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Tafsir of At-Tawbah 9:4

Surah At-Tawbah 9:4

ﱾ ﱿ ﲀ ﲁ ﲂ ﲃ ﲄ ﲅ ﲆ ﲇ ﲈ ﲉ ﲊ ﲋ ﲌ ﲍ ﲎ ﲏ ﲐ ﲑ ﲒ ﲓ ﲔ

Excepted are those with whom you made a treaty among the polytheists and then they have not been deficient toward you in anything or supported anyone against you; so complete for them their treaty until their term [has ended]. Indeed, Allah loves the righteous [who fear Him].

Tafsir

Mafatih al-Ghayb

Verse range: 9:4

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| At-Tawbah (Repentance): (4) Except those with whom you made a covenant...

Except those with whom you made a covenant...

To what does this exception refer? There are two views:

  1. Al-Zajjaj said: It refers back to the statement: {Barā'ah (a declaration of immunity)}. The meaning is: {A declaration of immunity from Allah and His Messenger} to the polytheists with whom you made covenants, except for those who did not violate the covenant.
  2. The author of Al-Kashshāf said: The context suggests it is an exception to the statement: {then roam freely in the land}. Since the address is to the Muslims, the meaning is: A declaration of immunity from Allah and His Messenger to those with whom you covenanted, and if they did not breach the covenant against you, then fulfill the covenant to them.

Know that the Almighty described them with two matters:

  1. His statement: {then they did not breach the covenant against you} (ثم لم ينقصوكم).
  2. His statement: {and they did not support anyone against you} (ولم يظاهروا عليكم أحدا).

The most probable interpretation is that the first refers to them not initiating warfare themselves, and the second refers to them not inciting or supporting other groups to fight you.

Then He said: {then fulfill the covenant to them} (فأتموا إليهم عهدهم). This means that those who did not violate the covenant in either of these two ways—fulfill the covenant to them and do not treat the faithful like the treacherous.

His statement: {then fulfill the covenant to them} means: perform it for them completely and perfectly. Ibn Abbas narrated that a clan of Kinanah had nine months remaining on their covenant, and the Prophet (PBUH) fulfilled the covenant to them.

{Indeed, Allah loves the pious} (إن الله يحب المتقين). This means that the nature of piety requires that the two groups (the faithful and the treacherous) not be treated equally. Or, it could mean that since this group refrained from breaking and violating the covenant, they deserved from Allah that their covenant also be protected from breach and violation.

It is narrated that Banu Bakr attacked Banu Khuza'ah during the absence of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), and Quraysh supported them with weapons. When 'Amr ibn Sālim al-Khuza'i came to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), he recited:

O Allah, I seek your pledge regarding Muhammad, The pact of our fathers and your fathers, that you do not fail. Indeed, Quraysh have broken their promise to you, And violated your confirmed protection. They attacked us at Al-Ḥaṭīm at night, And killed us while we were bowing and prostrating.

The Prophet (PBUH) replied: "I will not be aided if I do not aid you!"

It was also read as {لم} (lam) with the letter ḍād (ض), meaning: they did not breach your covenant.

| 7 < { But when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakāh, then let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. } > 7 |

The Almighty's statement: {The pious. But when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakāh...}