This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Kilani's book "Al-Wala Wal Bara".
معنی البــــــراء
Bara' means separation, salvation, distancing, disassociation, aversion, and hatred, etc.
[بَرَآءَۃٌ مِّنَ اللّٰہِ وَ رَسُوۡلِہٖۤ اِلَی الَّذِیۡنَ عٰہَدۡتُّمۡ مِّنَ الۡمُشۡرِکِیۡنَ ؕ]
This is a declaration of disassociation (no relation) from Allah and His Messenger towards those polytheists with whom you had made treaties.
Reference: (Surah At-Tawbah:1)
[عن أبي موسى انہ قال: أنا بريء مما برئ منه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم]
Sayyiduna Abu Musa (Al-Ash'ari) رضي الله عنه says: I am averse to what the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم is averse to.
Reference: Sahih Muslim:104
من یستحـــق البــــراء؟
Not only is it forbidden to befriend the disbelievers who are enemies of Islam, but it is also obligatory upon every Muslim to express disassociation, aversion, hatred, and enmity towards them.
[اِنَّمَا یَنۡہٰىکُمُ اللّٰہُ عَنِ الَّذِیۡنَ قٰتَلُوۡکُمۡ فِی الدِّیۡنِ وَ اَخۡرَجُوۡکُمۡ مِّنۡ دِیَارِکُمۡ وَ ظٰہَرُوۡا عَلٰۤی اِخۡرَاجِکُمۡ اَنۡ تَوَلَّوۡہُمۡ ۚ وَ مَنۡ یَّتَوَلَّہُمۡ فَاُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الظّٰلِمُوۡنَ]
Allah Almighty forbids you from taking as allies those disbelievers who have fought against you in religion and expelled you from your homes and aided in your expulsion. Those who befriend such disbelievers are the wrongdoers.
Reference: (Surah Al-Mumtahina:9)
[وَ مَا کَانَ اسۡتِغۡفَارُ اِبۡرٰہِیۡمَ لِاَبِیۡہِ اِلَّا عَنۡ مَّوۡعِدَۃٍ وَّعَدَہَاۤ اِیَّاہُ ۚ فَلَمَّا تَبَیَّنَ لَہٗۤ اَنَّہٗ عَدُوٌّ لِّلّٰہِ تَبَرَّاَ مِنۡہُ ؕ اِنَّ اِبۡرٰہِیۡمَ لَاَوَّاہٌ حَلِیۡمٌ]
And the prayer of forgiveness that Abraham (peace be upon him) made for his father was based on a promise he had made to his father, but when it became clear to him that his father was an enemy of Allah, Abraham (peace be upon him) disassociated himself from his father. Indeed, Abraham (peace be upon him) was very tender-hearted and patient.
Reference: (Surah At-Tawbah:114)
نہی الـــولاء عن الـــکـفـــار
It is forbidden to befriend those who hold enmity towards Islam and Muslims.
① [اِنَّمَا یَنۡہٰىکُمُ اللّٰہُ عَنِ الَّذِیۡنَ قٰتَلُوۡکُمۡ فِی الدِّیۡنِ وَ اَخۡرَجُوۡکُمۡ مِّنۡ دِیَارِکُمۡ وَ ظٰہَرُوۡا عَلٰۤی اِخۡرَاجِکُمۡ اَنۡ تَوَلَّوۡہُمۡ ۚ وَ مَنۡ یَّتَوَلَّہُمۡ فَاُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الظّٰلِمُوۡنَ]
Allah Almighty forbids you from taking as allies those who have fought against you in religion and have driven you out from your homes and aided in your expulsion. Those who take them as allies are the wrongdoers.
Reference: (Surah Al-Mumtahina:9)
② [یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ اَوۡلِیَآءَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَؕ اَتُرِیۡدُوۡنَ اَنۡ تَجۡعَلُوۡا لِلّٰہِ عَلَیۡکُمۡ سُلۡطٰنًا مُّبِیۡنًا]
O you who have believed! Do not take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do you wish to give Allah against yourselves a clear case?
Reference: (Surah An-Nisa:144)
③ [یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الۡیَہُوۡدَ وَ النَّصٰرٰۤی اَوۡلِیَآءَ ۘؔ بَعۡضُہُمۡ اَوۡلِیَآءُ بَعۡضٍ ؕ وَ مَنۡ یَّتَوَلَّہُمۡ مِّنۡکُمۡ فَاِنَّہٗ مِنۡہُمۡ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ لَا یَہۡدِی الۡقَوۡمَ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ]
O you who have believed! Do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is one of them. Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.
Reference: (Surah Al-Ma'idah:51)
④ [یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الَّذِیۡنَ اتَّخَذُوۡا دِیۡنَکُمۡ ہُزُوًا وَّ لَعِبًا مِّنَ الَّذِیۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡکِتٰبَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِکُمۡ وَ الۡکُفَّارَ اَوۡلِیَآءَ ۚ وَ اتَّقُوا اللّٰہَ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ مُّؤۡمِنِیۡنَ]
O you who have believed! Do not take those who were given the Scripture before you as allies if they mock your religion and make it a subject of ridicule, and do not take disbelievers as allies. And fear Allah if you should be believers.
Reference: (Surah Al-Ma'idah:57)
⑤ [یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَتَّخِذُوۡۤا اٰبَآءَکُمۡ وَ اِخۡوَانَکُمۡ اَوۡلِیَآءَ اِنِ اسۡتَحَبُّوا الۡکُفۡرَ عَلَی الۡاِیۡمَانِ ؕ وَ مَنۡ یَّتَوَلَّہُمۡ مِّنۡکُمۡ فَاُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الظّٰلِمُوۡنَ]
O you who have believed! Do not take your fathers and your brothers as allies if they prefer disbelief over faith. And whoever among you takes them as allies - then they are the wrongdoers.
Reference: (Surah At-Tawbah:23)
⑥ [یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَتَّخِذُوۡا عَدُوِّیۡ وَ عَدُوَّکُمۡ اَوۡلِیَآءَ تُلۡقُوۡنَ اِلَیۡہِمۡ بِالۡمَوَدَّۃِ وَ قَدۡ کَفَرُوۡا بِمَا جَآءَکُمۡ مِّنَ الۡحَقِّ ۚ یُخۡرِجُوۡنَ الرَّسُوۡلَ وَ اِیَّاکُمۡ اَنۡ تُؤۡمِنُوۡا بِاللّٰہِ رَبِّکُمۡ ؕ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ خَرَجۡتُمۡ جِہَادًا فِیۡ سَبِیۡلِیۡ وَ ابۡتِغَآءَ مَرۡضَاتِیۡ ٭ۖ تُسِرُّوۡنَ اِلَیۡہِمۡ بِالۡمَوَدَّۃِ ٭ۖ وَ اَنَا اَعۡلَمُ بِمَاۤ اَخۡفَیۡتُمۡ وَ مَاۤ اَعۡلَنۡتُمۡ ؕ وَ مَنۡ یَّفۡعَلۡہُ مِنۡکُمۡ فَقَدۡ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ السَّبِیۡلِ]
O you who have believed! If you support Allah, then support Him and do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies while you show friendship to them, although you know the truth has come to you and they have rejected it. They have exiled the Messenger and you only because you believe in your Lord. You send them secret messages while I am fully aware of what you conceal and what you reveal. So whoever does this among you has certainly strayed from the soundness of the way.
Reference: (Surah Al-Mumtahina:1)
⑦ [یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَتَوَلَّوۡا قَوۡمًا غَضِبَ اللّٰہُ عَلَیۡہِمۡ قَدۡ یَئِسُوۡا مِنَ الۡاٰخِرَۃِ کَمَا یَئِسَ الۡکُفَّارُ مِنۡ اَصۡحٰبِ الۡقُبُوۡرِ]
O you who have believed! Do not take as allies those upon whom Allah has become angry. They have despaired of the Hereafter just as the disbelievers in the graves have despaired.
Reference: (Surah Al-Mumtahina:13)
⑧ [لَا یَتَّخِذِ الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ الۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ اَوۡلِیَآءَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ ۚ وَ مَنۡ یَّفۡعَلۡ ذٰلِکَ فَلَیۡسَ مِنَ اللّٰہِ فِیۡ شَیۡءٍ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ تَتَّقُوۡا مِنۡہُمۡ تُقٰىۃً ؕ وَ یُحَذِّرُکُمُ اللّٰہُ نَفۡسَہٗ ؕ وَ اِلَی اللّٰہِ الۡمَصِیۡرُ]
A believer does not take disbelievers as allies instead of believers. Whoever does so has no connection with Allah, except if you fear a danger from them while you remain patient. And Allah warns you of Himself, and to Him is the final return.
Reference: (Surah Aal Imran:28)
Even if they are your parents, spouse, or children, it is forbidden to befriend those who are enemies of Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him).
[لَا تَجِدُ قَوۡمًا یُّؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِاللّٰہِ وَ الۡیَوۡمِ الۡاٰخِرِ یُوَآدُّوۡنَ مَنۡ حَآدَّ اللّٰہَ وَ رَسُوۡلَہٗ وَ لَوۡ کَانُوۡۤا اٰبَآءَہُمۡ اَوۡ اَبۡنَآءَہُمۡ اَوۡ اِخۡوَانَہُمۡ اَوۡ عَشِیۡرَتَہُمۡ ؕ اُولٰٓئِکَ کَتَبَ فِیۡ قُلُوۡبِہِمُ الۡاِیۡمَانَ وَ اَیَّدَہُمۡ بِرُوۡحٍ مِّنۡہُ ؕ وَ یُدۡخِلُہُمۡ جَنّٰتٍ تَجۡرِیۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِہَا الۡاَنۡہٰرُ خٰلِدِیۡنَ فِیۡہَا ؕ رَضِیَ اللّٰہُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَ رَضُوۡا عَنۡہُ ؕ اُولٰٓئِکَ حِزۡبُ اللّٰہِ ؕ اَلَاۤ اِنَّ حِزۡبَ اللّٰہِ ہُمُ الۡمُفۡلِحُوۡنَ]
You will never find those who believe in Allah and the Last Day to befriend those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they are their fathers, sons, brothers, or relatives. These (believers) are the ones in whose hearts Allah has firmly established faith and has supported them with a spirit (i.e., the light of faith) from Himself. Allah will admit these people into gardens beneath which rivers flow, where they will abide forever. Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Allah. These are the party of Allah. Know that the party of Allah are the ones who will be successful.
Reference: (Surah Al-Mujadila: 22)
It is also forbidden to merely incline towards or have an affinity for the culture and civilization of the disbelievers.
[وَ لَا تَرۡکَنُوۡۤا اِلَی الَّذِیۡنَ ظَلَمُوۡا فَتَمَسَّکُمُ النَّارُ ۙ وَ مَا لَکُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ مِنۡ اَوۡلِیَآءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنۡصَرُوۡنَ]
And do not incline toward the wrongdoers, lest you be touched by the Fire, and you would have no protector or helper.
Reference: (Surah Hud:113)
Those who befriend disbelievers have not believed in Allah, His Messenger, and the Quran.
[وَ لَوۡ کَانُوۡا یُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِاللّٰہِ وَ النَّبِیِّ وَ مَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ اِلَیۡہِ مَا اتَّخَذُوۡہُمۡ اَوۡلِیَآءَ وَ لٰکِنَّ کَثِیۡرًا مِّنۡہُمۡ فٰسِقُوۡنَ]
If they had believed in Allah and His Messenger and in what was revealed to the Prophet, they would not have taken the disbelievers as allies, but most of them are defiantly disobedient.
Reference: (Surah Al-Ma'idah:81)
