سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ
Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 23
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوٓا۟ ءَابَآءَكُمْ وَإِخْوَٰنَكُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ إِنِ ٱسْتَحَبُّوا۟ ٱلْكُفْرَ عَلَى ٱلْإِيمَـٰنِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ ﴿23﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O you who believe! Take not as Auliyâ’ (supporters and helpers) your fathers and your brothers if they prefer disbelief to Belief. And whoever of you does so, then he is one of the Zâlimûn (wrong-doers).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O you
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe
لَا
lā
(Do) not
تَتَّخِذُوٓا۟
tattakhidhū
take
ءَابَآءَكُمْ
ābāakum
your fathers
وَإِخْوَٰنَكُمْ
wa-ikh'wānakum
and your brothers
أَوْلِيَآءَ
awliyāa
(as) allies
إِنِ
ini
if
ٱسْتَحَبُّوا۟
is'taḥabbū
they prefer
ٱلْكُفْرَ
l-kuf'ra
[the] disbelief
عَلَى
ʿalā
over
ٱلْإِيمَـٰنِ ۚ
l-īmāni
[the] belief
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
يَتَوَلَّهُم
yatawallahum
takes them as allies
مِّنكُمْ
minkum
among you
فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ
fa-ulāika
then those
هُمُ
humu
[they]
ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ
l-ẓālimūna
(are) the wrongdoers
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.
23. O you who believe! If your fathers and your brothers prefer disbelief over faith [21], then do not take them as allies. And whoever among you takes them as allies, then such are the wrongdoers.
[21]
When is Faith Complete?
That is, the demand of faith is that if the father or brother is a disbeliever, then not only should kinship ties be severed, but even companionship should not be maintained with them. And if a believer or Muslim does not meet this standard, then he should understand that his faith is not complete. This subject has been mentioned in various ways at several places in the Book and Sunnah. For instance, once Sayyiduna Umar ؓ said to the Prophet ﷺ, "You are dearer to me than everything except my own self." The Prophet ﷺ replied, "Your faith is not yet complete." Then, at another time, Sayyiduna Umar ؓ said to the Prophet ﷺ, "By Allah! You are dearer to me than my own self." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Now your faith is complete." [بخاري۔ كتاب الايمان والنذور۔ باب كيف كانت يمين النبي]
[21]
When is Faith Complete?
That is, the demand of faith is that if the father or brother is a disbeliever, then not only should kinship ties be severed, but even companionship should not be maintained with them. And if a believer or Muslim does not meet this standard, then he should understand that his faith is not complete. This subject has been mentioned in various ways at several places in the Book and Sunnah. For instance, once Sayyiduna Umar ؓ said to the Prophet ﷺ, "You are dearer to me than everything except my own self." The Prophet ﷺ replied, "Your faith is not yet complete." Then, at another time, Sayyiduna Umar ؓ said to the Prophet ﷺ, "By Allah! You are dearer to me than my own self." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Now your faith is complete." [بخاري۔ كتاب الايمان والنذور۔ باب كيف كانت يمين النبي]
