The Crescent Moons

Al-`Awfi related that Ibn `Abbas said, "The people asked Allah's Messenger ﷺ about the crescent moons. Thereafter, this Ayah was revealed:

يَسْـَلُونَكَ عَنِ الأَهِلَّةِ قُلْ هِىَ مَوَاقِيتُ لِلنَّاسِ

The theme of righteousness which started from Verse 177 still continues. The six injunctions that have appeared so far relate to even retaliation, bequest, fasting, I` tikaf اعتکاف and abstention from the unlawful. Now come those of Hajj حج and Jihad جہاد prior to which it was clarified that lunar months and days will be followed in Hajj and in other religious obligations. Also erased here is a custom of jahiliyyah جاھلیہ (days of ignorance) which required people in Ihram احرام to go into their houses, if needed, from the back even if it had to be through a hole in the wall bored (made a hole) punctured for this purpose, as they thought it was prohibited to enter houses from the front door when in Ihram احرام . They even rated it as 'righteousness'. So, it is immediately after the mention of Hajj that Allah Almighty tells them that entering the houses from the backs is no righteousness. Real righteousness lies in abstaining from what has been made unlawful by Allah. Since coming into houses through their doors is not forbidden, the question of abstaining from it does not arise. So, those who wish to go into their houses should enter through their doors, but the center-piece of all principles is that people must keep fearing Allah so that they can hope to have the best of both the worlds.

Verse 190-191 carry the injunction relating to fighting with disbelievers. It was the month of Dhul-Qa'dah ذوالقعدہ in the year 6 A.H. that the Holy Prophet ﷺ began his journey to the sacred city of Makkah in order to perform ` Umrah عمرہ . Makkah was still controlled by the mushrikin مشرکین (the infidels). They did not allow him and his Companions to go into the city and ` Umrah عمرہ could not be performed as intended. It took a great deal of negotiating to arrive at the agreement that the Muslims would perform ` Umrah عمرہ next year. This pact is known as the 'Peace of Hudaybiyyah'; a detailed explanation of the verse in this context will appear later.