[Machine] Al-Shafi'i said, "The meaning of this, and Allah knows best, is that it has not been permitted for war to be waged against it (i.e., Mecca) until it becomes like any other place. The Prophet ﷺ commanded when 'Asim ibn Thabit and Khubayb were killed, as a retaliation for Abu Sufyan's killing, in a house in Mecca during the sacred months. This indicates that it does not prevent anyone from doing something that is obligatory upon him, and that it is only prevented from being attacked by war, as opposed to other places."  

قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ ؓ إِنَّمَا مَعْنَى ذَلِكَ وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّهَا لَمْ يُحَلَّلْ أَنْ يُنْصَبَ عَلَيْهَا الْحَرْبُ حَتَّى تَكُونَ كَغَيْرِهَا فَقَدْ أَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ عِنْدَمَا قُتِلَ عَاصِمُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ وَخُبَيْبٌ بِقَتْلِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ فِي دَارٍ بِمَكَّةَ غِيلَةً إِنْ قُدِرَ عَلَيْهِ وَهَذَا فِي الْوَقْتِ الَّذِي كَانَتْ فِيهِ مُحَرَّمَةً فَدَلَّ عَلَى أَنَّهَا لَا تَمْنَعُ أَحَدًا مِنْ شَيْءٍ وَجَبَ عَلَيْهِ وَأَنَّهَا إِنَّمَا يُمْنَعُ مِنْ أَنْ يُنْصَبَ عَلَيْهَا الْحَرْبُ كَمَا يُنْصَبُ عَلَى غَيْرِهَا