(Revealed after Hijrah)

Date of Revelation and Context
Like the preceding three Chapters, this Surah was revealed, as its contents show, at Medina, in the 7th or 8th year of Hijrah, sometime during the interval between the Treaty of Hudaibiyah and the Fall of Mecca. The preceding Surah had dealt with the intrigues and machinations of the Hypocrites and the Jews of Medina and with the punishment which was meted out to them. The present Surah deals with the believers' social relations with disbelievers in general, and with those at war with Islam in particular. It opens with an emphatic prohibitory injunction to Muslims against having intimate friendly relations with those disbelievers who are at war with and are bent upon extirpating Islam. The injunction is so strict and comprehensive that even very near blood relations have not been exempted from it. The prohibitory injunction is followed by an implied prophecy that very soon the implacable enemies of Islam would become its devoted followers.

The injunction, however, has its exception. It does not apply to those disbelievers who have good neighborly relations with Muslims. Such disbelievers are to be treated equitably and with kindness. The Surah then lays down some important injunctions with regard to believing women who migrated to Medina, and also with regard to those women who left Medina and went over to disbelievers. In order to bring home to Muslims the seriousness of the matter, the Surah closes with repeating the injunction that Muslims are not to make friends with those people, who, by adopting an openly hostile attitude towards Islam, have incurred God's wrath.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم
[60:1] In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَتَّخِذُوا عَدُوِّي وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ تُلْقُونَ إِلَيْهِمْ بِالْمَوَدَّةِ وَقَدْ كَفَرُوا بِمَا جَاءَكُمْ مِنْ الْحَقِّ يُخْرِجُونَ الرَّسُولَ وَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنْ تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ رَبِّكُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ خَرَجْتُمْ جِهَادًا فِي سَبِيلِي وَابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِي تُسِرُّونَ إِلَيْهِمْ بِالْمَوَدَّةِ وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ بِمَا أَخْفَيْتُمْ وَمَا أَعْلَنتُمْ وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْهُ مِنْكُمْ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ

[60:2] O ye who believe! take not My enemy and your enemy for friends, offering them love[3028], while they disbelieve in the truth which has come to you and drive out the Messenger and yourselves from your homes merely because you believe in Allah, your Lord. If you go forth, to strive in My cause and seek My pleasure, take them not for friends, sending them messages of love in secret, while I know best what you conceal and what you reveal. And whoever of you does so, has, surely, lost the right path.

إِنْ يَثْقَفُوكُمْ يَكُونُوا لَكُمْ أَعْدَاءً وَيَبْسُطُوا إِلَيْكُمْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ وَأَلْسِنَتَهُمْ بِالسُّوءِ وَوَدُّوا لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ
[60:3] If they get the upper hand of you, they show themselves to be your active enemies, and will stretch forth their hands and their tongues towards you with evil intent; and they ardently desire that you should become disbelievers.

لَنْ تَنفَعَكُمْ أَرْحَامُكُمْ وَلاَ أَوْلاَدُكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
[60:4] Neither your ties of kindred nor your children will avail you aught on the Day of Resurrection. He will decide between you. And Allah sees all that you do.

قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ إِذْ قَالُوا لِقَوْمِهِمْ إِنَّا بُرَآءُ مِنْكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ وَبَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ الْعَدَاوَةُ وَالْبَغْضَاءُ أَبَدًا حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ إِلاَّ قَوْلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ِلأَبِيهِ لَأَسْتَغْفِرَنَّ لَكَ وَمَا أَمْلِكُ لَكَ مِنْ اللَّهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ رَبَّنَا عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ

[60:5] There is a good model for you in Abraham[3029] and those with him, when they said to their people, ‘We have nothing to do with you and with that which you worship beside Allah. We disbelieve all that you believe. There has arisen enmity and hatred between us and you for ever, until you believe in Allah alone’ — with the exception of this saying of Abraham to his father, ‘I will surely ask forgiveness for thee, though I have no power to prevail upon Allah in favour of thee.’ They prayed to God saying, ‘Our Lord, in Thee do we put our trust and to Thee do we turn repentant, and towards Thee is the final return.

رَبَّنَا لاَ تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
[60:6] ‘Our Lord, make us not a trial for those who disbelieve, and forgive us, our Lord; for Thou alone art the Mighty, the Wise.’

لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِيهِمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُوا اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الآخِرَ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ

[60:7] Surely, there is a good example in them for you — for all who have hope in Allah and the Last Day. And whosoever turns away — truly, Allah is Self-Sufficient, Worthy of all praise.

عَسَى اللَّهُ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ الَّذِينَ عَادَيْتُمْ مِنْهُمْ مَوَدَّةً وَاللَّهُ قَدِيرٌ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
[60:8] It may be that Allah will bring about love between you and those of them with whom you are now at enmity[3030]; and Allah is All-Powerful; and Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful.

لاَ يَنْهَاكُمْ اللَّهُ عَنْ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُمْ مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ أَنْ تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ

[60:9] Allah forbids you not, respecting those who have not fought against you on account of your religion, and who have not driven you forth from your homes, that you be kind to them and act equitably towards them; surely Allah loves those who are equitable.

إِنَّمَا يَنْهَاكُمْ اللَّهُ عَنْ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَأَخْرَجُوكُمْ مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ وَظَاهَرُوا عَلَى إِخْرَاجِكُمْ أَنْ تَوَلَّوْهُمْ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّهُمْ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الظَّالِمُونَ

[60:10] Allah only forbids you, respecting those who have fought against you on account of your religion, and have driven you out of your homes, and have helped others in driving you out, that you make friends of them, and whosoever makes friends of them — it is these that are the transgressors.

يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا جَاءَكُمْ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ مُهَاجِرَاتٍ فَامْتَحِنُوهُنَّ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَانِهِنَّ فَإِنْ عَلِمْتُمُوهُنَّ مُؤْمِنَاتٍ فَلاَ تَرْجِعُوهُنَّ إِلَى الْكُفَّارِ لاَ هُنَّ حِلٌّ لَهُمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحِلُّونَ لَهُنَّ وَآتُوهُمْ مَا أَنفَقُوا وَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ تَنكِحُوهُنَّ إِذَا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ وَلاَ تُمْسِكُوا بِعِصَمِ الْكَوَافِرِ وَاسْأَلُوا مَا أَنفَقْتُمْ وَلْيَسْأَلُوا مَا أَنفَقُوا ذَلِكُمْ حُكْمُ اللَّهِ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

[60:11] O ye who believe! when believing women come to you as Refugees, examine them[3031]. Allah knows best their faith. Then, if you find them true believers, send them not back to the disbelievers. These women are not lawful for them, nor are they lawful for these women. But give their disbelieving husbands what they have spent on them. And it is no sin for you to marry them, when you have given them their dowries. And hold not to your matrimonial ties with the disbelieving women; but demand the return of that which you have spent; and let the disbelievers demand that which they have spent. That is the judgment of Allah. He judges between you. And Allah is All-Knowing, Wise.

وَإِنْ فَاتَكُمْ شَيْءٌ مِنْ أَزْوَاجِكُمْ إِلَى الْكُفَّارِ فَعَاقَبْتُمْ فَآتُوا الَّذِينَ ذَهَبَتْ أَزْوَاجُهُمْ مِثْلَ مَا أَنفَقُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي أَنْتُمْ بِهِ مُؤْمِنُونَ

[60:12] And if any of your wives goes away from you to the disbelievers, then when you retaliate and get some spoils from the disbelievers, give to those believers whose wives have gone away the like of that which they had spent on their wives[3032]. And fear Allah in Whom you believe.

يَاأَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ يُبَايِعْنَكَ عَلَى أَنْ لاَ يُشْرِكْنَ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا وَلاَ يَسْرِقْنَ وَلاَ يَزْنِينَ وَلاَ يَقْتُلْنَ أَوْلاَدَهُنَّ وَلاَ يَأْتِينَ بِبُهْتَانٍ يَفْتَرِينَهُ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِنَّ وَأَرْجُلِهِنَّ وَلاَ يَعْصِينَكَ فِي مَعْرُوفٍ فَبَايِعْهُنَّ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُنَّ اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

[60:13] O Prophet! when believing women come to thee, taking the oath of allegiance at thy hands that they will not associate anything with Allah, and that they will not steal, and will not commit adultery, nor kill their children, nor bring forth a scandalous charge which they themselves have deliberately forged, nor disobey thee in what is right, then accept their allegiance and ask Allah to forgive them. Verily, Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful.

يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَتَوَلَّوْا قَوْمًا غَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ قَدْ يَئِسُوا مِنْ الآخِرَةِ كَمَا يَئِسَ الْكُفَّارُ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْقُبُورِ

[60:14] O ye who believe! make not friends of a people with whom Allah is wroth; they have indeed despaired of the Hereafter[3033] just as have the disbelievers despaired of those who are in the graves.

3028. The prohibitory injunction is of very strict character. Muslims are not to have friendly relations with the avowed enemies of God-those who drove out the Prophet and the Muslims from their hearths and homes and sought to destroy Islam. It is all-comprehensive in this respect that no consideration of bonds or ties of even the nearest blood relationship is allowed to interfere with it. The enemy of Islam is God's enemy, whosoever he may be. The immediate occasion of the revelation of this verse seems to be when the Quraish dishonored the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, and the Holy Prophet had to take stern punitive action against them, Hatib bin Abi Balta'ah had written a secret letter to the Meccans informing them of the Holy Prophet's intended march on Mecca. The Prophet, informed by revelation about it; sent 'Ali, Zubair and Miqdad in search of the bearer of the letter. They overtook the Messenger-she was a  secret. He deserved exemplary punishment, but he was forgiven because he had committed the offence inadvertently; not realizing its grave consequences. Incidentally; the episode of the letter fixes the date of the revelation of the Surah.

3029. Abraham's example has been mentioned here to emphasize that whenever it becomes clear that a certain person or persons are inimically disposed towards truth and are bent upon extirpating it, all friendly relations with them are to be given up. The expression, Kafarna Bikum, which is generally translated as 'we disbelieve all that you believe in' may also mean, We have nothing to do with you; the expression, Kafara Bikadha, meaning, he declared himself to be clear or quit of such a thing (Lane).

3030. The verse implied a prophecy. The Companions of the Holy Prophet were told that though they had been enjoined to renounce all friendly relations with the enemies of their Faith, even though the latter might be their very near blood relations, the prohibition was destined to be very short-lived. The time was fast approaching when the erstwhile enemies would become their loving friends. The commandment applies only to such disbelievers, as the next verse shows, who are at war with Muslims. Friendly relations with all non-Muslims as such are not forbidden.

3031.  Though when Muslims were being bitterly persecuted and it was not safe to leave Mecca and join the Muslim Community at Medina, a continuous stream of believers was pouring into Medina, leaving behind in Mecca their dear and near ones. These Refugees contained a fair number of women among them. The verse refers to such refugee Muslim women. It constitutes an eloquent commentary on the Holy Prophet's anxiety not to accept into the Muslim Community any woman who had fled from Mecca unless there was proof available, after subjecting her to searching examination, that she was sincere and honest in her faith and was accepting Islam from no ulterior or otherwise objectionable motives. The verse further states that the marriage-tie between a refugee believing woman and her disbelieving husband becomes automatically dissolved when she joins the Muslim Community; and a believer is allowed to marry her provided he fulfills two conditions: (a) He should have paid back to her disbelieving husband what the latter had spent on her, and (b) he should also have fixed and paid her dowry. Similarly, the marriage-tie between a Muslim and his wife who gives up Islam could not continue and the same procedure would be adopted if such an apostate woman marries a disbeliever as in the case of marriage between a Muslim and a refugee believing woman. The reciprocal arrangement prescribed in this verse is not the private affair of the individuals concerned but is to be carried out by the State, as is the practice in time of war; to which these verses particularly apply. There could not and should not then continue any social relations between individual believers and individual disbelievers.

3032.  If the wife of a Muslim deserts to disbelievers and thereafter a woman from among disbelievers is taken prisoner by the Muslims, or she flees from disbelievers and joins the Muslim Community; then the believing husband is to be compensated from the loss of the dowry paid by him to his deserting wife from the sum due to the disbelieving husband whose wife has joined the Muslim Community if the dowries are equal, but the deficiency, if any, is to be made up collectively by Muslims, or; as some authorities say, from the booty acquired by the State, the word 'Aqabtum also meaning Ghanimtum, i.e., you have acquired booty. This arrangement was necessary as disbelievers would refuse to return the dowries paid by their believing husbands to the women who had deserted to the former.

3033. The words, they (disbelievers) have indeed despaired of the Hereafter, mean that they have no faith in the Hereafter, just as they have no faith that dead will ever come to life. The word "they" may particularly apply to the Jews, since the expression, with whom Allah is wroth, has been used about the Jews in several verses of the Qur'an.