كَيْفَ يَكُونُ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ عَهْدٌ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَعِندَ رَسُولِهِۦٓ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ عَـٰهَدتُّمْ عِندَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۖ فَمَا ٱسْتَقَـٰمُوا۟ لَكُمْ فَٱسْتَقِيمُوا۟ لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ 7
Translations
How can there be for the polytheists a treaty in the sight of Allāh and with His Messenger, except for those with whom you made a treaty at al-Masjid al-Ḥarām? So as long as they are upright toward you, be upright toward them. Indeed, Allāh loves the righteous [who fear Him].
Transliteration
Kayf yakūnu lil-mushrikīna 'ahdun 'inda-llāhi wa-'inda rasūlih illā alladhīna 'āhadtum 'inda-l-masjidi-l-ḥarām fa-mā-staqāmū lakum fa-staqīmū lahum; inna-llāha yuḥibbu-l-muttaqīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah questions how the polytheists can have a covenant with Allah and His Messenger, except for those with whom you made a treaty at the Sacred Mosque. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain this refers to specific Meccan tribes who honored their treaties; the principle is that if they remain steadfast in their covenant, the Muslims should reciprocate. This establishes the Islamic principle of honoring agreements with non-Muslims while maintaining the condition of mutual compliance, with the ultimate purpose being to encourage piety (taqwa) in fulfilling obligations.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah At-Tawbah (revealed 9 AH), which addresses the breaking of treaties by some polytheistic tribes during the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah period. The ayah specifically refers to exceptions among the mushrikīn—those few tribes who maintained their covenants with the Muslims and were therefore granted continued protection. The broader context addresses the necessity of resolving conflicting agreements when some parties violated them.
Related Hadiths
The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah itself (documented in Sahih Bukhari 2731) serves as the historical context for understanding this ayah. Additionally, the hadith regarding the Prophet's instruction to keep covenants with non-Muslims relates to this principle of mutual obligation and trustworthiness.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims to honor their commitments and treaties with others, while expecting the same reciprocal loyalty in return; true strength lies not in betrayal but in steadfast adherence to agreements made before Allah, which is an act of piety that Allah loves.
Related Ayahs
وَجَآءَ ٱلْمُعَذِّرُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ لِيُؤْذَنَ لَهُمْ وَقَعَدَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ ۚ سَيُصِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
And those with excuses among the bedouins came to be permitted [to remain], and they who had lied to Allāh and His Messenger sat [at home]. There will strike those who disbelieved among them a painful punishment.
ٱنفِرُوا۟ خِفَافًا وَثِقَالًا وَجَـٰهِدُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
Go forth, whether light or heavy, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allāh. That is better for you, if you only knew.
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ رَضُوا۟ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَقَالُوا۟ حَسْبُنَا ٱللَّهُ سَيُؤْتِينَا ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ وَرَسُولُهُۥٓ إِنَّآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ رَٰغِبُونَ
If only they had been satisfied with what Allāh and His Messenger gave them and said, "Sufficient for us is Allāh; Allāh will give us of His bounty, and [so will] His Messenger; indeed, we are desirous toward Allāh," [it would have been better for them].
فَأَعْقَبَهُمْ نِفَاقًا فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يَلْقَوْنَهُۥ بِمَآ أَخْلَفُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا وَعَدُوهُ وَبِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْذِبُونَ
So He penalized them with hypocrisy in their hearts until the Day they will meet Him - because they failed Allāh in what they promised Him and because they [habitually] used to lie.