One holy month and four holy months

Started by chadiga, November 27, 2011, 08:27:04 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

chadiga

Salamu aleikum
Why Allah says in the Quran once banned by months (Plural) and the other time from the forbidden month (singular)?

"Twelve God considers to be the right number of months. It is in the Scriptures of God already in the day that he created heaven and earth, laid down were are these, four are sacred. This is the right religion..."(Quran 9, 36)


Holy Month:
"The holy month (serve for retribution) for the holy month!" [Qur'an 2, 194]

"They ask you concerning the sacred month, (namely) then, (if it is allowed) to fight in it. Say: Fighting in it is a serious offense (w. weighs heavy) But (his men) from the path of God holding. - and do not believe in him -. and (believers) from the holy place of worship (holding) and evict the residents thereof, (all) weighs heavier with God and to seduce the attempt (believers of apostasy), weighs heavier than . And kill them (ie the infidels) will not cease fighting you until they turn you back from your religion - if they (it) And can those of you who can be (approximately) abandon their religion and (. without having to have turned again) die as an unbeliever, their works are in this world and hereafter lapse. You will be inmates of Hell and (eternal) to dwell therein. Those (but) who believe and those who have emigrated and to God's sake led war (w. struggled) may have hope for the mercy of God. God is Forgiving, Most Merciful. " [Qur'an 2, 217 - 218]

"O you who believe! Not Violating the sanctity of the cult symbols of God (w. ..... Does not explain the cult symbols for God allows), (holiness) of the holy month ....." [Quran 5, 2]

"God has the Kaaba, the sacred house, made for maintenance (?) (W. book) for the people, (and) the holy month ...." [Quran 5, 97]
put
If we take the secondary sources to help, we will find a quick explanation: namely, were separated from, that in pre-Islamic times Umrah and Hajj, Umra took place in the seven month  (Rajab, who was apparently considered sacred and is still considered by orthodox scholars to be one of the four sacred months ) and the pilgrimage took  place at the time of rainfall, in the Winter half year (Zu al Hijjah, Muharram, Safar). If we assume, however, that the pilgrimage was put together  (once per year within four months), then why were the statements of the holy month (singular) still inside the Quran?
Thank you for your help

Joseph Islam

Salamun Alaikum Chadiga,

'Shahr' means month. The plural is 'shuhur' and 'ash'hur'

Therefore:

   shahr = a noun
   shahrain = a dual noun
   shuhur / ash'har  = a plural noun

The word 'shahr' (month), can also denote 'months' (plurality) depending on its grammatical construction and context. It can also be understood to denote a month (shah-ra) as part of other months.

For example:

009:036 (part)
"The number of months (shahr-an) in the sight of God is twelve - so ordained by Him the day He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are sacred..."

046:015 (part)
"...The carrying of the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months (shahr-an)..."

097:003
"The Night of Power is better than a thousand months (shahr-in)"

So in your example 2:217, it can be a question regarding any month of the four months that are sacred. This verse doesn't stipulate or imply that there is only one month which is sacred by using the genitive noun 'shahr-i'. However, verses 2:197 and 9:36 'expressly' stipulate that the sacred months are 'plural' (four).

We should always understand any 'implicit' verses through the 'explicit' verses of the Quran (3:7).

2:194 has been used in a comparitive sense 'ashahru-l-haramu bi-shahri'-l-harami' (sacred month for a sacred month)  in the context of retaliation / legal retribution. Again, this is not stipulating that there is only one sacred month.

I personally don't find the need to use Islamic secondary source history to explain the Quran.

I hope this helps.
Joseph.
'During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act' 
George Orwell

chadiga

Thank you very much. i think i must go again to learn more arabic...... ::)there is here anywhere a good teacher?



UPDATE BY QM FORUM MODERATOR

13th March 2013

This thread is now closed and a direct link to this post is now available at the dedicated Q&A page.

http://quransmessage.com/articles/q&as%20FM3.htm

Thanks.