Surah Al Mumtahanah Tafseer

إِنَّمَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَأَخْرَجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ

وَظَاهَرُوا عَلَى إِخْرَاجِكُمْ أَن تَوَلَّوْهُمْ

It is only as regards those who fought against you on account of religion, and have driven you out of your homes, and helped to drive you out that Allah forbids you to befriend them.

means, `Allah forbids you from being kind and befriending with the disbelievers who are openly hostile to you, those who fought against you, expelled you and helped to expel you. Allah the Exalted forbids you from being their friends and orders you to be their enemy.'

Then Allah stresses His threat against being friends with them, by saying,

وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُمْ فَأُوْلَيِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ

And whosoever will befriend them, then such are the wrongdoers.

As He said;

يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَّخِذُواْ الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَـرَى أَوْلِيَأءَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَأءُ بَعْضٍ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُمْ مِّنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الظَّـلِمِينَ

O you who believe!

Take not the Jews and the Christians as protecting friends, they are but protecting friends of each other. And if any among you takes them (as protecting friends), then surely, he is one of them.

Verily, Allah guides not those people who are the wrongdoers. (5:51