Surah 60. Al-Mumtahinah

O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not take My enemies - who are your enemies as well¹ - for your friends, showing them affection even though they are bent on denying whatever truth has come unto you, [and even though] they have driven the Apostle and yourselves away, [only] because you believe in God, your Sustainer!² If [it be true that] you have gone forth [from your homes] to strive in My cause, and out of a longing for My goodly acceptance, [do not take them for your friends,] inclining towards them in secret affection: for I am fully aware of all that you may conceal as well as of all that you do openly. And any of you who does this has already strayed from the right path.³

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "and your enemies" - implying that people who deliberately reject God's messages are ipso facto inimical to those who believe in them.

Historically, this is a reference to the forced emigration of the Prophet and his followers from Mecca to Medina. In a more general sense, however, it is an allusion to the potential persecution of believers of all times by "those who are bent on denying the truth", i.e., those who are averse to religious beliefs as such.

As is shown in verses {7-9}, this prohibition of taking unbelievers for friends relates only to such of them as are actively hostile towards the believers (cf. 58:22 and the corresponding note [29]).

O believers! Do not make friendship with those who are enemies of Mine and yours. Would you show them friendship, when they have denied the truth that has come to you and have driven the Rasool and yourselves out of your homes, simply because you believe in Allah, your Rabb? If it was indeed to strive in My way, and to seek My good pleasure that you left your homes, how can you befriend in secret? I know all that you conceal, and all that you reveal. Any of you who does this, he indeed has gone astray from the Right Way.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

O believers! Do not take My enemies and yours as trusted allies, showing them affection even though they deny what has come to you of the truth. They drove the Messenger and yourselves out 'of Mecca', simply for your belief in Allah, your Lord. If you 'truly' emigrated¹ to struggle in My cause and seek My pleasure, 'then do not take them as allies,' disclosing secrets 'of the believers' to the pagans out of affection for them, when I know best whatever you conceal and whatever you reveal. And whoever of you does this has truly strayed from the Right Way.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 lit., come out ˹of Mecca˺.

O ye who believe! Choose not My enemy and your enemy for friends. Do ye give them friendship when they disbelieve in that truth which hath come unto you, driving out the messenger and you because ye believe in Allah, your Lord? If ye have come forth to strive in My way and seeking My good pleasure, (show them not friendship). Do ye show friendship unto them in secret, when I am best Aware of what ye hide and what ye proclaim? And whosoever doeth it among you, be verily hath strayed from the right way.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

O ye who believe! take not My enemies and yours as friends (or protectors) offering them (your) love even though they have rejected the Truth that has come to you and have (on the contrary) driven out the Prophet and yourselves (from your homes) (simply) because ye believe in Allah your Lord! If ye have come out to strive in My Way and to seek My Good Pleasure (take them not as friends) holding secret converse of love (and friendship) with them: for I know full well all that ye conceal and all that ye reveal. And any of you that does this has strayed from the Straight Path. ^{5409 5410}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The immediate occasion for this was a secret letter sent by one Hatib, a Muhajir, from Madinah, to the Pagans at Makkah, in most friendly terms, seeking for their protection on behalf of his children and relatives left behind in Makkah. The letter was intercepted, and he confessed the truth. He was forgiven as he told the truth and his motive did not appear to be heinous, but this instruction was given for future guidance. This was shortly before the conquest of Makkah, but the principle is of universal application. You cannot be on terms of secret intimacy with the enemies of your Faith and people, who are persecuting your Faith and seeking to destroy your Faith and you. You may not do so even for the sake of your relatives as it compromises the life and existence of your whole community.

Such was the position of the Muslim community in Madinah after the Hijrat and before the conquest of Makkah.

If they could but overcome you, they would [still] remain your foes, and would stretch forth their hands and tongues against you with evil intent: for they desire that you [too] should deny the truth.

  - Mohammad Asad

If they overcome you, they would behave to you as enemies and stretch out their hands and their tongues towards you with evil, and they wish to see you become unbelievers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

If they gain the upper hand over you, they would be your 'open' enemies, unleashing their hands and tongues to harm you, and wishing that you would abandon faith.

  - Mustafa Khattab

If they have the upper hand of you, they will be your foes, and will stretch out their hands and their tongues toward you with evil (intent), and they long for you to disbelieve.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

If they were to get the better of you they would behave to you as enemies and stretch forth their hands and their tongues against you for evil; and they desire that ye should reject the Truth. ⁵⁴¹¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Besides the question of your fidelity to your own people, even your own selfish interests require you to beware of secret intrigues with enemies. They will welcome you as cat's paw. But what will happen when they have used you and got the better of you and your people! Then they will show you their hand. And a heavy hand it will be! Not only will they injure you with their hands but with their tongues! The only words they will use for you will be "Traitors to their own"! If they intrigue with you now, it is to prevert you from the Path of Truth and righteousness and win you over to their evil ways.

But [bear in mind that] neither your kinsfolk nor [even] your own children will be of any benefit to you on Resurrection Day, [for then] He will decide between you [on your merit alone]: and God sees all that you do.

  - Mohammad Asad

On the Day of Resurrection, neither your relatives nor your children shall avail you. Allah will judge between you, and He is observing all your actions.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Neither your relatives nor children will benefit you on Judgment Day- He will decide between you 'all'. For Allah is All-Seeing of what you do.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Your ties of kindred and your children will avail you naught upon the Day of Resurrection. He will part you. Allah is Seer of what ye do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Of no profit to you will be your relatives and your children on the Day of Judgment: He will judge between you: for Allah sees well and that ye do. ⁵⁴¹²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The plea of children and relatives (see n. 5409 above) will be no excuse for treachery when the Day of Judgment comes. Your children and family will not save you. The Judgment will be in the hands of Allah, and He has full knowledge of all your overt and hidden acts and motives.

Indeed, you have had a good example in Abraham and those who followed him, when they said unto their [idolatrous] people: "Verily, we are quit of you and of all that you worship instead of God: we deny the truth of whatever you believe; and between us and you there has arisen enmity and hatred, to last until such a time⁴ as you come to believe in the One God!" The only exception was⁵ Abraham's saying to his father, "I shall indeed pray for [God's] forgiveness for thee,⁶ although I have it not in my power to obtain anything from God in thy behalf." [And Abraham and his followers prayed:] "O our Sustainer! In Thee have we placed our trust, and unto Thee do we turn: for unto Thee is all journeys' end.

  - Mohammad Asad

Since the adverb abadan is immediately followed by the particle hatta ("until such a time as..."), it is obviously erroneous to give it the meaning of "forever", as has been hitherto done in all translations of the Qur'an into Western languages. In view of the original connotation of the noun abad as "time" or "long time", i.e., of indefinite duration (Jawhari, Zamakhshari's Asas, Mughni, etc.), abadan is best rendered in the present context as "to last [until]...", etc.

Lit., "Except for": i.e., an exception from Abraham's statement, "between us and you there has arisen enmity and hatred, to last...", etc. In other words, his filial love prevented Abraham from including his father in his declaration of "enmity and hatred", although later - after his father had died as an idolater - Abraham could not but disavow him (cf. 9:114 ).

Cf. {19:47-48}.

You have an excellent example in Ibrahim (Abraham) and his companions. They said to their people plainly: "We are clear of you and your gods, whom you worship besides Allah. We renounce you. Enmity and hate shall reign between us forever until you believe in Allah, the One and Only God." But do not emulate what Ibrahim said to his father: "I will pray for your forgiveness, although I have no power to get anything for you from Allah." Their collective prayer was: "Our Rabb! In You we have put our trust, to You we turn in repentance and to You is our final goal.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

You already have an excellent example in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, 'We totally dissociate ourselves from you and 'shun' whatever 'idols' you worship besides Allah. We reject you. The enmity and hatred that has arisen between us and you will last until you believe in Allah alone.' The only exception is when Abraham said to his father, 'I will seek forgiveness for you,'' adding, 'but' I cannot protect you from Allah at all.' 'The believers prayed,' 'Our Lord! In You we trust. And to You we 'always' turn. And to You is the final return.

  - Mustafa Khattab

There is a goodly pattern for you in Abraham and those with him, when they told their folk: Lo! we are guiltless of you and all that ye worship beside Allah. We have done with you. And there hath arisen between us and you hostility and hate for ever until ye believe in Allah only --save that which Abraham promised his father (when he said): I will ask forgiveness for thee, though I own nothing for thee from Allah Our Lord! In Thee we put our trust, and unto Thee we turn repentant, and unto Thee is the journeying.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

There is for you an excellent example (to follow) in Abraham and those with him when they said to their people: "We are clear of you and of whatever ye worship besides Allah: we have rejected you and there has arisen between us and you enmity and hatred forever unless ye believe in Allah and Him alone": But not when Abraham said to his father: "I will pray for forgiveness for thee though I have no power (to get) aught on thy behalf from Allah." (They prayed): "Our Lord! in Thee do we trust and to Thee do we turn in repentance: to Thee is (our) final Goal. ^{5413 5414 5415 5416}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See ix. 114. Abraham was tender-hearted, and loyal to his father and his people. He warned them against idolatory and sin, and prayed for his father, but when his father and his people became open enemies of Allah, Abraham entirely dissociated himself from them, and left his home, his father, his people, and his country. Those with him were his believing wife and nephew Lut and any other Believers that went into exile with him.

The enemies of Allah are enemies of the righteous, and they hate the righteous. Therefore the righteous must cut themselves off eternally from them, unless they repent and come back to Allah. In that case they receive Allah's mercy and are entitied to all the rights of love and brotherhood. This shows that our detestation is for evil, not for men as such so long as there is a chance for repentance. See also verse 7 below. But we must give no chance to Evil for working evil on our Brotherhood at any time.

Refer again to ix. 114, n. 1365: and n. 5413 above. Abraham's conduct is not condemned. it was a special case, and is not to be imitated by weaker men, who may fall into sin by thinking too much of sinners.

This prayer indicates what our attitude should be. We must trust to Allah, and not to Allah's enemies to protect and befriend ourselves, our families, or those near and dear to us.

O our Sustainer! Make us not a plaything⁷ for those who are bent on denying the truth! And forgive us our sins, O our Sustainer: for Thou alone art almighty, truly wise!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "temptation to evil" (fitnah): cf. 10:85 , where the term fitnah has the same meaning as in the present instance.

Our Rabb! Do not expose us to the plots of the unbelievers. Forgive us, our Rabb! You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Our Lord! Do not subject us to the persecution of the disbelievers. Forgive us, our Lord! You 'alone' are truly the Almighty, All-Wise.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Our Lord! Make us not a prey for those who disbelieve, and forgive us, our Lord! Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Mighty, the Wise.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Our Lord! Make us not a (test and) trial for the Unbelievers but forgive us our Lord! For Thou art the Exalted in Might the Wise." ⁵⁴¹⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In n. 1198 to viii. 25, I have explained the shades of meaning in the word Fitnat. In ii. 102 Harut and Marut were a trial to test the righteous who trusted in Allah from the unrighteous who resorted to evil and superstition. Here the prayer to Allah is that we should be saved from becoming so weak as to tempt the Unbelievers to try to attack and destroy us.

In them, indeed, you have a good example for everyone who looks forward [with hope and awe⁸] to God and the Last Day. And if any turns away, [let him know that] God is truly self-sufficient, the One to whom all praise is due.

  - Mohammad Asad

As in the similar phrase in 33:21 , this double connotation is implied in the verb rajawa and all the noun-forms derived from it.

Truly, in those there is an excellent example for everyone who puts their hopes in Allah and the Last Day. He that gives no heed should know that Allah is free of all wants, worthy of all praise.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

You certainly have an excellent example in them for whoever has hope in Allah and the Last Day. But whoever turns away, then surely Allah 'alone' is the Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Verily ye have in them a goodly pattern for everyone who looketh to Allah and the Last Day. And whosoever may turn away, lo! still Allah, He is the Absolute, the Owner of Praise.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

There was indeed in them an excellent example for you to follow for those whose hope is in Allah and in the Last Day. But if any turn away truly Allah is Free of all Wants Worthy of all Praise. ^{5418 5419}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In them: i.e. in their attitude of prayer and reliance on Allah, and of dissociation from evil.

If any one rejects Allah's Message or Law, the loss is his own. It is not Allah Who needs him or his worship or his sacrifice or his praise. Allah is independent of all wants, and His attributes are inherently deserving of all praise, whether the wicked give such praise or not, in word or deed.

[But] it may well be that God will bring about [mutual] affection between you [O believers] and some of those whom you [now] face as enemies: for, God is all-powerful - and God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.

  - Mohammad Asad

It may well be that Allah will put love between you and those with whom you are now at odds because of the order which is given to you, for Allah is All-Powerful, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'In time,' Allah may bring about goodwill between you and those of them you 'now' hold as enemies. For Allah is Most Capable. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

  - Mustafa Khattab

It may be that Allah will ordain love between you and those of them with whom ye are at enmity. Allah is Mighty, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

It may be that Allah will grant love (and friendship) between you and those whom ye (now) hold as enemies: for Allah has power (over all things); and Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful. ⁵⁴²⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Apparent religious hatred or enmity or persecution may be due to ignorance or over-zeal in a soul, which Allah will forgive and use eventually in His service, as happened in the case of Hadhrat 'Umar, who was a different man before and after his conversion. As stated in n. 5414 above, we should hate evil, but not men as such.

As for such [of the unbelievers] as do not fight against you on account of [your] faith, and neither drive you forth from your homelands, God does not forbid you to show them kindness and to behave towards them with full equity:⁹ for, verily, God loves those who act equitably.

  - Mohammad Asad

The expression "God does not forbid you" implies in this context a positive exhortation (Zamakhshari). See also note [29] on 58:22 .

Allah does not forbid you to be kind and equitable to those who had neither fought against your faith nor driven you out of your homes. In fact Allah loves the equitable.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Allah does not forbid you from dealing kindly and fairly with those who have neither fought nor driven you out of your homes. Surely Allah loves those who are fair.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Allah forbiddeth you not those who warred not against you on account of religion and drove you not out from your homes, that ye should show them kindness and deal justly with them. Lo! Allah loveth the just dealers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Allah forbids you not with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loveth those who are just. ⁵⁴²¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Even with Unbelievers, unless they are rampant and out to destroy us and our Faith, we should deal kindly and equitably, as is shown by our holy Prophet's own example.

God only forbids you to turn in friendship towards such as fight against you because of [your] faith, and drive you forth from your homelands, or aid [others] in driving you forth and as for those [from among you] who turn towards them in friendship, it is they, they who are truly wrongdoers!

  - Mohammad Asad

Allah only forbids you to make friendship with those who fought you on account of your faith and drove you out of your homes and backed up others in your expulsion. Those who will take them for friends are indeed the wrongdoers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Allah only forbids you from befriending those who have fought you for 'your' faith, driven you out of your homes, or supported 'others' in doing so. And whoever takes them as friends, then it is they who are the 'true' wrongdoers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Allah forbiddeth you only those who warred against you on account of religion and have driven you out from your homes and helped to drive you out, that ye make friends of them. Whosoever maketh friends of them--(All) such are wrong doers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Allah only forbids you with regard to those who fight you for (your) Faith and drive you out of your homes and support (others) in driving you out from turning to them (for friendship and protection). It is such as turn to them (in these circumstances) that do wrong.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

O YOU who have attained to faith! Whenever believing women come unto you, forsaking the domain of evil,¹⁰ examine them, [although only] God is fully aware of their faith;¹¹ and if you have thus ascertained that they are believers, do not send them back to the deniers of the truth, [since] they are [no longer] lawful to their erstwhile husbands,¹² and these are [no longer] lawful to them. None the less, you shall return to them whatever they have spent [on their wives by way of dower];¹³ and [then, O believers,] you will be committing no sin if you marry them after giving them their dowers. On the other hand, hold not to the marriage-tie with women who [continue to] deny the truth,¹⁴ and ask but for [the return of] whatever you have spent [by way of dower] - just as they [whose wives have gone over to you] have the right to demand¹⁵ [the return of] whatever they have spent. Such is God's judgment: He judges between you [in equity] - for God is all-knowing, wise.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "as emigrants" (muhajirat). For an explanation of my rendering this term as above, see surah {2}, note [203].

Under the terms of the Truce of Hudaybiyyah, concluded in the year 6 H. between the Prophet and the pagan Quraysh of Mecca, any Meccan minor or other person under guardianship who went over to the Muslims without the permission of his or her guardian was to be returned to the Quraysh (see introductory note to surah {48}). The Quraysh took this stipulation to include also married women, whom they considered to be under the "guardianship" of their husbands. Accordingly, when several Meccan women embraced Islam against the will of their husbands and fled to Medina, the Quraysh demanded their forcible return to Mecca. This the Prophet refused on the grounds that married women did not fall within the category of "persons under guardianship". However, since there was always the possibility that some of these women had gone over to the Muslims not for reasons of faith but out of purely worldly considerations, the believers were enjoined to make sure of their sincerity; and so, the Prophet asked each of them: "Swear before God that thou didst not leave because of hatred of thy husband, or out of a desire to go to another country, or in the hope of attaining to worldly advantages: swear before God that thou didst not leave for any reason save the love of God and His Apostle" (Tabari). Since God alone knows what is in the heart of a human being, a positive response of the woman concerned was to be regarded as the only humanly attainable - and, therefore, legally sufficient - proof of her sincerity. The fact that God alone is really aware of what is in a human being's heart is incorporated in the shar'i principle that any adult person's declaration of faith, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, makes it mandatory upon the community to accept that person - whether man or woman - as a Muslim on the basis of this declaration alone.

Lit., "to them". Thus, if a wife embraces Islam while her husband remains outside its pale, the marriage is considered, from the Islamic point of view, to have been automatically annulled.

Such an annulment is to be subject to the same conditions as a khul' (dissolution of marriage, at the wife's instance, from her Muslim husband - see note [218] on the second paragraph of 2:229 ): that is to say, since the non-Muslim former husband is presumed to have been innocent of any breach of his marital obligations as such, the wife is to be considered the contract-breaking party and has, therefore, to refund the dower (mahr) which she received from him at the time of concluding the marriage. In case of her inability to do so, the Muslim community is obliged to indemnify the erstwhile husband: hence the plural form in the imperative "you shall return" (lit., "give").

I.e., such of the pagan wives of Muslim converts as refuse to abandon their beliefs and their non-Muslim environment, in which case the Muslim husband is to regard the marriage as null and void. As for Muslim wives who, abandoning their husbands, go over to the unbelievers and renounce their faith, see verse {11}.

Lit., "and let them demand...", etc.

O believers! When the believing women seek refuge with you, test them. Allah best knows their faith. If you find them true believers, do not send them back to the unbelievers. They are not lawful to the unbelievers, nor are the unbelievers lawful to them. Return to their unbelieving husbands what they have spent on them. There is no blame on you if you marry such women, provided you give them their dowers. Do not hold on to your marriages with unbelieving women. Demand what you have spent on them and let the unbelievers do the same. This is the order of Allah which He has decreed between you. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

O believers! When the believing women come to you as emigrants,¹ test their intentions- their faith is best known to Allah- and if you find them to be believers, then do not send them back to the disbelievers. These 'women' are not lawful 'wives' for the disbelievers, nor are the disbelievers lawful 'husbands' for them. 'But' repay the disbelievers whatever 'dowries' they had paid. And there is no blame on you if you marry these 'women' as long as you pay them their dowries. And do not hold on to marriage with polytheistic women.² 'But' demand 'repayment of' whatever 'dowries' you had paid, and let the disbelievers do the same. That is the judgment of Allah- He judges between you. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 According to the Treaty of Ḥudaibiyah (see footnote for 48:1-3), Muslims who chose to move to Mecca would not be returned to Muslims in Medina, and Meccan pagans who accepted Islam and chose to move to Medina would be returned to Mecca (except for women).

 Those who moved to Mecca to marry pagans.

O ye who believe! When believing women come unto you as fugitives, examine them. Allah is best aware of their faith. Then, if ye know them for true believers, send them not back unto the disbelievers. They are not lawful for the disbelievers, nor are the disbelievers lawful for them. And give the disbelievers that which they have spent (upon them). And it is no sin for you to marry such women when ye have given them their dues. And hold not to the ties of disbelieving women; and ask for (the return of) that which ye have spent; and let the disbelievers ask for that which they have spent. That is the judgment of Allah. He judgeth between you. Allah is Knower, Wise.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

O ye who believe! when there come to you believing women refugees examine (and test) them: Allah knows best as to their Faith: if ye ascertain that they are Believers then send them not back to the Unbelievers. They are not lawful (wives) for the Unbelievers nor are the (Unbelievers) lawful (husbands) for them. But pay the Unbelievers what they have spent (on their dower). And there will be no blame on you if ye marry them on payment of their dower to them. But hold not to the guardianship of unbelieving women: ask for what ye have spent on their dowers and let the (Unbelievers) ask for what they have spent (on the dowers of women who come over to you). Such is the command of Allah: He judges (with justice) between you: and Allah is Full of Knowledge and Wisdom. ^{5422 5423 5424 5425}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Under the treaty of Hudaibiya [see Introduction to S. xlviii, paragraph 4, condition (3)], women under guardianship (including married women), who fled from the Quraish in Makkah to the Prophet's protection at Madinah were to be sent back. But before this Ayat was issued, the Quraish had already broken the treaty, and some instruction was necessary as to what the Madinah Muslims should do in those circumstances. Muslim women married to Pagan husbands in Makkah were oppressed for their Faith, and some of them came to Madinah as refugees. After this, they were not to be returned to the custody of their Pagan husbands at Makkah, as the marriage of believing women with non-Muslims was held to be dissolved if the husbands did not accept Islam. But in order to give no suspicion to the Pagans that they were badly treated as they lost the dower they had given on marriage, that dower was to be repaid to the husbands. Thus helpless women refugees were to be protected at the cost of the Muslims.

The condition was that they should be Muslim women. How were the Muslims to know? A non-Muslim woman, in order to escape from her lawful guardians in Makkah, might pretend that she was a Muslim. The true state of her mind and heart would be known to Allah alone. But if the Muslims, on an examination of the woman, found that she professed Islam, she was to have protection. The examination would be directed (among other things) to the points mentioned in verse 12 below.

As the marriage was held to be dissolved (see n. 5422 above), there was no bar to the remarriage of the refugee Muslim woman with a Muslim man on the payment of the usual dower to her.

Unbelieving women in a Muslim society would only be a clog and a handicap. There would be neither happiness for them, nor could they conduce in any way to a healthy life of the society in which they lived as aliens. They were to be sent away, as their marriage was held to be dissolved; and the dowers paid to them were to be demanded from the guardians to whom they were sent back, just as in the contrary case the dowers of believing women were to be paid back to their Pagan ex-husbands (n. 5422 above).