9-1 A declaration of immunity from Allah and His Messenger to those of the idolaters with whom you made an agreement.a
بَرَآءَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ عَـٰهَدتُّم مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ (۱)
9-1a: بَرَآءَةٌۭ – The meaning of بُرۡء and بَرَاء and تَبَرِّی is separation from that which is repugnant to a person. That is why this word is also spoken about recovering from illness, separation from someone you do not like. Such a person who is free from liability is called بری and the nation that is free from liability is called براء as in أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَرِىٓءٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ۙ وَرَسُولُهُۥ ۚ(Allah is free from any liability to the idolaters, and so is His Messenger) (9:3); أَنتُم بَرِيٓـُٔونَ مِمَّآ أَعْمَلُ وَأَنَا۠ بَرِىٓءٌۭ مِّمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ (You are clear of what I do and I am clear of what you do) (10:41); إِذْ تَبَرَّأَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتُّبِعُوا (When those who were followed renounce) (2:166); إِنَّا بُرَءَٰٓؤُا۟ مِنكُمْ (We are clear of you) (60:4) (R).
If Surah Anfal gives information about the start of a period of wars, this surah gives information about their coming to an end, or if that surah mentions the initial actions of the disbelievers, then this surah mentions the ultimate result. In the first section there is mention of breaking all relations with the idolaters who had repeatedly violated the terms of their agreements with the Muslims. One of the great problems that the Muslims were confronted with was that the idolaters of Arabia would enter into an agreement with the Muslims and just as the Muslims felt secure from them, they would come under pressure of the opponents and break their pledge. After the conquest of Makkah when the period of wars was coming to an end, it was considered necessary to crush the ability of these violators of agreements to make mischief, and thereby to lay the foundation of a lasting peace in the land. Accordingly, in the ninth year after hijra, the first few verses of this surah were announced to all the tribes who had gathered for Hajj that year. The Holy Prophet did not go for pilgrimage himself that year and Abu Bake was appointed to lead the Muslims who went for pilgrimage. After his departure, Ali was dispatched to announce the first few verses of Surah Tawbah to the pilgrims. After reading out the verses, the following matters were also announced: First, that after this year, no idolater would be allowed to go near the Kabah; second, no person would be allowed to circumambulate the Kabah naked; third that all agreements will be fulfilled.
It is obvious, as is manifest from the fourth verse, that these verses do not refer to all the polytheists of the world and in fact the verses do not even refer to all the idolaters of Arabia. These verses are specifically directed to those people who repeatedly violated their agreements because those who did not violate the agreements are reassured that their agreements would be fulfilled. Among the matters that Ali announced, there is special mention about the fulfilment of the agreements. So, to extract a command from these verses of a declaration of war against all the polytheists of the world is an interpretation that is against the explicit and decisive dictum of the Quran.
9-2 So go about in the land for four months and know that you cannot escape Allah and that Allah will disgrace the disbelievers.a
فَسِيحُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍۢ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ مُعْجِزِى ٱللَّهِ ۙ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مُخْزِى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ (۲)
9-2a: It has been narrated that Hajj that year was held in the month of Dhu al Qadah instead of Dhu al Hajj under a provision called بسبب نسئ which allowed the Hajj to be postponed. In any case, a grace period of four months was allowed from the time of the announcement made during Hajj. It is not correct to say that the pacts were terminated because the Muslims were now in a dominant position after the conquest of Makkah. Makkah was conquered in the month of Ramadan in the eighth year of hijra and the renunciation of agreements took place fourteen months later. Despite the conquest of Makkah which only had to do with the Quraish, the Muslims were still being harassed by other tribes of Arabia. In fact, the words used in this verse know that you cannot escape Allah, show clearly that these tribes were still actively engaged in planning against the Muslims. For this reason and in accordance with the command given much earlier in Surah Anfal: وَإِمَّا تَخَافَنَّ مِن قَوْمٍ خِيَانَةًۭ فَٱنۢبِذْ إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَىٰ سَوَآءٍ ۚ(And if you fear treachery on the part of a people, throw back to them (their treaty) on terms of equality) (8:57), the Holy Prophet terminated the agreements after giving a grace period of four months because there was no other way to end the mischief and bring about peace in the land. The fact that the pacts were terminated because of the mischief created by the repeated violation of agreements and not because of their disbelief is apparent from the fact that in verse 9:4 those idolatrous tribes that did not violate their agreements are exempt from this announcement.
9-3 And an announcement from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage that Allah is free from liability to the idolaters, and so is His Messenger. So if you repent, it will be better for you; and if you turn away, then know that you will not escape Allah. And announce painful chastisement to those who disbelievea —
وَأَذَٰنٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلنَّاسِ يَوْمَ ٱلْحَجِّ ٱلْأَكْبَرِ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَرِىٓءٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ۙ وَرَسُولُهُۥ ۚ فَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ مُعْجِزِى ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ (۳)
9-3a: يَوْمَ ٱلْحَجِّ ٱلْأَكْبَرِ – There is some disagreement whether this means the Day of Sacrifice, that is the tenth of Duh al Hajj or the day of the large gathering in Arafat which is on the ninth of Dul al Hajj. Historical evidence proves that the announcement was made on the Day of Sacrifice, the tenth of Dhu al Hajj so the first mentioned opinion is preferred. This is further supported by a hadith of the Holy Prophet in which he called the Day of Sacrifice as يَوْمَ ٱلْحَجِّ ٱلْأَكْبَرِ .
9-4 Except those of the idolaters with whom you made an agreement, then they have not failed you in anything and have not backed up anyone against you; so fulfil their agreement to the end of their term. Surely Allah loves those who keep their duty.a
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ عَـٰهَدتُّم مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنقُصُوكُمْ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَمْ يُظَـٰهِرُوا۟ عَلَيْكُمْ أَحَدًۭا فَأَتِمُّوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ عَهْدَهُمْ إِلَىٰ مُدَّتِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ (۴)
9-4a: The exception granted in this verse shows clearly that the reason for breaking the relationships is only the violation of agreements by the idolaters. Where there is no violation of pacts, the fulfilment of pacts is termed as اتقاء or duty. Thus, the real reason for this announcement is not idolatry or disbelief but breach of agreements. Commentators have here mentioned only Banni Hamza and Banni Mudlaj, two tribes of Kunanah, that had pacts with unexpired terms. It is not known whether the tribe of Khazaya who were allies of the Muslims and on behalf of whom the Muslims attacked Makkah, had a pact with a fixed term. There may have been pacts with other tribes as well.
9-5 So when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters, wherever you find them, and take them captive and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush. But if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free. Surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.a
فَإِذَا ٱنسَلَخَ ٱلْأَشْهُرُ ٱلْحُرُمُ فَٱقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ وَخُذُوهُمْ وَٱحْصُرُوهُمْ وَٱقْعُدُوا۟ لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍۢ ۚ فَإِن تَابُوا۟ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ فَخَلُّوا۟ سَبِيلَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ (۵)
9-5a: ٱلْأَشْهُرُ ٱلْحُرُمُ – The four month respite given in the announcement above in which there will be no fighting is here referred to as ٱلْأَشْهُرُ ٱلْحُرُمُ (Sacred months). They are called sacred months either because there will be no fighting in them or because Dhu al Qadah, Dhu al Hajj and Muharram which were included in and comprised the bulk of the four-month period were sacred months.
ٱحْصُرُوهُمْ – حَصۡر means تضییق (confine, enclose) and ٱحْصُرُوهُمْ means ضیقوا علیہم (confine or encircle them) (R), that is straiten them until they stop اَحۡصَرہ العَدَدُّ اذا اضَیَّقَ علیه فحصر . When the enemy straitens someone to a stop, it is called: احصرہ العدو . The literal meaning of حَصۡر and اِحۡصار is منع that is to stop (LA). Although حَصۡر also means حبس (to take captive) but because خُذُوهُمْ (take them captive) has preceded ٱحْصُرُوهُمْ , hence the meaning of حَصۡر here is to stop them by some other means, as in: لِلْفُقَرَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ أُحْصِرُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ((Charity) is for the poor who are confined in the way of Allah) (2:273) and the purport here is that they have been stopped from working for some reason and does not mean that they are imprisoned. Ibn Jarir has taken the meaning of ٱحْصُرُوهُمْ as وامنعو ھم التصرف فی بلاد الاسلام و دخول مکة (Stop them from coming and going from Islamic lands and prohibit them from entering Makkah.
مَرْصَدٍۢ – The meaning of رَصَد is to surveil, monitor, observe or lie in wait to ambush, and مرصَد is the place where one lies in wait. The meaning of رَصَد and ارصاد is the same, as seen in the occurrence: وَإِرْصَادًۭا لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ (and a refuge for him who made war against Allah and His Messenger) (9:107).
Some critics, who even if they look at the Quran do so in a cursory manner, conclude from this verse that Islam requires every disbeliever to be killed because the words used here are فَٱقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ (slay the idolaters). When viewing through the lens of prejudice, the vision gets distorted, and one fails to see very clearly. The topic under discussion from the beginning of this chapter is the repeated violation of agreements by the disbelievers, and it has earlier been stated about them يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَهُمْ فِى كُلِّ مَرَّةٍۢ (then they break their agreement every time) (8:56). There is no mention here of disbelievers with whom there was no agreement and also not of the disbelievers who did not violate their agreements. In the very first verse of this surah the disgustful behavior mentioned is confined to those with whom an agreement was made ٱلَّذِينَ عَـٰهَدتُّم (with whom you made an agreement). This divorces all those idolaters and disbelievers who did not make an agreement from the subject of this surah. Those who had an agreement but did not violate it are separately exempted. So, the ones who are left are those few disbelievers who repeatedly violated the agreements they had entered with the Muslims, and the punishment that is proposed here is for their repeated breach of treaties. The proposed punishment is not just confined to slaying them, but includes besides slaying, taking captive or otherwise stopping them from making mischief, which is the main purpose of the punishment. The purpose therefore is not to slay the violators of agreements but to stop their mischief by whatever method that works and it is not required to go to the most extreme form of punishment. If they cannot be stopped by less severe measures, then slaying such mischief mongers is necessary to maintain security and peace; or these different types of punishments can be doled out according to the severity of the crime. Thus, those who are big and habitual troublemakers may be slayed, those of a lesser degree may be taken captive and those who can be stopped without imprisoning them can be stopped by other methods. For those who cannot be captured, it is proposed to lie in wait for them and ambush them. It is obvious that all this is applicable if they come into Muslim lands as Ibn Jarir has written in his commentary on وٱحْصُرُوهُمْ . This is further substantiated by the next words فَخَلُّوا۟ سَبِيلَهُمْ (leave their way free) and verse 9:6 where there is mention of idolaters asking for protection.
Forgiveness from this punishment: Here, if it is said that there is a command to give freedom to those who repent, keep up prayer and give zakat and this implies that the rest should be slain, then this is just not rational. It is only those who breached the agreements who are guilty. It does not follow from the freedom that is granted to some of the guilty under certain conditions that those who were not under the jurisdiction of this command to begin with are now accountable because of this exception. Thus, punishment is mandated only for those who breached the agreements. Then out of the guilty persons, those who kept up prayer and paid zakat were exempted from punishment. How does it follow then that those who were not guilty to start with, had never entered into agreements and therefore never broke any agreements, have now become guilty of punishment merely because they do not pray. The Quran has never held anyone guilty and deserving of punishment in this world merely for not praying, for not paying the zakat or for not believing. The punishment for this is in the next world. However, the Quran does hold those who repeatedly broke their agreements as deserving of punishment, but it prescribed forgiveness from the punishment they deserved if they became Muslim because this is one way in which their mischief is remedied. Another way was that they should be captured or otherwise stopped but because each tribe in Arabia was independent, the mischief could not be stopped until the tribe was defeated and to do this it was necessary to fight them and in this fight some would get slain. This is the reason why nowhere is there a command given just to slay. Hence the criticism of Islam on the grounds that it presented a choice between the sword or conversion is a falsehood invented by the opponents.
9-6 And if anyone of the idolaters seek thy protection, protect him till he hears the word of Allah, then convey him to his place of safety. This is because they are a people who know not.a
وَإِنْ أَحَدٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ٱسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّىٰ يَسْمَعَ كَلَـٰمَ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُۥ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌۭ لَّا يَعْلَمُونَ (۶)
9-6a: ٱسْتَجَارَكَ – It means to seek protection or refuge after a lapse of a fixed term. The word itself indicates that the reference is to the guilty idolaters who breached the contracts. One who is not guilty does not need to ask for refuge.
In the last verse, it is stated that one who converts to Islam should be forgiven, but to convert it is necessary that potential converts should meet with Muslims and find out about the religion of Islam. If a person guilty of breaching contracts requests protection in order to find out about Islam, they should be given protection. If after learning about Islam the person does not accept Islam, he must not be harmed but given safe passage back to his tribe. Ibn Jarir narrates the same in his commentary: ثم ردہٗ بعد اسماعه کلام اللّٰه ان ھو بی ان یسلم و لم تیعظ بما تلوته علیه من کلام اللّٰه فیومن الیٰ مامنه یقول الیٰ حیث یا من منك و ممن فی طاعتك حتی یلحق بدارہ و قومه من المشرکین. What is stated by Ibn Jarir is that by أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُ the purport is that after he has heard the words of Allah and if he does not accept the advice given in what has been read to him and refuses to accept Islam, he should be returned by transporting him to a place of security for him, that is to a place where he is secure from you and those who follow you, until he reaches his home and joins his idolatrous tribe. One wishes that those who attribute to the Quran the fable of Quran in one hand and sword in the other would reflect on these words. This is the treatment of an idolator who is guilty and who perchance falls into the hands of the Muslims and asks for refuge. If after the Holy Prophet recites to him the words of Allah, and he refuses to accept Islam. there should have been a command to slay him but instead the command is to convey him safely to his home. The reason given is that these are a people who are not familiar with the beauty of Islam and do not know the benefits that accrue by believing in Allah.
Bayan-ul-Quran 