إِنَّ عِدَّةَ ٱلشُّهُورِ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِى كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ مِنْهَآ أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ ۚ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا۟ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ
"Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them..."
— Surah At-Tawbah (9:36)
The Prophet ﷺ explained: "The year is twelve months, of which four are sacred: the three consecutive months of Dhu al-Qi'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, and Muharram, and Rajab... which comes between Jumada and Sha'ban." (Sahih Bukhari)
1
Dhu al-Qi'dah
ذُو ٱلْقَعْدَة
The 11th month. Historically, fighting was halted so that pilgrims could travel safely towards Makkah without fear of bandits or tribal warfare.
2
Dhu al-Hijjah
ذُو ٱلْحِجَّة
The 12th month. The month of the Hajj pilgrimage. The sanctity ensures absolute safety in Makkah for the millions of pilgrims performing the rituals.
3
Muharram
مُحَرَّم
The 1st month. Its name literally means 'Forbidden'. The peace was extended into the first month of the new year so pilgrims could return home safely.
4
Rajab
رَجَب
The 7th month. It stands alone in the middle of the year. It was made sacred to allow people to perform Umrah (the lesser pilgrimage) safely during the middle of the year.
The Multiplier Effect
Why did Allah say "Do not wrong yourselves therein"? Ibn Abbas (RA) explained that in these four months, the consequences of actions are magnified. Sins committed in a sacred month are worse in the sight of Allah than sins committed at other times. Conversely, good deeds performed in these months yield a much greater reward!
The History of Ashhur Al-Hurum
The sanctity of these four months was established by Allah on the very day He created the heavens and the earth. This tradition was upheld by the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) and his son Isma'il (Ishmael). Even the pagan Arabs of pre-Islamic Makkah (Jahiliyyah) respected these months. During these four months, if an Arab man met his father's killer in the street, he would not raise a hand against him out of respect for the sacred time.
The Prohibition of Warfare
In Islamic Fiqh, initiating warfare during these four months is strictly forbidden (Haram), except in cases of self-defense. This divine injunction guaranteed periods of absolute peace throughout the Arabian peninsula, facilitating safe trade routes, unhindered worship at the Kaaba, and an opportunity for warring tribes to engage in diplomacy and peace treaties.