a cow or a sheep. “Nor the garlanded offerings,” meaning the sacrificial animals adorned with garlands—that is, the animals bearing garlands. Ata said: It refers to the people bearing garlands. In the pre-Islamic period, when they wished to leave the Sanctuary, they would adorn themselves and their camels with something from the bark of the trees of the Sanctuary, so that no one would molest them. Thus, the Sacred Law prohibited treating any of these things as lawful to violate. Mutarrif ibn al-Shikhkhir said: It refers to the garlands themselves, for the polytheists would take bark from the trees of Mecca and wear it as garlands; they were therefore forbidden to strip its trees.
His words, Most High, “nor those heading for the Sacred House,” mean those intending the Sacred House—that is, the Ka'bah—so do not molest them. “Seeking” means seeking “bounty from their Lord,” that is, provision through trade, “and His approval”—according to their own claim, for the disbelievers have no share in His approval. Qatadah said: It means that He maintains their worldly livelihood and does not hasten their punishment in this world. It was also said that seeking bounty applies generally to both believers and polytheists, whereas seeking approval applies specifically to believers, since both Muslims and polytheists used to perform the pilgrimage.
This verse, up to this point, has been abrogated by His words: “Kill the polytheists wherever you find them” (Surah al-Tawbah, 5), and by His words: “So let them not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year of theirs” (Surah al-Tawbah, 28). Thus, a polytheist may not perform pilgrimage, nor may a disbeliever be granted security on account of sacrificial animals and garlands.
His words, Mighty and Majestic: “And when you have left the state of consecration, then hunt,” mean after leaving your state of consecration. This is a command granting permission: He permitted one who is not in the state of consecration to hunt, just as He, Most High, says: “When the prayer has concluded, then disperse throughout the land” (Surah al-Jumu'ah, 10).
“And let not…” Ibn Abbas and Qatadah said: This means, “Do not let it lead you.” One says, “So-and-so jarama me to do such-and-such,” meaning, “He induced me to do it.” Al-Farra said: It means, “Do not let it cause you to earn,” for jarama means “to earn”; and one says, “So-and-so is the jarīmah of his family,” meaning, the one who earns for them. It was also said to mean, “Do not let it prompt you.”
“The hatred of a people” means their enmity and hostility. It is a verbal noun derived from shani'tu, “I hated.” Ibn Amir and Abu Bakr recited it as shan'anu, with the first nun unvowelled, while the others recited it as shana'anu, with it vowelled with fathah. Both are accepted linguistic forms, though the latter is better, since most verbal nouns follow the pattern fa'alan, with a fathah on the middle letter, such as daraban, sayalan, nasalan, and the like.
“Because they barred you from the Sacred Mosque”: Ibn Kathir and Abu Amr recited the initial alif with kasrah, as a new sentence, while the others recited it with fathah, meaning, “because they barred you.” The meaning of the verse is: Let not the hostility of a people lead you to transgress against them because they barred you. Muhammad ibn Jarir said: This is because this surah was revealed after the incident of al-Hudaybiyyah, while their barring of the Muslims had occurred earlier.
“That you transgress” against them by killing them or seizing their property. “And cooperate,” meaning: let some of you assist others, “in righteousness and piety.” It was said that righteousness means complying with the command, while piety means avoiding what is prohibited. It was also said that righteousness is Islam and piety is the sunnah. “And do not cooperate in sin and transgression.” It was said that sin is disbelief and transgression is injustice; and it was also said that sin is disobedience and transgression is religious innovation.