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
وَعَلَى ٱلثَّلَـٰثَةِ ٱلَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا۟ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَظَنُّوٓا۟ أَن لَّا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّآ إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
And [He also forgave] the three who were left alone [i.e., boycotted, regretting their error] to the point that the earth closed in on them in spite of its vastness and their souls confined [i.e., anguished] them and they were certain that there is no refuge from Allāh except in Him. Then He turned to them so they could repent. Indeed, Allāh is the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful.
وَمِمَّنْ حَوْلَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ مُنَـٰفِقُونَ ۖ وَمِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ۖ مَرَدُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنِّفَاقِ لَا تَعْلَمُهُمْ ۖ نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُمْ ۚ سَنُعَذِّبُهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَذَابٍ عَظِيمٍ
And among those around you of the bedouins are hypocrites, and [also] from the people of Madīnah. They have persisted in hypocrisy. You, [O Muḥammad], do not know them, [but] We know them. We will punish them twice [in this world]; then they will be returned to a great punishment.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوٓا۟ ءَابَآءَكُمْ وَإِخْوَٰنَكُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ إِنِ ٱسْتَحَبُّوا۟ ٱلْكُفْرَ عَلَى ٱلْإِيمَـٰنِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ
O you who have believed, do not take your fathers or your brothers as allies if they have preferred disbelief over belief. And whoever does so among you - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.
وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَتْهُمْ رِجْسًا إِلَىٰ رِجْسِهِمْ وَمَاتُوا۟ وَهُمْ كَـٰفِرُونَ
But as for those in whose hearts is disease, it has [only] increased them in evil [in addition] to their evil. And they will have died while they are disbelievers.