And when much has been established regarding history: the pilgrimage in a place other than its appointed time, and the months, and the fulfillment of the covenant of one who has a term until its term, and the zakat and the jizyah. He concluded that with the treasure which is not permitted by law except on that which its zakat has not been paid. And the polytheists of the Arabs - to whom the command of disavowal from them and the permission of these verses on the Day of the Greatest Pilgrimage was directed - had innovated in the months with the nasi' which they were commanded to announce in the pilgrimage by abolishing it. This changed the years from their original state which Allah had established for them. They resembled the actions of the people of the Book in their religious observance by permitting their elders and prohibiting it, just as those resembled the words of the people of polytheism regarding prophethood and fatherhood. Allah, the Exalted, said: "Indeed, the number of months is twelve months with Allah." This means: the maximum number of months in the year "is in the decree and knowledge of the One who created time alone, and He is the God alone, so there is no command for anyone with Him. "Twelve months" means: there is no increase upon it nor change to it as you do in the nasi'. "In the Book of Allah" means: the words of the King who encompasses everything in power and knowledge, and His decree which is the essence of guidance. It is truly deserving to be written. And the months are not thirteen or more as those who I commanded you to disavow from them did, no matter who they were in the nasi'. "On the Day" means: that was established on the day "He created the heavens and the earth," meaning: from which time originated.

And the meaning is that the ruling regarding that was before He created time. "From it" means: the months. "Four are sacred" means: in their essence, not merely in number. "That" means: the great matter and the high decree in precision especially. "The upright religion" means: that in which there is no deviation nor entrance for the servants, and it is only by the decree of Allah, the Exalted, for the moon. Al-Bukhari narrated from Abu Bakrah, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, in the Farewell Pilgrimage: "Indeed, time has returned to its original state as it was on the day Allah created the heavens and the earth. The year is twelve months, of which four are sacred: three consecutive ones: Dhul-Qi'dah, Dhul-Hijjah, and Muharram, and Rajab of Mudar which is between Jumada and Sha'ban." And when he clarified the matter, he caused it to be followed by his saying: "So do not wrong yourselves in them," meaning: the sacred months. "Your souls" means: due to forgetting some of them and prohibiting others in their place to conform to the number - not the essence - necessitating that the violation of each of them by committing injustice in it and prohibiting each of the others. Qatadah said: The righteous and corrupt deeds in them are greater than in others, even if that is great in itself, for indeed Allah, the Exalted, for the greatness of whom He commanded, whatever He wills. And Abu Hayyan said that the Arabs return the pronoun to the plural of the multitude as if it were a singular feminine, and thus he said: "From it four" means: from the months, and on the plural of the few for what cannot be comprehended by the plural of the feminine, and thus he said: "So do not wrong yourselves in them," meaning: in the four.

And when their forgetting is for the purpose of making fighting permissible for them according to their claim, He said: ﴿And fight the polytheists all together﴾. This means: All of you are equal in that, in unity and agreement of words. ﴿As they fight you all together﴾. This means: All of them are equal in that; and this ruling applies throughout the entire year. It does not mean that I have prohibited you from fighting them in one month of it. You do not need to change My ruling in it for fighting or otherwise if you fear Allah. So do not fear them even if their numbers increase and their powers multiply; for Allah will be with you. ﴿And know that Allah﴾ means: The One who has all greatness is with you. This is how it was originally, but He made the description apparent, linking the ruling to it and generalizing it. He said: ﴿With the righteous﴾, all of them, and they are those who affirm their piety based on what He has legislated for them, not based on forgetting and the like. And whoever Allah is with will certainly be granted victory.