Verse 3
The City • makkah
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Important Words:
حل (dweller) is derived from حل which means, he was or became free from an obligation or responsibility; it was or became lawful. They say حل علیھم العذاب i.e. the punishment alighted upon them or the punishment was necessitated by the requirements of justice to take effect upon them. حل بالمکان means, he alighted or dwelt in the house. حل حقی علیه means, the discharge of my right became obligatory on him. حل(hillun) means: (1) the place outside the sacred precincts of Mecca; (2) the thing the doing of which is lawful; (3) target; (4) free from obligation; (5) alighting or dwelling in a place (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
According to the different meanings of the word حل given under Important Words the verse would signify: (1) It is considered lawful to do you any harm, even to kill you, in this city of Mecca which is so sacred that the doing of harm to a living creature in its precincts, not to say of killing it, is strictly forbidden. (2) Thou alone art the target of every conceivable abuse, harm, injury, cruelty or violence against life, property or honour in this Sacred City. (3) Thou wilt alight as a conqueror in this city from where thou art being driven out as a fugitive. (4) Thou wilt be freed from obligation to observe the sacredness of this city when thou wilt enter it as a victor and wilt punish those wicked persons who had placed themselves outside the pale of law by perpetrating unutterable cruelties on innocent Muslims.
What a mighty prophecy! It was made at a time when opposition to the Holy Prophet was still confined to mocking and jeering at him. The Surah as stated in the Introduction, was revealed towards the end of the third year of the Call when Islam had not yet begun to be preached openly nor had the Meccans awakened to a realization of the danger which the new Faith subsequently proved to be and, therefore, considered it beneath their dignity to offer it any opposition.
Hill means: (1) A thing the doing of which is lawful; (2) target; (3) one free from obligation; (4) one alighting or dwelling in a place (Lane). The root-word Halla possessing all these meanings, the verse signifies: (1) It is considered lawful by your enemies to do you any harm, even to kill you, in this City of Mecca which is so sacred that what to say of killing a living creature, it is strictly forbidden to do it the slightest harm in its precincts. (2) Thou alone art the target of every conceivable abuse, harm, injury, cruelty or violence against life, property or honour in this sacred City. (3) Thou wilt alight as a conqueror in this City from where thou art now being driven out as a fugitive. (4) For a short while thou wilt be freed from the obligation to observe the sacredness of this City when thou wilt enter it as a victor and those wicked people, who had placed themselves outside the pale of law by perpetrating unutterable cruelties on innocent Muslims, will be at your mercy.