Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 1

1. [1] Freedom from obligation (is declared) by Allah and His Messenger to those polytheists with whom you made treaties [2].

[1]
The Reason for Not Writing Bismillah at the Beginning of Surah Tawbah:

The name of Surah Tawbah is also Surah Bara’ah, which is the opening word of this Surah. This Surah Bara’ah was revealed much later than Surah Anfal, that is, in the 9th year of Hijrah. However, since the subjects of both are very much alike, and all these subjects consist of instructions and commands regarding war with disbelievers and polytheists, treaties, peace, and the supremacy of Islam, therefore, they have been combined, and ﴿بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم﴾ is not written between them, which is a sign of two Surahs being separate. Nor was ﴿بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم﴾ revealed at the beginning of this Surah, nor did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ever recite it, and this same practice has been observed in the writing of the Mushaf until today.

[2]
Declaration of Disassociation from the Polytheists:

In Ramadan of the 8th year of Hijrah, Makkah was conquered, so the restrictions that the polytheists of Makkah had imposed on the Muslims regarding entering the Sacred House, worship, Tawaf, and Hajj and Umrah were automatically lifted. In the 8th year of Hijrah, the Muslims could not perform Hajj, because after the conquest of Makkah, by the time they returned from the battles of Hunayn and Ta’if to Madinah, there was not enough time for the Muslims to come from Madinah for Hajj. In the 9th year of Hijrah, the Prophet ﷺ sent the Muslims for Hajj and appointed Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ as the leader of this Hajj caravan. Until then, Allah had not imposed any restriction on the entry of polytheists, so in this Hajj, the polytheists also participated. The Muslims performed Hajj in their own way, and the polytheists in theirs. After the departure of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ, these opening verses of this Surah were revealed. On the basis of these, not only was the entry of polytheists into the Sacred House prohibited, but a complete declaration of disassociation from them was made. In view of the importance of this declaration, the Prophet ﷺ thought it better, or the Companions ؓ present in Madinah advised him, that this declaration should be made by one of his close relatives, who in the eyes of the polytheists could be considered as his representative. Therefore, after the revelation of these verses, the Prophet ﷺ also sent Sayyiduna Ali ؓ to announce these verses at the great gathering of Hajj, as is made clear by the following hadiths:

1.
Performing Tawaf of the Ka’bah Naked:

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ narrates that in this Hajj, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ sent me along with other announcers on the tenth day to proclaim: “After this year, no polytheist shall perform Hajj, nor shall anyone perform Tawaf naked.” Humayd bin Abdur Rahman (a narrator) says that (after sending Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ), the Prophet ﷺ sent Sayyiduna Ali ؓ after him and also commanded him to recite Surah Bara’ah (to the disbelievers). Abu Hurairah ؓ says: Sayyiduna Ali ؓ also made the announcement of Bara’ah with us at Mina and said: “After this year, no polytheist shall come for Hajj, nor shall anyone perform Tawaf of the Sacred House naked.” [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]

2.
The Four Clauses of the Declaration of Disassociation:

Zayd bin Yuthay’ says that we asked Sayyiduna Ali ؓ what message he was sent with during Hajj. He replied: Four things. First, that no one should perform Tawaf of the Sacred House naked. Second, that any disbeliever with whom the Prophet ﷺ has a peace treaty, it will remain valid until its appointed term. Third, those with whom there is no treaty, they have a period of four months; either they accept Islam and will enter Paradise, or they should leave from here. And fourth, after this year, polytheists and Muslims will not gather (in Hajj). [ترمذي۔ ابواب التفسير]

3. Sayyiduna Ali ؓ says: I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about the day of the Greater Hajj, and he ﷺ said: “The Day of Sacrifice.” [ترمذي۔ ابواب التفسير]

Concession for Polytheist Tribes Who Made Sincere Treaties:

Thus, on the tenth of Dhul-Hijjah, on the day of the Greater Hajj, that is, the Day of Sacrifice, this announcement was first made by Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ at Mina. Then after him, Sayyiduna Ali ؓ made it, and its important clauses were four:

(1) Henceforth, no one will be able to perform Tawaf naked. Such indecency cannot be tolerated in the Ka’bah under any circumstances, whereas the polytheists considered performing Tawaf naked to be better in their opinion and said that it showed greater humility.

(2) Far from being custodians of the Ka’bah, the polytheists, after this year, cannot even come near the Ka’bah, as is clarified in verse 28 of this Surah.

(3) Those polytheists with whom the Muslims have no peace treaty are given a period of four months. In this period, they should clearly decide whether they are prepared for war with the Muslims, or want to leave this land, or want to accept Islam. And if they accept Islam, then, insha’Allah, they too will enter Paradise. This clause also includes those polytheist tribes who used to make peace treaties but set such conditions for peace that left room for mischief and breach of covenant, i.e., such tribes from whom there was a danger of treachery or mischief for the Muslims. Such treaties were also annulled by this declaration, as commanded in Surah Anfal, verse 58.

(4) And those polytheist tribes who have made a peace treaty with the Muslims with sincerity of heart, who have never broken their promise, nor is there any danger to the Muslims from their side, such polytheist tribes were given respite until the end of the treaty. After that, they too would be treated the same as other polytheist tribes. And such sincere tribes were only three: Banu Khuza’ah, Banu Kinana, and Banu Damrah, who had neither broken their promise themselves nor openly or secretly supported anyone against the Muslims.