188 Page Notes

09 Surah At-Tawbah (continued)

Page 188 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

9:7

9:8

9:9

9:10

9:11

9:12

9:13

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 188 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 188 of the Quran covers Surah At-Tawbah (9), verses 7 through 13. These verses continue the structural "disavowal" (Bara'ah) of treaties with the pagan tribes of Arabia that actively committed treason against the early Muslim state (Aziz).

The underlying text details the precise rationale for why these alliances were dissolved, contrasting the rare groups who honored their pacts against those who consistently violated their oaths. The Sunnah and Hadith literature illuminate these verses through the historical treaties of the era, notably the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah and alliances with specific clans like the Banu Bakr and Banu Damrah.

1. Verses 7–8: The Exception of Al-Masjid Al-Haram

“How can there be a treaty for the polytheists with Allah and with His Messenger, except for those with whom you made a treaty at al-Masjid al-Haram? So as long as they are upright toward you, be upright toward them…” (Quran 9:7)

The Sunnah Context: The Upright Tribes

The Hadith and Asbab al-Nuzul (reasons for revelation) clarify that while the general treaty dissolution applied to most Arabian polytheists due to chronic violations, certain clans had strictly adhered to their pacts.

• Banu Damrah & Banu Mudlij: Classical commentaries note that the Prophet ﷺ explicitly commanded the Muslims to preserve alliances with the Banu Damrah and parts of the Kinanah tribe. According to the Sunnah, they had nine months remaining on their peace treaties and had never assisted enemy forces against Medina. The Prophet ﷺ honored their contracts down to the exact day, establishing the legislative Sunnah of keeping agreements with peaceful non-Muslim entities.

2. Verses 9–10: The Characteristics of the Treaty Breakers

“They have exchanged the signs of Allah for a small price and averted [people] from His way... They do not observe toward a believer any pact of kinship or covenant of protection…” (Quran 9:9–10)

Authentic Hadith Reference: The Incident of Banu Bakr

The immediate historical catalyst for these verses is heavily documented in the events directly preceding the Conquest of Mecca (8 AH). Under the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, tribes were permitted to ally with either the Quraysh or the Muslims. The Banu Khuza'ah allied with Muhammad ﷺ, while the Banu Bakr allied with the Quraysh.

Narrated Ibn Abbas (summarized from accounts of the Conquest of Mecca): The Banu Bakr launched a surprise night attack against the Banu Khuza'ah at a well called Al-Watir, killing several men. The Quraysh directly breached the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah by supplying weapons and cloaked men to aid the Banu Bakr against the Prophet's allies.

Amr ibn Salim al-Khuza'i traveled swiftly to Medina, stood before the Prophet ﷺ in the mosque, and recited poetry detailing the betrayal and the slaughter of his people while they were in a state of prayer or sleep. The Prophet ﷺ replied: "You have been aided, O Amr ibn Salim!" (Recorded in Ibn Hisham's Sirah and referenced heavily in the background of Sahih collections regarding the closing of treaties).

This direct violation of the illa (pact of kinship/protection) referenced in Verse 10 is what legally invalidated the peace accord, illustrating the Sunnah principle that a pact is completely voided if one party physically aids an enemy against the other.

3. Verse 11: The Mechanism of Spiritual Brotherhood

“But if they repent, establish prayer, and give Zakat, then they are your brothers in religion…” (Quran 9:11)

The Protective Sunnah Application

This verse serves as a crucial legal benchmark in the Sunnah regarding standard warfare and statecraft. It dictates that the moment an enemy changes their allegiance and acts upon the pillars of Islam, all hostilities must immediately terminate.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stated: "I have been commanded to fight against people so long as they do not bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and perform Salat (prayer) and pay Zakat. If they do so, their blood and property are guaranteed protection from me except when justified by Islamic law, and then their account is with Allah." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 25; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 22).

Scholars use Verse 11 alongside this Hadith to prove that the objective of these military maneuvers was never forced conversion or mass destruction, but rather the establishment of security and the cessation of active treason against the state.

4. Verses 12–13: Fighting the "Leaders of Disbelief"

“And if they break their oaths after their treaty and defame your religion, then fight the leaders of disbelief—surely their oaths are nothing to them... Will you not fight a people who violated their oaths and determined to expel the Messenger?” (Quran 9:12–13)

The Legal Definition of Breaking Pacts

The phrase "defame your religion" (wa ta'anu fi dinikum) combined with breaking oaths was applied by the Prophet's companions to distinguish between an ordinary citizen and an active combatant leader.

• Expulsion Context: Verse 13 explicitly recalls the historical plot by the Quraysh leadership to assassinate or expel the Prophet ﷺ from Mecca during the Dar an-Nadwah council prior to the Hijrah (Migration).

• The Sunnah of Targeted Engagement: The Sunnah implemented here targets the "leaders of disbelief" (A'immat al-Kufr), meaning the political orchestrators of the war and treaty violations, rather than the general populace. Hadiths throughout Kitab al-Jihad state that the Prophet ﷺ explicitly prohibited the killing of women, children, monks, and non-combatant laborers during these operations, cementing the fact that these verses were localized rules of engagement targeting treacherous military leadership.

References

• Aziz, I. H. (n.d.). From protection to inclusive dialogue: A contextual interpretation of Surah al-Tawbah [9]: 6. Journal of Ushuluddin and Islamic Thought, 36.

• Al-Bukhari, M. I. (1997). Sahih al-Bukhari (Vols. 1-9). Darussalam Publishers.

• Al-Naysaburi, M. H. (2007). Sahih Muslim (Vols. 1-7). Darussalam Publishers.

• Ibn Hisham, A. M. (2000). Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah (The Prophetic Biography). Dar al-Ma'rifah.

Verification of Primary Academic/Hadith Indexing:

• Treaty Accountability Context: Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 64 (Book of Military Expeditions), Hadith 4280—detailing the breach of the Hudaybiyyah treaty that precipitated the cancellation of these alliances.

• Cessation of Hostilities: Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 2 (Book of Belief), Hadith 25.