Believers must not make friends with disbelievers

[Zainab_M]

 


The question of being friends with secularists, atheists or polytheists often comes up in modern Muslim circles.  Most modernists, based on the ideology of multi-culturism, insist it's okay to be friends with non-believers.  While it's okay to be on good terms with non-believers, we need to stay within bounds by keeping it formal.   With very close personal friendships with non-believers, we run the risk of losing our Faith or a part of it in exchange with something else which is much lower and useless for our soul in the next life, the real and permanent life. 

Please check the following verses from Surah Al-Mumtahanah and then also kindly read my comments.

"O ye who believe! Choose not My enemy and your enemy for allies. Do ye give them friendship when they disbelieve in that truth which hath come unto you, driving out the messenger and you because ye believe in Allah, your Lord ? If ye have come forth to strive in My way and seeking My good pleasure, (show them not friendship). Do ye show friendship unto them in secret, when I am Best Aware of what ye hide and what ye proclaim ? And whosoever doeth it among you, he verily hath strayed from the right way."   60:1

"If they have the upper hand of you, they will be your foes, and will stretch out their hands and their tongues toward you with evil (intent), and they long for you to disbelieve."  60:2

"Our Lord! Make us not a prey for those who disbelieve, and forgive us, our Lord! Lo! Thou, only Thou, are the Mighty, the Wise."  60:5

"O ye who believe! Be not friendly with a folk with whom Allah is wroth, (a folk) who have despaired of the Hereafter as the disbelievers despair of those who are in the graves."  60:13 

"Allah forbiddeth you not those who warred not against you on account of religion and drove you not out from your homes, that ye should show them kindness and deal justly with them. Lo! Allah loveth the just dealers.   Allah forbiddeth you only those who warred against you on account of religion and have driven you out from your homes and helped to drive you out, that ye make friends of them. Whosoever maketh friends of them - (All) such are wrong- doers."  60:8-9

The above verses refer directly to the Prophet's (S) time concerning the belligerent and non-belligerent disbelievers.  But they have proven to be very true in the future too.   That's because the Noble Quran is a Book of guidance for all times and for all of humanity. 

With all that Islamophobia going on in non-Muslims lands at present, particularly the West, you will observe that these hardline rightists would love to turn Muslims away from their Faith and bring them back to pre-Islamic values to suit their own selfish interests. 

Even in the company of non-hostile disbelievers or secularists, if you are a sincere believer, you will observe through your own personal experiences of finding an invisible gulf between them and yourself at some point or another.  This gulf will be a perpetual division present between the two of you because your heart is firmly grounded with the Laws of Allah.  A disbeliever's values will keep straying from those Laws every now and then.  While for the disbeliever that's no big deal, it matters hugely to a believer.  The Laws of Allah are the very ultimate for every believer and make up the very foundation of their lives.  Therefore with those disbelievers who are polite and respectful toward us, we too must show them the same politeness, respect and kindness.  But at the same time we need to keep in mind that they are a folk between whom and us there are vast differences in values.  Thus, we must maintain formal relations only.  And of course if it ever comes to the issue of dispensing justice, our verdict about them must be fair and must never discriminate because of who they are.

The aspect of Muslims in a multicultural society was explained very appropriately and briefly by brother Shabir Ally when he once spoke on the topic of Muslims in a multicultural society.  He mentioned that for Muslims multiculturalism must not be like a "melting pot" rather it should be like a "tossed salad" where the lettuce, tomatoes, bell pepper, olives, cucumber etc. are put together in one large bowl but at the same time each one maintains its originality.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

I accept this 100%.  Believers should be nice to disbelievers and maintain a formal relationship because of the awareness that there are huge differences between them regarding vital aspects of life.  Therefore, must never go beyond a certain limit in the course of a formal friendship.   

[N. Truth Seeker]

Yes, that's a very balanced and rational view.