Transliteration:( Innamaa yanhaakumul laahu 'anil lazeena qaatalookum fid deeni wa akhrajookum min diyaarikum wa zaaharoo 'alaa ikhraajikum an tawallawhum; wa many yatawallahum fa ulaaa'ika humuz zaalimoon )
“Allah only forbids you in respect of those who have fought against you on account of (your) religion [30] and expelled you from your home and backed (others) in your expulsion, that you befriend [31] them. And whoever makes friendship with them, those are the unjust [32].”
This verse addresses those enemies who actively fight against Muslims due to their faith, who expel them from their homes, and who support others in such expulsion.
The prohibition of friendship here is based on religious persecution and active hostility. Maintaining emotional bonds or alliances with such enemies is forbidden, regardless of personal or tribal ties.
The command not to befriend refers to forming close emotional or political alliances with enemies who oppress Muslims.
It does not refer to general good behavior, but rather to aligning with those who oppose the faith — which contradicts Islamic solidarity and loyalty to believers.
Those who choose to befriend and align with the oppressors of the Muslim community are described as “Zalimoon” (unjust).
This injustice stems from disobeying Allah’s command, breaking ranks with the believers, and giving preference to hostile enemies over one’s own religious community.
The tafsir of Surah As-Saff verse 9 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Saff ayat 7 which provides the complete commentary from verse 7 through 9.
(60:9) Allah only forbids you to be friends with those who have fought against you on account of religion and who have driven you out of your homes and have abetted in your expulsion. And any who make friends with them, they are the wrong-doers.[13]
13. The instructions to sever relations with the disbelievers given in the preceding verses, could cause the people the misunderstanding that this was because of their being the disbelievers. Therefore, in these verses it has been made clear that its real cause is not their disbelief but their hostility to Islam and their tyrannical treatment of the followers of Islam. The Muslims, therefore, should distinguish between the hostile disbeliever and the nonhostile disbeliever, and should treat those disbelievers well who have never treated them with evil. Its best explanation is the incident that took place between Asma, daughter of Abu Bakr, and her disbelieving mother. A wife of Abu Bakr’s was Qutaylah bint Abdul Uzza, who was a disbeliever and had remained behind in Makkah after the migration. Asma had been born of her. After the peace treaty of Hudaibiyah when the traffic opened between Makkah and Madinah, she came to Al-Madinah to see her daughter and also brought some gifts. Asma herself has related that she went to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and asked: Should I see my mother. And can I treat her as a daughter should treat her mother. The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: Yes, treat her as your mother. (Musnad Ahmad, Bukhari, Muslim). Asma’s son, Abdullah bin Zubair, has given further details of this incident. He says that Asma in the beginning had refused to see her mother. Then, when she received Allah and His Messenger’s permission she met her. (Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim). This by itself leads to the conclusion that a Muslim’s serving his unbelieving parents and his helping his unbelieving brothers and sisters and relatives is permissible when they are not hostile to Islam. Likewise, one can also spend his charities on the indigent among the dhimmis. (Al-Jassas, Ahkam al-Quran; Ruh al-Maani).
[1675]- See footnote to verse 1 of this sūrah.
Related Ayat(Verses)/Topics