Al-Suddi, al-Kalbi, and Ibn Ishaq said: They were from the tribes of Bakr: Banu Khuzaymah, Banu Mudlij, Banu Damrah, and Banu al-Dayl. They were those who had entered into Quraysh’s treaty on the day of al-Hudaybiyyah. None had breached the treaty except Quraysh and Banu al-Dayl of Banu Bakr. He therefore commanded that the treaty be fulfilled with those who had not breached it, namely Banu Damrah.
This opinion is closer to what is correct, because these verses were revealed after Quraysh had breached the treaty and after the conquest of Mecca. How, then, could He say of something already past, “So long as they remain true to you, remain true to them”? Rather, they are those concerning whom He, Exalted is He, said: “Except for those polytheists with whom you have made a treaty and who have not failed you in anything”—as Quraysh failed you—“nor supported anyone against you,” as Quraysh supported Banu Bakr against Khuza'ah, the allies of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. “Indeed, Allah loves those who are mindful of Him.”
“How can there be a treaty, when, if they gain the upper hand over you, they would not respect any tie of kinship or covenant with you? They please you with their mouths, while their hearts refuse; and most of them are defiantly disobedient.” (8)
Regarding His saying, “How can there be a treaty, when, if they gain the upper hand over you”: this refers back to the first verse, its intended meaning being: How can they have a covenant with Allah—how—when, if they gain the upper hand over you? “They would not respect any tie of kinship or covenant with you.” Al-Akhfash said: How can you not kill them, when, if they gain the upper hand over you—that is, prevail over you—they would not respect, meaning they would not preserve, any tie of kinship? Al-Dahhak said: They would not wait. Qutrub said: They would not show consideration for any tie of kinship with you.
Ibn Abbas and al-Dahhak said that ill means kinship. Yaman said: a relationship of the womb. Qatadah said: ill means alliance. Al-Suddi said: it means a covenant. The same applies to dhimmah—a covenant—though it is repeated because the two words differ. Abu Mijlaz and Mujahid said that ill means Allah, Exalted is He. Ubayd ibn Umayr used to recite it as “Jabr-Ill,” with the final letter doubled, meaning “servant of Allah.”
It is related that some people from the followers of Musaylimah the Liar came to Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. Abu Bakr had them recite Musaylimah’s composition to him, and when they recited it, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “This speech did not come from an ill,” meaning, from Allah.
Evidence for this interpretation is the recitation of Ikrimah: “They do not respect, in the case of a believer, an īlan,” with a ya, meaning Allah, Exalted is He, like Jibrā'īl and Mīkā'īl. “Nor a covenant,” meaning a treaty. “They please you with their mouths”: that is, they make statements to you with their tongues that are contrary to what is in their hearts. “While their hearts refuse” faith; “and most of them are defiantly disobedient.”
If it is said: This concerns the polytheists, and all of them are defiantly disobedient; so why did He say, “and most of them are defiantly disobedient”?