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.225
Notes
[225] Being the source of all power and honor, Allāh grants them to whom He wills.
Verse 139 of Surah An-Nisa (4:139), a Medinan surah, is in juz 5, on page 100 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.
Listen to verse 139 of Surah An-Nisa
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Tafsir of verse 139
Al-Mukhtasar
This punishment is because they took the disbelievers as their helpers and supporters instead of the believers. How strange that they took them as allies!. Do they search for assistance and protection with them? All assistance and protection belongs only to Allah and comes only from Him.
those who take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Are they seeking power through them? Indeed, all power belongs to Allah.
Those who take disbelievers for Auliyâ’ (protectors or helpers or friends) instead of believers, do they seek honour, power and glory with them? Verily, then to Allâh belongs all honour, power and glory.
Those who chose disbelievers for their friends instead of believers! Do they look for power at their hands? Lo! all power appertaineth to Allah.
Yea, to those who take for friends unbelievers rather than believers: is it honour they seek among them? Nay,- all honour is with Allah.
Those who take the unbelievers for guardians rather than believers. Do they seek honor from them? Then surely all honor is for Allah.
(The ones) who take to themselves the disbelievers for their constant patrons, apart from the believers; do they (inequitably) seek might in their presence? Then surely might altogether belongs to Allah.
Whoever desires honor [through power] - then to Allāh belongs all honor. To Him ascends good speech, and righteous work raises it. But they who plot evil deeds will have a severe punishment, and the plotting of those - it will perish.
They say, "If we return to al-Madīnah, the more honored [for power] will surely expel therefrom the more humble." And to Allāh belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know.
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
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. And Allāh warns you of Himself, and to Allāh is the [final] destination.
