إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ إِلَىٰ قَوْمٍۭ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَـٰقٌ أَوْ جَآءُوكُمْ حَصِرَتْ صُدُورُهُمْ أَن يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمْ أَوْ يُقَـٰتِلُوا۟ قَوْمَهُمْ ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَسَلَّطَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلَقَـٰتَلُوكُمْ ۚ فَإِنِ ٱعْتَزَلُوكُمْ فَلَمْ يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمْ وَأَلْقَوْا۟ إِلَيْكُمُ ٱلسَّلَمَ فَمَا جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سَبِيلًا 90
Translations
Except for those who take refuge with a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty or those who come to you, their hearts strained at [the prospect of] fighting you or fighting their own people. And if Allāh had willed, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you. So if they remove themselves from you and do not fight you and offer you peace, then Allāh has not made for you a cause [for fighting] against them.
Transliteration
Illa alladhina yasiluna ila qawmin baynakum wa baynahum mithaqun aw jaaookum hasrat suduruhum an yuqatilookum aw yuqatilu qawmahum wa law shaa allahu lasallataham alaykum falaqatalookum fa-in i'tazalookum falam yuqatilookum wa alqaw ilaykumu assalam fama ja'ala allahu lakum alayhim sabilan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah exempts from the command to fight those who join a people with whom Muslims have a covenant, or those who come to Muslims with hearts unwilling to fight either the Muslims or their own people. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, if such people withdraw from fighting and offer peace, Muslims are prohibited from harming them, as Allah has not granted them authority over such people. The ayah emphasizes that neutrality in conflict, when coupled with a genuine unwillingness to fight, removes the justification for hostility.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the broader discussion in Surah An-Nisa regarding the treatment of different groups during the early Islamic period—believers, hypocrites, and those with treaties. It was revealed in Medina during the period of establishing Islamic governance and clarifying rules of warfare, likely addressing situations where individuals or groups from enemy tribes sought refuge or neutrality with the Muslim community.
Related Hadiths
The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah (recorded in Sahih Bukhari) exemplifies the principle of honoring covenants even with non-Muslims. Additionally, Sahih Muslim records the Prophet's instruction: 'Whoever kills a person who has a covenant with Muslims shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise.'
Themes
Key Lesson
Muslims are commanded to respect sincere neutrality and peaceful overtures from adversaries, treating those who neither fight nor assist enemies with justice and mercy—a principle that encourages Muslims to seek peaceful solutions when possible rather than universal hostility.