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 Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
90. However, those hypocrites are exempted [124] who join a people with whom you have a treaty, or those who come to you with their hearts unwilling to fight you or their own people. Had Allah willed, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you. [125] So if they withdraw from you, do not fight you, and offer you peace, then Allah has not granted you any way against them.
[124]
With Whom Fighting is Not Permissible:
However, two types of people are exempted from this command of killing. First, those who go to a people with whom you have a treaty that they will not fight the Muslims for a certain period, then they should not be pursued (as was the case with the treaty of Hudaybiyyah with the disbelievers of Makkah). Or such hypocrites are also exempted who in reality want to remain neutral. They neither want to fight you along with their people, nor do they want to fight their people along with you. Even if they have come along with their people, but they feel discomfort in their hearts about fighting against the Muslims, as in the Battle of Badr, Sayyiduna Abbas ؓ and several people from Banu Hashim came with the polytheists, but at the time of battle, they remained apart.
[125] That is, if such people were not disheartened from fighting the Muslims and had supported the disbelievers, thereby increasing their strength, then it is possible that these very people would have prevailed over you. Therefore, those hypocrites or other people who are peace-loving, avoid fighting, do not obstruct your way, or are inclined towards reconciliation, then you should not harm such people.
[124]
With Whom Fighting is Not Permissible:
However, two types of people are exempted from this command of killing. First, those who go to a people with whom you have a treaty that they will not fight the Muslims for a certain period, then they should not be pursued (as was the case with the treaty of Hudaybiyyah with the disbelievers of Makkah). Or such hypocrites are also exempted who in reality want to remain neutral. They neither want to fight you along with their people, nor do they want to fight their people along with you. Even if they have come along with their people, but they feel discomfort in their hearts about fighting against the Muslims, as in the Battle of Badr, Sayyiduna Abbas ؓ and several people from Banu Hashim came with the polytheists, but at the time of battle, they remained apart.
[125] That is, if such people were not disheartened from fighting the Muslims and had supported the disbelievers, thereby increasing their strength, then it is possible that these very people would have prevailed over you. Therefore, those hypocrites or other people who are peace-loving, avoid fighting, do not obstruct your way, or are inclined towards reconciliation, then you should not harm such people.
