Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 194

Mufti Taqi Usmani

The holy month for the holy month, and the sanctities are subject to retribution. So when anyone commits aggression against you, be aggressive against him in the like manner as he did against you, and fear Allah, and be sure that Allah is with the God-fearing.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹There will be retaliation in˺ a sacred month for ˹an offence in˺ a sacred month,[[ The sacred months are the 1st, 7th, 11th, and 12th months of the Islamic calendar. ]] and all violations will bring about retaliation. So, if anyone attacks you, retaliate in the same manner. ˹But˺ be mindful of Allah, and know that Allah is with those mindful ˹of Him˺.

Ruwwad Translation Center

A sacred month for a sacred month, and violations are subject to retribution. So if anyone commits aggression against you, return the aggressive against him in the same manner as he showed against you. But fear Allah, and know that Allah is with those who fear Him.

A. J. Arberry

The holy month for the holy month; holy things demand retaliation. Whoso commits aggression against you, do you commit aggression against him like as he has committed against you, and fear you God, and know that God is with the godfearing.

Abdul Haleem

A sacred month for a sacred month: violation of sanctity [calls for] fair retribution. So if anyone commits aggression against you, attack him as he attacked you, but be mindful of God, and know that He is with those who are mindful of Him.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

A sacred month is for a sacred month; these sacrednesses are in retaliation. Whosoever then offereth violence unto you, Offer violence unto him the like of his violence unto you, and fear Allah, and know that Allah is with the God-fearing.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The prohibited month for the prohibited month,- and so for all things prohibited,- there is the law of equality. If then any one transgresses the prohibition against you, Transgress ye likewise against him. But fear Allah, and know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves.

Abul Ala Maududi

A prohibited month is to be respected, if the same is respected (by the enemy), and likewise there is the law of just retribution for the violation of all prohibited things. Therefore, if anyone transgresses a prohibition by attacking you, you may do likewise, but always fear AIIah and bear in mind that Allah is with those who desist from breaking Allah's bounds.

Ahmed Ali

(Fighting during) the holy month (if the sanctity) of the holy month (is violated) is (just) retribution. So if you are oppressed, oppress those who oppress you to the same degree, and fear God, and know that God is with those who are pious and follow the right path.

Ahmed Raza Khan

The sacred month for the sacred month, and respect in lieu of respect; harm the one who harms you, to the extent as he did – and keep fearing Allah, and know well that Allah is with the pious.

Ali Quli Qarai

A sacred month for a sacred month, and all sanctities require retribution. So should anyone aggress against you, assail him in the manner he assailed you, and be wary of Allah, and know that Allah is with the Godwary.

Ali Ünal

A sacred month is retributive for another sacred month, and the inviolate values demand retaliation. So, whoever attacks you, attack them in like manner as they attacked you. Nevertheless, fear God and remain within the bounds of piety and righteousness, and know that God is with the God-revering, pious.

Amatul Rahman Omar

(The violation of) a sacred month may be retaliated in the sacred month and for (the violation of) all sacred things the law of retaliation is prescribed. Then he who transgresses against you, punish him for his transgression to the extent he has transgressed against you, and take Allâh as a shield, and know that Allâh is with those who guard against evil

English Literal

The month, the forbidden/respected/sacred, with the month, the forbidden/respected/sacred, and the God`s ordered prohibitions (are) equal revenge , so who transgressed/violated on you, so transgress/violate (revenge) on him with similar/equal (to) what he transgressed on you, and fear and obey God and know that God (is) with the fearing and obeying.

Faridul Haque

The sacred month for the sacred month, and respect in lieu of respect; harm the one who harms you, to the extent as he did - and keep fearing Allah, and know well that Allah is with the pious.

Hamid S. Aziz

The sacred month for the sacred month; for all sacred things demand retaliation (the Law of Equivalence); and whoever transgresses against you, transgress against him likewise as he transgressed against you; but fear Allah, and know that Allah is with those who practice restraint.

Hilali & Khan

The sacred month is for the sacred month, and for the prohibited things, there is the Law of Equality (Qisas). Then whoever transgresses the prohibition against you, you transgress likewise against him. And fear Allah, and know that Allah is with Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V. 2:2).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

The sacred month for the sacred month, and retaliation (is allowed) in sacred things. Whoever then acts aggressively against you, inflict injury on him according to the injury he has inflicted on you and keep your duty to Allah, and know that Allah is with those who keep their duty.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

The Sacred month for the sacred month and all sacred things are (under the law of) retaliation; whoever then acts aggressively against you, inflict injury on him according to the injury he has inflicted on you and be careful (of your duty) to Allah and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil).

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

The forbidden month for the forbidden month, and forbidden things in retaliation. And one who attacketh you, attack him in like manner as he attacked you. Observe your duty to Allah, and know that Allah is with those who ward off (evil).

Muhammad Sarwar

It is because of their disrespect of a sacred month that you are also allowed to retaliate against them in a sacred month. If any one transgresses against you, you also may retaliate against them to an equal extent. Have fear of God and know that He supports the pious.

Qaribullah & Darwish

The sacred month for the sacred month, prohibitions are (subject to) retaliation. If any one aggresses against you, so aggress against him with the likeness of that which he has aggressed against you. Fear Allah, and know that Allah is with the cautious.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

The sacred month is for the sacred month, and for the prohibited things, there is the Law of equality (Qisas). Then whoever transgresses against you, you transgress likewise against him. And fear Allah, and know that Allah is with Al-Muttaqin.

Wahiduddin Khan

A sacred month for a sacred month: violation of sanctity calls for fair retribution. Thus you may exact retribution from whoever transgresses against you, in proportion to his transgression. Fear God and know that God is with those who are mindful of Him.

Talal Itani

The sacred month for the sacred month; and sacrilege calls for retaliation. Whoever commits aggression against you, retaliate against him in the same measure as he has committed against you. And be conscious of God, and know that God is with the righteous.

Tafsir jalalayn

The sacred month, in return, for the sacred month, therefore, just as they fight you during it, kill them during it; a response to the Muslims' consideration of the momentous nature of this matter; holy things (hurumt, plural of hurma, is what must be treated as sacrosanct) demand retaliation, in kind if these [holy things] are violated; whoever commits aggression against you, through fighting in the Sacred Enclosure, or during a state of ritual purity or in the sacred months, then commit aggression against him in the manner that he committed against you, the [Muslim] response is also referred to as `aggression', because that is what it resembles formally; and fear God, when avenging yourselves and [by] renouncing aggression, and know that God is with the God-fearing, helping and assisting [them].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Fighting during the Sacred Months is prohibited, except in Self-Defense

Allah says,

الشَّهْرُ الْحَرَامُ بِالشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْحُرُمَاتُ قِصَاصٌ

The sacred month is for the sacred month, and for the prohibited things, there is the Law of equality (Qisas).

Ibn Abbas, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi, Qatadah, Miqsam, Ar-Rabi bin Anas and Ata said,

"Allah's Messenger went for Umrah on the sixth year of Hijrah. Then, the idolators prevented him from entering the Sacred House (the Ka`bah in Makkah) along with the Muslims who came with him. This incident occurred during the sacred month of Dhul-Qadah. The idolators agreed to allow them to enter the House the next year. Hence, the Prophet entered the House the following year, along with the Muslims who accompanied him, and Allah permitted him to avenge the idolators' treatment of him, when He said;
الشَّهْرُ الْحَرَامُ بِالشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْحُرُمَاتُ قِصَاصٌ
(The sacred month is for the sacred month, and for the prohibited things, there is the Law of equality (Qisas).

Imam Ahmad recorded that Jabir bin Abdullah said,

"Allah's Messenger would not engage in warfare during the Sacred Month unless he was first attacked, then he would march forth. He would otherwise remain idle until the end of the Sacred Months."

This Hadith has an authentic chain of narrators.

Hence, when the Prophet was told that Uthman was killed (in Makkah) when he was camped at the area of Al-Hudaybiyyah, after he had sent Uthman as his emissary to the polytheists, he accepted the pledge from his Companions under the tree to fight the polytheists. They were one thousand and four hundred then. When the Prophet was informed that Uthman was not killed, he abandoned the fight and reverted to peace.

When the Prophet finished fighting with (the tribes of) Hawazin during the battle of Hunayn and Hawazin took refuge in (the city of) At-Ta'if, he laid siege to that city. Then, the (sacred) month of Dhul-Qadah started, while At-Ta'if was still under siege. The siege went on for the rest of the forty days (rather, from the day the battle of Hunayn started until the Prophet went back to Al-Madinah from Al-Jiranah, were forty days), as reported in the Two Sahihs and narrated by Anas.

When the Companions suffered mounting casualties (during the siege), the Prophet ended the siege before conquering At-Ta'if. He then went back to Makkah, performed Umrah from Al-Jiranah, where he divided the war booty of Hunayn. This Umrah occurred during Dhul-Qadah of the eighth year of Al-Hijrah.

Allah's statement;

فَمَنِ اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ فَاعْتَدُواْ عَلَيْهِ بِمِثْلِ مَا اعْتَدَى عَلَيْكُمْ
whoever transgresses against you, you transgress likewise against him.

ordains justice even with the polytheists.

Allah also said in another Ayah;

وَإِنْ عَاقَبْتُمْ فَعَاقِبُواْ بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوقِبْتُمْ بِهِ

And if you punish, then punish them with the like of that with which you were afflicted. (16;126)

Allah's statement;

وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ



And fear Allah, and know that Allah is with Al-Muttaqin (the pious).

commands that Allah be obeyed and feared out of Taqwa.

The Ayah informs us that Allah is with those who have Taqwa by His aid and support in this life and the Hereafter