And when Allah, glorified and exalted is He, had commanded regarding them concerning the determination of their governance by what He commanded; He excluded from it; so He said: "Except for those who connect [with you]"; fleeing from you; and they are among the disbelievers according to the majority; "to a people between you and them is a covenant"; meaning: a firm pact that you do not fight them; nor fight those who seek refuge with them; or have entered into what they have entered into; so then, refrain from taking them; and killing them; "or"; those who "come to you"; while their chests are "restrained"; meaning: narrowed; and they fear; and their chests have refrained from "fighting you"; meaning: for their religion; and their people; "or fight their people"; meaning: for your sake; fleeing so that they do not cease from fighting you; and fighting their people; so do not take them; nor fight them; because they are like those who are peaceful by leaving fighting; and perhaps He expressed in the past tense in 'came' as an indication that the condition of their equality with those who connect with the covenant is the absence of repetition; if that is repeated from them, then they are the others whose ruling will come.

And when the determination was: "If Allah had willed, He would have made them one group with their people against you"; He added to it His saying: "And if"; meaning: the meaning would be: and the condition is that if "Allah had willed"; meaning: He who is characterized by all perfection; "He would have empowered them"; meaning: these connectors; and those coming in that state from the disbelievers; "against you"; diversifying the types of empowerment; an empowerment that occurs through causes; and the requirements of returns; because with them is strength against fighting you; "then they would have fought you"; meaning: so this empowerment caused them to fight you individually; or with others among your enemies; and the 'lam' in it is the response to 'if'; regarding the repetition; or a substitute for 'empowered'.

And when the limitation on the prohibition of fighting them at that time was stated; He clarified it in His saying: "But if they withdraw from you"; meaning: those whom I commanded you to refrain from among the hypocrites; so they refrain from you; "then they did not fight you"; individually; nor gathered with others; "and they offered you peace"; meaning: submission; "then Allah has not made"; meaning: the one (who has) no command for anyone with Him in any direction; "for you against them a way"; meaning: to something of taking them; nor killing them.