An-Nisa · Madani · ayah 144 of 176

An-Nisa 4:144

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوا۟ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۚ أَتُرِيدُونَ أَن تَجْعَلُوا۟ لِلَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَـٰنًا مُّبِينًا

“O you who have believed, do not take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do you wish to give Allāh against yourselves a clear case?”

Saheeh International

Essence

Believers must not trade the bond of faith for its opponents' favour; why would anyone hand Allah a clear case against themselves?

A reflection

Handing the evidence to the other side

A-turīdūna an tajʿalū li-llāhi ʿalaykum sulṭānan mubīnā: do you want to give Allah a clear case against yourselves?

The root of sulṭān means strength that overpowers. The lexicons say a proof is called sulṭān because it storms the heart as a ruler storms a town. An early authority, in a chain one classical commentator calls sound, said that every sulṭān in the Quran means a proof.

Another early authority adds a striking note. Allah already has authority over His creation, he said; what is meant here is a clear case, an excuse that leaves no room for argument. One commentator draws out the principle. Allah, in His wisdom, does not punish anyone until the proof against them is established. Many ayat point to it, among them 4:165: messengers were sent so people would have no argument against Allah.

So the One who owns all power chooses to act only on clear evidence. And the question is: why would you supply it?

Picture a tenant disputing the landlord's deductions from his deposit. He insists the flat was left spotless. To prove it, he emails a folder of his own photographs from moving day. In the third picture, clearly visible on the carpet, are the burn marks he has been denying.

One commentator notices that the question is aimed at the will itself: do you want to? It implies no sensible person would want such a thing. The root of turīdūna pictures a scout riding ahead to find grass and water for his tribe. What is your scout out looking for?

The ayah does not threaten from nowhere. It points out, almost gently, that we would be writing the case against ourselves.

The full entry has 5 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.