Sura 9, at-Tawbah

The Quranic text and Ali’s version

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ آبَاءكُمْ وَإِخْوَانَكُمْ أَوْلِيَاء إَنِ اسْتَحَبُّواْ الْكُفْرَ عَلَى الإِيمَانِ...

9:23.  O ye who believe!

take not for protectors your fathers and your brothers if they love infidelity above faith:

...وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾  

if any of you do so, they do wrong.

قُلْ إِن كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَآؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ...   

9:24.  Say:

If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates,

...وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا...

or your kindred;

the wealth that ye have gained;

the commerce in which ye fear a decline;

...وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا ...

or the dwellings in which ye delight,

C1272. Man's heart clings to;

-        his own kith and kin-parents, children, brothers and sisters, husbands or wives, or other relatives,

-        wealth and prosperity,

-        commerce or means of profit and gain, or

-        noble buildings, for dignity or comfort.

If these are a hindrance in Allah's cause, we have to choose which we love most. We must love Allah even if it involves the sacrifice of all else.

... أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِّنَ اللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ ...

are dearer to you than Allah, or His Messenger,

or the striving in his cause;

...فَتَرَبَّصُواْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ...

then wait until Allah brings about His decision:

C1273. If we love our earthly ties and comfort's, profits and pleasures, more than we love Allah, and therefore fail to respond to Allah's cause, it is not Allah's cause which will suffer, Allah's purpose will be accomplished, with or without us. But our failure to respond to His will must leave us spiritually poorer, bereft of grace and guidance: "for Allah guides not the rebellious".

This is of universal application. But it was strikingly illustrated in the case of those faithful ones who obeyed the Prophet's call, left the comfort of their homes in Makkah and suffered exile in Madinah, gave up their trade and their possessions, strove and fought for Allah's cause, sometimes against their own kith and kin or their own tribesmen who were enemies of Islam. They won through. Others were not prepared for such sacrifice, but their failure did not stop the accomplishment of Allah's plan and purpose.

...وَاللّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ ﴿٢٤﴾

and Allah guides not the rebellious.