ctory. His companions at Mecca used to come to him
beaten and injured, and he used to tell them, 'Endure with patience, I
am not commanded to fight,' because they were but a small party at
Mecca. After this, when he was settled at Medina after the Hegira and
his followers became numerous who preferred him to their fathers,
children, and wives, and the unbelievers persisted in their idolatry,
charging him with falsehoods, then God permitted his followers to fight,
but against those _only_ who used to fight against them (the Moslems),
and were aggressors, as he said, 'If they fight you, then kill them'
(II, 187). This was in the year of Safar A.H. 2.... Then the whole Arab
host marched against the Moslems to fight against them from every
direction. The Moslems passed whole nights in arms, and during the day
they were in the same state, and longed to pass peaceful nights without
fear from anybody except from God. Then it was revealed, 'God hath
promised to those of you who believe and do the things that are right,
that he will cause them to succeed others in the land, as he gave
succession to those who were before them, and that He will establish for
them that religion which they delight in, and after their fears He will
give them security in exchange' (S. XXIV, 54). After this to attack
first was allowed against those who had not fought, but in other than
the sacred months, _viz._, _Rajab_, _Zulkada_, _Zulhijja_, and
_Mohuram_, according to the precept, 'And when the sacred months are
passed, kill those who join gods with God ...' (IX, 5). Then the order
became incumbent after the victory of Mecca, in the next year, to fight
absolutely without any restriction, without any regard to any condition
and time, by the words of God, 'Attack those who join gods with God in
all' at any time (IX, 36). So it is known that the fighting was
forbidden before the Hegira up to the month of Safar in its second year,
as the Prophet was in this period ordered to preach and warn without any
fighting, which was forbidden in seventy and odd verses. Then it was
permitted to fight against _only_ those who fought against them. Then it
was allowed to fight against those who fought aggressively in other than
the sacred months. After this it was enjoined absolutely to wage war
against them whether they did or did not fight, at all times, whether
during the sacred months, or others of the year."[300]

[Sidenote: 107. Halabi refuted.]

Neither the fi