The Meaning of: And you will not find any people who believe in Allâh and the Last Day, befriending with those.

Question :

All praise is due to Allah. The Permanent Committee for following question by Salman bin 'Uthman Juwyubu: Please explain the meaning of this verse:
"And you will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, befriending those who oppose Allah and his Messenger "
I ask this question because I find that many people, based on their understanding of this verse, declare others to be disbelievers even their own brothers, sisters, and parents, people who may pray and fast.

Answer:

In this verse, Allah informs His Messenger, Muhammad, of the following: he will not find a true believer who sincerely believes in Allah, submitting himself to Him and obeying His commands loving a person who opposes Allâh Almighty and His Messenger, a person who deviates from the guidance and light that Allah sent the Prophet with. No one who is sincere and truthful in his faith would have any love in his heart for such disbelievers, even if they are closest to him in relation, such as his father, mother, or brother.

In this verse, Allah Almighty praises those who trust Allah and His Messenger, and follow the guidance and light that came to them. This also encourages them to be even more steadfast, while also encouraging others to follow their way. It warns the hypocrites, those who allied themselves with a people with whom Allah is wrath: the Jews. These hypocrites swear false oaths to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, trying to appease him, saying, "We bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ," while Allah Almighty knows that Muhammad is His Messenger ﷺ, and bears witness that the hypocrites are indeed liars.

This verse contains praise for the true believers who disown any close relationship with the disbelievers, and it also contains a warning to those who love them, a message that is common in the following verses:
"Let not the believers take the disbelievers as Awliya' (supporters, helpers, etc.) instead of the believers, and whoever does that will never be helped by Allah in any way. Except if you indeed fear a danger from them."

And :
"O you who believe! Take not for Awliya' (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 wrongdoers. Say: "If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight, are dearer to you then Allah and His Messenger and striving in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His Decision. And Allah does not guide the people who are rebellious."

And:
"Indeed there is an excellent example for you in Ibrahim and those with him, when they said to their people: "Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allah, we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred forever until you believe in Allah Alone," except the saying of Ibrahim to his father: Verily, I will ask forgiveness for you, but 1 have no power to do anything for you before Allah. Our Lord! In You Alone we put our trust, and to You we turn in repentance and to you is (our) final return"

These, verses and other texts in the Book and the Sunnah forbid taking the Jews, Christians, or other disbelievers as Awliya'. Similarly, there are texts that warn against befriending any with whom Allah is wrath, as well as those who were given the previous scriptures, and the disbelievers who take the religion of Allâh in jest.

This clarification from Allâh, of the ruling on the deeds of the heart of those who love disbelievers, and those who declare themselves innocent of them, is because of the great evil and deviation related to loving them.

As regards to worldly transactions, such as buying, selling and all other forms of exchange of benefits, yes, we can trade with those we are at peace with; we can buy, sell, give a gift, or receive one, showing justice and good manners in these transactions. This does not contradict any principle in the Islamic Shari'ah, a system that governs all forms of transactions and dealings; Allâh Almighty says :

"Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allah loves those who deal with equity."

But as for those we are at war with, or those who attack us, we cannot take them as friends and supporters neither in worldly dealings nor with our love. Rather it is unlawful for us to befriend them and be brotherly with them, for Allah Almighty says:
"It is only those who fought against you on account of religion, and driven you out of your homes, and helped to drive you out, that Allah forbids you to befriend them. And whosoever befriends them, then such are the wrongdoers.

The Prophet's life is a practical example of these principles - in terms of his dealings with the Jews in Al-Madinah and Khaybar, his dealings with the Christians, and his dealings with other disbelievers :
"For such He has written faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with Ruh (proofs, light and true guidance) from Himself.

The people referred to in this verse are those who believed in Allah and His Messenger, those in whose hearts is faith, those who take Allah's believing servants as friends and protectors, those who take Allah's enemies as enemies those who follow the religion that Allah Almighty is pleased with. Then Allâh Almighty mentioned their reward:
"And we will admit them to Gardens (paradise) under which rivers flow, to dwell therein (forever). Allah is pleased with them and they with Him."

Allah Almighty will grant them the great favor of admitting them into Paradise, wherein there is bliss that no eye has seen, no ear has heard of, and no human heart has imagined. It is a pleasure that is everlasting; because of their faith, good deeds, and pleasure with Allah's Decrees and His Shari'ah they will never leave Paradise. Then, Allah Almighty concludes the chapter:

"They are the party of Allah. Verily it is the party of Allah that will be the successful.

Allah Almighty informs us that those who took Him as a protector, obeying Him, are His army, and He protected them, gave them success, and blessed them both in this life and in the Hereafter. They are the victorious over those who try to deceive Allah and His Messenger by befriending the disbelievers. From these verses, we can conclude the following:

1) Whoever loves the disbelievers and takes them as close. friends is a disbeliever, whose disbelief takes him outside of the bounds of Islam,

2) A Muslim is not doing wrong if he hates them with his heart, but deals with them nonetheless in buying, selling. and other lawful transactions.

3) A Muslim is sinning if, though he hates them for Allah. Almighty, he lives with the disbelievers for a worldly benefit, preferring life with them to life with Muslims, because he is helping them rather than the Muslims, and because he exposes himself to temptations. The exception here is the scholar, who deems himself to be safe from the ubiquitous temptations of the decadent disbelieving society, and who hopes to spread the message of Islam. And guidance lies with Allah Almighty. May Allah send peace and blessings. upon Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.