سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 118
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوا۟ بِطَانَةً مِّن دُونِكُمْ لَا يَأْلُونَكُمْ خَبَالًا وَدُّوا۟ مَا عَنِتُّمْ قَدْ بَدَتِ ٱلْبَغْضَآءُ مِنْ أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَمَا تُخْفِى صُدُورُهُمْ أَكْبَرُ ۚ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿118﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O you who believe! Take not as (your) Bitânah (advisors, consultants, protectors, helpers, friends) those outside your religion (pagans, Jews, Christians, and hypocrites) since they will not fail to do their best to corrupt you. They desire to harm you severely. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, but what their breasts conceal is far worse. Indeed We have made plain to you the Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses) if you understand.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O you
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe[d]
لَا
lā
(Do) not
تَتَّخِذُوا۟
tattakhidhū
take
بِطَانَةًۭ
biṭānatan
(as) intimates
مِّن
min
from
دُونِكُمْ
dūnikum
other than yourselves
لَا
lā
not
يَأْلُونَكُمْ
yalūnakum
they will spare you
خَبَالًۭا
khabālan
(any) ruin
وَدُّوا۟
waddū
They wish
مَا
mā
what
عَنِتُّمْ
ʿanittum
distresses you
قَدْ
qad
Indeed
بَدَتِ
badati
(has become) apparent
ٱلْبَغْضَآءُ
l-baghḍāu
the hatred
مِنْ
min
from
أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ
afwāhihim
their mouths
وَمَا
wamā
and what
تُخْفِى
tukh'fī
conceals
صُدُورُهُمْ
ṣudūruhum
their breasts
أَكْبَرُ ۚ
akbaru
(is) greater
قَدْ
qad
Certainly
بَيَّنَّا
bayyannā
We made clear
لَكُمُ
lakumu
for you
ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ ۖ
l-āyāti
the Verses
إِن
in
if
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you were
تَعْقِلُونَ
taʿqilūna
(to use) reason
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
118. 1 This subject has already been mentioned before. Here, due to its importance, it is being repeated. "Bitanah" refers to a close friend and confidant. The feelings and intentions that disbelievers and polytheists hold regarding Muslims—those which they express and those which they keep hidden in their hearts—Allah Almighty has pointed out all of them. In view of this and similar verses, scholars and jurists have written that it is not permissible to appoint non-Muslims to key positions in an Islamic state. It is narrated that Hazrat Abu Musa Ash'ari ؓ appointed a (non-Muslim) as a scribe (secretary). When this came to the knowledge of Hazrat Umar ؓ, he rebuked him severely and said, "Do not bring them close when Allah has distanced them. Do not honor them when Allah Almighty has humiliated them, and do not make them confidants when Allah has declared them untrustworthy." Hazrat Umar ؓ, using this verse as evidence, gave this instruction. Imam Qurtubi states that in his time, due to appointing People of the Book as secretaries and trustees, circumstances changed, and because of this, foolish people became leaders and chiefs (Tafsir Qurtubi). Unfortunately, even today in Islamic countries, this extremely important command of the Noble Quran is not being given due importance, and on the contrary, non-Muslims are appointed to very high and key positions, the harms of which are evident. If Islamic countries observe this command in both their internal and external policies, they can certainly be protected from many evils and harms.
118. 2 "La ya'lunakum" means they will not show any negligence or shortcoming. "Khabalan" means corruption and destruction. "Ma 'anittum" (that which puts you in hardship and difficulty); "Anat" means hardship.
118. 2 "La ya'lunakum" means they will not show any negligence or shortcoming. "Khabalan" means corruption and destruction. "Ma 'anittum" (that which puts you in hardship and difficulty); "Anat" means hardship.
