Apostate prophet sees sura 9 through a new angle; Muslim restraint?

In answer to the video "The "No Compulsion in Islam" Lie"

Even once that declaration of forceful dissociation was made at the sura's beginning, the Muslims didnt jump on the occasion and immidiately attacked Mecca, although it was completely within their right. Instead, the noble sura announces that those treaty violators are given respite during the 4 sacred months of pilgrimage.

That is how spiritually upright, in addition to magnanimous, the sura enjoyns Muslims to be, preserving first and foremost the religious sanctity of the Kaaba and the sacred months. During those 4 inviolable months, the opponents may walk freely in the land of Mecca now under Muslim authority, and reconsider their warmongering. They may also turn to God in repentence which would even be better for their own selves, although not a condition for not being fought. Their perseverence in their desire for war, towards an individual who by now has estabished without doubt his divine authority, will bring about the wrath of God. They were on the brink of suffering the same fate as the rejecters of old in the prophetic history, as the divine retribution manifested either through natural calamities, or the believers themselves as in Moses' and subsequent Israelite prophets' case 6:65. This is what active fighting of a messenger brings upon a people

9:2"you cannot weaken Allah and that Allah will bring disgrace to the unbelievers".

As just alluded to, in Muhammad's case, contrary to all cases of divine punishements, a 4 months ultimatum is given while clearly explaining what the outcome will be when it passes and they have not reformed themselves

9:5"So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful".

This is the mercy of the sura, the fact that although all signs of the truth have been shown through a messenger, and the punishement is about to engulf the remaining disbelievers as it did in the previous battles up to that point, it is as if God, contrary to all previous cases in prophetic history when divine destruction was sent, hit the "pause button" and told the disbelievers to reevaluate their spiritual and antagonistic positions one last time. They have been given time to reflect, not for a day or 2 but 4 full months.

This verse was named by some scholars as the “verse of the sword”, not because it allows Muslims to kill indiscriminately, but because it commands them to defend the community against their enemies. This designation was not used by the Prophet, his companions, or the early Muslims.

As the surrounding verses make it clear 9:5 is speaking of those who repeatedly broke the contracts, despite the Muslims keeping their engagements, attacked the Muslims first. These people, the Muslims should remain extremely cautious with. The Believers are required to put their trust in God and negotiate with them regardless of their treacherous history if they show an inclination towards peace 8:61-62, but at the same time should not hesitate to cancel the agreements in case they fear treachery on their part. Muslims must only do so openly and publicly so as to avoid any misunderstanding on the state of war between the parties 8:58 as was done with the very first verse of sura tawba and its unequivocal dissociation with the traitors. Then they should prepare themselves for every eventual threat from within and outside the community 8:60.

The Muslims should only stop fighting them under 2 conditions:

- if they clearly become Muslims by praying regularly and pay the poor rate. This is the only guarantee Muslims have against being attacked by a people provably inclined to backstabbing and breaking of oaths

4:91"You will find others who desire that they should be safe from you and secure from their own people; as often as they are sent back to the mischief they get thrown into it headlong; therefore if they do not withdraw from you, and (do not) offer you peace and restrain their hands, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them; and against these We have given you a clear authority".

It is in such background that one should read the often misused report in which the prophet says

"I have been commanded to fight the idolators (Other versions "the people") until they bear witness to La ilaha illallah (there is none worthy of worship except Allah) and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. If they bear witness to La ilaha illallah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, and they pray as we pray and face our Qiblah, and eat our slaughtered animals, then their blood and wealth becomes forbidden to us except for a right that is due, and they will have the same rights and obligations as the Muslims".

What is translated as to fight/uqaatil implies fighting opposite an initial attack, as is clear from the context of 9:5. Also, the more complete hadith further portrays the prophet quoting

88:22"Therefore do remind, for you are only a reminder. You are not a watcher over them".

This, in addition to the known proper context of the report, decisively shows there can be no compulsion in religion, as explicitly stated in the Quran in many places. As commented by ibn Taymiya

"what is meant here: Fighting the fighters of those that Allah made permissible to fight, and not those under the treaty and were loyal to Allah".

No forced conversions occured at the conquest of Mecca and sura 88, which is quoted by the prophet in relation to his statement in the hadith, is unanimously believed to have been revealed in Mecca.

- And if they do not become Muslims but they stop their persecution then

2:193"there should be no hostility except against the oppressors"

and that is because

8:38"if they desist, that which is past shall be forgiven to them; and if they return, then what happened to the ancients has already passed"

These 2 important point show that 9:5 does not say to fight these hostile idolaters until they become Muslims since an idolater who stops fighting is left to go freely to his homeland 9:6, but until they refrain from their hostile attitude of which a conversion to Islam and the strict and public adherance to each of its ordinances would be a guarantee. One last time, not all idolaters were fought until they became Muslims, only those that were untrustworthy to be left based on a verbal agreement.