress by killing women, children, monks and the like," as will
be explained. An-Nahhas said that this is the sounder position in
terms of both the Sunna and in terms of logic. As for the Sunna,
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• MONKS should be neither killed nor enslaved. They are left to live
on the property which they own. This is when they live apart from the
people of disbelief because of the command which Abu-Bakr gave to
Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan, "You will find some people who claim that they
have confined themselves for the sake of Allah. Leave them with what
they claim." If, however, they are with the unbelievers in churches,
they can be killed. As for nuns, Ashhab thinks that they should not be
killed. Sahnun said, "Being a nun does not alter the basic judgement
about her as a woman." Qadi Abu-Bakr ibn al'Arabi said, "I think that
the sound view is that of Ashhab and nuns are included in the directive
of Abu-Bakr."
• OLD MEN: Malik says that they should not be killed and that is the
position of the majority of Fuqaha'. If an old man is senile and unable
to fight and not consulted for his opinion or taking part in defence, he
should not be killed. Malik and Abu-Hanifa say that. Ash-Shafi’i has
two positions: one is that of the majority and the second is that old
men and monks should be killed. The sound position is the first
because of what Abu-Bakr said to Yazid. No one opposes it and there
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“But do not go beyond the limits.” This is a firm judgment. As for the
apostates, the only options available concerning them are
execution or repentance. The same applies to people involved in
deviation and misguidance: the only options afforded them are
execution or repentance. If someone conceals a false belief and
then it appears in him, such as a Zindiq, he should be killed and is
not asked to repent. As for those who rebel against just rulers,
they must be fought until they return to the truth.
Some people have said that this phrase means: "Do not go beyond the
limits by fighting for other than the Face of Allah, for instance, out of
fanaticism or to gain fame. Fight in the Way of Allah against those
who fight you. Fight in support of the Deen so that Allah's Word is
uppermost. It is said that it means: do not fight those who do not
fight. In that case it would be abrogated by the command to fight
all the unbelievers, and Allah knows best.
“Kill them wherever you come across them..” This is evidence for
killing captives, and that topic will be explained in Surat al-Anfal,
Allah willing. “and expel them from where they expelled you.”
According to at-Tabari this is addressed to the Muhajirun and "they"
refers to the unbelievers of Quraysh. “Fitna is worse than killing." The
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Fitna to which they are subjecting you, trying to make you return to
disbelief, is worse than killing. Mujahid said it is referring to the
believers, so the meaning is that being killed is better for a believer
than being subjected to Fitna. Others said that Fitna here means
their association of others with Allah and their disbelief in Him
and it is a great crime and worse than the killing which they
criticise you for. There is evidence that the Ayat was revealed about
'Amr ibn al-Hadrami when he was killed by Waqid ibn 'Abdullah at-
Tamimi at the end of the sacred month of Rajab, an incident which
will be explained later.
“Do not fight them in the Masjid al-Haram until they fight you there.”
Scholars take two positions concerning this Ayat. One is that it is
abrogated. The second is that it is an Ayat containing a firm
judgment. Mujahid says that it is an Ayat of judgment and that it is not
permitted to fight anyone in the Masjid al-Haram unless they fight you
there. Tawus said that as well, and indeed it is what is intimated by the
text of the Ayat. It is a sound position and Abu Hanifa and his people
took it. In the Sahih Collection, Ibn 'Abbas reported that the
Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said on
the day when Makka was conquered, "This land was made sacred on
the day Allah created the heavens and the earth and it will remain
sacred as Allah has decreed until the Day of Rising. Fighting was not
lawful in it for anyone before me and it was only lawful for me for one
hour of one day and it will remain sacred until the Day of Rising."
“But if they cease..” If they stop fighting you because they believe
and become Muslims, then Allah will forgive them all that they did
before and show mercy to all of them by pardoning them.
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“Fight them until there is no more Fitna and the Deen belongs to Allah
alone.” This is a command to fight every idolater in every place
according to those who say that it abrogates the previous Ayats.
According to those who say that it does not abrogate other Ayats, it
means: fight those about whom Allah says, "if they fight you". The
former is the more likely meaning. It is an unqualified command
to fight without any precondition of hostilities being initiated by
the unbelievers. The evidence for that is in the words of Allah,
"and the Deen belongs to Allah alone ." The Prophet said, "I was
commanded to fight people until they say, 'There is no god but
Allah.' The Ayat and Hadith both indicate that the reason for
fighting is disbelief because Allah says, "until there is no more
Fitna," meaning disbelief in this case. So the goal is to abolish
disbelief and that is clear.
Ibn 'Abbas, Qatada, ar-Rabi', as-Suddi and others said that Fitna here
means Shirk and the subsequent injury to the believers caused by it.
The root of Fitna is testing and trial, derived from the term for testing
silver when it is put in the fire to separate the impurities from the pure
metal.
Scholars disagree and hold various positions regarding the legal status
and meaning of this Ayat.
• It is not abrogated and was sent down about the people of the
Book in particular and means that they are not forced to adopt
Islam when they pay Jizya. Those who are forced are the idolaters.
Only Islam is accepted from them, and they are the ones about
whom 'O Prophet! Do jihad against the unbelievers and the hypocrites'
(Q 9:73) was revealed. This is the position of ash-Sha'bi, Qatada, al-
Hasan and ad-Dahhak. The evidence for this position is related by
Zayd ibn Aslam from his father, "I heard 'Umar ibn al-Khattab say to
an old Christian woman, 'Become Muslim, old woman, become
Muslim. Allah sent Muhammad with the Truth.' She replied, 'I am an
old woman and close to death.' 'Umar said, 'O Allah, witness!' and he
recited, 'There is no compulsion where the Deen is concerned. '"
• Abu Dawud reported from Ibn 'Abbas that this was revealed about
the Ansar. There was a woman, all of whose children had died. She
made a vow that if she had a child who lived she would become a Jew.
When the Banu Nasir were exiled, among them were many of the
children of the Ansar. They said, "We will not leave our sons!" Then
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Allah revealed this. One variant has, "We did what we did and we
think that their Deen is better than what we have." When Allah
brought Islam, they denied it and this was revealed. Whoever wished
remained with them and whoever wished, entered Islam. This is the
position of Sa 'id ibn Jubayr, ash-Sha 'bi and Mujahid, but he added
that the reason that they were with the Banu Nadir was through
suckling. An-Nahhas said, "The position of Ibn 'Abbas regarding this
Ayat is the best position since its Isnad is sound."
• As-Suddi said that the Ayat was revealed about a man of the Ansar
called Abu Husayn who had two sons. Some merchants came from
Syria to Madina with oil and when they wanted to leave, his sons went
to them. They invited the two sons to become Christians and they did
so and went back with them to Syria. Their father went to the
Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to
complain about this and asked the Messenger of Allah to send
someone to bring them back. Then "There is no compulsion where the
Deen is concerned" was revealed. He had not then been commanded
to fight the People of the Book. He said, "Allah has put them far. They
are the first to disbelieve." Abu Husayn felt annoyed that the Prophet
did not send someone after them. Then Allah revealed, "No, by your
Lord, they are not believers until they make you their judge in the
disputes that break out between them" (4:65). Then "No
compulsion" was abrogated and he was commanded to fight the
People of the Book in Surat at-Tawba. The sound view for the
reason behind the words, "No, by your Lord, they are not believers ...
" is the Hadith of az-Zubayr with his Christian neighbour about water
as will be dealt with in Sura at-Tawba, Allah willing.
• It is said that it means "do not call those who have submitted
through the sword compelled and forced".