Explaining Quran 9:5
Here is the the full verses from verse 1 to verse 13
The Explanation will be after these verses.
"This is a discharge from all obligations, by Allah and His Messenger, to the polytheists you ‘believers’ have entered into treaties with. (1) “You ‘polytheists’ may travel freely through the land for four months, but know that you will have no escape from Allah, and that Allah will disgrace the disbelievers.” (2) A declaration from Allah and His Messenger ‘is made’ to all people on the day of the greater pilgrimage ‘that’ Allah and His Messenger are free of the polytheists. So if you ‘pagans’ repent, it will be better for you. But if you turn away, then know that you will have no escape from Allah. And give good news ‘O Prophet’ to the disbelievers of a painful punishment. (3) As for the polytheists who have honoured every term of their treaty with you and have not supported an enemy against you, honour your treaty with them until the end of its term. Surely Allah loves those who are mindful ‘of Him’. (4) But once the Sacred Months have passed, kill the polytheists ‘who violated their treaties’ wherever you find them, capture them, besiege them, and lie in wait for them on every way. But if they repent, perform prayers, and pay alms-tax, then set them free. Indeed, Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (5) And if anyone from the polytheists asks for your protection ‘O Prophet’, grant it to them so they may hear the Word of Allah, then escort them to a place of safety, for they are a people who have no knowledge. (6) How can such polytheists have a treaty with Allah and His Messenger, except those you have made a treaty with at the Sacred Mosque? So, as long as they are true to you, be true to them. Indeed Allah loves those who are mindful ‘of Him’. (7) How ‘can they have a treaty’? If they were to have the upper hand over you, they would have no respect for kinship or treaty. They only flatter you with their tongues, but their hearts are in denial, and most of them are rebellious. (8) They choose a fleeting gain over Allah’s revelations, hindering ‘others’ from His Way. Evil indeed is what they have done! (9) They do not honour the bonds of kinship or treaties with the believers. It is they who are the transgressors. (10) But if they repent, perform prayer, and pay alms-tax, then they are your brothers in faith. This is how We make the revelations clear for people of knowledge (11) But if they break their oaths after making a pledge and attack your faith, then fight the champions of disbelief—who never honour their oaths—so perhaps they will desist (12) Will you not fight those who have broken their oaths, conspired to expel the Messenger ‘from Mecca,’ and attacked you first? Do you fear them? Allah is more deserving of your fear, if you are ‘true’ believers. (13)
(Quran 9:1-13)
Explaining:
“But once the Sacred Months have passed, kill the polytheists ˹who violated their treaties˺ wherever you find them”. (Quran 9:5)
This verse is not talking about all the polytheists in general but it is about a specific group of them. They broke their peace treaty with Muslims.
These verses reveled after there was a peace treaty between the Muslims and the Polytheists to stop the war. The Polytheists broke their peace treaty with the Muslims so, Allah gave them 4 Months to get back to the peace treaty again then, he ordered to fight with them after the 4 Months have passed.
The Prophet Muhammad said, "Whoever killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims, shall not smell the smell of Paradise though its smell is perceived from a distance of forty years"
What are the description of these polytheists that the verses is talking about?
1 - They have no covenant as (Quran 9:7) stated.
2 - They have no respect for kinship or treaty (meaning if they have the upper hand over the Muslims, they will never have mercy over them) (Quran 9:8).
3 - They chose a fleeting gain over Allah’s revelations, hindering ˹others˺ from His Way.
4 - They do not honour the bonds of kinship or treaties with the believers. It is they who are the transgressors. (Quran 9:10) (They are the transgressors, because they broke their peace treaty and Allah gave them 4 Months to get back to the peace treaty and they didn’t and choose to fight).
5 - They are the champions of disbelief—who never honour their oaths (Quran 9:12).
6 - They conspired to expel the Messenger ˹from Mecca˺, and attacked them first. (Quran 9:13)
“Allah does not forbid you from dealing kindly and fairly with those who have neither fought nor driven you out of your homes. Surely Allah loves those who are fair” (Quran 60:8)
How to treat these Polytheists with these 6 characteristics mentioned above if they become true (upright) to the muslims?
1- “as long as they are true to you, be true to them” (Quran 9:7)
Meaning if they become true with you regards the treaty and didn’t fight you then, be true to them as well.
“If the enemy is inclined towards peace, make peace with them. And put your trust in Allah. Indeed, He ˹alone˺ is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” (Quran 8:61)
2 - “And if anyone from the polytheists asks for your protection ˹O Prophet˺, grant it to them so they may hear the Word of Allah, then escort them to a place of safety, for they are a people who have no knowledge” (Quran 9:6)