Allah says, if the idolators with whom you conducted peace treaties for an
appointed term break
[أَيْمَـنِهِمْ]
(their oaths) meaning, terms of their treaties, and covenants
[وَطَعَنُواْ فِى
دِينِكُمْ]
(and attack your religion...) with disapproval and criticism, it is because
of this that one who curses the Messenger, peace be upon him, or attacks the
religion of Islam by way of criticism and disapproval, they are to be fought.
This is why Allah said afterwards,
[فَقَـتِلُواْ
أَئِمَّةَ الْكُفْرِ إِنَّهُمْ لاَ أَيْمَـنَ لَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ
يَنتَهُونَ]
(then fight (you) against the leaders of disbelief -- for surely, their oaths
are nothing to them -- so that they may stop.) so that they may refrain from the
disbelief, rebellion and the transgression they indulge in. Qatadah and others
said that the leaders of disbelief were Abu Jahl, `Utbah and Shaybah, Umayyah
bin Khalaf, and he went on to mention several others. Al-A`mash narrated from
Zayd bin Wahb from Hudhayfah; "The people of this Ayah were never fought
again.'' A similar statement was reported from `Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be
pleased with him. However, this Ayah is general, even though the specific reason
behind revealing it was the idolators of Quraysh. So this Ayah generally applies
to them and others as well, Allah knows best. Al-Walid bin Muslim said that
Safwan bin `Amr narrated that `Abdur-Rahman bin Jubayr bin Nufayr said that when
Abu Bakr sent an army to Ash-Sham, he advised them, "You will find some people
with shaved heads. Therefore, strike the swords upon the parts that contain the
devil, for by Allah, it is better to me to kill one of these people than to kill
seventy other men. This is because Allah said,
[فَقَـتِلُواْ
أَئِمَّةَ الْكُفْرِ]
(then fight (you) against the leaders of disbelief.)'' Ibn Abi Hatim
collected it.
[أَلاَ تُقَـتِلُونَ
قَوْماً نَّكَثُواْ أَيْمَـنَهُمْ وَهَمُّواْ بِإِخْرَاجِ الرَّسُولِ وَهُم
بَدَءُوكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ أَتَخْشَوْنَهُمْ فَاللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخْشَوْهُ
إِن كُنتُم مُّؤُمِنِينَ - قَـتِلُوهُمْ يُعَذِّبْهُمُ اللَّهُ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ
وَيُخْزِهِمْ وَيَنْصُرْكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَيَشْفِ صُدُورَ قَوْمٍ مُّؤْمِنِينَ -
وَيُذْهِبْ غَيْظَ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَيَتُوبُ اللَّهُ عَلَى مَن يَشَآءُ وَاللَّهُ
عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ ]
(13. Will you not fight a people who have violated their oaths and intended
to expel the Messenger while they did attack you first Do you fear them Allah
has more right that you should fear Him if you are believers.) (14. Fight
against them so that Allah will punish them by your hands, and disgrace them and
give you victory over them, and heal the breasts of a believing people,) (15.
And remove the anger of their (believers') hearts. Allah accepts the repentance
of whom He wills. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.)
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