About the Surah

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

       O you who believe! Don’t make my enemies and your enemies as friends, you send signals of  friendship to them, while they deny what has come to you as truth (i.e. the Quran), and they have driven out the Messenger [Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)] and yourselves (from your homeland) simply because you believe in Allah as your Creator. If you have come out (of your homeland) to strive in My Path and to seek My Pleasure, (then do not make friendship with them.) You send them secret signals of affection (i.e. making friendship with them is bad, but to make it secretly is worse) while I am All-Aware of what you conceal and what you reveal. And whosoever from you (O believers!) does that, then, indeed, he has gone (far) astray from the Straight Path.

       If they happen to have upper hand over you, they shall become your (open) enemies and will stretch their hands and will use their tongues with evil intention against you. They (badly) desire that you revert to disbelief.

       (In this friendship, if you are concerned about your blood relationship with them, then note that) your relatives and your children will not benefit you on the Day of Resurrection (against Allah). Allah will judge between you and them. And Allah is All-Seer of what you do (secretly or openly).

       Indeed, there is an excellent example for you (to follow in the conduct of) Ibrahim ( )and those with him, when they said to their people (openly): “Indeed, we are fed up with you and whatever you worship besides Allah. We deny (your beliefs), and an open hostility and hatred has developed between us for good till you believe in Allah Alone.” – except the saying of Ibrahim ( )to his father: “Indeed, I will ask forgiveness for you (from Allah), but I don’t have any other authority before Allah (beyond begging Him for your forgiveness). Our Creator! In You (Alone) we put our trust and to You (Alone) we turn in repentance, and (we believe that) to You (Alone) is our final return.”

       “Our Creator! Don’t make us a trial for the disbelievers. Our Creator! Forgive us. Indeed, You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.”

       Indeed, there has been an excellent example for you to follow [in Ibrahim ( )and those with him] – for he who is hopeful of (the Meeting with) Allah and (believes in) the Day of Judgement (This Verse is repeated to stress the point). And whosoever turns away (from the Commands of Allah), then, indeed, Allah is All-Rich (Free of all needs), the Worthy of all Praise.

       (Some believers were naturally worried by cutting off totally with their blood relatives. Allah gave them glad tidings in advance). Hopefully (it is more like a promise from Allah) Allah will make friendship between you and your enemies (as it happened at the time of conquest of Makkah). Allah has Power (over all things). (And if someone disobeyed this Command and repented then) Allah is Very Forgiving, Most Merciful.

       Allah does not forbid you to deal graciously and justly with those who did not fight against you regarding your religion, nor expel- you from your homes. Indeed, Allah loves those who deal justly.

       Allah only forbids you to make friendship with those who fought against you due to your religion, and have expelled you from your homes or helped others to expel you. And whosoever will make friendship with them, then such are the wrong-doers. (Also see Surah Al-Maidah:51).

       O you who believe! When believing women come to you as emigrants, cross-examine them (about their faith). However, Allah knows their faith the best. If you conclude (by apparent examination) that they are true believers, don’t send them back to the disbelievers. They are not lawful (wives) for the disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful (husbands) for them. But give the disbelievers that (amount of money) which they have spent (as their Mahr) on them. And it will not be sinful for you to marry them provided that you pay their Mahr to them. Similarly don’t keep the disbelieving women as wives and ask for (the return of) that which you have spent (as Mahr) and let the disbelievers ask (to return) what they have spent. That is the Command of Allah. He judges between you. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

       And if you lose any of your wives (who run away) to dis-believers and you cannot get them (i.e. they don’t let you see her nor return the Mahr you paid). Then you should take revenge (as follows). If there is a situation where you are supposed to pay Mahr to the disbelievers, then don’t pay this amount of Mahr to the disbelievers. Rather compensate those believers with this money equal to the Mahr they paid to their wives (lost to the disbelievers). And fear Allah, in Whom you believe.

       O Prophet(may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)! When believing women come to you to give you a pledge that they will not associate anything in worship with Allah, and will not steal, and will not commit adultery, and will not kill their children, and will not slander others by coining falsehood (i.e. by making illegal children belonging to their husbands), and will not disobey you in performing good deeds, then accept their pledge, and pray to Allah for their forgiveness. Indeed, Allah is Very-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

       O you who believe! Don’t make friendship with those who have earned the Wrath of Allah. (i.e. Jews) Indeed, they have lost hope of (i.e. deny the occurrence of) the Hereafter, just as the disbelievers have lost hope (i.e. deny) about those (buried) in graves (that they will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection). (Tabari)