سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 90
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﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Except those who join a group, between you and whom there is a treaty (of peace), or those who approach you with their breasts restraining from fighting you as well as fighting their own people. Had Allâh willed, indeed He would have given them power over you, and they would have fought you. So if they withdraw from you, and fight not against you, and offer you peace, then Allâh has opened no way for you against them.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِلَّا
illā
Except
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
يَصِلُونَ
yaṣilūna
join
إِلَىٰ
ilā
[to]
قَوْمٍۭ
qawmin
a group
بَيْنَكُمْ
baynakum
between you
وَبَيْنَهُم
wabaynahum
and between them
مِّيثَـٰقٌ
mīthāqun
(is) a treaty
أَوْ
aw
or
جَآءُوكُمْ
jāūkum
those who come to you
حَصِرَتْ
ḥaṣirat
restraining
صُدُورُهُمْ
ṣudūruhum
their hearts
أَن
an
that
يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمْ
yuqātilūkum
they fight you
أَوْ
aw
or
يُقَـٰتِلُوا۟
yuqātilū
they fight
قَوْمَهُمْ ۚ
qawmahum
their people
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
شَآءَ
shāa
(had) willed
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
لَسَلَّطَهُمْ
lasallaṭahum
surely He (would have) given them power
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
over you
فَلَقَـٰتَلُوكُمْ ۚ
falaqātalūkum
and surely they (would have) fought you
فَإِنِ
fa-ini
So if
ٱعْتَزَلُوكُمْ
iʿ'tazalūkum
they withdraw from you
فَلَمْ
falam
and (do) not
يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمْ
yuqātilūkum
fight against you
وَأَلْقَوْا۟
wa-alqaw
and offer
إِلَيْكُمُ
ilaykumu
to you
ٱلسَّلَمَ
l-salama
[the] peace
فَمَا
famā
then not
جَعَلَ
jaʿala
(has) made
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
لَكُمْ
lakum
for you
عَلَيْهِمْ
ʿalayhim
against them
سَبِيلًۭا
sabīlan
a way
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 90) { اِلَّا الَّذِيْنَ يَصِلُوْنَ اِلٰى قَوْمٍۭ … :} Regarding the hypocrites, from the ruling mentioned above, Allah Almighty has made two types of people exceptions in this verse and has stated that neither should you imprison them nor fight (battle) with them. One type is those hypocrites who go and seek refuge with or become allies of a people with whom the Muslims have a treaty of peace and security, so they will be under the same ruling as them, otherwise the treaty will be broken and war will break out. The second type is those people who, due to their peaceful nature, neither want to fight the Muslims nor, by joining the Muslims, want to fight their own people.
