Surah 9. Al-Tawba, Ayah 2

These words, addressed to the mushrikin ("those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God") who have deliberately broken the treaties in force between them and the believers, indicate a cancellation of all treaty obligations on the latters' part. The period of four months which is to elapse between this announcement and the beginning (or resumption) of hostilities is a further elaboration of the injunction "cast it [i.e., the treaty] back at them in an equitable manner", given in 8:58 with reference to a breach of covenant by hostile unbelievers (see also note [62] on verse {58} of surah {8}).

  This is the only sûrah in the Quran that does not begin with: “In the Name of Allah—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.” The reason is that this sûrah is considered to be a continuation of the previous one, and that it begins with an open termination of treaties not fully respected by the polytheists. Since this constitutes a declaration of war, it would not be fitting to open with the mention of Allah’s compassion and mercy.

Four Months: Some Commentators understand by this the four forbidden months in which warfare by ancient Arabian custom was unlawful, viz., Rajab, Zul-qa'dah, Zul-hijjah, and Muharram: See ii. 194 n. But it is better to take the signification of the four months immediately following the Declaration. Assuming that the Sura was promulgated early in Shawwal (see Introduction), the four months would be Shawwal, Zul-qa'dah, Zul-hijjah, and Muharram, of which the last three would also be the customary Prohibited Months.