سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 51
۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوا۟ ٱلْيَهُودَ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۘ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُۥ مِنْهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ﴿51﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliyâ’ (friends, protectors, helpers), they are but Auliyâ’ of each other. And if any amongst you takes them (as Auliyâ’), then surely he is one of them. Verily, Allâh guides not those people who are the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers and unjust).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O you
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe
لَا
lā
(Do) not
تَتَّخِذُوا۟
tattakhidhū
take
ٱلْيَهُودَ
l-yahūda
the Jews
وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰٓ
wal-naṣārā
and the Christians
أَوْلِيَآءَ ۘ
awliyāa
(as) allies
بَعْضُهُمْ
baʿḍuhum
Some of them
أَوْلِيَآءُ
awliyāu
(are) allies
بَعْضٍۢ ۚ
baʿḍin
(to) others
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
يَتَوَلَّهُم
yatawallahum
takes them as allies
مِّنكُمْ
minkum
among you
فَإِنَّهُۥ
fa-innahu
then indeed, he
مِنْهُمْ ۗ
min'hum
(is) of them
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
لَا
lā
(does) not
يَهْدِى
yahdī
guide
ٱلْقَوْمَ
l-qawma
the people
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
l-ẓālimīna
the wrongdoing
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 51) {لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الْيَهُوْدَ وَ النَّصٰرٰۤى اَوْلِيَآءَ …… : ’’ اَوْلِيَآءَ ‘‘} is the plural of {’’وَلِيٌّ‘‘}, meaning close friends. In this verse, Muslims are forbidden from taking Jews and Christians as friends. The reason given is that they are friends with each other, and it is an established fact that the friend of an enemy is also an enemy. So, the one whom you consider your well-wisher and make your friend, he also has friendship with his co-religionists who are your severe enemies. No matter how much they differ among themselves, in enmity against you, they are united and helpers of one another. So how can you have friendship with Jews and Christians? Such strictness is expressed here that it is said: whoever among you befriends them is one of them. As for maintaining good relations, good manners, kindness, and benevolence, that can be done with those who have not fought you because of religion, as mentioned in Surah Mumtahanah (8). Not only with Jews and Christians, but close friendship with all disbelievers is forbidden. See Surah Tawbah (23), Surah Mujadilah (22), and Al-Imran (28, 118).
