عن أَبي بَكْرَةَ نُفَيْعِ بنِ الحارثِ رضيَ اللّه عنه، عن النّبيّ صَلّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَّم قال: «إِنَّ الزَّمَانَ قَدِ اسْتَدَارَ كَهَيْئَتِهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ اللّه السَّمواتِ والأَرْضَ: السَّنةُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا، مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُم: ثَلاثٌ مُتَوَالِيَاتٌ: ذُو الْقَعْدة، وَذو الْحِجَّةِ، والْمُحرَّمُ، وَرجبُ مُضر الذي بَيْنَ جُمادَى وَشَعْبَانَ، أَيُّ شَهْرٍ هَذَا؟» قلْنَا: اللّه ورسُولُهُ أَعْلَم، فَسكَتَ حَتَّى ظنَنَّا أَنَّهُ سَيُسمِّيهِ بِغَيْرِ اسْمِهِ، قال: «أَلَيْس ذَا الْحِجَّةِ؟» قُلْنَا: بلَى. قال: «فأَيُّ بلَدٍ هَذَا؟» قُلْنَا: اللّه وَرسُولُهُ أَعلمُ، فَسَكَتَ حتَّى ظَنَنَّا أَنَّهُ سيُسمِّيهِ بغَيْر اسْمِهِ. قال: «أَلَيْسَ الْبَلْدَةَ؟» قُلْنا: بلَى. قال: «فَأَيُّ يَومٍ هذَا؟» قُلْنَا: اللّه ورسُولُهُ أَعْلمُ، فَسكَتَ حَتَّى ظَنَنَّا أَنَّه سيُسمِّيهِ بِغيْر اسمِهِ. قال: «أَلَيْسَ يَوْمَ النَّحْرِ؟» قُلْنَا: بَلَى. قال: «فإِنَّ دِماءَكُمْ وَأَمْوَالَكُمْ وأَعْرَاضَكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ حرَامٌ، كَحُرْمَةِ يَوْمِكُمْ هَذَا في بَلَدِكُمْ هَذا في شَهْرِكُم هَذَا، وَسَتَلْقَوْن ربَّكُم فَيَسْأَلُكُمْ عَنْ أَعْمَالِكُمْ، أَلا فَلا تَرْجِعُوا بَعْدِي كُفَّارًا يضْرِبُ بَعْضُكُمْ رِقَابَ بَعْضٍ، أَلَا لِيُبَلِّغِ الشَّاهِدُ الْغَائِبَ، فلَعلَّ بَعْضَ من يَبْلُغُه أَنْ يَكُونَ أَوْعَى لَه مِن بَعْضِ مَنْ سَمِعَه» ثُمَّ قال: «أَلا هَلْ بَلَّغْتُ، أَلا هَلْ بلَّغْتُ؟» قُلْنا: نَعَمْ، قال: «اللَّهُمَّ اشْهَدْ» متفقٌ عليه.
Abu Bakrah Nufay' ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Time has completed its cycle and returned to the state it was in on the day Allah created the heavens and the earth. The year consists of twelve months, four of which are sacred: three consecutive months — Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijjah, and Muharram — and Rajab of Mudar, which falls between Jumada and Sha'ban. What month is this?" We said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He remained silent until we thought he would name it with a different name. He said: "Is it not Dhul-Hijjah?" We said: "Indeed." He said: "What land is this?" We said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He remained silent until we thought he would name it with a different name. He said: "Is it not the Sacred City?" We said: "Indeed." He said: "What day is this?" We said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He remained silent until we thought he would name it with a different name. He said: "Is it not the Day of Sacrifice?" We said: "Indeed." He said: "Your blood, your wealth, and your honor are as sacred to you as the sanctity of this day of yours, in this land of yours, in this month of yours. You will meet your Lord, and He will ask you about your deeds. Beware! Do not revert after me to disbelievers, striking one another's necks. Let those present convey to those absent, for perhaps some of those who receive the message may comprehend it better than some who heard it directly." Then he said: "Have I conveyed the message? Have I conveyed the message?" We said: "Yes." He said: "O Allah, bear witness." Agreed upon (narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
الشرح · explanation
إنّ الزمان: المقصود السنَة. قد استدار كهيئته: أي إنّ الزمان في انقسامه إلى أعوام، والعام إلى أشهر، عاد إلى الموضع الذي اختار اللّه وضعه عليه. البلدة: مكة المكرَّمة.
Time (al-zaman): referring to the year. Has completed its cycle (qad istadara ka-hay'atihi): meaning time, in its division into years and months, has returned to the arrangement Allah originally ordained. The Sacred City (al-baldah): Makkah al-Mukarramah.
الدروس · lessons
إبطال ما كانت تفعله العرب في الجاهلية، وذلك أنهم كانوا إذا احتاجوا إلى الحرب في شهرٍ محرَّمٍ استحلّوه، وأخروا حرمته للشهر الذي بعده، فإذا احتاجوا للحرب مثلًا في رجب جعلوه حلالًا وجعلوا شعبان مكانه، فنصَّ الحديثُ على بطلان ذلك بتعيين الأشهر الحرم. التأكيد على حرمة الدماء والأموال والأعراض والحثّ على صيانتها وعدم الاعتداء عليها. للمسلم وقفة بين يدَيْ ربه يحاسبه فيها على كل كبيرة وصغيرة. التأكيد على فهم ما يقال من التوجيه والتعليم، والحثّ على تبليغ العلم ونقله بأمانة وصدق. كمال طريقة النبيّ صلّى اللّه عليه وسلّم في التربية والتوجيه وضربه الأمثلة ليكون أبلغ في التأثير، وأكثر وضوحًا في نفس السامع.
The hadith abolishes what the Arabs used to do in the pre-Islamic era: when they needed to wage war in a sacred month, they would declare it permissible and transfer its sanctity to the following month. For example, if they needed to fight in Rajab, they would declare it lawful and make Sha'ban sacred in its place. The hadith establishes the specific identity of the sacred months. The emphasis on the sanctity of blood, wealth, and honor, and the encouragement to safeguard them and refrain from transgressing against them. Every Muslim will stand before his Lord and be held accountable for every matter, large and small. The emphasis on understanding what is conveyed of guidance and instruction, and the encouragement to transmit knowledge faithfully and honestly. The perfection of the Prophet's (peace be upon him) method of education and guidance, and his use of examples to make his message more impactful and clearer in the listener's mind.