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.
2
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in yathqafūkum yakūnū lakum aʿdāan wayabsuṭū ilaykum aydiyahum wa-alsinatahum bil-sūi wawaddū law takfurūna
If they gain dominance over you, they would be [i.e., behave] to you as enemies and extend against you their hands and their tongues with evil, and they wish you would disbelieve.
There has already been for you an excellent pattern 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 Allāh. We have denied you, and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allāh alone" - except for the saying of Abraham to his father, "I will surely ask forgiveness for you, but I have not [power to do] for you anything against Allāh. Our Lord, upon You we have relied, and to You we have returned, and to You is the destination.
Our Lord, make us not [objects of] torment for the disbelievers and forgive us, our Lord. Indeed, it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
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laqad kāna lakum fīhim us'watun ḥasanatun liman kāna yarjū l-laha wal-yawma l-ākhira waman yatawalla fa-inna l-laha huwa l-ghaniyu l-ḥamīdu
There has certainly been for you in them an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allāh and the Last Day. And whoever turns away - then indeed, Allāh is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.
Perhaps Allāh will put, between you and those to whom you have been enemies among them, affection. And Allāh is competent, and Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
Allāh does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allāh loves those who act justly.
Allāh only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and aid in your expulsion - [forbids] that you make allies of them. And whoever makes allies of them, then it is those who are the wrongdoers.
O you who have believed, when the believing women come to you as emigrants, examine [i.e., test] them. Allāh is most knowing as to their faith. And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them. But give them [i.e., the disbelievers] what they have spent. And there is no blame upon you if you marry them when you have given them their due compensation [i.e., mahr]. And hold not to marriage bonds with disbelieving women, but ask for what you have spent and let them [i.e., the disbelievers] ask for what they have spent. That is the judgement of Allāh; He judges between you. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
And if you have lost any of your wives to the disbelievers and you subsequently obtain [something], then give those whose wives have gone the equivalent of what they had spent. And fear Allāh, in whom you are believers.
O Prophet, when the believing women come to you pledging to you that they will not associate anything with Allāh, nor will they steal, nor will they commit unlawful sexual intercourse, nor will they kill their children, nor will they bring forth a slander they have invented between their arms and legs, nor will they disobey you in what is right - then accept their pledge and ask forgiveness for them of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
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yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū lā tatawallaw qawman ghaḍiba l-lahu ʿalayhim qad ya-isū mina l-ākhirati kamā ya-isa l-kufāru min aṣḥābi l-qubūri
O you who have believed, do not make allies of a people with whom Allāh has become angry. They have despaired of [reward in] the Hereafter just as the disbelievers have despaired of [meeting] the companions [i.e., inhabitants] of the graves.
Surah Al-Mumtahanah (She that is to be examined) — Full Text
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.
This ayah opens with a very specific historical context — some Muslims in Makkah had been secretly passing information to the Quraysh, trying to maintain old friendships and tribal ties. Allah is drawing a clear line here: you can't quietly keep one foot in both camps when one side is actively persecuting you for your faith. The verse acknowledges something deeply human — the pull of old relationships, the desire to keep the peace — but points out that these people drove out the Prophet and the believers simply for believing in Allah. What's striking is the phrase "I am most knowing of what you conceal and what you declare" — it's a reminder that Allah sees the secret messages, the hidden loyalties, the private negotiations you think no one knows about. If you've ever tried to people-please your way through a situation where your core values were at stake, this ayah speaks directly to that struggle. The bottom line is that straddling the fence when the truth is clear isn't diplomacy — it's straying from the path.
If they gain dominance over you, they would be [i.e., behave] to you as enemies and extend against you their hands and their tongues with evil, and they wish you would disbelieve.
Here Allah pulls back the curtain on what these so-called allies actually want. If they ever gained the upper hand over you, they wouldn't return your kindness — they'd come at you with their hands and their tongues, meaning both physical harm and verbal abuse. Their ultimate goal isn't coexistence; it's that you abandon your faith entirely. This is a reality check for anyone romanticizing a one-sided relationship where the other party fundamentally wishes you were someone else. It's not cynicism — it's clarity. Allah is saying: look at their track record, look at their intentions, and stop projecting your goodwill onto people who don't share it.
Never will your relatives or your children benefit you; the Day of Resurrection He will judge between you. And Allāh, of what you do, is Seeing.
This ayah addresses one of the biggest reasons people compromise their faith — family. Some believers were maintaining secret ties with the Quraysh because of blood relatives still in Makkah, thinking those connections would benefit them somehow. Allah is saying plainly: on the Day of Resurrection, those family ties won't help you one bit. He will judge between you based on your choices, not your lineage. It's a tough but necessary reminder that the relationships we sacrifice our principles for often can't deliver what we think they will. And Allah sees everything you're doing — every calculation, every compromise.
There has already been for you an excellent pattern1 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 Allāh. We have denied you, and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allāh alone" - except for the saying of Abraham to his father, "I will surely ask forgiveness for you, but I have not [power to do] for you anything against Allāh. Our Lord, upon You we have relied, and to You we have returned, and to You is the destination.
Now Allah points to Ibrahim as the gold standard of how to handle this exact situation. Ibrahim stood before his own people — his own family and community — and declared openly that he was done with their idol worship. He didn't sneak around or play both sides; he said clearly that there would be enmity between them until they accepted Allah alone. That takes extraordinary courage, especially when it's your own tribe. The one exception noted is Ibrahim's promise to pray for his father's forgiveness, which he made before he realized his father was a committed enemy of the truth. The prayer at the end — "Our Lord, upon You we put our trust" — shows the emotional reality of this kind of stand. It's not done with arrogance; it's done with a broken heart and total reliance on Allah.
Our Lord, make us not [objects of] torment for the disbelievers and forgive us, our Lord. Indeed, it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
This is a continuation of Ibrahim's prayer, and it reveals a deep fear — not of the disbelievers themselves, but of being made a trial for them. What does that mean? It means: don't let our suffering or our defeat become evidence in their minds that falsehood is stronger than truth. If the believers are humiliated, the disbelievers might say, "See, their God didn't help them." It's a prayer for dignity in faith, asking Allah not to let the believers' situation become a reason for others to reject the truth. The closing attributes — All-Mighty, All-Wise — remind us that Allah has both the power and the wisdom to answer this prayer in His own way.
There has certainly been for you in them an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allāh and the Last Day. And whoever turns away - then indeed, Allāh is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.
Allah wraps up the example of Ibrahim by saying this is a beautiful model for anyone who truly places their hope in Allah and the Last Day. That qualifier matters — this example is most meaningful to people who are actually oriented toward the afterlife, not just focused on worldly calculations. And then comes a firm statement: whoever turns away from this example, well, Allah is Free of need. He doesn't need your obedience. He's praiseworthy whether you follow or not. There's something liberating about that — the invitation is genuine, but it's not desperate. Allah's guidance stands on its own merit.
Perhaps Allāh will put, between you and those to whom you have been enemies among them, affection. And Allāh is competent,1 and Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
After all the firm talk about drawing boundaries, this ayah opens a stunning window of hope. Allah says He may well place love between you and those you currently consider enemies. And historically, that's exactly what happened — many of the fiercest opponents of Islam later became beloved members of the Muslim community. Think about Khalid ibn al-Walid or Abu Sufyan's family. This verse teaches you never to write anyone off permanently, because hearts are in Allah's hands. He is All-Powerful, meaning He can change any situation, and Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful, meaning the door of return is always open. It's one of the most emotionally intelligent verses in the Quran — firm principles paired with genuine hope for reconciliation.
Allāh does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allāh loves those who act justly.
This is one of the most important verses in the Quran for understanding Islamic ethics toward non-Muslims, and it often gets overlooked. Allah explicitly says He does NOT forbid you from being kind and just to people who haven't fought you or driven you from your homes. In fact, He loves those who act justly toward them. This demolishes the idea that Islam teaches hostility toward all non-Muslims — the Quran itself commands kindness and justice toward peaceful people regardless of their faith. The word used for kindness here — birr — is the same word used for the highest level of kindness toward parents. That's not a coincidence. This ayah establishes that the default Islamic posture toward others is justice and goodness, and only specific acts of aggression change that equation.
Allāh only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and aid in your expulsion - [forbids] that you make allies1 of them. And whoever makes allies of them, then it is those who are the wrongdoers.
Here's the other side of the coin — the exception to the rule of kindness. Allah forbids taking as allies only those who have actively fought you because of your religion, expelled you from your homes, or supported others in doing so. Notice how specific and narrow this category is: it's not about people who simply disagree with you or believe differently. It's about active combatants and their supporters who have caused tangible harm. Anyone who still takes such aggressors as close allies is called a wrongdoer. Reading verses 8 and 9 together gives you a beautifully balanced framework — generous and open toward the peaceful, firm and principled against the hostile.
O you who have believed, when the believing women come to you as emigrants, examine [i.e., test] them. Allāh is most knowing as to their faith. And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them. But give them [i.e., the disbelievers] what they have spent.1 And there is no blame upon you if you marry them when you have given them their due compensation [i.e., mahr]. And hold not to marriage bonds with disbelieving women, but ask for what you have spent and let them [i.e., the disbelievers] ask for what they have spent.2 That is the judgement of Allāh; He judges between you. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
This ayah addresses a very specific legal and social situation that arose after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. The treaty required Muslims to return anyone who came from Makkah to Madinah, but this verse made an exception for believing women — they should be examined, and if found to be sincere believers, they shouldn't be sent back to the disbelievers. The logic is compassionate: a believing woman shouldn't be forced to live with a husband who's hostile to her faith, and likewise a Muslim man shouldn't remain married to a woman who's chosen disbelief. Financial fairness is built right in — the mahr and expenses must be handled properly on both sides. It's remarkable how practically this verse deals with what must have been incredibly messy, emotional divorce situations arising from the clash between faith communities. Allah even says there's no blame in the believers marrying these women once proper bridal dues are given. This is divine legislation meeting real human crisis with both principle and compassion.
And if you have lost any of your wives to the disbelievers and you subsequently obtain [something],1 then give those whose wives have gone the equivalent of what they had spent. And fear Allāh, in whom you are believers.
This verse handles the reverse scenario — what if a Muslim man's wife leaves him and goes over to the disbelievers? The Muslim community should compensate him from any funds recovered, essentially the equivalent of the mahr he had paid. It's about financial justice in a chaotic time when families were being split apart by the fault line of faith. The closing reminder to fear Allah reinforces that even in these painful situations, believers must handle things with integrity and not let bitterness override fairness.
O Prophet, when the believing women come to you pledging to you that they will not associate anything with Allāh, nor will they steal, nor will they commit unlawful sexual intercourse, nor will they kill their children, nor will they bring forth a slander they have invented between their arms and legs,1 nor will they disobey you in what is right - then accept their pledge and ask forgiveness for them of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
This is the famous pledge that believing women took with the Prophet — and it's fascinating because it's essentially a moral charter. They pledged not to associate partners with Allah, not to steal, not to commit adultery, not to kill their children — which references the pre-Islamic practice of burying infant daughters alive — not to slander others, and not to disobey the Prophet in what is right. Each item addresses a real social ill of that time, and honestly, most of them are still relevant today. The Prophet is told to accept their pledge and ask Allah's forgiveness for them. There's something deeply dignifying about this — women are making a direct covenant, being addressed as moral agents with their own relationship to God and community.
O you who have believed, do not make allies of a people with whom Allāh has become angry. They have despaired of [reward in] the Hereafter just as the disbelievers have despaired of [meeting] the companions [i.e., inhabitants] of the graves.
The surah closes with a sharp warning: don't ally yourself with a people upon whom Allah's wrath has fallen. These people have given up hope in the Hereafter entirely, just as those already dead and buried among the disbelievers have no hope. It's a vivid image — allying with people who have no investment in the afterlife is like befriending ghosts who've already lost everything. The surah began with a warning about misplaced loyalties and ends on the exact same note, bookending the entire message with clarity about where your allegiances should lie.