9-7 How can there be an agreement for the idolaters with Allah and with His Messenger, except those with whom you made an agreement at the Sacred Mosque? So as long as they are true to you, be true to them. Surely Allah loves those who keep their duty.a
كَيْفَ يَكُونُ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ عَهْدٌ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَعِندَ رَسُولِهِۦٓ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ عَـٰهَدتُّمْ عِندَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۖ فَمَا ٱسْتَقَـٰمُوا۟ لَكُمْ فَٱسْتَقِيمُوا۟ لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ (۷)
9-7a: The mention in this section is of the same idolaters who are mentioned in the last section, that is the idolaters who habitually violated their agreements, and this is also evidenced by the subject matter. The reason for breaking the relationship with them is given. The reference in إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ عَـٰهَدتُّمْ is to the same people who are mentioned in verse 9:4 above. It is stated that keeping to the terms of the agreement is اتقاء (safeguarding one’s duty). As shown here, Islam teaches sanctity of agreements. A Muslim cannot break an agreement even if it means a loss to the nation.
9-8 How (can it be)? And if they prevail against you, they respect neither ties of relationship nor covenant in your case. They would please you with their mouths while their hearts refuse; and most of them are transgressors.
كَيْفَ وَإِن يَظْهَرُوا۟ عَلَيْكُمْ لَا يَرْقُبُوا۟ فِيكُمْ إِلًّۭا وَلَا ذِمَّةًۭ ۚ يُرْضُونَكُم بِأَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَتَأْبَىٰ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ فَـٰسِقُونَ (۸)
9-9 They have taken a small price for the messages of Allah, so they hinder (men) from His way. Surely evil is that which they do.
ٱشْتَرَوْا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ثَمَنًۭا قَلِيلًۭا فَصَدُّوا۟ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ سَآءَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ (۹)
9-10 They respect neither ties of relationship nor covenant, in the case of a believer. And these are they who go beyond the limits.a
لَا يَرْقُبُونَ فِى مُؤْمِنٍ إِلًّۭا وَلَا ذِمَّةًۭ ۚ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُعْتَدُونَ (۱۰)
9-10a: يَرْقُبُونَ – It is to look with care and concession.
اِلّ – According to Raghib, this word is spoken for every manifest condition whether it is a condition arising out of a pact or from kinship. Here, however, as Ibn Abbas opines the purport is kinship.
ذِمَّةًۭ – ذَمّ means to disparage or to speak badly of someone, as in مَذْمُومًۭا مَّدْحُورًۭا (despised, driven away) (17:18). ذِمَّةًۭ is censure because of aborting a pact (R).
Treatment of Muslims by the disbelievers: It was common practice among the Arabs that they would make an agreement and then break it at will if they felt that they had gained some strength vis a vis their agreement partner. This trait is also mentioned in the Quran: تَتَّخِذُونَ أَيْمَـٰنَكُمْ دَخَلًۢا بَيْنَكُمْ أَن تَكُونَ أُمَّةٌ هِىَ أَرْبَىٰ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ ۚ(You make your oaths to be means of deceit between you because (one) nation is more numerous than (another) nation) (16:92). This situation also prevailed when one of the parties to the oath was the Muslim nation but there was an added vehemence in breaking the oath in such a case because they considered the Muslims as their enemies. They would make the oath manifestly but there was animosity hidden in their hearts. Whenever they got the chance to inflict loss on the Muslims, they would do so not caring for their oath or kinship.
9-11 But if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, they are your brethren in faith. And We make the messages clear for a people who know.
فَإِن تَابُوا۟ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ فَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ ۗ وَنُفَصِّلُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍۢ يَعْلَمُونَ (۱۱)
9-12 And if they break their oaths after their agreement and revile your religion, then fight the leaders of disbelief — surely their oaths are nothing — so that they may desist.
وَإِن نَّكَثُوٓا۟ أَيْمَـٰنَهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ عَهْدِهِمْ وَطَعَنُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ فَقَـٰتِلُوٓا۟ أَئِمَّةَ ٱلْكُفْرِ ۙ إِنَّهُمْ لَآ أَيْمَـٰنَ لَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَنتَهُونَ (۱۲)
9-12a: It is narrated by Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman that no war took place with the idolators mentioned in this verse (IJ). Some commentators have taken أَئِمَّةَ ٱلْكُفْرِ (leaders of disbelief) to mean Abu Jahal and his coterie, but this cannot be correct, even though the words of verse 9:13 may lead one to think so, because this surah was definitely revealed in year 9 hijra whereas Abu Jahal and other leaders of the opposition with him were slain in the Battle of Badr. However, the words of verses 9:13-15 do not allow the narration of Hudhayfah that no war took place with these people to be accepted either. In verse 9:14 there is a clear command to fight these people and it is prophesied that Allah will punish them at the hands of the Muslims. It appears that in reality the mention here is that of people who after accepting Islam broke their oaths as was the case of Musailmah al Kazzab in the last days of the Holy Prophet’s life and some other people of Arabia after the death of Holy Prophet. Abu Bakr sent military expeditions against them and also against those who breached the peace by refusing to pay zakat. Those who scoffed the religion included Musailmah, Aswad and others. What needs to be explained is that in verse 9:13, it is stated: وَهَمُّوا۟ بِإِخْرَاجِ ٱلرَّسُولِ (and aimed at the expulsion of the Messenger). The intention of Musailmah and others to expel the Holy Prophet is apparent. The expulsion of the Holy Prophet by the Quraish cannot be the reference here because they had already expelled the Holy Prophet and the term aimed at the expulsion cannot apply to them. Further, the words وَيَشْفِ صُدُورَ قَوْمٍۢ مُّؤْمِنِينَ وَيُذْهِبْ غَيْظَ قُلُوبِهِمْ ۗ(and relieve the hearts of a believing people and remove the rage of their hearts) (9:13-14) also hold true for Musailmah and his comrades because their death assuaged the sorrow of the Muslims, and the rage of the opponents for which see 9:15a. The decree to kill all those who scoff the religion cannot be justified from this.
9-13 Will you not fight a people who broke their oaths and aimed at the expulsion of the Messenger, and they attacked you first? Do you fear them? But Allah has more right that you should fear Him, if you are believers.
أَلَا تُقَـٰتِلُونَ قَوْمًۭا نَّكَثُوٓا۟ أَيْمَـٰنَهُمْ وَهَمُّوا۟ بِإِخْرَاجِ ٱلرَّسُولِ وَهُم بَدَءُوكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ ۚ أَتَخْشَوْنَهُمْ ۚ فَٱللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخْشَوْهُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ (۱۳)
9-14 Fight them; Allah will chastise them at your hands and bring them to disgrace, and assist you against them and relieve the hearts of a believing people,
قَـٰتِلُوهُمْ يُعَذِّبْهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ وَيُخْزِهِمْ وَيَنصُرْكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَيَشْفِ صُدُورَ قَوْمٍۢ مُّؤْمِنِينَ (۱۴)
9-15 And remove the rage of their hearts. And Allah turns (mercifully) to whom He pleases. And Allah is Knowing, Wise.
وَيُذْهِبْ غَيْظَ قُلُوبِهِمْ ۗ وَيَتُوبُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ (۱۵)
9-15a: يُذْهِبْ غَيْظَ قُلُوبِهِمْ – The pronoun in قُلُوبِهِمْ stands for the opponents, that is that Allah will do away with the rage and anger that burns in their heart for the destruction of Islam. This can be in one of two ways, either by the opponents getting humiliated or by accepting Islam, the latter being indicated by يَتُوبُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ (Allah turns (mercifully) to whom He pleases).
9-16 Do you think that you would be left alone while Allah has not yet known those of you who struggle hard and take not anyone as an intimate friend besides Allah and His Messenger and the believers? And Allah is Aware of what you do.
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تُتْرَكُوا۟ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ جَـٰهَدُوا۟ مِنكُمْ وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا رَسُولِهِۦ وَلَا ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلِيجَةًۭ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ (۱۶)
9-16a: وَلِيجَةًۭ – ولوج means entering into a narrow place, as in: حَتَّىٰ يَلِجَ ٱلْجَمَلُ فِى سَمِّ ٱلْخِيَاطِ (until the camel pass through the eye of a needle) (7:40); تُولِجُ ٱلَّيْلَ فِى ٱلنَّهَارِ (Thou makest the night to pass into the day) (3:27). وَلِيجَةًۭ is someone who is not from the family but is made into a trust worthy friend (R).
Who are these people who are to be distinguished and separated. It is obvious that these are not سابقین اولین (the first and foremost) who have participated in jihad and have also shown their sincerity for Allah and His Messenger, and in fact their mention is in وَلَا ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ (and the believers). Those mentioned in حَسِبْتُمْ are those people who had accepted Islam and were scattered among the general populace. It is stated about them that there is a need for their sincerity to Allah to enhance and hence new difficulties will come their way. Alternatively, the addresses are new Muslims who have recently become Muslims. They are told that they will be required to wage jihad in the way of Allah and provide proof of their sincerity. This is also a rebuttal of those critics who accuse Islam of converting people by force. Those who are forcefully converted would hardly be willing to wage jihad and show their sincerity. Islam is not satisfied just by verbally acknowledging that one is a Muslim.
Bayan-ul-Quran 