THIS CHAPTER was revealed after The Coalition 33 and before Women 4. Its 13 verses in two sections, which are noticeably longer than the succeeding Meccan ones, date from the Madina period. The chapter begins with Abraham's prayer (i) before it deals with women converts (ii). This chiefly concerns woman's role as Islamic society was developing; at the end it gives the woman's profession of faith.
In the name of God, the Mercy-giving, the Merciful!
(i) * You who believe, do not take My enemy and your own enemy as friends, offering them affection while they disbelieve in any Truth that has come to you; they exile the Messenger as well as you yourselves just because you believe in God, your Lord. If you have gone forth to strive for My sake, seeking to please Me, would you secretly show them your affection? I am quite Aware of what you hide and what you show. Any of you who does so will stray from the Level Path. * If they should encounter you, they would act as enemies of yours and stretch out their hands as well as their tongues to injure you. They would love to make you disbelieve!
* Not even your blood relations nor your children will benefit you on Resurrection Day; He will sort you out. God is Observant of anything you do. * You have a fine model in Abraham and those with him when they told their folk: "We are innocent of you and anything you serve instead of God. We disown you, and hostility and hatred have set in between us for ever, unless you believe in God Alone (except for Abraham's statement to his father: 'I'll seek forgiveness for you, even though I do not control anything at all with God for you')."
Abraham's Prayer
Our Lord, on You do we rely,
to You do we refer,
and towards You ties the goal!
** Our Lord, do not make us a trial
for those who disbelieve,
and forgive us! Our Lord,
you are the Powerful, the Wise!
* You had a fine model in them for anyone who has been hoping [to meet] God and the Last Day. Yet anyone who turns away [will find] God is the Transcendent, the Praiseworthy.
Choosing One's Friends
(ii) * Yet God may still plant affection between you and those of them you felt were enemies. God is Capable, and God is Forgiving, Merciful. * God does not forbid you to act considerately towards those who have never fought you over religion nor evicted you from your homes, nor [forbid you] to act fairly towards them. God loves the fairminded. * God only forbids you to be friendly with the ones who have fought you over [your] religion and evicted you from your homes, and have abetted others in your eviction. Those who befriend them are wrongdoers.
Women Converts
** You who believe, whenever believing women come to you as
refugees, examine them. God is quite Aware of their faith, so if you
recognize them to be believing women, do not send them back to the
disbelievers; such women are not lawful for them nor are such men lawful
for such women. Give [their former husbands] whatever they may have
spent [on them]. There is no objection if you marry such women off, once
you give them their allotments. Do not hold on to. any ties with
disbelievers; ask for whatever you may have spent and let them ask for
what they have spent. Such is God's discretion; He will settle things
between you. God is Aware, Wise.
Their Remarriage
* Yet if anything of your spouses has slipped over to the disbelievers and you chance to acquire something else [in return], give those whose spouses have gone away the equivalent of whatever they may have spent. Heed God in Whom you (all) believe.
The Women's Oath OR Profession of Faith
*O Prophet, whenever any believing women come to swear allegiance to you, saying they will not associate anything with God, nor steal, nor misbehave sexually, nor kill their children, nor give any [cause for] candal that they may invent between either their hands or legs, nor to disobey you in any decent matter; then accept their allegiance and seek forgiveness from God for them. God is Forgiving, Merciful.
* You who believe, do not patronize any folk whom God has become angry with; they despair of the Hereafter just as disbelievers despair of the inhabitants of tombs.
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Published with authorization from Dr.T.B.Irving.