Allah said,
[بَرَآءَةٌ مِّنَ
اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ]
(Freedom from obligations from Allah and His Messenger ()), is a declaration
of freedom from all obligations from Allah and His Messenger ,
[إِلَى الَّذِينَ
عَاهَدْتُمْ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَفَسِيحُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ أَرْبَعَةَ
أَشْهُرٍ]
(to those of the Mushrikin, with whom you made a treaty. So travel freely
(Mushrikin) for four months (as you will) throughout the land) [9:1-2]. This
Ayah refers to idolators who had indefinite treaties and those, whose treaties
with Muslims ended in less than four months. The terms of these treaties were
restricted to four months only. As for those whose term of peace ended at a
specific date later (than the four months), then their treaties would end when
their terms ended, no matter how long afterwards, for Allah said,
[فَأَتِمُّواْ
إِلَيْهِمْ عَهْدَهُمْ إِلَى مُدَّتِهِمْ]
(So fulfill their treaty for them until the end of their term)[9:4]. So
whoever had a coventant with Allah's Messenger then it would last until its
period expired, this was reported from Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi and others.
We will also mention a Hadith on this matter. Abu Ma`shar Al-Madani said that
Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi and several others said, "The Messenger of Allah
sent Abu Bakr to lead the Hajj rituals on the ninth year (of Hijrah). He also
sent `Ali bin Abi Talib with thirty or forty Ayat from Bara'ah (At-Tawbah), and
he recited them to the people, giving the idolaters four months during which
they freely move about in the land. He recited these Ayat on the day of `Arafah
(ninth of Dhul-Hijjah). The idolaters were given twenty more days (till the end)
of Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram, Safar, Rabi` Al-Awwal and ten days from Rabi`
Ath-Thani. He proclaimed to them in their camping areas, `No Mushrik will be
allowed to perform Hajj after this year, nor a naked person to perform Tawaf
around the House.''' So Allah said,
[وَأَذَانٌ مِّنَ
اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ إِلَى النَّاسِ يَوْمَ الْحَجِّ الاٌّكْبَرِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ
بَرِىءٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَرَسُولُهُ فَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ
وَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ مُعْجِزِى اللَّهِ وَبَشِّرِ
الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ ]
(3. And a declaration from Allah and His Messenger to mankind on the greatest
day of Hajj that Allah is free from obligations to the Mushrikin and so is His
Messenger. So if you repent, it is better for you, but if you turn away, then
know that you cannot escape Allah. And give tidings of a painful torment for
those who disbelieve. )