60. Surah Al-Mumtahanah (The Examined One)

Medina Period [91]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

لَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ ...

60:8.     Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes,

... أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ ...

from dealing kindly and justly with them:

C5421. Even with Unbelievers, unless they are rampant and out to destroy us and our Faith, we should deal kindly and equitably, as is shown by our holy Prophet's own example.

... إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ ﴿٨﴾

for Allah loveth those who are just.

إِنَّمَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَأَخْرَجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ ...

60:9.    Allah only forbids you, with regard to those who fight you for (your) Faith, and drive you out of your homes,

... وَظَاهَرُوا عَلَى إِخْرَاجِكُمْ أَن تَوَلَّوْهُمْ ...

and support (others) in driving you out, from turning to them (for friendship and protection).

وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُمْ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ ﴿٩﴾

It is such as turn to them (in these circumstances), that do wrong.

Asad’s Version:

60:8 As for such [of the unbelievers] as do not fight against you on account of [your] faith, and neither drive you forth from your homelands, God does not forbid you to show them kindness and to behave towards them with full equity: 9 for, verily, God loves those who act equitably.

60:9 God only forbids you to turn in friendship towards such as fight against you because of [your] faith, and drive you forth from your homelands, or aid [others] in driving you forth: and as for those [from among you] who turn towards them in friendship; it is they, they who are truly wrongdoers!

Yuksel” version –

God does not forbid you from those who have not fought you because of your system, nor drove you out of your homes, that you deal kindly and equitably with them. For God loves the equitable.

60:9 But God does forbid you regarding those who fought you because of your system, and drove you out of your homes, and helped to drive you out. You shall not ally with them. Those who ally with them, then such are the transgressors.

[[Asad’s note - 9 The expression "God does not forbid you'" implies in this context a positive exhortation (Zamakhshari). See also note 29 on 58:22.]]