Surah 60. Al-Mumtahinah

O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not take My enemies - who are your enemies as well¹ - for your friends, showing them affection even though they are bent on denying whatever truth has come unto you, [and even though] they have driven the Apostle and yourselves away, [only] because you believe in God, your Sustainer!² If [it be true that] you have gone forth [from your homes] to strive in My cause, and out of a longing for My goodly acceptance, [do not take them for your friends,] inclining towards them in secret affection: for I am fully aware of all that you may conceal as well as of all that you do openly. And any of you who does this has already strayed from the right path.³

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "and your enemies" - implying that people who deliberately reject God's messages are ipso facto inimical to those who believe in them.

Historically, this is a reference to the forced emigration of the Prophet and his followers from Mecca to Medina. In a more general sense, however, it is an allusion to the potential persecution of believers of all times by "those who are bent on denying the truth", i.e., those who are averse to religious beliefs as such.

As is shown in verses {7-9}, this prohibition of taking unbelievers for friends relates only to such of them as are actively hostile towards the believers (cf. 58:22 and the corresponding note [29]).

O believers! Do not make friendship with those who are enemies of Mine and yours. Would you show them friendship, when they have denied the truth that has come to you and have driven the Rasool and yourselves out of your homes, simply because you believe in Allah, your Rabb? If it was indeed to strive in My way, and to seek My good pleasure that you left your homes, how can you befriend in secret? I know all that you conceal, and all that you reveal. Any of you who does this, he indeed has gone astray from the Right Way.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

O believers! Do not take My enemies and yours as trusted allies, showing them affection even though they deny what has come to you of the truth. They drove the Messenger and yourselves out 'of Mecca', simply for your belief in Allah, your Lord. If you 'truly' emigrated¹ to struggle in My cause and seek My pleasure, 'then do not take them as allies,' disclosing secrets 'of the believers' to the pagans out of affection for them, when I know best whatever you conceal and whatever you reveal. And whoever of you does this has truly strayed from the Right Way.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 lit., come out ˹of Mecca˺.

O ye who believe! Choose not My enemy and your enemy for friends. Do ye give them friendship when they disbelieve in that truth which hath come unto you, driving out the messenger and you because ye believe in Allah, your Lord? If ye have come forth to strive in My way and seeking My good pleasure, (show them not friendship). Do ye show friendship unto them in secret, when I am best Aware of what ye hide and what ye proclaim? And whosoever doeth it among you, be verily hath strayed from the right way.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

O ye who believe! take not My enemies and yours as friends (or protectors) offering them (your) love even though they have rejected the Truth that has come to you and have (on the contrary) driven out the Prophet and yourselves (from your homes) (simply) because ye believe in Allah your Lord! If ye have come out to strive in My Way and to seek My Good Pleasure (take them not as friends) holding secret converse of love (and friendship) with them: for I know full well all that ye conceal and all that ye reveal. And any of you that does this has strayed from the Straight Path. ^{5409 5410}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The immediate occasion for this was a secret letter sent by one Hatib, a Muhajir, from Madinah, to the Pagans at Makkah, in most friendly terms, seeking for their protection on behalf of his children and relatives left behind in Makkah. The letter was intercepted, and he confessed the truth. He was forgiven as he told the truth and his motive did not appear to be heinous, but this instruction was given for future guidance. This was shortly before the conquest of Makkah, but the principle is of universal application. You cannot be on terms of secret intimacy with the enemies of your Faith and people, who are persecuting your Faith and seeking to destroy your Faith and you. You may not do so even for the sake of your relatives as it compromises the life and existence of your whole community.

Such was the position of the Muslim community in Madinah after the Hijrat and before the conquest of Makkah.

If they could but overcome you, they would [still] remain your foes, and would stretch forth their hands and tongues against you with evil intent: for they desire that you [too] should deny the truth.

  - Mohammad Asad

If they overcome you, they would behave to you as enemies and stretch out their hands and their tongues towards you with evil, and they wish to see you become unbelievers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

If they gain the upper hand over you, they would be your 'open' enemies, unleashing their hands and tongues to harm you, and wishing that you would abandon faith.

  - Mustafa Khattab

If they have the upper hand of you, they will be your foes, and will stretch out their hands and their tongues toward you with evil (intent), and they long for you to disbelieve.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

If they were to get the better of you they would behave to you as enemies and stretch forth their hands and their tongues against you for evil; and they desire that ye should reject the Truth. ⁵⁴¹¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Besides the question of your fidelity to your own people, even your own selfish interests require you to beware of secret intrigues with enemies. They will welcome you as cat's paw. But what will happen when they have used you and got the better of you and your people! Then they will show you their hand. And a heavy hand it will be! Not only will they injure you with their hands but with their tongues! The only words they will use for you will be "Traitors to their own"! If they intrigue with you now, it is to prevert you from the Path of Truth and righteousness and win you over to their evil ways.

But [bear in mind that] neither your kinsfolk nor [even] your own children will be of any benefit to you on Resurrection Day, [for then] He will decide between you [on your merit alone]: and God sees all that you do.

  - Mohammad Asad

On the Day of Resurrection, neither your relatives nor your children shall avail you. Allah will judge between you, and He is observing all your actions.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Neither your relatives nor children will benefit you on Judgment Day- He will decide between you 'all'. For Allah is All-Seeing of what you do.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Your ties of kindred and your children will avail you naught upon the Day of Resurrection. He will part you. Allah is Seer of what ye do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Of no profit to you will be your relatives and your children on the Day of Judgment: He will judge between you: for Allah sees well and that ye do. ⁵⁴¹²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The plea of children and relatives (see n. 5409 above) will be no excuse for treachery when the Day of Judgment comes. Your children and family will not save you. The Judgment will be in the hands of Allah, and He has full knowledge of all your overt and hidden acts and motives.

Indeed, you have had a good example in Abraham and those who followed him, when they said unto their [idolatrous] people: "Verily, we are quit of you and of all that you worship instead of God: we deny the truth of whatever you believe; and between us and you there has arisen enmity and hatred, to last until such a time⁴ as you come to believe in the One God!" The only exception was⁵ Abraham's saying to his father, "I shall indeed pray for [God's] forgiveness for thee,⁶ although I have it not in my power to obtain anything from God in thy behalf." [And Abraham and his followers prayed:] "O our Sustainer! In Thee have we placed our trust, and unto Thee do we turn: for unto Thee is all journeys' end.

  - Mohammad Asad

Since the adverb abadan is immediately followed by the particle hatta ("until such a time as..."), it is obviously erroneous to give it the meaning of "forever", as has been hitherto done in all translations of the Qur'an into Western languages. In view of the original connotation of the noun abad as "time" or "long time", i.e., of indefinite duration (Jawhari, Zamakhshari's Asas, Mughni, etc.), abadan is best rendered in the present context as "to last [until]...", etc.

Lit., "Except for": i.e., an exception from Abraham's statement, "between us and you there has arisen enmity and hatred, to last...", etc. In other words, his filial love prevented Abraham from including his father in his declaration of "enmity and hatred", although later - after his father had died as an idolater - Abraham could not but disavow him (cf. 9:114 ).

Cf. {19:47-48}.

You have an excellent example in Ibrahim (Abraham) and his companions. They said to their people plainly: "We are clear of you and your gods, whom you worship besides Allah. We renounce you. Enmity and hate shall reign between us forever until you believe in Allah, the One and Only God." But do not emulate what Ibrahim said to his father: "I will pray for your forgiveness, although I have no power to get anything for you from Allah." Their collective prayer was: "Our Rabb! In You we have put our trust, to You we turn in repentance and to You is our final goal.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

You already have an excellent example in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, 'We totally dissociate ourselves from you and 'shun' whatever 'idols' you worship besides Allah. We reject you. The enmity and hatred that has arisen between us and you will last until you believe in Allah alone.' The only exception is when Abraham said to his father, 'I will seek forgiveness for you,'' adding, 'but' I cannot protect you from Allah at all.' 'The believers prayed,' 'Our Lord! In You we trust. And to You we 'always' turn. And to You is the final return.

  - Mustafa Khattab

There is a goodly pattern for you in Abraham and those with him, when they told their folk: Lo! we are guiltless of you and all that ye worship beside Allah. We have done with you. And there hath arisen between us and you hostility and hate for ever until ye believe in Allah only --save that which Abraham promised his father (when he said): I will ask forgiveness for thee, though I own nothing for thee from Allah Our Lord! In Thee we put our trust, and unto Thee we turn repentant, and unto Thee is the journeying.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

There is for you an excellent example (to follow) in Abraham and those with him when they said to their people: "We are clear of you and of whatever ye worship besides Allah: we have rejected you and there has arisen between us and you enmity and hatred forever unless ye believe in Allah and Him alone": But not when Abraham said to his father: "I will pray for forgiveness for thee though I have no power (to get) aught on thy behalf from Allah." (They prayed): "Our Lord! in Thee do we trust and to Thee do we turn in repentance: to Thee is (our) final Goal. ^{5413 5414 5415 5416}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See ix. 114. Abraham was tender-hearted, and loyal to his father and his people. He warned them against idolatory and sin, and prayed for his father, but when his father and his people became open enemies of Allah, Abraham entirely dissociated himself from them, and left his home, his father, his people, and his country. Those with him were his believing wife and nephew Lut and any other Believers that went into exile with him.

The enemies of Allah are enemies of the righteous, and they hate the righteous. Therefore the righteous must cut themselves off eternally from them, unless they repent and come back to Allah. In that case they receive Allah's mercy and are entitied to all the rights of love and brotherhood. This shows that our detestation is for evil, not for men as such so long as there is a chance for repentance. See also verse 7 below. But we must give no chance to Evil for working evil on our Brotherhood at any time.

Refer again to ix. 114, n. 1365: and n. 5413 above. Abraham's conduct is not condemned. it was a special case, and is not to be imitated by weaker men, who may fall into sin by thinking too much of sinners.

This prayer indicates what our attitude should be. We must trust to Allah, and not to Allah's enemies to protect and befriend ourselves, our families, or those near and dear to us.

O our Sustainer! Make us not a plaything⁷ for those who are bent on denying the truth! And forgive us our sins, O our Sustainer: for Thou alone art almighty, truly wise!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "temptation to evil" (fitnah): cf. 10:85 , where the term fitnah has the same meaning as in the present instance.

Our Rabb! Do not expose us to the plots of the unbelievers. Forgive us, our Rabb! You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Our Lord! Do not subject us to the persecution of the disbelievers. Forgive us, our Lord! You 'alone' are truly the Almighty, All-Wise.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Our Lord! Make us not a prey for those who disbelieve, and forgive us, our Lord! Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Mighty, the Wise.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Our Lord! Make us not a (test and) trial for the Unbelievers but forgive us our Lord! For Thou art the Exalted in Might the Wise." ⁵⁴¹⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In n. 1198 to viii. 25, I have explained the shades of meaning in the word Fitnat. In ii. 102 Harut and Marut were a trial to test the righteous who trusted in Allah from the unrighteous who resorted to evil and superstition. Here the prayer to Allah is that we should be saved from becoming so weak as to tempt the Unbelievers to try to attack and destroy us.