Aya hizi mbili zinaunda kifungu kifupi kinachoendeleza mchakato wa kuondoa vikwazo vilivyozuia vita dhidi ya Wabyzantine na washirika wao Waarabu Wakristo katika sehemu za kaskazini mwa Arabia. Maandalizi ya msafara huu yalifanyika katika mwezi wa Rajab, ambao ni mmoja wa miezi minne mitukufu. Hata hivyo, kutokana na hila fulani, Rajab ya mwaka huo haikuangukia wakati wake sahihi kwa sababu ya kuchelewesha, jambo ambalo limekemewa katika aya ya pili ya kifungu hiki. Kwa mujibu wa riwaya, mwezi wa Dhu'l-Hijjah wa mwaka huo pia haukuwa mahali pake, kwani ulipaswa kuangukia katika mwezi uliotangulia wa Dhu'l-Qa`dah, jambo lililomaanisha kwamba Rajab kwa kweli ilikuwa katika Jumādā II. Fujo hii ilitokana na ukweli kwamba jamii ya kijahiliyya ilikuwa ikichezea mila zake na ilikuwa ikiheshimu vitakatifu kwa nje tu. Daima kutakuwepo na tafsiri na maoni ya kuhalalisha ukiukaji wowote mradi swali la halali na haramu limekabidhiwa kwa binadamu, kama ilivyo katika jamii zote za kijahiliyya.

These two verses form a short passage that continues the process of removing obstacles that impeded the fight against the Byzantines and their Christian Arab allies in the northern parts of Arabia. Mobilization for this expedition took place in the month of Rajab, which is one of the four sacred months. However, due to a certain ploy, Rajab in that year did not fall at its right time because of postponement, which is denounced in the second verse of this passage. According to reports, the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah that year was also out of place, and it was meant to fall in the preceding month of Dhu’l-Qa`dah, which meant that Rajab was actually in Jumādā II. This mess was due to the fact that the jāhiliyyah society had played about with its traditions and only outwardly honoured sanctities. There will always be interpretations and views to support any transgression as long as the question of permissibility and prohibition is assigned to human beings, as is the case in all jāhiliyyah societies.

Inaweza kuwa na manufaa kutoa maelezo ya kina zaidi kuhusu jinsi hali hii ilivyotokea. Mwenyezi Mungu ameifanya miezi minne katika mwaka kuwa mitakatifu: mitatu mfululizo ambayo ni Dhu'l-Qa`dah, Dhu'l-Hijjah na al-Muĥarram, na mmoja unaokuja baadaye, ambao ni mwezi wa Rajab. Ni wazi kwamba utakatifu huu ulianza tangu hijja ilipowekwa kuwa wajibu katika wakati wake maalum kila mwaka, tangu zama za Ibrahimu na Ismaili. Ingawa Waarabu waliupotosha imani ya Ibrahimu, na upotovu wao kutoka katika mafundisho yake ulikuwa mkubwa, waliendelea kuyaheshimu miezi hii kuwa mitakatifu kwa sababu utakatifu wake ulihusiana na hijja, msimu ambao ulikuwa muhimu sana kwa riziki ya Waarabu wa Hijazi, hasa watu wa Makka. Katika miezi hii mitakatifu Arabia ilikuwa huru kutokana na mapigano yote. Amani ilidumishwa, jambo ambalo liliwaruhusu mahujaji kusafiri na kufanya biashara yenye manufaa wakati wa msimu huo.

It may be useful to give a more detailed account of how this situation arose. God has made four months in the year sacred: three consecutive ones which are Dhu’l- Qa`dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah and al-Muĥarram and a single one occurring later, which is the month of Rajab. It is clear that this sanctity started when the pilgrimage was ordained as a duty at its appointed time every year since the time of Abraham and Ishmael. Much as the Arabs have distorted the faith of Abraham and wide as their deviation from its teachings was, they continued to treat these months as sacred because their sanctity related to the pilgrimage which was a season so vital to the livelihood of the Arabs of Hijaz, particularly the people of Makkah. In these sacred months Arabia was free from all fighting. Peace was observed and this allowed pilgrims to travel and conduct useful business during the season.

Idadi ya miezi mbele ya Mungu ni kumi na miwili, kama ilivyowekwa kwa amri ya Mungu siku aliyoziumba mbingu na ardhi. Kati ya hiyo, minne ni mitukufu, kwa mujibu wa sheria ya Mungu isiyobadilika kamwe. (Aya ya 36).

The number of months, in God’s sight, is twelve as set by God’s decree on the day when He created the heavens and the earth. Of these, four are sacred, according to the ever-true law [of God]. (Verse 36).

Taarifa hii ya Qur'ani inahusisha asili ya wakati na jinsi unavyoenda na asili ya ulimwengu na jinsi Mungu alivyouumba, pamoja na asili ya uumbaji wa mbingu na ardhi. Inatufundisha kwamba kuna mzunguko wa kudumu wa wakati unaojumuisha miezi kumi na miwili. Kwamba ni wa kudumu kunadhihirika kutokana na ukweli kwamba katika kila mzunguko kuna miezi kumi na miwili. Hili limo katika amri ya Mungu, maana yake ni kwamba ni sehemu ya sheria ya Mungu kwa ulimwengu. Kwa hiyo, mzunguko ni wa kudumu na miezi ni kumi na miwili, bila uwezekano wowote wa kuongezeka au kupungua. Mwendo wake unafuata sheria ya Mungu iliyowekwa kuanza kufanya kazi wakati Mungu alipoziumba mbingu na ardhi.

This Qur’ānic statement refers the origin of time and the way it runs to the nature of the universe and how God created it, and to the origin of creation of both the heavens and the earth. It tells us that there is a permanent cycle of time consisting of twelve months. That it is permanent is evident from the fact that in every cycle there are twelve months. This is included in God’s decree, which means that it is part of the divine law for the universe. Hence, the cycle is permanent and the months are twelve, without any possibility of increase or decrease. Its movement is in accordance with the divine law set into operation when God created the heavens and the earth.

Marejeo ya kwamba mzunguko huu wa wakati ni wa kudumu hutumika kama utangulizi wa kufanya miezi fulani kuwa mitakatifu. Uteuzi wake na utakatifu wake ni sehemu ya amri ya Mungu au sheria Yake, ambayo haiwezi kubadilishwa kwa hiari. Haiwezi kabisa kuwekwa chini ya matakwa ya watu ambao wanaweza kutaka kusogeza mbele mwezi mmoja na kurudisha nyuma mwingine. Udumu wake unafanana na ule wa majira yanayofuatana kufuatana na sheria thabiti: "kulingana na sheria ya kweli milele ya Mungu." (Aya ya 36) Dini hii, basi, inapatana kikamilifu na sheria inayotawala uumbaji wa mbingu na ardhi na kazi zake.

The reference to the fact that this time cycle is permanent serves as a prelude to making certain months sacred. Their selection and sanctity is part of God’s decree or His law which cannot be changed at will. It simply cannot be made subject to people’s desires who may wish to bring one month forward and put another back. Its permanence is similar to that of the seasons which follow one another according to a constant law: ‘according to the ever-true law of God.” (Verse 36) This religion is, then, in perfect harmony with the law which governs the creation of the heavens and the earth and their functions.

Kuahirisha (miezi mitakatifu) ni ziada tu ya ukafiri ambayo wakafiri wanapotoshwa kwayo. Wanaihalalisha mwaka mmoja na kuiharamisha mwaka mwingine, ili wapate kuilingana idadi ya miezi ambayo Mwenyezi Mungu ameifanya kuwa mitakatifu, na hivyo wanahalalisha kile ambacho Mungu amekiharamisha. Ubaya wa matendo yao hivyo unawapendeza. Mungu hawaongoi watu makafiri. (Aya ya 37)

The postponement [of sacred months] is only an excess of unbelief in which the unbelievers are led astray. They declare it permissible one year and forbidden another year, so that they may make up the number of the months which God has sanctified, and thus they make lawful what God has forbidden. The evil of their deeds thus seems fair to them. God does not guide those who are unbelievers. (Verse 37)

Mujāhid, mfasiri mashuhuri wa Qur'ani, anasema kwamba mtu mmoja kutoka kabila la Kinānah alikuwa akija kila mwaka kwenye hija akiwa amepanda punda wake na kusema: "Mimi si mtu wa kukosolewa wala wa kurudi kwa kushindwa. Hakuna mtu anayeweza kukataa ninachosema. Tumeifanya al-Muĥarram kuwa takatifu na kuiacha Şafar ije baadaye." Mwaka uliofuata alirudi tena na kusema: "Tumeifanya Şafar kuwa takatifu na kuiacha al-Muĥarram ije baadaye." Hii ndiyo rejea ya kauli ya Mungu kuhusu wao kukamilisha idadi ya miezi ambayo Mungu ameitakasa, ambayo ni minne. Wanapoahirisha mwezi mtakatifu, kwa kweli wanahalalisha kile ambacho Mungu amekikataza. `Abd al-Raĥmān ibn Zayd ibn Aslam, mfasiri mwingine mashuhuri wa Qur'ani, anataja kwamba jambo hili lilifanywa zama za kabla ya Uislamu na mtu mmoja kutoka kabila la Kinānah aliyeitwa al-Qulummus. Katika siku hizo Waarabu walikuwa wakisimamisha mapigano na mashambulizi dhidi ya kila mmoja katika mwezi mtakatifu. Mtu angekutana na muuaji wa baba yake na hangeinua mkono kumdhuru. Siku moja mtu huyu alitoa amri ya kuanza shambulio. Alipoambiwa kwamba ni mwezi wa al-Muĥarram, alisema: "Tutauahirisha mwaka huu. Mwaka huu kuna miezi miwili ya Şafar. Mwaka ujao tutafidia kwa kuifanya miwili kuwa miezi ya Muĥarram." Kweli mwaka uliofuata aliwaambia wasifanye shambulio lolote katika Şafar, hivyo nayo ikafanywa takatifu.

Mujāhid, an authoritative commentator on the Qur’ān, says that a man from the tribe of Kinānah used to come every year to the pilgrimage riding his donkey and say: “I am not one who may be criticised or return with failure. No one may reject what I say. We have made al-Muĥarram sacred and let Şafar come later.” The following year he would come again and say: “We have made Şafar sacred and let al- Muĥarram come later.” This is the reference in God’s statement to their making up the number of months God has sanctified, which are four. When they delay a sacred month they actually make lawful what God has forbidden. `Abd al-Raĥmān ibn Zayd ibn Aslam, another leading commentator on the Qur’ān, mentions that this was done in pre-Islamic days by a man from the tribe of Kinānah called al-Qulummus. In those days the Arabs would stop fighting or launching raids on one another in the sacred month. A man would meet his father’s killer and he would not lift a hand to harm him. One day this man gave orders to set out for a raid. When he was told that it was the month of al-Muĥarram, he said: “We will delay it this year. There are two Şafar months this year. Next year we will compensate for this by making them two Muĥarrams.” Indeed the following year, he told them not to launch any raid in Şafar, so that it too was made sacred.