9:4 At-Tawba (The Repentance)

أي هذه البراءة التامة المطلقة من جميع المشركين‏.‏ ‏{‏إِلَّا الَّذِينَ عَاهَدْتُمْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ‏}‏ واستمروا على عهدهم، ولم يجر منهم ما يوجب النقض، فلا نقصوكم شيئًا، ولا عاونوا عليكم أحدا، فهؤلاء أتموا لهم عهدهم إلى مدتهم، قَلَّتْ، أو كثرت، لأن الإسلام لا يأمر بالخيانة وإنما يأمر بالوفاء‏.‏ ‏{‏إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ‏}‏ الذين أدوا ما أمروا به، واتقوا الشرك والخيانة، وغير ذلك من المعاصي‏.‏

هذا استثناء من ضرب مدة التأجيل بأربعة أشهر لمن له عهد مطلق ليس بمؤقت فأجله أربعة أشهر يسيح فيه الأرض يذهب فيها لينجو بنفسه حيث شاء إلا من له عهد مؤقت فأجله إلى مدته المضروبة التي عوهد عليها وقد تقدمت الأحاديث ومن كان له عهد مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فعهده إلى مدته وذلك بشرط أن لا ينقض المعاهد عهده ولم يظاهر على المسلمين أحدا أي يمالئ عليهم من سواهم فهذا الذي يوفى له بذمته وعهده إلى مدته. ولهذا حرض تعالى على الوفاء بذلك فقال " إن الله يحب المتقين " أي الموفين بعهدهم.

Existing Peace Treaties remained valid until the End of Their Term

This is an exception regulating the longest extent of time for those who have a general treaty - with out time mentioned - to four months. They would have four months to travel the lands in search of sanctuary for themselves wherever they wish. Those whose treaty mentioned a specifec limited term, then the longest it would extend was to the point of its agreed upon termination date. Hadiths in this regard preceeded. So anyone who had a treaty with Allah's Messenger ﷺ, it lasted until its specific termination date. However, those in this category were required to refrain from breaking the terms of the agreement with Muslims and from helping non-Muslims against Muslims. This is the type whose peace agreement with Muslims was carried out to its end. Allah encouraged honoring such peace treaties, saying,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ

(Surely, Allah loves those who have Taqwa) 9:4, who keep their promises.

Excepting those of the idolaters with whom you have made a pact and who have not diminished their commitment to you in anyway with regard to the terms of the pact nor supported assisted anyone from among the disbelievers against you; as for these fulfil your pact with them until the completion of the term to which you have agreed. Truly God loves those who fear Him by fulfilling pacts.

6. The sixth ruling comes out from the fourth verse where Muslims have been prompted to fulfill their pledge right through the end until the term of the peace treaty expired. Immediately thereafter, the verse has been concluded with the sentence: إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ (Surely, Allah loves the God-fearing). This gives a clear hint to the advice that Muslims should observe utmost precaution in fulfilling the pledge they have given. They should never look for lame excuses and far-fetched interpretations only to find a way to contravene treaty obligations, as done by nations at large.