No Friendship with Non-Muslims: Quran 5:51
One of the most socially significant yet often misunderstood teachings in Islam concerns Muslim relationships with non-Muslims. At the heart of this issue is Quran 5:51, a verse that explicitly commands Muslims not to take Jews and Christians as friends or allies. While modern Muslim apologists often try to explain away or contextualize this verse, classical Islamic scholarship understood it as establishing a fundamental principle: Muslims should maintain social and political distance from unbelievers, viewing them as outsiders who cannot be fully trusted.
The Verse and Its Context
"O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you—then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people." (Quran 5:51)
The Arabic word at the center of controversy is "awliya" (singular: wali), which appears throughout the Quran. While modern apologists often translate this word as "protectors" or "guardians," claiming it only prohibits political alliances, classical scholars and Arabic lexicons reveal a much broader meaning. Awliya can mean friends, allies, protectors, guardians, or close associates. The verse prohibits Muslims from forming close bonds with Jews and Christians across multiple spheres of life.
The severity of this prohibition is emphasized by the verse's conclusion: "whoever is an ally to them among you—then indeed, he is [one] of them." This is takfir—declaring someone to be outside Islam. The verse warns that a Muslim who takes Jews or Christians as awliya effectively apostatizes, becoming one of them rather than one of the believers.
The context in which this verse was revealed, according to Islamic tradition, involved Abdullah ibn Ubayy, a leader in Medina who maintained alliances with Jewish tribes. When Muhammad expressed plans to attack these tribes, some Muslims had qualms because of their existing relationships. This verse was revealed to sever those bonds and establish that loyalty to the Muslim community must supersede all other relationships.
Classical Interpretations
The major classical commentators—Ibn Kathir, al-Tabari, al-Qurtubi, al-Jalalayn, and others—consistently interpreted this verse as prohibiting friendship and close association with Jews and Christians, not merely political-military alliances.
Ibn Kathir (d. 1373), perhaps the most widely-read commentator, writes:
"Allah forbids His believing servants from having Jews and Christians as friends, because they are the enemies of Islam and its people, may Allah curse them. Allah then states that they are friends of each other and He gives a warning threat to those who do this, 'And if any amongst you takes them as friends, then surely he is one of them.'" (Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 5:51)
Ibn Kathir explicitly identifies Jews and Christians as "enemies of Islam and its people" and interprets awliya to include friendship, not just formal alliances.
Al-Tabari (d. 923), one of the earliest and most respected commentators, offers multiple interpretations from the companions and early scholars, all of which support a broad application:
"The meaning of this is: O you who believe in Allah and His Messenger, do not take Jews and Christians as supporters and helpers against the believers, nor as close companions with whom you share your secrets and private matters... Whoever among you takes them as supporters instead of the believers, he is certainly one of them—meaning one of the Jews and Christians, not one of the believers—because no believer would choose an unbeliever as a supporter and helper over a believer except someone who is of their religion." (Tafsir al-Tabari on 5:51)
Al-Qurtubi (d. 1273) emphasizes that the prohibition includes both public alliances and private friendships:
"This verse proves that it is not permissible for a believer to take a disbeliever as a close friend or to trust him with his secrets. Whoever does that has nothing to do with Allah... This is because close friendship requires showing affection, and Allah has forbidden that Muslims show affection to disbelievers." (Tafsir al-Qurtubi on 5:51)
The consensus among classical scholars was clear: Muslims should not form close relationships with Jews and Christians. This was understood to include friendships, business partnerships, and certainly marriage (for Muslim women—Muslim men could marry Jewish or Christian women as a means of bringing them under Islamic authority).
Supporting Verses
Quran 5:51 is not isolated. Multiple verses throughout the Quran establish the principle of social separation between Muslims and non-Muslims.
"O you who have believed, do not take as intimates those other than yourselves, for they will not spare you [any] ruin. They wish you would have hardship. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater. We have certainly made clear to you the signs, if you will use reason." (Quran 3:118)
This verse explicitly warns Muslims not to take non-Muslims as "intimates" (bitanah), presenting them as fundamentally hostile to Muslim interests. The verse claims that non-Muslims harbor hatred and wish harm upon Muslims.
"O you who have believed, do not take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do you wish to give Allah against yourselves a clear case?" (Quran 4:144)
"O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies, extending to them affection while they have disbelieved in what came to you of the truth." (Quran 60:1)
These verses characterize non-Muslims as "enemies" of both Allah and believers, making friendship with them a betrayal of Islamic loyalty.
Perhaps most striking is this verse about family relationships:
"You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred." (Quran 58:22)
This verse extends the principle even to family members. If a Muslim's parent, child, or sibling opposes Islam, the Muslim should not have affection for them. Several hadiths reinforce this teaching, with Muhammad praising those who rejected family members who remained in unbelief.
The Doctrine of Al-Wala wal-Bara
These verses form the foundation of an Islamic doctrine called "al-wala wal-bara"—loyalty and disavowal. This principle, articulated by numerous Islamic scholars, holds that Muslims must demonstrate loyalty to Allah, His messenger, and believers, while disavowing and separating from unbelievers.
Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab (d. 1792), founder of the Wahhabi movement that dominates Saudi Arabian Islam, wrote extensively on this doctrine:
"Whoever does not hold enmity toward them [the polytheists], or whoever does not declare them disbelievers, or whoever doubts that they are disbelievers, or whoever validates their religion, is himself a disbeliever." (Nawaqid al-Islam—Nullifiers of Islam)
While this represents a particularly strict interpretation, the basic principle is accepted across all schools of Islamic thought: Muslims must prioritize loyalty to the Muslim community and maintain appropriate distance from unbelievers.
Modern Apologetics and Deception
Faced with these clear teachings, modern Muslim apologists employ several strategies to soften or reinterpret Quran 5:51:
Mistranslation: Many modern English translations render awliya as "protectors" or "guardians" rather than "friends," creating the impression that only military alliances are prohibited. However, classical Arabic lexicons and centuries of tafsir demonstrate that awliya includes friendship and close association.
Contextualization: Some claim the verse only applied to Muhammad's specific historical context, when Muslims were at war with certain Jewish and Christian tribes. However, the verse uses universal language ("the Jews and the Christians") and the classical scholars understood it as a continuing principle, not a time-bound directive.
Selective Examples: Apologists point to instances where Muhammad had civil dealings with Jews or Christians, claiming this proves Muslims can have normal relationships with non-Muslims. However, there is a distinction in Islamic law between civil transactions (buying and selling, diplomatic relations) and close personal bonds. The former is permitted, the latter prohibited or at least discouraged.
Taqiyya: Some Muslims in non-Muslim countries may downplay these teachings as a form of taqiyya (concealing one's true beliefs when under pressure). Classical scholars permitted Muslims to outwardly befriend non-Muslims when Muslims were weak or vulnerable, while maintaining inner distance. This is not deception about Islam per se, but a temporary strategy.
Practical Implications
The teaching of Quran 5:51 and related verses has profound social implications. In Muslim-majority countries, non-Muslims often face systematic discrimination rooted in these verses. They are barred from positions of authority over Muslims, their testimony carries less weight in courts, and they face restrictions on religious practice and expression.
Even in Western countries, these teachings create barriers to integration. Muslims who take their religion seriously face a tension: How can they maintain the requisite loyalty to the ummah (Muslim community) and distance from unbelievers while living in a non-Muslim society? Different Muslims resolve this tension differently:
- Isolation: Some Muslims self-segregate into Muslim enclaves, minimizing contact with non-Muslims beyond what is necessary for work or commerce.
- Compartmentalization: Others maintain cordial but not intimate relationships with non-Muslims, reserving true friendship for fellow Muslims.
- Reinterpretation: Progressive Muslims reinterpret these verses as applying only to specific historical contexts or only to active enemies of Islam.
- Selective Application: Some Muslims form genuine friendships with non-Muslims while acknowledging this may be technically prohibited but viewing it as a minor transgression.
Surveys reveal the impact of these teachings. Pew Research found that in many Muslim-majority countries, majorities hold that Islam is the only true religion and that non-Muslims are on the wrong path. This theological conviction makes genuine pluralism difficult.
Biblical Contrast: Love for All People
The Christian approach to relationships with unbelievers stands in marked contrast to Islamic teaching. While Christians are called to be "in the world but not of it" (John 17:14-16), this does not translate to social segregation or prohibition of friendships with non-Christians.
Jesus regularly associated with those outside His religious community—so much so that His critics accused Him of being "a friend of tax collectors and sinners" (Matthew 11:19). Rather than denying the charge, Jesus embraced it, explaining that He came to call sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32). His ministry was characterized by reaching across social and religious boundaries.
The apostle Paul provides explicit guidance on relationships with unbelievers:
"I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one." (1 Corinthians 5:9-11)
Notice the reversal: Christians should maintain normal relationships with unbelievers (otherwise they'd have to "go out of the world"), but should distance themselves from those who claim to be Christians while living in persistent sin. The boundary is drawn around church membership and accountability, not around believers versus unbelievers in general society.
Paul explicitly addresses marriage to unbelievers, advising against it for single Christians (2 Corinthians 6:14), but instructing those already married to unbelievers to remain in those marriages if possible (1 Corinthians 7:12-14). This shows a pastoral sensitivity absent from Islamic law, which automatically annuls marriages when one spouse converts.
Most fundamentally, Christians are commanded to love even their enemies:
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:43-45)
This teaching directly contradicts the Islamic doctrine of al-wala wal-bara. Rather than maintaining enmity toward those who reject the faith, Christians are called to love, pray for, and bless them. This ethic is rooted in God's character—He "makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:45).
The early church exemplified this teaching. Christians were known for their care not only of fellow believers but of pagans and even persecutors. When plagues struck the Roman Empire, Christians stayed in cities to care for the sick—both Christian and pagan—while others fled. This radical love helped fuel Christianity's growth.
Questions to Consider
- How can Muslims claim Islam promotes interfaith harmony when the Quran explicitly prohibits taking Jews and Christians as friends and warns that doing so makes one an apostate?
- What does it say about a religion when its scripture characterizes non-believers as enemies who wish harm upon Muslims and conceal hatred in their hearts?
- How can there be genuine integration of Muslims into Western societies when Islamic teaching requires maintaining fundamental loyalty to the ummah over loyalty to the broader society?
- If Islam teaches that non-Muslims cannot be trusted and should not be taken as close associates, how can Muslims build the social cohesion necessary for pluralistic societies?
- Why do Muslim apologists mistranslate awliya as "protectors" in modern English translations when classical Arabic lexicons and tafsir clearly include "friends" in the word's meaning?
- What are the implications of a doctrine (al-wala wal-bara) that requires Muslims to demonstrate loyalty to believers and enmity toward unbelievers?
- How do Muslims reconcile claiming they can have friendships with non-Muslims when Islamic scholars across centuries have interpreted Quran 5:51 as prohibiting such relationships?
- What does it reveal about the fundamental worldviews of Christianity and Islam that one commands "love your enemies" while the other prohibits friendship with those outside the faith?