Volume 8 Surah 9 - Enjoy Islam

Al-Tawbah (The Repentance) | A HIGHER DEGREE OF UNBELIEFalone. It also relates this principle to the basic truth on which the whole structure ofthe universe is founded ever since God created the heavens and the earth. What Godlegislates for mankind is only part of His overall legislation for the universe and allHis creation. Deviating from it is, then, a violation of the basic principle on which theuniverse is founded. Hence it is “an excess of unbelief in which the unbelievers are ledastray.” (Verse 37)Another fundamental fact stated here relates to what has been explained in thepreceding passage which made it clear that the people of earlier revelations areunbelievers. They are grouped together with the idolaters as hostile people whomthe Muslims should fight as one united community, as they themselves do fight theMuslims all together. This assertion is borne out by historical events exactly as it isstated by God. It shows that they are all united by their goals of suppressing Islamand crushing its followers. It also shows that they all stand in the same camp whenthe battle is against Islam and the Muslims. They find it easy to overlook theirdifferences and work together to stem Islamic jihād and destroy the Muslimcommunity.These two verses express two basic facts. The first is that the people of earlierrevelations have sunk into idolatry and have joined the idolaters in fighting theMuslims so as to form one united front. Hence all Muslims must fight them together.The second fact is that the postponement of sacred months is an excess of unbeliefbecause it involves legislating for mankind things that God has not legislated. Henceit adds a practical aspect to unbelief. It is by these two basic facts that this passage islinked to what precedes it and what follows it in this sūrah which addresses variousfactors impeding a general mobilization to confront all opponents, be they idolatersor people of earlier revelations.Changing the Order of TimeThe number of months, in God’s sight, is twelve as set by God’s decree on the daywhen He created the heavens and the earth. Of these, four are sacred, according to theever-true law [of God]. (Verse 36)This Qur’ānic statement refers the origin of time and the way it runs to the natureof the universe and how God created it, and to the origin of creation of both theheavens and the earth. It tells us that there is a permanent cycle of time consisting oftwelve months. That it is permanent is evident from the fact that in every cycle thereare twelve months. This is included in God’s decree, which means that it is part ofthe divine law for the universe. Hence, the cycle is permanent and the months aretwelve, without any possibility of increase or decrease. Its movement is in123