Quran Universe
8:58

وَإِمَّا تَخَافَنَّ مِن قَوۡمٍ خِيَانَةٗ فَٱنۢبِذۡ إِلَيۡهِمۡ عَلَىٰ سَوَآءٍۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡخَآئِنِينَ

Waimma takhafanna min qawmin khiyanatan fainbith ilayhim AAala sawain inna Allaha la yuhibbu alkhaineena

If you [have reason to] fear from a people betrayal, throw [their treaty] back to them, [putting you] on equal terms. Indeed, Allah does not like traitors.

Word by word
  1. وَإِمَّاAnd if
  2. تَخَافَنَّyou fear
  3. مِنfrom
  4. قَوۡمٍa people
  5. خِيَانَةٗbetrayal
  6. فَٱنۢبِذۡthrow back
  7. إِلَيۡهِمۡto them
  8. عَلَىٰon
  9. سَوَآءٍۚequal (terms)
  10. إِنَّIndeed
  11. ٱللَّهَAllah
  12. لَا(does) not
  13. يُحِبُّlove
  14. ٱلۡخَآئِنِينَthe traitors
Al-Anfal · 8:58Madinah

Even with an enemy, never betray. Be open and equal.

Honesty that holds even in conflict

If you fear betrayal
secret movestrike while the deal stands
instead
declare it openlyboth sides know
because
Allah dislikes traitors
Fair dealing
they started itso I can cheat
on equal termshonest even then

Ibn Kathir says Allah's dislike of treachery includes treachery against disbelievers. Mu'awiyah once moved his army close to Roman lands while a peace treaty still stood, planning to attack the moment it ended. Amr bin Anbasah called out: be honest, stay away from betrayal, and quoted the Prophet ﷺ. Mu'awiyah turned back.

The business partner you suspect is cheating you. The ex in a custody dispute. The neighbor you are feuding with. The temptation is to betray first. The verse says: be open, say it plainly, keep your hands clean. Allah does not love traitors.

If I suspect someone will cheat me, I can get them first.

Even with someone I don't trust, I stay honest and say things openly.

Try this

In one tense relationship, choose honesty today: say clearly what you plan instead of acting behind their back.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

If you fear treachery from any people, throw back (their covenant) to them (so as to be) on equal terms. Certainly Allah likes not the treacherous.) make a heading, Allah says to His Prophet (pbuh (58)

وَإِمَّا تَخَافَنَّ مِن قَوْمٍ

(If you fear from any people), with whom you have a treaty of peace,

خِيَانَةً 

(treachery), and betrayal of peace treaties and agreements that you have conducted with them,

فَانبِذْ إِلَيْهِمْ

(then throw back (their covenant) to them), meaning their treaty of peace.

عَلَىٰ سَوَاءٍ

(on equal terms), informing them that you are severing the treaty. This way, you will be on equal terms, in that, you and they will be aware that a state of war exists between you and that the bilateral peace treaty is null and void,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْخَائِنِينَ

(Certainly Allah likes not the treacherous.) This even includes treachery against the disbelievers. Imam Ahmad recorded that Salim bin 'Amir said, "Mu'awiyah was leading an army in Roman lands, at a time the bilateral peace treaty was valid. He wanted to go closer to their forces so that when the treaty of peace ended, he could invade them. An old man riding on his animal said, 'Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Great), Allahu Akbar! Be honest and stay away from betrayal.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

وَمَنْ كَانَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ قَوْمٍ عَهْدٌ فَلَا يَحُلَّنَّ عُقْدَةً وَلَا يَشُدَّهَا حَتَّى يَنْقَضِي أَمَدُهَا، أَوْ يَنْبُذَ إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَى سَوَاءٍ

(Whoever has a treaty of peace with a people, then he should not untie any part of it or tie it harder until the treaty reaches its appointed term. Or, he should declare the treaty null and void so that they are both on equal terms.)

When Mu'awiyah was informed of the Prophet's statement, he retreated. They found that man to be 'Amr bin 'Anbasah, may Allah be pleased with him." This Hadith was also collected by Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Hibban in his Sahih. At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih."