وَلَوْ كَانُوا۟ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلنَّبِىِّ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مَا ٱتَّخَذُوهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُمْ فَـٰسِقُونَ 81
Translations
And if they had believed in Allāh and the Prophet and in what was revealed to him, they would not have taken them as allies; but many of them are defiantly disobedient.
Transliteration
Wa-law kānū yu'minūna bil-lāhi wan-nabiyyi wa-mā unzila ilayhi mā ittakhdhūhum awliyā'a wa-lākin kathīran minhum fāsiqūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the Jews of Medina, stating that if they truly believed in Allah, His Prophet Muhammad, and the revelation sent to him, they would not have taken disbelievers as allies and protectors instead of the believers. Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that their refusal to accept the Prophet and their alliance with the pagans of Mecca against the Muslims was evidence of their spiritual corruption and disobedience (fisq). The ayah emphasizes that true faith necessitates loyalty to Allah's message and messenger, not to those who oppose them.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in Medina during a period of heightened tension between the Muslim community and Jewish tribes of Medina who rejected the Prophet's message. It specifically addresses the treacherous alliances some Jewish groups formed with the Quraysh and hypocrites against the Muslims, particularly relating to events around the Battle of Uhud and subsequent conflicts. The surah itself deals with covenant-breaking and the consequences of abandoning divine guidance.
Related Hadiths
The principle is supported by the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever loves for the sake of Allah and hates for the sake of Allah has perfected their faith.' Additionally, Sunan Ibn Majah records that the Prophet warned against taking disbelievers as intimate allies, stating this contradicts complete faith.
Themes
Key Lesson
True Islamic faith is inseparable from loyalty to Allah's message and His messenger; believers cannot claim genuine faith while maintaining intimate alliances with those who oppose Islam. This ayah reminds us that our associations and allegiances should reflect our spiritual commitments, and that compromise in religious principles indicates a deficiency in faith itself.
Related Ayahs
وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَمُهَيْمِنًا عَلَيْهِ ۖ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ عَمَّا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ ۚ لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجًا ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَٰحِدَةً وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۖ فَٱسْتَبِقُوا۟ ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ ۚ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ
And We have revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], the Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it. So judge between them by what Allāh has revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from what has come to you of the truth. To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allāh willed, He would have made you one nation [united in religion], but [He intended] to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good. To Allāh is your return all together, and He will [then] inform you concerning that over which you used to differ.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُم مَّا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا وَمِثْلَهُۥ مَعَهُۥ لِيَفْتَدُوا۟ بِهِۦ مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ مَا تُقُبِّلَ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
Indeed, those who disbelieve - if they should have all that is in the earth and the like of it with it by which to ransom themselves from the punishment of the Day of Resurrection, it will not be accepted from them, and for them is a painful punishment.
إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ أَن يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ ٱلْعَدَٰوَةَ وَٱلْبَغْضَآءَ فِى ٱلْخَمْرِ وَٱلْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَعَنِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۖ فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّنتَهُونَ
Satan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allāh and from prayer. So will you not desist?
يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْضَ ٱلْمُقَدَّسَةَ ٱلَّتِى كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَرْتَدُّوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا۟ خَـٰسِرِينَ
O my people, enter the blessed land [i.e., Palestine] which Allāh has assigned to you and do not turn back [from fighting in Allāh's cause] and [thus] become losers."