lā yattakhidhi l-mu'minūna l-kāfirīna awliyāa min dūni l-mu'minīna waman yafʿal dhālika falaysa mina l-lahi fī shayin illā an tattaqū min'hum tuqātan wayuḥadhirukumu l-lahu nafsahu wa-ilā l-lahi l-maṣīru
Translation
Let not believers take disbelievers as allies [i.e., supporters or protectors] rather than believers. And whoever [of you] does that has nothing [i.e., no association] with Allāh, except when taking precaution against them in prudence.122 And Allāh warns you of Himself, and to Allāh is the [final] destination.
Notes
[122] When fearing harm from an enemy, the believer may pretend as long as his heart and intention are not affected.
Verse 28 of Surah Ali ’Imran (3:28), a Medinan surah, is in juz 3, on page 53 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 71 reciters.
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Tafsir of verse 28
Al-Mukhtasar
O believers, do not take disbelievers as friends that you love and support instead of other believers: whoever does this will never be helped by Allah in any way. However, if you are under their authority and you fear for your lives, then there is no harm if you avoid their harm by being nice to them in your speech and actions on the outside, whilst hating them inside. Allah warns you of Himself, so fear Him and do not become the subject of His anger by committing sins. All men will return to Allah alone on the Day of Resurrection for Him to reward them for their actions.
Let not the believers take disbelievers as allies instead of believers, for whoever does so has nothing to do with Allah at all, except as a protective measure to save yourself from them12. And Allah warns you of Himself, and to Allah is the final return.
Notes
[12] Upon fearing harm from the disbelievers, Muslims are given license to placate them with their tongues, as long as their hearts are firm in Faith.
Let not the believers take the disbelievers as Auliyâ (supporters, helpers) instead of the believers, and whoever does that will never be helped by Allâh in any way, except if you indeed fear a danger from them. And Allâh warns you against Himself (His punishment)4, and to Allâh is the final return.
Notes
[4] (V.3:28) The Statement of Allâh عز وجل "But Allâh warns you against Himself (i.e. His Punishment)." (3:28).
Narrated ‘Abdullâh رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "There is none who has a greater sense of Ghairah * than Allâh, and for that reason He has forbidden Al-Fawâhish , (the shameful deeds and sins, e.g. illegal sexual intercourse). And there is none who likes to be praised more than Allâh does." (Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol.9, Hadîth No.500).
* Ghairah: a feeling of great fury and anger when one’s honour and prestige are injured or challenged.
Let not the believers take disbelievers for their friends in preference to believers. Whoso doeth that hath no connection with Allah unless (it be) that ye but guard yourselves against them, taking (as it were) security. Allah biddeth you beware (only) of Himself. Unto Allah is the journeying.
Let not the believers Take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than believers: if any do that, in nothing will there be help from Allah: except by way of precaution, that ye may Guard yourselves from them. But Allah cautions you (To remember) Himself; for the final goal is to Allah.
Let not the believers take the unbelievers for friends rather than believers; and whoever does this, he shall have nothing of (the guardianship of) Allah, but you should guard yourselves against them, guarding carefully; and Allah makes you cautious of (retribution from) Himself; and to Allah is the eventual coming.
The believers should not take to themselves the disbelievers for constant patrons, apart from (i.e. rather than) the believers; and he who performs that, (then) he has nothing (to look to) from Allah, excepting that you may protect yourselves against them (in manner) of protection. And Allah bids you beware Himself; and to Allah is the Destiny.
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.
And those who disbelieved are allies of one another. If you do not do so [i.e., ally yourselves with other believers], there will be fitnah [i.e., disbelief and oppression] on earth and great corruption.
Whoever disbelieves in [i.e., denies] Allāh after his belief... except for one who is forced [to renounce his religion] while his heart is secure in faith. But those who [willingly] open their breasts to disbelief, upon them is wrath from Allāh, and for them is a great punishment;
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
Those who take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do they seek with them honor [through power]? But indeed, honor belongs to Allāh entirely.
