Surah An-Nisa Verse 90 - Read, Listen, Translation, English : Except for those who take refuge with a people between…

An-Nisa · 90/176

Translation Transliteration — An-Nisa

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ إِلَىٰ قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَاقٌ أَوْ جَاءُوكُمْ حَصِرَتْ صُدُورُهُمْ أَن يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ أَوْ يُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمَهُمْ ۚ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَسَلَّطَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلَقَاتَلُوكُمْ ۚ فَإِنِ اعْتَزَلُوكُمْ فَلَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ وَأَلْقَوْا إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَمَ فَمَا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سَبِيلًا ۝٩٠

🔤 Transliteration

Illal lazeena yasiloona ilaa qawmim binakum 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

📖 Translation (English Meaning)

📖 English Meaning

Except for those who take refuge with a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty or those who come to you, their hearts strained at [the prospect of] fighting you or fighting their own people. And if Allah had willed, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you. So if they remove themselves from you and do not fight you and offer you peace, then Allah has not made for you a cause [for fighting] against them.

🌐 Additional reference in Français

📜

Translation — Tafsir

Word Meanings:

يَصِلُونَ (yasiloon): Those who reach out, connect, or seek refuge/alliance.
مِيثَاق (meethaaq): A covenant, treaty, or binding agreement.
حَصِرَتْ صُدُورُهُمْ (hasirat sudooruhum): Their hearts/chests became constrained or distressed — meaning they felt deep reluctance and aversion.
السَّلَم (as-salam): Peace, surrender, or submission — offering terms of reconciliation.
سَبِيلًا (sabeelan): A path, way, or means (here, a justification for fighting).

Tafsir (Explanation):

This verse is a profound demonstration of Islam's commitment to peace, justice, and the sanctity of treaties. After the previous verses addressed the seriousness of dealing with those who broke their covenants and fought against the believers, Allah — in His infinite mercy and wisdom — makes two clear exceptions, commanding the believers to refrain from fighting these specific groups.

First Exception: Those who reach out and attach themselves to a people with whom you (the Muslims) have a treaty of peace and alliance. If a person from the enemy camp seeks protection or joins a tribe that is bound to you by a covenant, then their safety is guaranteed. They are to be treated with the same respect and protection as the treaty-bound people themselves. This teaches us the immense value of honoring agreements — a hallmark of true faith.

Second Exception: Those who come to you with their hearts constricted — meaning they genuinely do not wish to fight you, nor do they wish to fight their own people. They are neutral, peace-seeking individuals who find themselves caught between two sides. They have no desire for bloodshed, and Allah instructs the believers to recognize their sincerity and leave them in peace.

Then Allah reminds us of His absolute power and control over all affairs: "Had Allah willed, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you." This is a powerful lesson in humility — victory and defeat are entirely in Allah's hands. If He had willed otherwise, these very people could have been your enemies on the battlefield. But Allah, in His wisdom and mercy, turned their hearts away from fighting you. This should fill the believer's heart with gratitude and reliance upon Allah alone.

Finally, the verse concludes with a clear and decisive command: "So if they withdraw from you, do not fight you, and offer you peace — then Allah has made no way for you against them." This is an unequivocal prohibition: once a people choose peace, reconciliation, and neutrality, the door for fighting them is firmly closed. There is no justification, no loophole, and no excuse to harm them.

A Da'wah Reflection:

This verse beautifully illustrates the ethics of warfare in Islam — a religion often misunderstood as being aggressive or violent. Here, Allah Himself sets the boundaries: peace is the norm, treaties are sacred, and those who seek peace must be granted it unconditionally. The believer is not a bloodthirsty aggressor but a servant of Allah who values life, honors promises, and opens the door of mercy to all.

Imagine the beauty of this guidance: even in times of conflict, Islam teaches us to recognize the sincere peacemaker, to protect the neutral, and to never overstep the bounds set by Allah. This is the religion of *Rahmah* (mercy) — a mercy that extends even to those who differ from us in belief. If this is how we are commanded to treat those who may not share our faith, how much more compassionate must we be toward our fellow Muslims and humanity at large?

Let this verse inspire you to be a person of peace, to honor your commitments, and to always leave the door of reconciliation open. For indeed, Allah loves those who are just, and He has made peace a path of blessing for His servants.

🎧 Listen

📜 Verse 88-92 — An-Nisa

88۞ فَمَا لَكُمْ فِي الْمُنَافِقِينَ فِئَتَيْنِ وَاللَّهُ أَرْكَسَهُم بِمَا كَسَبُوا ۚ أَتُرِيدُونَ أَن تَهْدُوا مَنْ أَضَلَّ اللَّهُ ۖ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ سَبِيلًا

What is [the matter] with you [that you are] two groups concerning the hypocrites, while Allah has made them fall back [into error and disbelief] for what they earned. Do you wish to guide those whom Allah has sent astray? And he whom Allah sends astray - never will you find for him a way [of guidance].

89وَدُّوا لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ كَمَا كَفَرُوا فَتَكُونُونَ سَوَاءً ۖ فَلَا تَتَّخِذُوا مِنْهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ حَتَّىٰ يُهَاجِرُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَخُذُوهُمْ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوا مِنْهُمْ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرًا

They wish you would disbelieve as they disbelieved so you would be alike. So do not take from among them allies until they emigrate for the cause of Allah. But if they turn away, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them and take not from among them any ally or helper.

90إِلَّا الَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ إِلَىٰ قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَاقٌ أَوْ جَاءُوكُمْ حَصِرَتْ صُدُورُهُمْ أَن يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ أَوْ يُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمَهُمْ ۚ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَسَلَّطَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلَقَاتَلُوكُمْ ۚ فَإِنِ اعْتَزَلُوكُمْ فَلَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ وَأَلْقَوْا إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَمَ فَمَا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سَبِيلًا

91سَتَجِدُونَ آخَرِينَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَأْمَنُوكُمْ وَيَأْمَنُوا قَوْمَهُمْ كُلَّ مَا رُدُّوا إِلَى الْفِتْنَةِ أُرْكِسُوا فِيهَا ۚ فَإِن لَّمْ يَعْتَزِلُوكُمْ وَيُلْقُوا إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَمَ وَيَكُفُّوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ فَخُذُوهُمْ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ ۚ وَأُولَٰئِكُمْ جَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَانًا مُّبِينًا

You will find others who wish to obtain security from you and [to] obtain security from their people. Every time they are returned to [the influence of] disbelief, they fall back into it. So if they do not withdraw from you or offer you peace or restrain their hands, then seize them and kill them wherever you overtake them. And those - We have made for you against them a clear authorization.

92وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ أَن يَقْتُلَ مُؤْمِنًا إِلَّا خَطَأً ۚ وَمَن قَتَلَ مُؤْمِنًا خَطَأً فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُّؤْمِنَةٍ وَدِيَةٌ مُّسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ إِلَّا أَن يَصَّدَّقُوا ۚ فَإِن كَانَ مِن قَوْمٍ عَدُوٍّ لَّكُمْ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُّؤْمِنَةٍ ۖ وَإِن كَانَ مِن قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَاقٌ فَدِيَةٌ مُّسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ وَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُّؤْمِنَةٍ ۖ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ تَوْبَةً مِّنَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا

And never is it for a believer to kill a believer except by mistake. And whoever kills a believer by mistake - then the freeing of a believing slave and a compensation payment presented to the deceased's family [is required] unless they give [up their right as] charity. But if the deceased was from a people at war with you and he was a believer - then [only] the freeing of a believing slave; and if he was from a people with whom you have a treaty - then a compensation payment presented to his family and the freeing of a believing slave. And whoever does not find [one or cannot afford to buy one] - then [instead], a fast for two months consecutively, [seeking] acceptance of repentance from Allah. And Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.

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An-NisaQuran Index

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Translation — An-Nisa 90

Surah An-Nisa Verse 90 - Read, Listen, Translation, English : Except for those who take refuge with a people between…

Surah Verse 90/176 — An-Nisa النساء (Medinan). Read Listen Translation (English). Listen: An-Nisa Listen, An-Nisa Translation, An-Nisa mp3, An-Nisa pdf. Verse 88–92. English Meaning: Français.

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