Revealed in Madinah, Surah Al-Mumtahanah (She That Is to Be Examined) addresses the complex social and political realities of early Islam, instructing the believers on maintaining loyalty to their faith over family ties with disbelievers. It sets guidelines for testing the sincerity of migrating pagan women who embraced Islam, showcasing the story of Abraham as a model of complete detachment from polytheism. It establishes the conditions for the pledge of allegiance (Bay'ah).
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo la tattakhithoo AAaduwwee waAAaduwwakum awliyaa tulqoona ilayhim bialmawaddati waqad kafaroo bima jaakum mina alhaqqi yukhrijoona alrrasoola waiyyakum an tuminoo biAllahi rabbikum in kuntum kharajtum jihadan fee sabeelee waibtighaa mardatee tusirroona ilayhim bialmawaddati waana aAAlamu bima akhfaytum wama aAAlantum waman yafAAalhu minkum faqad dalla sawaa alssabeeli
Translation
O you who believe! Do not take My enemies and your enemies for supporters, offering them affection, when they have disbelieved in what has come to you of the Truth. They have expelled the Messenger, and you, because you believed in God, your Lord. If you have mobilized to strive for My cause, seeking My approval, how can you secretly love them? I know what you conceal and what you reveal. Whoever among you does that has strayed from the right way
Revealed concerning the companion Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah. Ahead of the secret liberation of Mecca (8 AH), Hatib sent a confidential letter to Meccan leaders warning them of the army's approach, hoping they would in return spare his vulnerable family left behind in Mecca. The letter was intercepted; when interrogated, Hatib confessed with tears that he did not act out of apostasy, and the Prophet ﷺ graciously pardoned him as an honored veteran of Badr.
Transliteration
In yathqafookum yakoonoo lakam aAAdaan wayabsutoo ilaykum aydiyahum waalsinatahum bialssooi wawaddoo law takfuroona
Translation
Whenever they encounter you, they treat you as enemies, and they stretch their hands and tongues against you with malice. They wish that you would disbelieve
Transliteration
Lan tanfaAAakum arhamukum wala awladukum yawma alqiyamati yafsilu baynakum waAllahu bima taAAmaloona baseerun
Translation
Neither your relatives nor your children will benefit you on the Day of Resurrection. He will separate between you. God is Observant of what you do
Transliteration
Qad kanat lakum oswatun hasanatun fee ibraheema waallatheena maAAahu ith qaloo liqawmihim inna buraao minkum wamimma taAAbudoona min dooni Allahi kafarna bikum wabada baynana wabaynakumu alAAadawatu waalbaghdao abadan hatta tuminoo biAllahi wahdahu illa qawla ibraheema liabeehi laastaghfiranna laka wama amliku laka mina Allahi min shayin rabbana AAalayka tawakkalna wailayka anabna wailayka almaseeru
Translation
You have had an excellent example in Abraham and those with him; when they said to their people, “We are quit of you, and what you worship apart from God. We denounce you. Enmity and hatred has surfaced between us and you, forever, until you believe in God alone.” Except for the words of Abraham to his father, “I will ask forgiveness for you, though I have no power from God to do anything for you.” “Our Lord, in You we trust, and to You we repent, and to You is the ultimate resort
Presents Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) as an examplar of moral boundaries: he publicly disavowed the idolatry and oppression of his pagan people while fulfilling his personal promise to pray for his father's forgiveness until God forbade praying for deceased deniers.
Transliteration
Rabbana la tajAAalna fitnatan lillatheena kafaroo waighfir lana rabbana innaka anta alAAazeezu alhakeemu
Translation
Our Lord, do not make us a target for those who disbelieve, and forgive us, our Lord. You are indeed the Mighty and Wise.”
Transliteration
Laqad kana lakum feehim oswatun hasanatun liman kana yarjoo Allaha waalyawma alakhira waman yatawalla fainna Allaha huwa alghanniyyu alhameedu
Translation
There is an excellent example in them for you—for anyone who seeks God and the Last Day. But whoever turns away—God is the Self-Sufficient, the Most Praised
Transliteration
AAasa Allahu an yajAAala baynakum wabayna allatheena AAadaytum minhum mawaddatan waAllahu qadeerun waAllahu ghafoorun raheemun
Translation
Perhaps God will plant affection between you and those of them you consider enemies. God is Capable. God is Forgiving and Merciful
Transliteration
La yanhakumu Allahu AAani allatheena lam yuqatilookum fee alddeeni walam yukhrijookum min diyarikum an tabarroohum watuqsitoo ilayhim inna Allaha yuhibbu almuqsiteena
Translation
As for those who have not fought against you for your religion, nor expelled you from your homes, God does not prohibit you from dealing with them kindly and equitably. God loves the equitable
The foundational Islamic charter on interfaith relations: explicitly commands Muslims to treat peaceful, non-hostile people of other faiths with deep kindness, active benevolence ('Birr'—the exact same word used for dutifulness to parents), and strict justice ('Qist'), stating that God loves those who act justly.
Transliteration
Innama yanhakumu Allahu AAani allatheena qatalookum fee alddeeni waakhrajookum min diyarikum wathaharoo AAala ikhrajikum an tawallawhum waman yatawallahum faolaika humu alththalimoona
Translation
But God prohibits you from befriending those who fought against you over your religion, and expelled you from your homes, and aided in your expulsion. Whoever takes them for friends—these are the wrongdoers
Clearly defines the only category of non-Muslims with whom alliance is forbidden: specifically those aggressive combatants who initiate unprovoked war, expel people violently from their homes, or actively aid military aggression against the community.
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo itha jaakumu almuminatu muhajiratin faimtahinoohunna Allahu aAAlamu bieemanihinna fain AAalimtumoohunna muminatin fala tarjiAAoohunna ila alkuffari la hunna hillun lahum wala hum yahilloona lahunna waatoohum ma anfaqoo wala junaha AAalaykum an tankihoohunna itha ataytumoohunna ojoorahunna wala tumsikoo biAAisami alkawafiri waisaloo ma anfaqtum walyasaloo ma anfaqoo thalikum hukmu Allahi yahkumu baynakum waAllahu AAaleemun hakeemun
Translation
O you who believe! When believing women come to you emigrating, test them. God is Aware of their faith. And if you find them to be faithful, do not send them back to the unbelievers. They are not lawful for them, nor are they lawful for them. But give them what they have spent. You are not at fault if you marry them, provided you give them their compensation. And do not hold on to ties with unbelieving women, but demand what you have spent, and let them demand what they have spent. This is the rule of God; He rules among you. God is Knowing and Wise
Explains the title 'Al-Mumtahanah' (The Examined Woman): under the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, pagan runaways were returned to Mecca. However, when vulnerable female converts fled domestic torture in Mecca, this verse forbade sending them back into danger, instituting a gentle faith interview and compensating their former pagan husbands for their dowries.
Transliteration
Wain fatakum shayon min azwajikum ila alkuffari faAAaqabtum faatoo allatheena thahabat azwajuhum mithla ma anfaqoo waittaqoo Allaha allathee antum bihi muminoona
Translation
If any of your wives desert you to the unbelievers, and you decide to penalize them, give those whose wives have gone away the equivalent of what they had spent. And fear God, in whom you are believers
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha alnnabiyyu itha jaaka almuminatu yubayiAAnaka AAala an la yushrikna biAllahi shayan wala yasriqna wala yazneena wala yaqtulna awladahunna wala yateena bibuhtanin yaftareenahu bayna aydeehinna waarjulihinna wala yaAAseenaka fee maAAroofin fabayiAAhunna waistaghfir lahunna Allaha inna Allaha ghafoorun raheemun
Translation
O prophet! If believing women come to you, pledging allegiance to you, on condition that they will not associate anything with God, nor steal, nor commit adultery, nor kill their children, nor commit perjury as to parenthood, nor disobey you in anything righteous, accept their allegiance and ask God’s forgiveness for them. God is Forgiving and Merciful
Details the formal 'Women's Pledge of Allegiance' (Bay'at an-Nisa'): a civic and spiritual covenant taken by female believers, pledging monotheism, honesty, marital chastity, the complete abolition of female infanticide, refraining from slander, and upholding community righteousness.
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo la tatawallaw qawman ghadiba Allahu AAalayhim qad yaisoo mina alakhirati kama yaisa alkuffaru min ashabi alquboori
Translation
O you who believe! Do not befriend people with whom God has become angry, and have despaired of the Hereafter, as the faithless have despaired of the occupants of the graves