Then He made an exception for a people whom He forbade to be killed, saying: "Except those who join a people between you and whom there is a treaty." Muhammad [bin Abi Zamanin] said: This means: except for those who attached themselves to a people between whom and you there is a treaty. The meaning of "attached themselves" (yasiluna) is: allied themselves (intasabu).
Yahya said: These were the Banu Mudlij, between whom and the Quraysh there was a pact, and there was a pact between the Messenger of Allah and the Quraysh. Thus, Allah forbade regarding the Banu Mudlij what He forbade regarding the Quraysh; and this is abrogated.
ثُمَّ اسْتثْنِي قوما نهى عَنْ قِتَالهمْ؛ فقَالَ: ﴿إِلا الَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ إِلَى قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ مِيثَاقٌ﴾ قَالَ مُحَمَّد: يَعْنِي: إِلَّا من اتَّصل بِقوم بَيْنكُم وَبينهمْ مِيثَاق، ومعني (اتَّصل): انتسب.
قَالَ يحيى: وَهَؤُلَاء بَنو مُدْلِج كَانَ بَينهم وَبَين قُرَيْش عهد، وَكَانَ بَين رَسُول الله وقريش عهد؛ فَحرم الله من بني مُدْلِج مَا حرم من قُرَيْش؛ وَهَذَا مَنْسُوخ
