He says: Refraining from Jihad is evil for you, and Allah makes its outcome evil for you; so you shall neither attain victory nor spoils of war.

The saying: "And Allah knows, while you know not."

2021 - 'Ali b. al-Husayn narrated to us, Musa b. Harun al-Dulabi narrated to us, Marwan narrated to us, from Juwaybir, from al-Dahhak, regarding the saying of Allah: "And Allah knows, while you know not," he said: He knows about everyone that which you do not know.

2022 - My father narrated to us, Muhammad b. Abi Bakr al-Muqaddami narrated to us, al-Mu'tamir b. Sulayman narrated to us, from his father, al-Hadrami narrated to me, from Abu al-Sawar, from Jundub b. 'Abd Allah, that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sent a company and appointed over them Abu 'Ubaydah b. al-Jarrah or 'Ubaydah b. al-Harith. When he was about to depart, he wept out of longing for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), so he sat down. He then sent 'Abd Allah b. Jahsh in his place and wrote him a letter, ordering him not to read the letter until he reached such and such a place. He said: "Do not compel any of your companions to travel with you." When he read the letter, he recited the istirja' (saying 'To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return'), and said: "I hear and obey Allah and His Messenger." He informed them of the news and read the letter to them. Two men returned, and the rest proceeded. They encountered Ibn al-Hadrami and killed him, not knowing whether that day was in Rajab or Jumada. The polytheists said to the Muslims: "You have killed during the Sacred Month." So Allah the Almighty revealed: "They ask you about the Sacred Month - fighting therein. Say, 'Fighting therein is a great [transgression].'"

2023 - al-Hasan b. Abi al-Rabi' narrated to us, 'Abd al-Razzaq informed us, Ma'mar informed us, from al-Zuhri, and 'Uthman al-Jazari, from Miqsam, the freed slave of Ibn 'Abbas: Waqid b. 'Abd Allah encountered 'Amr b. al-Hadrami on the first night of Rajab, while he believed it was in Jumada, and he killed him. He was the first killed of the polytheists. The polytheists taunted the Muslims, saying: "Do you kill during the Sacred Month?" So Allah revealed: "They ask you about the Sacred Month - fighting therein."

Al-Zuhri said: The Prophet (peace be upon him), as it has reached us, used to forbid fighting in the Sacred Month, then it was made lawful for him after that.