The Meaning of "Whoever Comes to Them as a Muslim, They Must Return Him to the Polytheists" in the Conditions of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh, may Allah reward you with good. This questioner says: In the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, they stipulated that whoever comes to them as a Muslim, they must return him, and whoever goes to them, they leave him. What is meant by "return" here?

Answer:
It is clear, my brother, what the return is. If a Muslim comes to the Muslims, the Muslims leave the disbelievers to take him in accordance with the covenant. This is the meaning of the return: they leave them to take him in accordance with the covenant. It does not mean that they order him to return or compel him to return. No, it means that they leave the disbelievers to take him. Yes.