Quran Warns Believers to Avoid Friendship with Disbelievers in Surah Al-Mumtahanah

TEHRAN (IQNA) – Disbelievers and enemies of God have always sought to eliminate religion and religious people. They sometimes use war and oppression and sometimes extend a hand of friendship and try to lead believers astray by any means they can.

That is why God warns in Surah Al-Mumtahanah that believers must avoid friendship with disbelievers.

Al-Mumtahanah is the 60^th chapter of the Quran. It has 13 verses and is in the 28^th Juz of the Holy Book. It is Madani and is the 91^st Surah revealed to the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

The word Mumtahanah refers to the fact that some of the Muslim women who left Mecca for Medina were tested to see what their purpose was.

After the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) Hijra (migration) from Mecca to Medina, his companions and other Muslims went to Medina as well. Among them were some women who had embraced Islam. God ordered the Prophet (PBUH) to examine them to see what their motivation for going to Medina was.

Surah Al-Mumtahanah talks about friendship between believers and disbelievers and bans it. Verses at the beginning and at the end of the Surah warn against friendship with disbelievers.

There are also verses about women who have make Hijra and women’s pledge of allegiance with the Holy Prophet (PBUH).  

The Surah also mentions Abraham’s (AS) avoiding of worshiping idols and his asking God for forgiving his father, Azar, as an example of avoiding Kufr (disbelief).

The Surah underlines that disbelievers extend a hand of friendship to believers with the aim of leading them astray from the Right Path.

Because they have no belief in the hereafter and have no hope in it, they cannot be good friends for Muslims.