Part 15
Authored by: Mawlawi Ahmad Ali
Imam al-Baydawi (may Allah have mercy on him):
Imam al-Baydawi, in his tafsir “Anwar al-Tanzil wa Asrar al-Ta’wil” (commonly known as Tafsir al-Baydawi), stated regarding the verse:
﴿وَمَنْ يَّتَوَلَّهُمْ مِّنْكُمْ فَاِنَّهٗ مِنْهُمْ﴾
“And whoever among you allies with them, then indeed, he is one of them.” He interprets this as:
﴿وَمَنْ يَّتَوَلَّهُمْ مِّنْكُمْ فَاِنَّهٗ مِنْهُمْ﴾ أي ومن والاهم منكم فإنه من جملتهم، وهذا التشديد في وجوب مجانبتهم كما قال عليه الصلاة والسلام: «لا تتراءى ناراهما».
Translation:
“And whoever among you allies with them, then indeed, he is one of them.”
This implies that whoever befriends or aligns with them becomes a part of their group. This highlights the strict obligation to avoid associating with them, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Their fires should not be visible to one another” (i.e., to emphasize the need for clear separation and avoidance. (Tafsir al-Baydawi, Volume 2, Page 130)
Imam Abu Hayyan Al-Andalusi (may Allah have mercy on him) explains in his Tafsir “Al-Bahr al-Muhit“, Volume 3, Page 406, regarding the same verse:
﴿وَمَنْ يَّتَوَلَّهُمْ مِّنْكُمْ فَاِنَّهٗ مِنْهُمْ﴾
He states that this verse carries significant emphasis and severity. He clarifies:
“If a Muslim practically and actively befriends or collaborates with disbelievers, while still maintaining correct faith (Aqeedah), then he is considered one of them in terms of blame and condemnation. However, if someone befriends disbelievers in their beliefs, then he is one of them in disbelief.”
﴿وَمَنْ يَّتَوَلَّهُمْ مِّنْكُمْ﴾ فِي الْعَهْدِ ﴿فَاِنَّهٗ مِنْهُمْ﴾ فِي مُخَالَفَةِ الْأَمْرِ. وَهَذَا تَشْدِيدٌ عَظِيمٌ فِي الِانْتِفَاءِ مَنْ أَهْلِ الْكُفْرِ، وَتَرْكِ مُوَالَاتِهِمْ، وَإِنْحَاءِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أُبَيٍ وَمَنِ اتَّصَفَ بِصِفَتِهِ وَمَنْ تَوَلَّاهُمْ بِأَفْعَالِهِ دُونَ مُعْتَقَدِهِ وَلَا إِخْلَالٍ بِإِيمَانٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ فِي الْمَقْتِ وَالْمَذَمَّةِ، وَمَنْ تَوَلَّاهُمْ فِي الْمُعْتَقَدِ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ فِي الْكُفْرِ.
“This is an immense emphasis on dissociating from the people of disbelief and refraining from befriending them. Whoever befriends them in actions but without corrupting his belief or violating his faith, then he is akin to the disbelievers in sin and condemnation. But whoever allies with them in belief is indeed among them in disbelief.”
Imam Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him)
Imam Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) explains in his Tafsir (Volume 6, Page 217):
قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَمَنْ يَّتَوَلَّهُمْ مِّنْكُمْ﴾ أَيْ يَعْضُدْهُمْ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ ﴿فَاِنَّهٗ مِنْهُمْ﴾ بَيَّنَ تَعَالَى أَنَّ حُكْمَهُ كَحُكْمِهِمْ، وَهُوَ يَمْنَعُ إِثْبَاتَ الْمِيرَاثِ لِلْمُسْلِمِ مِنَ الْمُرْتَدِّ، وَكَانَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّاهُمِ ابْنُ أُبَيٍّ، ثُمَّ هَذَا الْحُكْمُ بَاقٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ فِي قَطْعِ الْمُوَالَاةِ، وَقَدْ قَالَ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَلَا تَرْكَنُوْۤا اِلَى الَّذِيْنَ ظَلَمُوْا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ﴾ (هود: 113) وَقَالَ تَعَالَى فِي “آلِ عِمْرَانَ”: ﴿لَا يَتَّخِذِ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ الْكٰفِرِيْنَ اَوْلِيَآءَ مِنْ دُوْنِ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ﴾ (آل عمران: 28)
وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: ﴿لَا تَتَّخِذُوْا بِطَانَةً مِّنْ دُوْنِكُمْ﴾ (آل عمران: 118) وَقَدْ مَضَى الْقَوْلُ فِيهِ. وَقِيلَ: إِنَّ مَعْنَى ﴿بَعْضُهُمْ اَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ﴾ أي في النصرة ﴿وَمَنْ يَّتَوَلَّهُمْ مِّنْكُمْ فَاِنَّهٗ مِنْهُمْ﴾ شَرْطٌ وَجَوَابُهُ، أي لِأَنَّهُ قَدْ خَالَفَ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى وَرَسُولَهُ كَمَا خَالَفُوا، وَوَجَبَتْ مُعَادَاتُهُ كَمَا وَجَبَتْ مُعَادَاتُهُمْ، وَوَجَبَتْ لَهُ النَّارُ كَمَا وَجَبَتْ لَهُمْ، فَصَارَ منهم أي من أصحابهم.
Translation:
﴿وَمَنْ يَّتَوَلَّهُمْ مِّنْكُمْ﴾
“Whoever among you supports them against the Muslims, ﴿فَاِنَّهٗ مِنْهُمْ﴾, he is one of them.”
Allah clarified that their ruling is like that of the disbelievers.This also invalidates inheritance between Muslims and apostates. The person referred to in this context is Abdullah ibn Ubayy Ibn Salul, and this ruling remains valid until the Day of Judgment in terms of severing alliances with disbelievers. Allah also states in Surah Hud (11:113):
“Do not incline toward those who have wronged, lest the fire touch you.’
Similarly, in Surah Aal-e-Imran (3:28):
‘Let not the believers take disbelievers as allies rather than believers.’
This means that Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul opposed Allah, the Exalted, and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), just as the disbelievers did. Therefore, his enmity became obligatory, just as their enmity was obligatory. The Fire became mandatory for him, just as it became mandatory for them. Thus, he became one of them, meaning he became their companion.
Imam Al-Qurtubi clarifies in the interpretation of Surah Al-Mumtahana that if someone assists disbelievers against Muslims for worldly reasons, he does not become a disbeliever and as long as his belief remains sound, such an action does not render him an unbeliever.
Similarly, Imam Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) explains in the Tafsir of Surah Al-Ma’idah regarding this verse that if someone cooperates with the disbelievers and their belief is also corrupt, it means that the intended form of muwalat (allegiance) here refers to absolute and complete allegiance.
Absolute and complete allegiance refers to that type of alliance which is based on corrupt and wicked beliefs. This is why Imam Al-Qurtubi cited the example of ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, whose allegiance was ideological (i’tiqadi).
However, in the Tafsir of Surah Al-Mumtahanah, the distinction is made very clearly, stating that mere worldly cooperation does not render one a disbeliever. In contrast, the explanation in Surah Al-Ma’idah does not provide the same level of explicit clarification.
Imam al-Nasafi (may Allah have mercy on him):
Imam al-Nasafi in Tafsir al-Madarik (Volume 3, Page 466) comments on the verse:
﴿يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا لَا تَتَّخِذُوْا عَدُوِّىْ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ اَوْلِيَآءَ﴾
وفیه دلیل على أن الکبیرة لا تسلُب اسم الایمان. (مدارک، 3 جلد، ص: 466)
He explains that this is evidence that committing a major sin does not expel one from the fold of faith. This means that if someone supports disbelievers against Muslims without corrupt beliefs, it constitutes a major sin but does not make him a disbeliever.
Allama Ismail Al-Istanbuli (may Allah have mercy on him):
In Tafsir Ruh al-Bayan (Volume 9, Page 382), Imam Isma’il al-Istanbuli explains: Upon hearing the verse:
﴿يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا لَا تَتَّخِذُوْا عَدُوِّىْ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ اَوْلِيَآءَ﴾
Hatib (may Allah be pleased with him) fell unconscious out of joy as Allah addressed him as a believer. He realized that his action of sending the letter to the polytheists did not take him outside the fold of faith due to his steadfast belief. The term “عَدُوَّكُمْ” highlights his sincerity, as disbelievers can only be enemies of sincere Muslims and not hypocrites.
(روي) أن حاطبا رضى الله عنه لما سمع ﴿يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا﴾ غشِي عليه من الفرح بخطاب الإيمان، لما علم أن الكتاب المذكور ما أخرجه عن الإيمان لسلامة عقيدته، ودل قوله: ﴿وَعَدُوَّكُمْ﴾ على إخلاصه، فإن الكافر ليس بعدوّ للمنافق، بل للمخلص.
Allama Ayni (may Allah have mercy on him):
In Umdat al-Qari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, volume 8, page 190, while explaining the hadith:
“من حلف بملة غیر الاِسلام کاذبًا متعمدًا فهو کما قال”
Allama Ayni (may Allah have mercy on him) states that this condition is mentioned because if the person taking the oath does not actually believe in that religion, he is still sinful and has committed a major sin. This is because, even though he does not believe in that false religion, by swearing upon it, he resembles those who do believe in it and hold it in reverence. Therefore, the warning is given with emphasis and severity, alerting him that by taking such an oath, he has become like one of them.
Just as Allah Almighty has said:
﴿وَمَنْ يَّتَوَلَّهُمْ مِّنْكُمْ فَاِنَّهٗ مِنْهُمْ﴾
“And whoever allies with them among you—then indeed, he is one of them.” (Surah Al-Ma’idah: 51)
This verse contains severity, emphasis, and admonition, but is not to be taken literally in all cases. Similarly, the hadith carries a warning with the condition that belief is not involved. However, if belief is included, then it constitutes actual disbelief (kufr).
Because in both scenarios, if belief is included, then it would constitute actual disbelief. As it has been mentioned:
عنْ ثابتِ ابنِ الضَّحَّاكِ رَضِي الله تَعَالَى عنهُ عنِ النبيِّ صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم قَالَ: مَنْ حَلَفَ بِمِلَّةٍ غَيْرِ الإسْلامِ كاذِبا مُتَعَمِّدا فَهْوَ كَمَا قَالَ قَوْله: “كَاذِبًا” حَال من الضَّمِير الَّذِي فِي “حلف”، قَوْله: “مُتَعَمدا” أَيْضا حَال من الْأَحْوَال المتداخلة أَو المترادفة. قيد بِهِ لِأَنَّهُ إِذا كَانَ الْحَالِف بذلك غير مُعْتَقد لذَلِك فَهُوَ آثم مرتكب كَبِيرَة؛ إِذْ قد تشبه فِي قَوْله بِمن يعظم تِلْكَ الْملَّة ويعتقدها، فغلظ عَلَيْهِ الْوَعيد بِأَن صير كواحد مِنْهُم مُبَالغَة فِي الردع والزجر، كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَمَنْ يَّتَوَلَّهُمْ مِّنْكُمْ فَاِنَّهٗ مِنْهُمْ﴾ (الْمَائِدَة: 15).
وَقَالَ الْقُرْطُبِيّ: قَوْله: “مُتَعَمدا”، يحْتَمل أَن يُرِيد بِهِ النَّبِي ﷺ من كَانَ مُعْتَقدًا لتعظيم تِلْكَ الْملَّة الْمُغَايرَة لملة الْإِسْلَام، وَحِينَئِذٍ يكون كَافِرًا حَقِيقَة، فَيبقى اللَّفْظ على ظَاهره. قَوْله: “فَهُوَ كَمَا قَالَ” قَالَ ابْن بطال: أَي: هُوَ كَاذِب لَا كَافِر، وَلَا يخرج بِهَذِهِ الْقِصَّة من الْإِسْلَام إِلَى الدّين الَّذِي حلف بِهِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ لم يقل مَا يَعْتَقِدهُ، فَوَجَبَ أَن يكون كَاذِبًا، كَمَا قَالَ: لَا كَافِرًا.
The core message of this passage is that whether it is allegiance (tawalli) or swearing by a false religion (ḥalf bi-dīn al-bāṭil), according to the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah, it only constitutes disbelief when it involves a corrupt belief. If there is no corruption of belief and the action is done for a worldly or personal reason, it is not considered disbelief.
Examples include:
When Hatib (may Allah have mercy on him) sent a letter to the Quraysh of Mecca,
When Abu Lubabah ibn al-Mundhir (may Allah have mercy on him) indicated to the Jews by hand gesture that they would be executed,
When Furat ibn Hayyan (may Allah have mercy on him) was captured for espionage but was released after he declared his Islam to the Prophet (pbuh), despite the Prophet (pbuh) having initially decided his execution.
Similarly, during the incident of the false accusation (ifk), Sa’d ibn ‘Ubada (may Allah have mercy on him) supported Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul, the leader of the hypocrites, against Sa’d ibn Mu’adh (may Allah have mercy on him), who had declared, “By Allah, you are lying! You cannot kill him, nor can you have the power to do so.”
Regarding Sa’d ibn ‘Ubada (may Allah have mercy on him), Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha (رضي الله عنها) said:
وکان قبل ذالک رجلاً صالحاً ولکن احتملته الحمیة.
