OCCASION OF REVELATION (VERSE NO. 217)

      On the 21st. OF THE prohibited month RAJAB-2 A.H. the prophet sent out a group of nine armed men commanded by ABDULLAH - IBN JAHASH, on an expedition to collect some information about the enemy's movements and tactics.

      The prophet handed to the commander of the group a sealed latter, and told him not to open it until he had travelled for a two days distance in that direction towards NAKHLAH VILLAGE; and there he was allowed to open the letter and fulfil the order that was written in it.

      When the commander opened and read the letter as per order, the prophet had commanded him: ``Continue your journey and go as far as NAKHLEH, and there stay and look round for informations about the fighting forces of GHOREISH, and their strategies, and convey your collected informations to me as soon as possible.'' In addition to the order was: ``Meanwhile do not compel your men to come with you up to NAKHLEH, and if they are willing to return home, let them do that.''

      When all of them knew what was the order in the sealed letter the companions said to their commander: ``Our life is not dearer than yours. We shall not leave you alone in the midway and we shall come with you where you like to go.''

      In a place called BEHRÄN, two of them namely SAAD and ATBEH went in search of their lost camel, and were taken captives by the enemy. ABDULLAH and his group encountered with a very rich caravan of GHOREISH, who were going on a trade.

      The caravan that had only a few guards, could easily be trapped and captured by a little fighting; but they still were in the prohibited month of RAJAB for one or two days to expire. They had also no authority from the prophet to fight an enemey unless they were attacked. After all, their existence there was discovered by the enemy, and were in danger of being captured and killed. They therefore held a military consultation meeting, and all of them agreed to lay an attack of surprise upon the enemy's caravan. They did so; killing one of the guards, and captivated two of them namely HAKAM - IBN - KAYSAN, and OTHMÄN, and the others escaped to bring new forces.

      ABDULLAH and his men returned to Medina with so much booties and two captives, but the prophet did not welcome them for violating the sanctity of the prohibited months in which war was declared to be unlawful.

      The jews and the hypocrites of Medina, simultaneously with the idolaters of Mecca, gave them an uproarious welcome, and made much fuss that Mohammad through his newly invented religion, violates the sanctity of the prohibited months!

      The Helpers, as well as the Emigrants, also reproached ABDULLAH and his men for their unlawful attack on the caravan. Fear and anxiety filled the heart of ABDULLAH and his men. They did not know what to say or what to do. He and his colleagues prayed ardently for God's help, and Allah the Merciful answered their prayer, and many questions through this verse. ``They ask you about fighting in the prohibited months?''

COMMENTS

      This verse is to answer some questions about JAHAD, and the exceptions therein.

      Firstly it admits that fighting in the sacred month is prohibited and declared unlawful by Islam too. Fighting in these months is a great and heinous sin.

      Then it adds that this law too, like any other law may have its own exceptions - It should not be permitted that some evil doers, and mischief makers, under the name of the law, commit oppressions and corruptions. True that warfare is prohibited in certain months that are held sacred, but to bar people from God's way, and disbelief in HIM, and preventing people of having access to the House of God, and to expel its people from it, is more heinous a sin than fight in a sacred month.

Then the verse in its remarks alludes to tumult, counting it worse than slaughter; and that's true, because tumult is that sort of a crime that affects and injures the soul and the faith of man, where as slaughter impresses and harms the body. Therefore the Islam's instruction is to stand firm and steadfast in front of the enemy, in the sight of whom means can justify the end, and whenever, and wherever they raised their hands against you, you have every right to raise your hands to defend.