4-88 Why should you, then, be two parties in relation to the hypocrites while Allah has made them return (to disbelief) for what they have earned? Do you desire to guide him whom Allah leaves in error? And whomsoever Allah leaves in error thou canst not find a way for him.a
فَمَا لَكُمۡ فِى ٱلۡمُنَـٰفِقِينَ فِئَتَيۡنِ وَٱللَّهُ أَرۡكَسَہُم بِمَا كَسَبُوٓاْۚ أَتُرِيدُونَ أَن تَهۡدُواْ مَنۡ أَضَلَّ ٱللَّهُۖ وَمَن يُضۡلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ ۥ سَبِيلاً۬ (٨٨)
4-88a: أَرۡكَسَہُم – The meaning of رَکۡس is to turn something upside down or to turn its front towards its back. So أَرۡكَسَہُم means turned them back towards their disbelief.
Bukhari, Muslim and others have narrated from Zaid bin Thabit that this verse was revealed about those who returned back from the way while proceeding to Uhad, that is those three hundred men whom Abdullah bin Ubay took back. Some have said that this verse was revealed about Arina who had raided the grazing grounds of Madinah. Some have expressed other ideas. The reality is that in Madinah and its environs there existed a large group of hypocrites whose hypocrisy was of different grades, and they have been mentioned here briefly. In the last section, it was stated that they do not join the Muslims in their fights and instead plan against them. This verse advises the Muslims on how to treat them.
4-89 They long that you should disbelieve as they have disbelieved so that you might be on the same level; so take not from among them friends until they flee (their homes) in Allah’s way.a Then if they turn back (to hostility), seize them and kill them wherever you find them, and take no friend nor helper from among them,b
وَدُّواْ لَوۡ تَكۡفُرُونَ كَمَا كَفَرُواْ فَتَكُونُونَ سَوَآءً۬ۖ فَلَا تَتَّخِذُواْ مِنۡہُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءَ حَتَّىٰ يُہَاجِرُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِۚ فَإِن تَوَلَّوۡاْ فَخُذُوهُمۡ وَٱقۡتُلُوهُمۡ حَيۡثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمۡۖ وَلَا تَتَّخِذُواْ مِنۡہُمۡ وَلِيًّ۬ا وَلَا نَصِيرًا (٨٩)
4-89a: The first group of hypocrites: Mention is first made of the group who are internally hypocrites but externally call themselves Muslims. The command to the Muslims about them is not to take them as friends, that is not to have a close and helping relationship with them. Overtly the relationship with them should be that of a Muslim. The meaning of migration in the way of Allah is firstly one who leaves the realm of unbelievers ( دار الکفر) where it is not allowed to carry out the essential rites of religion. Second, according to the hadith a migrant is:المھاجر من ھجر مانھی اللّٰه عنه (A refugee is one who leaves those things which Allah has prohibited). Third, one who leaves his homeland to defend religion or under these conditions goes out to fight. It is this third type of migrant that appears to be the case here.
4-89b: The reference here is to the second stage of hypocrisy where the hypocrite graduates from being only internally hypocritical to renouncing the religion of Islam openly and joining the enemy. The command for them is the same as the command for the unbelievers. There were a number of such people residing in the environs of Madinah. When they saw that the Muslims had the upper hand in their struggle with the unbelievers, they would profess Islam but when they got the chance, they would renounce Islam openly and do damage to the Muslims as, for example, Arina did when he raided the pastures of Muslims killed the herdsmen and made away with the animals. So, those hypocrites who openly joined the unbelievers to wage war against the Muslims were now branded as enemies and having come out to battle the Muslims became deserving of the death penalty.
4-90 Except those who join a people between whom and you there is an alliance,a or who come to you, their hearts shrinking from fighting you or fighting their own people. And if Allah had pleased, He would have given them power over you, so that they would have fought you. So if they withdraw from you and fight you not and offer you peace, then Allah allows you no way against them.b
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِۭ بَيۡنَكُمۡ وَبَيۡنَہُم مِّيثَـٰقٌ أَوۡ جَآءُوكُمۡ حَصِرَتۡ صُدُورُهُمۡ أَن يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمۡ أَوۡ يُقَـٰتِلُواْ قَوۡمَهُمۡۚ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَسَلَّطَهُمۡ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فَلَقَـٰتَلُوكُمۡۚ فَإِنِ ٱعۡتَزَلُوكُمۡ فَلَمۡ يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمۡ وَأَلۡقَوۡاْ إِلَيۡكُمُ ٱلسَّلَمَ فَمَا جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ عَلَيۡہِمۡ سَبِيلاً۬ (٩٠)
4-90a: Third group of hypocrites: In the first part of this verse, mention is made of a third group of hypocrites who openly reverted from Islam but joined a tribe with which the Muslims had a treaty such as the one entered into by the Holy Prophet with Halal bin Awamar Aslami under which Aslami would not fight with the Muslims against the Quraish and neither would he fight with the Quraish against the Muslims. So, if a hypocrite joined such a tribe, he would have the same rights as the members of the tribe he joins even though he was liable to be killed for violation of his oath.
4-90b: حَصِرَتۡ – The meaning of حصر is straiten and the meaning here is that their bosoms have straitened from miserliness and cowardice.
This is the description of a fourth grade of hypocrites who renounced Islam and did not take refuge with a treaty tribe but were not willing to fight the Muslims or the unbelievers. If such persons sought peace with Muslims then it was not permissible to wage war with them.
When can an apostate be killed: It is very clear from here that war can be waged against the apostates only if they join the enemies of Muslims or themselves wage war against the Muslims. However, if they do not wage war against the Muslims, it is not permissible to wage war against them or to kill them even though they are not willing to fight in the Muslim ranks against the unbelievers. Peace was made with Bani Mudlij under this dispensation and this provision was never revoked.
4-91 You will find others who desire to be secure from you and secure from their own people. Whenever they are made to return to hostility, they are plunged into it. So if they withdraw not from you, nor offer you peace and restrain their hands, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them. And against these We have given you a clear authority.a
سَتَجِدُونَ ءَاخَرِينَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَأۡمَنُوكُمۡ وَيَأۡمَنُواْ قَوۡمَهُمۡ كُلَّ مَا رُدُّوٓاْ إِلَى ٱلۡفِتۡنَةِ أُرۡكِسُواْ فِيہَاۚ فَإِن لَّمۡ يَعۡتَزِلُوكُمۡ وَيُلۡقُوٓاْ إِلَيۡكُمُ ٱلسَّلَمَ وَيَكُفُّوٓاْ أَيۡدِيَهُمۡ فَخُذُوهُمۡ وَٱقۡتُلُوهُمۡ حَيۡثُ ثَقِفۡتُمُوهُمۡۚ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكُمۡ جَعَلۡنَا لَكُمۡ عَلَيۡہِمۡ سُلۡطَـٰنً۬ا مُّبِينً۬ا (٩١)
4-91a: Fifth group of hypocrites: This verse mentions a fifth group of hypocrites. They manifest being Muslims so that they are not counted among the enemies of Islam, but their condition is such that when the unbelievers call them to fight against the Muslims (The meaning of فتنه here is fighting against the Muslims. See Ruh al-Maani where its meaning is given as fighting against the Muslims), they go headlong into it and do not care for their covenant with the Muslims. Even so, they have been given a chance that if they abstain from fighting the Muslims, apply for peace, and also practically stop themselves from fighting then they would be left alone with no repercussion. However, if they do not do any of this then for sure Muslims have the right to kill them. Without such measures, it was not possible for Islam to survive, and Muslims would have been killed.
Bayan-ul-Quran 