سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 139
ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَّخِذُونَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۚ أَيَبْتَغُونَ عِندَهُمُ ٱلْعِزَّةَ فَإِنَّ ٱلْعِزَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَمِيعًا ﴿139﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Those who take disbelievers for Auliyâ’ (protectors or helpers or friends) instead of believers, do they seek honour, power and glory with them? Verily, then to Allâh belongs all honour, power and glory.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
Those who
يَتَّخِذُونَ
yattakhidhūna
take
ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
l-kāfirīna
the disbelievers
أَوْلِيَآءَ
awliyāa
(as) allies
مِن
min
(from)
دُونِ
dūni
instead of
ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۚ
l-mu'minīna
the believers
أَيَبْتَغُونَ
ayabtaghūna
Do they seek
عِندَهُمُ
ʿindahumu
with them
ٱلْعِزَّةَ
l-ʿizata
the honor
فَإِنَّ
fa-inna
But indeed
ٱلْعِزَّةَ
l-ʿizata
the honor
لِلَّهِ
lillahi
(is) for Allah
جَمِيعًۭا
jamīʿan
all
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
139. Those who take the disbelievers as allies [185] instead of the believers—do they seek honor with them? But indeed, all honor belongs to Allah alone.
[185]
The Example and Character of the Hypocrite Who Befriends Disbelievers:
From this verse, it is understood that taking disbelievers as friends or considering them as such, instead of the believers, is a clear sign of hypocrisy. These people, by associating with the disbelievers, wish to become accepted in their eyes. However, the result is quite the opposite; it becomes a case of "the washerman's dog, belonging neither to the house nor to the riverbank." Such hypocrites fall from the eyes of the Muslims and remain disgraced in the eyes of the disbelievers as well, losing trust everywhere. And the person who remains attached to only one group in all circumstances is, at the very least, considered trustworthy even in the eyes of the enemy. Accordingly, a hadith with this same meaning is also mentioned in Muslim. The Prophet ﷺ said: "The example of a hypocrite is like a sheep wandering between two flocks, sometimes joining one flock and sometimes the other."
[مسلم، کتاب صفۃ المنافقین و احکامھم]
It is also worth considering that hypocrites associate with disbelievers in order to become respected, accepted, and honored among them. But if Allah Himself disgraces those very disbelievers in whose company they seek honor, then from where will they attain honor?
[185]
The Example and Character of the Hypocrite Who Befriends Disbelievers:
From this verse, it is understood that taking disbelievers as friends or considering them as such, instead of the believers, is a clear sign of hypocrisy. These people, by associating with the disbelievers, wish to become accepted in their eyes. However, the result is quite the opposite; it becomes a case of "the washerman's dog, belonging neither to the house nor to the riverbank." Such hypocrites fall from the eyes of the Muslims and remain disgraced in the eyes of the disbelievers as well, losing trust everywhere. And the person who remains attached to only one group in all circumstances is, at the very least, considered trustworthy even in the eyes of the enemy. Accordingly, a hadith with this same meaning is also mentioned in Muslim. The Prophet ﷺ said: "The example of a hypocrite is like a sheep wandering between two flocks, sometimes joining one flock and sometimes the other."
[مسلم، کتاب صفۃ المنافقین و احکامھم]
It is also worth considering that hypocrites associate with disbelievers in order to become respected, accepted, and honored among them. But if Allah Himself disgraces those very disbelievers in whose company they seek honor, then from where will they attain honor?
