يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوا۟ عَدُوِّى وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ تُلْقُونَ إِلَيْهِم بِٱلْمَوَدَّةِ وَقَدْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِمَا جَآءَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْحَقِّ يُخْرِجُونَ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَإِيَّاكُمْ ۙ أَن تُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ رَبِّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ خَرَجْتُمْ جِهَـٰدًا فِى سَبِيلِى وَٱبْتِغَآءَ مَرْضَاتِى ۚ تُسِرُّونَ إِلَيْهِم بِٱلْمَوَدَّةِ وَأَنَا۠ أَعْلَمُ بِمَآ أَخْفَيْتُمْ وَمَآ أَعْلَنتُمْ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْهُ مِنكُمْ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ 1
Translations
O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies, 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.
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha alladhina amanu la tattakhidhu aduwwi wa aduwwakum awliya tulquna ilayhim bil-mawaddah wa qad kafaru bima jaakum min al-haqq yukhrijun ar-rasul wa iyyakum an tu'minu billahi rabbikum in kuntum kharajutum jihadan fi sabiliy wa ibtighaa mardatiy tusirrun ilayhim bil-mawaddah wa ana a'lamu bima akhfaytum wa ma a'lantum wa man yaf'alhu minkum faqad dalla suwa as-sabil
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah prohibits believers from taking the enemies of Allah and His Messenger as allies (awliya), particularly warning against showing affection and goodwill toward those who have rejected the truth and persecute the believers. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this verse establishes a fundamental principle of Islamic loyalty (al-wala wa al-bara) - believers must align their hearts and actions with Allah's cause, not with those who oppose Islam. The verse warns that concealing affection for the enemies of Islam, even if done secretly, is a form of straying from the straight path, as Allah is All-Knowing of what is hidden and what is manifest.
Revelation Context
This surah (Al-Mumtahanah) was revealed during the Medinan period and addresses the believers' relationships with the polytheists of Mecca, particularly in the context of the early Muslim community's struggle for survival. The specific context involves believers who may have maintained family or trade ties with the Meccan polytheists, and the ayah serves to clarify the boundaries of permissible interaction during a time of active conflict between the nascent Muslim state and its enemies.
Related Hadiths
Surah Al-Mumtahanah (60:4) contains the Prophet's statement: 'There has been an excellent example for you in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people: Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from whatever you worship other than Allah.' Additionally, the principle is reflected in authentic hadith collections regarding the prohibition of supporting enemies of Islam, such as in Sahih Muslim regarding the gravity of aiding those who fight against Allah's religion.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers must examine their loyalties and ensure that their associations, whether public or private, reflect their commitment to Allah's path rather than worldly interests or emotional attachments. The ayah teaches that sincere faith requires not merely outward compliance but genuine alignment of the heart with Islam's values, as Allah knows both our secret feelings and our public actions.