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 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.
51. O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians as your friends. They are friends to one another. Whoever among you takes them as friends is surely one of them. Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people [93].
[93]
Prohibition of Friendship with Jews and Christians:
Outward cordial relations, tolerance, and good conduct with disbelievers (especially when they are dhimmis or under a treaty) is one thing, and considering them trustworthy friends and making them so is another matter. In this regard, also see the footnote of verse 28 of Surah Al-Imran ﴿اِلَّآ اَنْ تَتَّقُوْا مِنْهُمْ تُقيٰةً﴾. In this verse, it is especially being instructed that although the mutual differences of Jews and Christians are severe, and there are intense sectarian differences and enmity between these two groups, yet for the sake of enmity against Islam, they all sit together and make compromises. Therefore, none of them can ever be your true and trustworthy friend. So, you too should not increase bonds of love with them nor consider them worthy of friendship. Whenever they get the opportunity, they will leave no stone unturned in harming you, and if any Muslim maintains friendship with them and professes love for them, then he is not a Muslim; consider him as one of them. Such people cannot attain the right path, and you should also be cautious of such people.
[93]
Prohibition of Friendship with Jews and Christians:
Outward cordial relations, tolerance, and good conduct with disbelievers (especially when they are dhimmis or under a treaty) is one thing, and considering them trustworthy friends and making them so is another matter. In this regard, also see the footnote of verse 28 of Surah Al-Imran ﴿اِلَّآ اَنْ تَتَّقُوْا مِنْهُمْ تُقيٰةً﴾. In this verse, it is especially being instructed that although the mutual differences of Jews and Christians are severe, and there are intense sectarian differences and enmity between these two groups, yet for the sake of enmity against Islam, they all sit together and make compromises. Therefore, none of them can ever be your true and trustworthy friend. So, you too should not increase bonds of love with them nor consider them worthy of friendship. Whenever they get the opportunity, they will leave no stone unturned in harming you, and if any Muslim maintains friendship with them and professes love for them, then he is not a Muslim; consider him as one of them. Such people cannot attain the right path, and you should also be cautious of such people.
