وَ اَذَانٌ مِّنَ اللّٰہِ وَ رَسُوۡلِہٖۤ اِلَی النَّاسِ یَوۡمَ الۡحَجِّ الۡاَکۡبَرِ اَنَّ اللّٰہَ بَرِیۡٓءٌ مِّنَ الۡمُشۡرِکِیۡنَ ۬ۙ وَ رَسُوۡلُہٗ ؕ فَاِنۡ تُبۡتُمۡ فَہُوَ خَیۡرٌ لَّکُمۡ ۚ وَ اِنۡ تَوَلَّیۡتُمۡ فَاعۡلَمُوۡۤا اَنَّکُمۡ غَیۡرُ مُعۡجِزِی اللّٰہِ ؕ وَ بَشِّرِ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا بِعَذَابٍ اَلِیۡمٍ ۙ﴿۳﴾
3. (This is) a proclamation from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the Day of the Great Pilgrimage that Allah and His Messenger are absolved from all obligations to the (peace breaching) polytheists.* So, if you repent, it would be better for you. But if you turn away, know that you cannot escape Allah. And warn the (persecuting) disbelievers of a painful punishment.
* This proclamation was made as a response to the massacre of the peaceful people of Banu Khuza‘a, who, according to the Treaty of Hudaybiya, were allies of the state of Medina. The Quraysh supported the people of Banu Bakr with arms and men in launching a murderous attack on Banu Khuza‘a. As a result of this act, many innocent people were killed, while others were persecuted, tortured and detained. This act of breaching the Treaty of Hudaybiya absolved the state of Medina from all obligations. Hence, verses 1–16 were revealed in this historical context, referring to a specific event, and do not apply to non-Muslims in general.
