Reverence Of The Inviolable Place Of Worship

LESSON # 210 FROM HOLY QUR’AN

Reverence Of The Inviolable Place Of Worship

BAQARAH – 2 (The Cow)

  Verse –191c & 192 of 286, Section – 24 (Part  - 2)

And fight not with them at the Inviolable Place of Worship until they first attack you there, but if they attack you (there) then slay them. Such is the reward of disbelievers.   192.  But if they desist, then lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Wal  laa tuqaatiluuhum  ‘indal-Masjidil  Haraami  hatta  yu-qaatiluukum  fiih.  Fa-‘in-  qaata-luukum  faqtuluuhum.  Kazaa-lika  jazaaa-‘ul-Kaafiriin.  192.  Fa-‘ininta-haw  fa-‘innal-laaha  Gafuurur-Rahiim.

Lesson

‘indal-Masjidil  Haraami –(near the Inviolable Place of Worship) technically area of several miles on all sides of the Temple of Makkah (Khana Ka’-ba) is called ‘Haram’. It is also included in its Determination (‘Ihraam) that neither the battle should be fought here, and nor shed the blood of any person, even that ‘to go a hunting’ is also prohibited.

In the beginning of this verse it has been mentioned that ‘to prevent from the religion, to spread the persecution/quarrel, to vex, unrest, plundering, destruction and forcibly push back from the religion are included in mischief. It should be pressed in each form, desiring there is a dire need to slay someone. If the war is not waged in the beginning to press the sedition, then spreading day to day it will take in fold the entire nation and country and then quarrels, disturbance, loot, unrest and bloodshed will begin.

In this verse it has been stated that if the enemies of Islam do not refrain from their mischief and start waging a war into the limits of Haram (the four walls of Makkah), then you can also fight with them at that sacred place. During the normal circumstances the battle and bloodshed is not allowed near the Inviolable Place of Worship (Khana Ka’-ba) because this House is the Place of peace and respectable, but to suppress the mischief has become so much necessary that it may come in the fold of war. It is the Punishment for the enemies of Peace that they should either be exiled from their native land or slain. However, if they refrain from mischief and persecution, forswear from evil-doings and misdeeds and come under the shelter of Islam, then don’t raise the sword over them. Moreover consider them as your brothers because the God Almighty forgives previous sins of the repentant.   

Three things have been proved from this verse:

·       The Inviolable Place of Worship (Khana Ka’-ba) is the place of peace. Killing and shedding blood should not be done here.

·       If anybody attacks then the battle may be fought here.

·       Killing and striving is collective obligation so it has been commanded again and again in the plural form on each place.

Transliteration in Roman Script & English Translation of Holy Qur’an written by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore and Paraphrase collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated by Muhammad Sharif)