Surah 9:4
Show Full Scripture Context (9:4) — 1 Verse
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ عَٰهَدتُّم مِّنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ ثُمَّ لَمۡ يَنقُصُوكُمۡ شَيۡـٔٗا وَلَمۡ يُظَٰهِرُواْ عَلَيۡكُمۡ أَحَدٗا فَأَتِمُّوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِمۡ عَهۡدَهُمۡ إِلَىٰ مُدَّتِهِمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ
except those of the idolaters with whom you have made a treaty, (and who) since then have not failed you in anything and have not supported anyone against you. Fulfill their treaty with them until their term. Surely God loves the ones who guard (themselves).
This is an exception regulating the longest extent of time for those who have a general treaty - with out time mentioned - to four months.
They would have four months to travel the lands in search of sanctuary for themselves wherever they wish. Those whose treaty mentioned a specifec limited term, then the longest it would extend was to the point of its agreed upon termination date. Hadiths in this regard proceeded. So anyone who had a treaty with Allah’s Messenger, it lasted until its specific termination date. However, those in this category were required to refrain from breaking the terms of the agreement with Muslims and from helping non-Muslims against Muslims. This is the type whose peace agreement with Muslims was carried out to its end. Allah encouraged honoring such peace treaties, saying.
4 Surely , Allah loves those who have Taqwa} [9:4], who keep their promises.
— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 4, Page 375)