This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Kilani's "Kitab al-Wala wal-Bara" .
Since disbelievers are enemies of Allah Almighty, therefore befriending them is actually befriending the enemies of Allah. Accepting the demands of disbelievers is actually accepting the demands of the enemies of Allah. Protecting the interests of disbelievers is actually protecting the interests of the enemies of Allah Almighty; therefore, this is a great sin in the sight of Allah Almighty, which has a very severe punishment in this world and an even more severe punishment in the Hereafter. Here, we mention these two punishments separately with reference to the verses of the Holy Quran, hoping that those who believe in Allah and the Day of Judgment and have a sound nature will surely try to protect themselves from this great trial. The following are five worldly punishments for friendship with disbelievers.
① Deprivation of Allah Almighty’s guidance:
Allah Almighty says: O people who have believed! Do not take the Jews and Christians as allies; they are allies of one another. And whoever among you takes them as allies, then indeed, he is one of them. Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.
Reference: (Surah Al-Ma'idah:51)
In this verse, Allah Almighty clearly states that those who befriend the disbelievers who are enemies of Islam, Allah Almighty will not guide those oppressors. After being deprived of Allah's guidance, who can show any nation the path to prosperity or success? For a lesson, recall the incident of Bani Israel when Prophet Musa (Moses) عليه السلام took Bani Israel out of Egypt and they camped in the Sinai Peninsula. Allah Almighty commanded them to wage war on the Holy Land, that is Palestine, and they would enter the city as conquerors. Bani Israel refused to fight, saying [فَاذۡہَبۡ اَنۡتَ وَ رَبُّکَ فَقَاتِلَاۤ اِنَّا ہٰہُنَا قٰعِدُوۡنَ] O Musa, you and your Lord go and fight; we will sit here.
Reference: (Surah Al-Ma'idah:24)
❀ Allah Almighty punished them for this disobedience by depriving them of His guidance. It is stated: [قَالَ فَاِنَّہَا مُحَرَّمَۃٌ عَلَیۡہِمۡ اَرۡبَعِیۡنَ سَنَۃً ۚ یَتِیۡہُوۡنَ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ ؕ فَلَا تَاۡسَ عَلَی الۡقَوۡمِ الۡفٰسِقِیۡنَ] That Holy Land is forbidden to you for forty years; you will wander in the desert. (O Musa!) Do not grieve over such disobedient people.
Reference: (Surah Al-Ma'idah:26)
❀ After being deprived of Allah's guidance, this nation of six hundred thousand people kept searching for a way out of an area ninety (90) miles long and twenty-seven (27) miles wide for forty continuous years but could not find it. The very place from which they had passed dozens of times to go to their country Egypt, they could not find the way back to Egypt. They would travel all day, and when evening came, they would find themselves back where they had started in the morning. During these forty years, Prophet Harun (Aaron) عليه السلام and Prophet Musa عليه السلام passed away, and those cowardly individuals of Bani Israel who avoided jihad died. A new generation filled with the spirit of jihad was prepared, and Allah Almighty appointed Prophet Yusha bin Nun عليه السلام as a prophet. Under his leadership, the Mujahideen waged war and entered the Holy Land as conquerors.
Reference: Maarif-ul-Quran: Tafseer Surah Al-Ma'idah, Ayah: 26
❀ Depriving a nation of Allah Almighty's guidance is a severe punishment, and after being deprived of Allah's guidance, that nation will certainly wander aimlessly, homeless, and purposeless just as Bani Israel did. [مَنۡ یُّضۡلِلِ اللّٰہُ فَلَا ہَادِیَ لَہٗ] And whomsoever Allah leads astray, there is no one to guide him.
Reference: (Surah Al-A'raf:186)
② Deprivation of Allah's Support:
The second punishment for befriending and uniting with the enemies of Allah is that Allah deprives such people of His support. Allah Almighty says: If, after gaining knowledge, you follow the desires of the Jews and Christians, then there will be no friend or helper to protect you from Allah's punishment.
Reference: (Surah Al-Baqarah:120)
Allah Almighty addressed the Holy Prophet ﷺ and said that if you accept the words of the Jews and Christians and comply with their demands, then you will be deprived of Allah's support and no one else will be able to help you.
❀ In another place, Allah Almighty says:
O you who believe, do not take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Whoever does so has no connection with Allah.
Reference: (Surah Aal Imran:28)
How can the example of a nation be different from that of a person who is blind, deaf, mute, and has no one to help him, when Allah Almighty withdraws His support from that nation, cuts off His relationship, and deprives it of His guidance? Can such a person ever imagine reaching his destination?
③ Loss after loss:
❀ This is the third punishment for befriending disbelievers and accepting their demands.
Allah Almighty says: O you who have believed! If you obey the disbelievers, they will turn you back [to disbelief], and you will become losers.
Reference: (Surah Al-Imran:149)
Being afflicted with loss here does not mean loss in just one aspect of life, but loss of every kind. Loss in beliefs and ideologies, loss in civilization and social customs, loss in morals and character, loss in honor and dignity, loss in peace and security, economic and financial loss; in short, there will be no aspect of life in which a Muslim will not suffer loss. It should also be kept in mind regarding loss that loss does not always mean a deficit in numbers; it is quite possible that the country's treasury is full in terms of numbers, but calamities such as natural disasters, storms, earthquakes, diseases, famine, etc., come in such abundance that even a full treasury is insufficient to deal with them. Such a situation is also, in reality, a loss, which is far more dangerous than the loss visible in numbers. A nation that Allah Almighty causes to suffer loss, even if the whole world tries to benefit it, will not be able to do so.
❀ The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, advised Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both: Protect the commands of Allah, and Allah will protect you. Remember Allah, and you will find Him with you. If you need to ask, ask only from Allah. If you need help, seek it only from Allah. And know well that if all people gather to benefit you, they will not be able to benefit you except with what Allah has written for you. And if all people gather to harm you, they will not be able to harm you except with what Allah has written for you.
Reference: (Tirmidhi:2516)
④ Humiliation and Disgrace:
The fourth punishment for friendship with disbelievers is humiliation and disgrace in this world. Allah Almighty says: Those who take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers, do they seek honor from them? Indeed, all honor belongs to Allah alone.
Reference: (Surah An-Nisa:139)
Those who think that by befriending and uniting with disbelievers they will gain honor and dignity, Allah Almighty warns them: Listen! Honor and disgrace are in My hands; I am the owner of honor and dignity. Therefore, those who seek honor by befriending My enemies will be humiliated and disgraced, and the one who turns to Me will attain dignity [وَ مَنۡ یُّہِنِ اللّٰہُ فَمَا لَہٗ مِنۡ مُّکۡرِمٍ ؕ]. Whoever Allah humiliates, no one can give him honor.
Reference: (Surah Al-Hajj:18)
It should be remembered that the grandeur, power, and honor of disbelievers in this world are completely temporary and unstable. No Muslim should be deceived by this. After this world, in the Hereafter, they will face eternal humiliation and disgrace. Therefore, the honor and dignity gained from them will also be temporary and unstable. Then, in the Hereafter, there will be eternal humiliation and disgrace for these disbelievers and their friends, while the honor granted by Allah Almighty is everlasting and true, from this world to the Hereafter, after which no one will face disgrace.
❀ The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: [اِنَّہٗ لاَ یَذِلُّ مَنْ وَّالَیْتَ وَ لاَ یُعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَیْتَ] Indeed, whoever Allah loves is never humiliated, and whoever Allah is hostile to never attains honor.
Reference: (Jami` at-Tirmidhi:464)
⑤ Regret and Remorse:
The fifth punishment for those who befriend the disbelievers is that in this world itself, they will face regret and remorse for their friendship with the disbelievers. Allah Almighty says: You see those in whose hearts is a disease of hypocrisy hastening into friendship with the disbelievers, saying, "We fear lest some misfortune befall us." It is not unlikely that when Allah grants you a decisive victory or a matter from Himself (help) comes, then these people will regret what they concealed in their hearts.
Reference: (Surah Al-Ma'idah:52)
❀ In this noble verse, the Muslims who befriend the disbelievers to save themselves from some misfortune are addressed, thinking that without this, they will fall into some trouble. Allah Almighty says that when We grant victory to the believers and give them triumph, at that time these people will surely be afflicted with regret and remorse. Allah’s promise is true and certain. Just as the dawn inevitably follows the night, similarly, after the sacrifices of the Mujahideen, Allah’s help will surely come and the circumstances will change. At that time, those who rejoiced in the darkness of the night and denied the rising of the dawn will surely be regretful and ashamed.
In summary, Allah Almighty has set these five punishments in this world for those who befriend the disbelievers:
① Deprivation of Allah's guidance
② Deprivation of Allah's support
③ Loss in every respect
④ Humiliation and disgrace
⑤ Regret and remorse
❀ Allah's commands do not require any confirmation or approval [وَ مَنۡ اَصۡدَقُ مِنَ اللّٰہِ قِیۡلًا] Who will be more truthful than Allah in His statement?
Reference: (Surah An-Nisa:122)
❀ However, after September 11, the homeland has embarked on a new journey of friendship with the disbelievers, and by observing the results, every insightful person can decide how solid and true the heavenly realities are compared to the earthly facts. Take a moment to look at Pakistan's eastern, western, southern, and northern borders, and then examine the internal conditions in terms of religion, politics, economy, society, morality, as well as peace and security, and consider which of the above five punishments Pakistan is currently spared from? Are we ready to learn any lesson from Allah Almighty's instructions and the testimony of history, or are our hearts locked [اَفَلَا یَتَدَبَّرُوۡنَ الۡقُرۡاٰنَ اَمۡ عَلٰی قُلُوۡبٍ اَقۡفَالُہَا] Do these people not reflect on the Quran, or are their hearts locked?
Reference: (Surah Muhammad:24)
The following are some Quranic verses related to the punishment in the Hereafter for those who befriend and cooperate with disbelievers:
① Those who take disbelievers as friends instead of the believers, give glad tidings to such hypocrites of a painful punishment.
Reference: (Surah An-Nisa:139-138)
② Today you see many who take disbelievers as their friends instead of the believers. Indeed, it is very bad what they have sent ahead for themselves. Allah has become angry with them, and they will be in torment forever.
Reference: (Surah Al-Ma'idah:80)
③ O you who have believed! Do not take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do you wish to give Allah against yourselves clear evidence?
Reference: (Surah An-Nisa:144)
④ Have you not seen those who took as allies a people with whom Allah was angry? They are neither of you nor of them, and they swear to lies knowingly. Allah has prepared for them a severe punishment. And what they do is very bad.
Reference: (Surah Al-Mujadila:15-14)
From the above verses, the following three points are understood:
① Allah becomes angry with those who befriend disbelievers.
② Those who befriend disbelievers are hypocrites.
③ For those who befriend disbelievers, there is a painful eternal punishment in the Hereafter.
❀ Those who befriend disbelievers think that by not choosing the dangerous path of confrontation with disbelievers, they have adopted a very successful strategy, while Allah has declared this strategy of taking a middle path between Islam and disbelief as hypocrisy, the punishment of which is more severe than disbelief in the sight of Allah. Allah Almighty says: [اِنَّ الۡمُنٰفِقِیۡنَ فِی الدَّرۡکِ الۡاَسۡفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ ۚ وَ لَنۡ تَجِدَ لَہُمۡ نَصِیۡرًا] Translation: Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire, and you will not find for them a helper.
Reference: (Surah An-Nisa:145)
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) says regarding the interpretation of this verse: The hypocrites will be locked in iron chests and thrown into Hell, and they will keep burning.
Reference: Tafsir al-Tabari: Surah An-Nisa:145
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says: These chests will be made of iron which will become fire as soon as they are set on fire and will be completely sealed from all sides. Then there will be no one to help them in any way or to take them out of Hell.
Reference: Tafsir al-Tabari: Surah An-Nisa:145
❀ During the Prophetic era (peace be upon him), despite being a Muslim, Abdullah bin Abi Islam maintained friendly relations with disbelievers and on several occasions protected the interests of disbelievers.
Reference: For example, see the detailed circumstances of the battles of Banu Qaynuqa and Banu Qurayza
When he died, his son Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), who was among the sincere and truthful companions, came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and requested him to lead the funeral prayer for his father (Abdullah bin Abi). The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prayed the funeral prayer out of compassion to console Sayyiduna Abdullah, then Allah revealed this verse: [وَ لَا تُصَلِّ عَلٰۤی اَحَدٍ مِّنۡہُمۡ مَّاتَ اَبَدًا وَّ لَا تَقُمۡ عَلٰی قَبۡرِہٖ ؕ اِنَّہُمۡ کَفَرُوۡا بِاللّٰہِ وَ رَسُوۡلِہٖ وَ مَا تُوۡا وَ ہُمۡ فٰسِقُوۡنَ] Do not pray over any of the hypocrites who die, nor stand at their graves, for they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and died while they were defiantly disobedient.
Reference: (Surah At-Tawbah:84)
This verse about the hypocrites had already been revealed before this incident: [اِسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَہُمۡ اَوۡ لَا تَسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَہُمۡ ؕ اِنۡ تَسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَہُمۡ سَبۡعِیۡنَ مَرَّۃً فَلَنۡ یَّغۡفِرَ اللّٰہُ لَہُمۡ ؕ ذٰلِکَ بِاَنَّہُمۡ کَفَرُوۡا بِاللّٰہِ وَ رَسُوۡلِہٖ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ لَا یَہۡدِی الۡقَوۡمَ الۡفٰسِقِیۡنَ] (O Prophet!) Whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them, it is the same for them; Allah will not forgive them.
Reference: (Surah At-Tawbah:80)
❀ From the incident of Abdullah bin Abi, it is also understood that the hypocrites will be deprived of the intercession of the Messenger of Mercy, peace be upon him, on the Day of Judgment. So, the wrath of Allah... deprivation of the intercession of the Messenger of Mercy, peace be upon him... eternal Hell and painful torment in Hell. All these punishments will be for those so-called Muslims on the Day of Judgment who, abandoning the believers, befriend the disbelievers. Despite knowing this worst outcome in this world and the Hereafter, those who dare to say that there are only benefits in befriending disbelievers.
❀ Regarding the recognition of Israel: See the secret report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: There are only benefits in recognizing Israel, no harm; besides numerous political, economic, and military advantages, the aggressive policy of the West will decrease and investment will increase, India will keep a check on military cooperation with Israel.
Reference: (Nawa-i-Waqt, 14 July 2003)
❀ Who can provide a better commentary about them than this commentary of the Holy Quran [لَہُمۡ قُلُوۡبٌ لَّا یَفۡقَہُوۡنَ بِہَا ۫ وَ لَہُمۡ اَعۡیُنٌ لَّا یُبۡصِرُوۡنَ بِہَا ۫ وَ لَہُمۡ اٰذَانٌ لَّا یَسۡمَعُوۡنَ بِہَا ؕ اُولٰٓئِکَ کَالۡاَنۡعَامِ بَلۡ ہُمۡ اَضَلُّ ؕ اُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الۡغٰفِلُوۡنَ] Translation: They have hearts but do not understand with them; they have eyes but do not see with them; they have ears but do not hear with them. Such people are like cattle, rather, they are even further astray. These people are in heedlessness.
Reference: (Surah Al-A'raf:179)
Regarding the punishments of this world and the Hereafter, we find it necessary to conclude by saying that our Lord is Most Merciful and Generous, Most Forgiving and Concealing. He has kept the door of repentance open at all times; whoever comes to His door never returns empty-handed. Even the greatest disobedient and rebellious are not made to lose hope by His mercy. He not only accepts repentance but is pleased with the repentance of His sinful servants. If we come to His door with remorse and regret and beg for His mercy and kindness, He will surely forgive our sins, change our humiliation into honor, grant us peace instead of fear, turn losses into gains, guide our misguided caravan, strengthen our helplessness and weakness with power and energy, and most importantly, forgive our sins in the Hereafter. But the question is, are we even ready to make this deal?
