يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوا۟ بِطَانَةً مِّن دُونِكُمْ لَا يَأْلُونَكُمْ خَبَالًا وَدُّوا۟ مَا عَنِتُّمْ قَدْ بَدَتِ ٱلْبَغْضَآءُ مِنْ أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَمَا تُخْفِى صُدُورُهُمْ أَكْبَرُ ۚ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ 118
Translations
O you who have believed, do not take as intimates those other than yourselves [i.e., believers], for they will not spare you [any] ruin. They wish you would have hardship. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater. We have certainly made clear to you the signs, if you will use reason.
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha alladhina amanu la tattakhidhu bitanatan min dunikum la ya'lunakum khbalan wadduu ma 'antittum qad badat al-baghda'u min afwahihim wa ma tukhfi suduruhum akbar qad bayyanna lakum al-ayat in kuntum ta'qilun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah prohibits Muslims from taking non-believers as intimate confidants and close advisors (bitanah), warning that such individuals harbor enmity and seek to cause harm (khbal) to the believers. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that the verse references those whose hatred is evident in their speech and whose hidden feelings are even more malicious, emphasizing that Allah has made this guidance clear for those who use their intellect to understand it.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the Medinan period during the early Islamic community's interactions with the People of the Book and hypocrites (munafiqun) in Madinah. It addresses the dangers of intimate friendships and political alliances with those whose hearts harbor hostility toward Islam, particularly in contexts where strategic decisions and secrets would be shared.
Related Hadiths
The principle is supported by the hadith in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) advised against taking the enemies of Allah as friends: 'A man follows the religion of his friend; so let each one of you consider whom he takes as a friend' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, the Qur'an (60:1) uses similar language regarding taking enemies as intimate friends.
Themes
Key Lesson
Muslims should exercise wisdom and discernment in choosing close confidants and advisors, recognizing that true friendship requires shared values and faith; inner enmity toward Islam cannot be hidden forever, and believers must protect their community and trust by associating closely only with those whose hearts are aligned with Islamic principles.
Related Ayahs
فَلَمَّا وَضَعَتْهَا قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّى وَضَعْتُهَآ أُنثَىٰ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا وَضَعَتْ وَلَيْسَ ٱلذَّكَرُ كَٱلْأُنثَىٰ ۖ وَإِنِّى سَمَّيْتُهَا مَرْيَمَ وَإِنِّىٓ أُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ
But when she delivered her, she said, "My Lord, I have delivered a female." And Allāh was most knowing of what she delivered, and the male is not like the female. "And I have named her Mary, and I seek refuge for her in You and [for] her descendants from Satan, the expelled [from the mercy of Allāh]."
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا۟ لَن تَمَسَّنَا ٱلنَّارُ إِلَّآ أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَٰتٍ ۖ وَغَرَّهُمْ فِى دِينِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ
That is because they say, "Never will the Fire touch us except for [a few] numbered days," and [because] they were deluded in their religion by what they were inventing.
وَكَأَيِّن مِّن نَّبِىٍّ قَـٰتَلَ مَعَهُۥ رِبِّيُّونَ كَثِيرٌ فَمَا وَهَنُوا۟ لِمَآ أَصَابَهُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا ضَعُفُوا۟ وَمَا ٱسْتَكَانُوا۟ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
And how many a prophet [fought in battle and] with him fought many religious scholars. But they never lost assurance due to what afflicted them in the cause of Allāh, nor did they weaken or submit. And Allāh loves the steadfast.
أَوَلَمَّآ أَصَـٰبَتْكُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَدْ أَصَبْتُم مِّثْلَيْهَا قُلْتُمْ أَنَّىٰ هَـٰذَا ۖ قُلْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ أَنفُسِكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Why [is it that] when a [single] disaster struck you [on the day of Uḥud], although you had struck [the enemy in the battle of Badr] with one twice as great, you said, "From where is this?" Say, "It is from yourselves [i.e., due to your sin]." Indeed, Allāh is over all things competent.