Transliteration:( Illal lazeena yasiloona ilaa qawmim bainakum wa bainahum meesaaqun aw jaaa'ookum hasirat sudooruhum ai yuqaatilookum aw yuqaatiloo qawmahum, wa law shaaa'al laahu lasallatahum 'alaikum falaqaatalookum; fa ini' tazalookum falam yuqaatilookum wa alqaw ilaikumus salama famaa ja'alal laahu lakum 'alaihim sabeelaa )
282.By "who are connected is meant do not kill those who remain totally neutral, and those whose hearts have no strength to fight. you nor help their infidel people to fight against you, nor join you to fight them.
Nevertheless, the connection of this supposition is with "kill them" and not with "friends" as it is not permissible to make an infidel your friend whether he be a combatant or a civilian under Muslim care, a refugee or a confederate.
From this we learn that it is important to fulfil your contract, even if it is entered into with an infidel. Says Allah Almighty: "And fulfil the promise. undoubtedly, the promise is to be questioned of" (S17:V34)
283 That is, do not fight with those infidels with whom you have reached an agreement. Fulfill your agreement. Thus, the probability is only in terms of killing. This does not in any way mean keeping them as friends.
284.From this, we learn that sometimes the firmness of faith of the Believers would become a means of instilling fear in the hearts of infidels. This is due to the grace and bounty of Allah Almighty.
285.In the previous verse mention was made of those infidels with whom agreement already has been reached. Thus, do not break your agreement with them in order to fight. In this verse mention is being made of those infidels who show a desire to reach an agreement and peace with the Muslims. Upto now, no peace agreement had been reached with them. Thus, there is no inconsistancy in the verse. Or, this part of the verse could be an explanation and commentary of the previous part.
286. That is since you have not been granted permission to wage war on them, accept their request for peace. This verse is abrogated from "Kill the polytheists" as the Muslim ruler has the right to make or reject peace.
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The tafsir of Surah Nisa verse 90 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Nisa ayat 88 which provides the complete commentary from verse 88 through 91.
(4:90) unless it be such of them who seek refuge with a people who are joined with you by a covenant,[119] or those who come to you because their hearts shrink from fighting either against you or against their own people. Had Allah so willed, He would certainly have given them power over you and they would have fought against you. If they leave you alone and do not fight against you and offer you peace,, then Allah does not permit you to harm them.
119. The exception here does not relate to the injunction that they should not be taken as friends and supporters, but to the injunction that the believers should seize and slay them. What is meant is that if a hypocrite takes shelter among an unbelieving people with whom the Muslims have an agreement he should not be pursued into that territory. It is not permissible for Muslims of the Islamic state to kill a hypocrite in some neutral territory even if he merits execution. This is because of the sanctity of the agreement concluded by the Muslims rather than the sanctity of the hypocrite’s blood.
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