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Ayah
Word by Word
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا
O you
ٱلَّذِينَ
who
ءَامَنُواْ
believe
لَا
(Do) not
تَتَّخِذُواْ
take
عَدُوِّي
My enemies
وَعَدُوَّكُمۡ
and your enemies
أَوۡلِيَآءَ
(as) allies
تُلۡقُونَ
offering
إِلَيۡهِم
them
بِٱلۡمَوَدَّةِ
love
وَقَدۡ
while
كَفَرُواْ
they have disbelieved
بِمَا
in what
جَآءَكُم
came to you
مِّنَ
of
ٱلۡحَقِّ
the truth
يُخۡرِجُونَ
driving out
ٱلرَّسُولَ
the Messenger
وَإِيَّاكُمۡ
and yourselves
أَن
because
تُؤۡمِنُواْ
you believe
بِٱللَّهِ
in Allah
رَبِّكُمۡ
your Lord
إِن
If
كُنتُمۡ
you
خَرَجۡتُمۡ
come forth
جِهَٰدٗا
(to) strive
فِي
in
سَبِيلِي
My way
وَٱبۡتِغَآءَ
and (to) seek
مَرۡضَاتِيۚ
My Pleasure
تُسِرُّونَ
You confide
إِلَيۡهِم
to them
بِٱلۡمَوَدَّةِ
love
وَأَنَا۠
but I Am
أَعۡلَمُ
most knowing
بِمَآ
of what
أَخۡفَيۡتُمۡ
you conceal
وَمَآ
and what
أَعۡلَنتُمۡۚ
you declare
وَمَن
And whoever
يَفۡعَلۡهُ
does it
مِنكُمۡ
among you
فَقَدۡ
then certainly
ضَلَّ
he has strayed
سَوَآءَ
(from the) straight
ٱلسَّبِيلِ
path
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا
O you
ٱلَّذِينَ
who
ءَامَنُواْ
believe
لَا
(Do) not
تَتَّخِذُواْ
take
عَدُوِّي
My enemies
وَعَدُوَّكُمۡ
and your enemies
أَوۡلِيَآءَ
(as) allies
تُلۡقُونَ
offering
إِلَيۡهِم
them
بِٱلۡمَوَدَّةِ
love
وَقَدۡ
while
كَفَرُواْ
they have disbelieved
بِمَا
in what
جَآءَكُم
came to you
مِّنَ
of
ٱلۡحَقِّ
the truth
يُخۡرِجُونَ
driving out
ٱلرَّسُولَ
the Messenger
وَإِيَّاكُمۡ
and yourselves
أَن
because
تُؤۡمِنُواْ
you believe
بِٱللَّهِ
in Allah
رَبِّكُمۡ
your Lord
إِن
If
كُنتُمۡ
you
خَرَجۡتُمۡ
come forth
جِهَٰدٗا
(to) strive
فِي
in
سَبِيلِي
My way
وَٱبۡتِغَآءَ
and (to) seek
مَرۡضَاتِيۚ
My Pleasure
تُسِرُّونَ
You confide
إِلَيۡهِم
to them
بِٱلۡمَوَدَّةِ
love
وَأَنَا۠
but I Am
أَعۡلَمُ
most knowing
بِمَآ
of what
أَخۡفَيۡتُمۡ
you conceal
وَمَآ
and what
أَعۡلَنتُمۡۚ
you declare
وَمَن
And whoever
يَفۡعَلۡهُ
does it
مِنكُمۡ
among you
فَقَدۡ
then certainly
ضَلَّ
he has strayed
سَوَآءَ
(from the) straight
ٱلسَّبِيلِ
path
Translation
O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies,1 extending to them affection while they have disbelieved in what came to you of the truth, having driven out the Prophet and yourselves [only] because you believe in Allāh, your Lord. If you have come out for jihād [i.e., fighting or striving] in My cause and seeking means to My approval, [take them not as friends]. You confide to them affection [i.e., instruction], but I am most knowing of what you have concealed and what you have declared. And whoever does it among you has certainly strayed from the soundness of the way.
Footnotes
1 - i.e., close associates and friends.
Tafsir
Al-Mumtahanah (She That Is To Be Examined)
Medinese, consisting of 13 verses.
O you who believe, do not take My enemy and your enemy, namely, the disbelievers of Mecca, for friends. You offer, you communicate to, them, the Prophet's plan may peace and salutation be upon him to attack them, which he had confided to you, and had kept secret, at Hunayn, [communicating this to them out of], affection, between you and them. Haatib ibn Abee Balta'a sent them a letter to that effect, on account of his having children and close relatives, idolaters, among them. The Prophet may peace and salutation be upon him intercepted it from the person to whom he [Haatib] had given it to deliver, after God apprised him of this. Haatib's excuse for this [conduct of his] was accepted [by the Prophet]; when verily they have disbelieved in the truth that has come to you, that is, [in] the religion of Islam and Al-Qur'an, expelling the Messenger and you, from Mecca, by oppressing you, because you believe in God, your Lord. If you have gone forth to struggle in My way and to seek My pleasure . (the response to the conditional is indicated by what preceded, that is to say, [understand it as being] 'then do not take them as friends'). You secretly harbour affection for them, when I know well what you hide and what you proclaim. And whoever among you does that, that is, to secretly communicate the Prophet's news to them, has verily strayed from the right way, he has missed the path of guidance (originally, al-ﷺaa' means 'the middle [way]').
Tafsir of Surah Al-Mumtahanah
Reason behind revealing Surah Al-Mumtahanah
The story of Hatib bin Abi Balta`ah is the reason behind revealing the beginning of this honorable Surah.
Hatib was among the Early Emigrants and participated in the battle of Badr. Hatib had children and wealth in Makkah, but he was not from the tribe of Quraysh. Rather, he was an ally of Uthman. When the Messenger of Allah decided to conquer Makkah, after its people broke the peace treaty between them, he ordered the Muslims to mobilize their forces to attack Makkah, and then said,
اللْهُمَّ عَمِّ عَلَيْهِمْ خَبَرَنَا
O Allah! Keep our news concealed from them.
Hatib wrote a letter and sent it to the people of Makkah, with a woman from the tribe of Quraysh, informing them of the Messenger's intent to attack them. He wanted them to be indebted to him (so that they would grant safety to his family in Makkah).
Allah the Exalted conveyed this matter to His Messenger, because He accepted the Prophet's invocation (to Him to conceal the news of the attack).
The Prophet sent someone after the woman and retrieved the letter.
This story is collected in the Two Sahihs.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Hasan bin Muhammad bin Ali said that Abdullah bin Abu Rafi` -- or Ubaydullah bin Abu Rafi` -- said that he heard Ali say,
Allah's Messenger sent me, Zubayr and Al-Miqdad saying,
`Proceed until you reach Rawdat Khakh, where there is a lady carrying a letter. Take that letter from her.'
So we proceeded on our way, with our horses galloping, until we reached the Rawdah. There we found the lady and said to her,
`Take out the letter.'
She said, `I am not carrying a letter.'
We said, `Take out the letter, or else we will take off your clothes.'
So she took it out of her braid, and we brought the letter to Allah's Messenger.
The letter was addressed from Hatib bin Abu Balta`ah to some pagans of Makkah, telling them about what Allah's Messenger intended to do. Allah's Messenger said,
O Hatib! What is this?
Hatib replied,
`O Allah's Messenger! Do not make a hasty decision about me. I was a person not belonging to Quraysh, but I was an ally to them. All the Emigrants who were with you have kinsmen (in Makkah) who can protect their families. So I wanted to do them a favor, so they might protect my relatives, as I have no blood relation with them. I did not do this out of disbelief or to renegade from my religion, nor did I do it to choose disbelief after Islam.'
Allah's Messenger said to his Companions,
إِنَّهُ صَدَقَكُم
(Regarding him), he has told you the truth.
Umar said, `O Allah's Messenger! Allow me to chop off the head of this hypocrite!'
The Prophet said,
إِنَّهُ قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ اللهَ اطَّلَعَ إِلَى أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ فَقَالَ
اعْمَلُوا مَا شِيْتُمْ فَقَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكُم
He attended Badr. What can I tell you, perhaps Allah looked at those who attended Badr and said,
O the people of Badr, do what you like, for I have forgiven you.
The Group with the exception of Ibn Majah, collected this Hadith using various chains of narration that included Sufyan bin `Uyaynah.
Al-Bukhari added in his narration in the chapter on the Prophet's battles,
Then Allah revealed the Surah,
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُوا لَاا تَتَّخِذُوا عَدُوِّي وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاء
O you who believe! Take not my enemies and your enemies as protecting friends...
Al-Bukhari said in another part of his Sahih, Amr (one of the narrators of the Hadith) said,
This Ayah,
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُوا لَاا تَتَّخِذُوا عَدُوِّي وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاء
(O you who believe! Take not my enemies and your enemies as protecting friends'...) was revealed about Hatib, but I do not know if the Ayah was mentioned in the Hadith (or was added as an explanation by one of the narrators).
Al-Bukhari also said that:
Ali bin Al-Madini said that Sufyan bin `Uyaynah was asked, Is this why this Ayah,
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُوا لَاا تَتَّخِذُوا عَدُوِّي وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاء
(O you who believe! Take not my enemies and your enemies as protecting friends'...) was revealed
Sufyan said,
This is the narration that I collected from `Amr, I did not leave a letter out of it. I do not know if anyone else memorized the same words for it.
The Command to have Enmity towards the Disbelievers and to abandon supporting Them
Allah's statement,
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُوا لَاا تَتَّخِذُوا عَدُوِّي وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاء
تُلْقُونَ إِلَيْهِم بِالْمَوَدَّةِ وَقَدْ كَفَرُوا بِمَا جَاءكُم مِّنَ الْحَقِّ
O you who believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies as protecting friends showing affection towards them, while they have disbelieved in what has come to you of the truth,
refers to the idolators and the disbelievers who are combatants against Allah, His Messenger and the believers. It is they whom Allah has decided should be our enemies and should be fought. Allah has forbidden the believers to take them as friends, supporters or companions.
Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah,
يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَّخِذُواْ الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَـرَى أَوْلِيَأءَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَأءُ بَعْضٍ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُمْ مِّنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ
O you who believe!
Take not the Jews and the Christians as protecting friends; they are but protecting friends of each other. And if any among you takes them (as such), then surely, he is one of them. (5:51)
This Ayah contains a stern warning and a sure threat.
Allah the Exalted said,
يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَّخِذُواْ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ دِينَكُمْ هُزُواً وَلَعِباً مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَالْكُفَّارَ أَوْلِيَأءَ وَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ إِن كُنتُم مُّوْمِنِينَ
O you who believe!
Take not as protecting friends those who take your religion as a mockery and fun from among those who received the Scripture before you, nor from among the disbelievers; and have Taqwa of Allah if you indeed are true believers. (5:57)
يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَّخِذُواْ الْكَـفِرِينَ أَوْلِيَأءَ مِن دُونِ الْمُوْمِنِينَ أَتُرِيدُونَ أَن تَجْعَلُواْ للَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَاناً مُّبِيناً
O you who believe!
Take not for protecting friends disbelievers instead of believers. Do you wish to offer Allah a manifest proof against yourselves? (4:144)
and,
لااَّ يَتَّخِذِ الْمُوْمِنُونَ الْكَـفِرِينَ أَوْلِيَأءَ مِن دُونِ الْمُوْمِنِينَ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ فَلَيْسَ مِنَ اللَّهِ فِي شَىْءٍ إِلَا أَن تَتَّقُواْ مِنْهُمْ تُقَـةً وَيُحَذِّرْكُمُ اللَّهُ نَفْسَهُ
Let not the believers take the disbelievers as protecting friends instead of the believers, and whoever does that will never be helped by Allah in any way, except if you indeed fear a danger from them. And Allah warns you against Himself (His punishment). (3:28)
This is why Allah's Messenger accepted Hatib's excuse when he said that he only wanted to have a favor on the Quraysh, because of the property and family members he left behind in Makkah.
Allah's statement,
يُخْرِجُونَ الرَّسُولَ وَإِيَّاكُمْ
and have driven out the Messenger and yourselves (from your homeland),
follows His encouragement to fight against them and to avoid being their supporters. This is because they expelled the Messenger and his Companions on account of their hatred for Tawhid and worshipping Allah alone in sincerity.
This is why Allah the Exalted said,
أَن تُوْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ رَبِّكُمْ
because you believe in Allah, your Lord!
meaning, `your only fault is that you believed in Allah, Lord of all that exists.'
Allah the Exalted said in other Ayat,
وَمَا نَقَمُواْ مِنْهُمْ إِلاَّ أَن يُوْمِنُواْ بِاللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ
And they had no fault except that they believed in Allah, Almighty, Al-Hamid! (85:8)
and,
الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُواْ مِن دِيَـرِهِم بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ إِلاَّ أَن يَقُولُواْ رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ
Those who have been expelled from their homes unjustly only because they said:Our Lord is Allah. (22:40)
Allah said,
إِن كُنتُمْ خَرَجْتُمْ جِهَادًا فِي سَبِيلِي وَابْتِغَاء مَرْضَاتِي
If you have come forth to strive in My cause and to seek My good pleasure.
Allah says, `if you are as described here, then do not take the disbelievers as supporters. If you migrated in Jihad for My cause and for seeking My pleasure, then do not take My enemies and your enemies as protecting friends, after they expelled you from your homes and property in rage against you and rejection of your religion.'
Allah's statement,
تُسِرُّونَ إِلَيْهِم بِالْمَوَدَّةِ
وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ بِمَا أَخْفَيْتُمْ وَمَا أَعْلَنتُمْ
You show friendship to them in secret, while I am All-Aware of what you conceal and what you reveal.
Allah asks, `do you do this while I know the secrets of the hearts, the intentions and all apparent things,'
وَمَن يَفْعَلْهُ مِنكُمْ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاء السَّبِيلِ
إِن يَثْقَفُوكُمْ يَكُونُوا لَكُمْ أَعْدَاء وَيَبْسُطُوا إِلَيْكُمْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ وَأَلْسِنَتَهُم بِالسُّوءِ
And whosoever of you does that, then indeed he has gone astray from the straight path.
Should they gain the upper hand over you, they would behave to you as enemies, and stretch forth their hands and their tongues against you with evil,
meaning, `if they gain the upper hand over you, they would use every type of harm in their disposal to hurt you in words and action,'
وَوَدُّوا لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ
and they desire that you should disbelieve.
meaning, `they are eager that you do not earn any good. Therefore, their enmity to you is outward and inward, so how can you become supporters of this type of people?' This also encourages the enmity.
Allah's statement,
لَن تَنفَعَكُمْ أَرْحَامُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ
يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَكُمْ
وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
Neither your relatives nor your children will benefit you on the Day of Resurrection. He will judge between you. And Allah is the All-Seer of what you do.
means, `your family relations will not benefit you with Allah if Allah decided to cause harm your way. Your relations will not benefit you if you please them with what angers Allah.'
Those who agree with their family being disbelievers in order to please them will have earned loss and failure and their deeds will be rendered invalid. Their relation will not benefit them with Allah, even if their relation was with a Prophet.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said that a man said,
O Allah's Messenger! Where is my father
He said,
فِي النَّار
In the Fire.
When the man went away, the Prophet called him back and said:
إِنَّ أَبِي وَأَبَاكَ فِي النَّار
Verily, my father and your father are in the Fire.
Muslim and Abu Dawud also collected this Hadith.
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