الآية رقم (191) - وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَخْرِجُوهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ أَخْرَجُوكُمْ وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ وَلاَ تُقَاتِلُوهُمْ عِندَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ حَتَّى يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ فَإِن قَاتَلُوكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوهُمْ كَذَلِكَ جَزَاء الْكَافِرِينَ

(191) - ( And kill them wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and fitnah is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al- Haram until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.)

Notedly, this verse talks about a battle and a people who attacked Muslims and this is a normal matter that the Muslims should respond to this attack. The verse should not be taken off its context.

(وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ )  (And kill them wherever you overtake them):

The Arabic word (Thaqaf) (Overtake) is derived from the original word which means to bring all sides of something together, additionally, it may mean to straighten a branch, out of this the Arabic word of (culture) is derived as an indication to the straightening of minds. But here in this verse it means (find).

(وَأَخْرِجُوهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ أَخْرَجُوكُمْ ۚ  ) (….and expel them from wherever they have expelled you..): Refers to reciprocity in response to attack.

( وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ ۚ ) (….and fitnah is worse than killing…): Why? Because fitnah (persecution) causes killing so many people, therefore, it is more severe than killing itself, it is the weapon which is used for killing. When fitnah is raised in a society, it can cause killing of the whole society. Therefore, we say: Whatever the Terrorists and Extremists try to provoke fitnah, the first response is to stop and block its outlets of in the country is through returning to the correct interpretation of the Holy Qur’an as well as the proper interpretation of the purified Sunnah.

( وَلَا تُقَاتِلُوهُمْ عِند الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ حَتَّىٰ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ ) (….And do not fight them at al-Masjid al- Haram until they fight you there.): Why? Because the Sacred Mosque is a sanctuary, whoever enters it has to be safe in his soul and money. Hence, it is not allowed for Muslimas to fight in the area of the Sacred Mosque unless to stop the aggression, so it is not to be said that I cannot fight in the Haram Mosque so how can I defend myself if someone comes to kill me?

( فَإِن قَاتَلُوكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوهُمْ) (….But if they fight you, then kill them): Note this conditional statement; if they fight you then you have to defend yourself.

These verses were revealed after the treaty of (Hudaybiyah), which took place between Quraysh and the Prophet (saws) in the sixth year of the (Hijra) when the Prophet (saws) and the Muslims came out to visit the Sacred (haram) House and circling around it. But when they reached the (Hudaybiyah), at the borders of Mecca, the negotiations took place between the Prophet (saws) and the polytheists. It was agreed that the Prophert (saws) would return back and do not enter Mecca that year, however, it was so difficult for his companions to return without entering Mecca until next year, and they expressed their anger . The Prophet (saws) was was affected by this reacton and  went to his wife Umm Salamah, and told her what he was facing from the people. At this point the wisdom and intelligence of Umm Salamah become quite clear. She told him, “O Messenger of Allah, go out and do not speak to any of them until you have sacrificed your animal and shaved your head.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) took her advice, and did as she suggested.

When the companions saw that, they rushed to do what the Prophet (saws) ordered them to do. Therefore, the (Hudaybiyah) incident was a big victory. At that time, the verse:

 {إِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُّبِينًا }

(Indeed, We have given you, a clear conquest) (Al-Fath)

was revealed and the companions considered what is meant by the conquest is the treaty with the people of Mekkah.

( كَذَٰلِكَ جَزَاءُ الْكَافِرِينَ ) (Such is the recompense of the disbelievers).