The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

9: 38
Repentance 119
the son of God,’ a and the Christians said, ‘The Messiah is the son of
God’: they said this with their own mouths, repeating what earlier
disbelievers had said. May God confound them! How far astray they
have been led! 31 They take their rabbis and their monks as lords, as
well as Christ, the son of Mary. But they were commanded to serve
only one God: there is no god but Him; He is far above whatever
they set up as His partners! 32 They try to extinguish God’s light
with their mouths, but God insists on bringing His light to its fullness,
even if the disbelievers hate it. 33 It is He who has sent His
Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, to show that it is
above all [other] religions, however much the idolaters may hate this.
34 Believers, many rabbis and monks wrongfully consume people’s
possessions and turn people away from God’s path. [Prophet], tell
those who hoard gold and silver instead of giving in God’s cause that
they will have a grievous punishment: 35 on the Day it is heated up in
Hell’s Fire and used to brand their foreheads, sides, and backs, they
will be told, ‘This is what you hoarded up for yourselves! Now feel
the pain of what you hoarded!’
36 God decrees that there are twelve months – ordained in God’s
Book on the Day when He created the heavens and earth – four
months of which are sacred: b this is the correct calculation. c Do not
wrong your souls in these months – though you may fight the
idolaters at any time, d if they first fight you – remember that God is
with those who are mindful of Him. 37 Postponing sacred months
is another act of disobedience by which those who disregard [God]
are led astray: they will allow it one year and forbid it in another in
order outwardly to conform with the number of God’s sacred
months, but in doing so they permit what God has forbidden. Their
evil deeds are made alluring to them: God does not guide those who
disregard [Him].
38 Believers, why, when it is said to you, ‘Go and fight in God’s
way,’ do you feel weighed down to the ground? Do you prefer this
a Clearly this refers to a certain group who, possibly at the time of the Prophet or
earlier, made this claim.
b These are Rajab, Dhu ’l-Qada, Dhu ’l-Hijjah, and Muharram in the Muslim lunar
calendar. Fighting was not allowed during these months (except in self-defence).
Cf. 2: 194.
c One of the meanings of din is ‘calculation’ or ‘reckoning’.
d Another interpretation of kafatan is ‘all together’.