۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوا۟ ٱلْيَهُودَ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۘ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُۥ مِنْهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ 51
Translations
O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allāh guides not the wrongdoing people.
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha alladhina amanu la tattakhidhu al-yahuda wa-al-nasara awliya. Ba'duhum awliya ba'd. Wa-man yatawallahum minkum fa-innahu minhum. Inna Allah la yahdee al-qawm al-zalimin.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah prohibits Muslims from taking Jews and Christians as intimate allies (awliya) in matters of faith and loyalty, as they form their own alliance with each other against the believers. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this refers to taking them as protectors in religious matters or depending on them over the Muslim community, not a blanket prohibition on civil interactions or justice. The warning that whoever allies with them becomes of them indicates that such close association in faith-based matters separates one from the Muslim community.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed during the Medinan period when tensions existed between the Muslim community and certain Jewish and Christian groups who opposed Islam and allied against the believers. The context addresses the political and religious dangers of Muslims forming exclusive alliances with non-Muslim groups at the expense of Muslim unity and Islamic principles.
Related Hadiths
The principle is supported by various hadiths on loyalty (wala) and disassociation (bara'ah). Related hadith in Sunan Abu Dawud regarding not befriending those who oppose Allah and His Messenger reflects the spirit of this ayah's teaching.
Themes
Key Lesson
While Muslims are commanded to treat all people with justice and kindness, they must prioritize their ultimate loyalty and allegiance to Allah and the Muslim community in matters of faith and fundamental values. The ayah serves as a reminder that religious identity and Islamic principles should guide our closest associations and that compromising Islamic principles for external alliances weakens the ummah.
Related Ayahs
قُلْ هَلْ أُنَبِّئُكُم بِشَرٍّ مِّن ذَٰلِكَ مَثُوبَةً عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ مَن لَّعَنَهُ ٱللَّهُ وَغَضِبَ عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلَ مِنْهُمُ ٱلْقِرَدَةَ وَٱلْخَنَازِيرَ وَعَبَدَ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتَ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ شَرٌّ مَّكَانًا وَأَضَلُّ عَن سَوَآءِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ
Say, "Shall I inform you of [what is] worse than that as penalty from Allāh? [It is that of] those whom Allāh has cursed and with whom He became angry and made of them apes and pigs and slaves of ṭāghūt. Those are worse in position and further astray from the sound way."
فَمَن تَابَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ظُلْمِهِۦ وَأَصْلَحَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
But whoever repents after his wrongdoing and reforms, indeed, Allāh will turn to him in forgiveness. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَا ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ ۚ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلرَّبَّـٰنِيُّونَ وَٱلْأَحْبَارُ بِمَا ٱسْتُحْفِظُوا۟ مِن كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَانُوا۟ عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَآءَ ۚ فَلَا تَخْشَوُا۟ ٱلنَّاسَ وَٱخْشَوْنِ وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِى ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۚ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ
Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted [to Allāh] judged by it for the Jews, as did the rabbis and scholars by that with which they were entrusted of the Scripture of Allāh, and they were witnesses thereto. So do not fear the people but fear Me, and do not exchange My verses for a small price [i.e., worldly gain]. And whoever does not judge by what Allāh has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱبْتَغُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ ٱلْوَسِيلَةَ وَجَـٰهِدُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
O you who have believed, fear Allāh and seek the means [of nearness] to Him and strive in His cause that you may succeed.