Quran Garden

Session 366

Chapter 3

Verse 28

Let not the believers take the disbelievers as allies rather than the believers.  And whoever does that would isolate himself entirely from God, except when taking ample precaution against them in prudence.  God warns you of Himself, and to God is the final destination. (Chapter 3: Verse 28)

When would you, as a Muslim, ally yourself with the non-believers over the believers? This usually happens when you see yourself as weak and vulnerable, and you see clear strength on the other side. 

Let's take a moment to study the word "ally," translated from the Arabic origin ولى (Wali).  The word "Wali" has many derivatives such as "Welaya" and "Mawla." In general, it refers to something that closely follows something else without any separation.  If you are walking with your best friend and you are about to trip, your friend's hand instinctively reaches out to prevent your fall.  Your father is usually the first one you would call for help.  When it comes to Allah, however, you do not even need to ask.  Allah is fully aware of your condition, your needs, and your vulnerabilities.  He is the ultimate ally and protector.  He says:

God is the ally of those who believe: He brings them out of the depths of darkness into the light. As for the disbelievers, their allies are false gods who take them from the light into the depths of darkness, they are the inhabitants of the Fire, and there they will remain. (2:257)

             Take note here that the term "ally" is at times attributed to the Almighty, and at times to His creation.  Listen to the following verse:

Surely, for the allies of God, there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. (10:62)

The fact that God is the ally of the believers is understandable.  But how can a believer be God's ally? We answer that Allah helps the believing servants, and the believing servants dedicate themselves to support God's cause on earth.  He says:

You who believe! If you help God, He will help you and make you stand firm. (47:7)

In another verse, God instructed the Prophet and his followers:

Fight them so that God may punish them at your hands, put them to shame, help you against them, and heal the believers' broken hearts. (9:14)

In the example above, had God fought the disbelievers directly, then His methods would have been unclear to some.  In other words, the disbelievers may claim that they were unlucky because an earthquake or a disease struck them.  Thus, Allah defeats the disbelievers by aiding the believers who are often seen as weak by their enemies.  God is the ally of the believers; yet at the same time, the believers are God's allies who carry out His mission on earth. 

It is interesting to note that, when used to describe God, the noun "ally" is mentioned in its singular form.  This makes sense because God is One.  But when it comes to the believers, it is always mentioned in its plural form.  In other words, God does not say that "the believer is God's ally"; instead, the phrase is always "the believers are the allies of God."  Why?  We answer that all the believers should share one faith and one outlook. God does not support individuals who are looking out for themselves while fighting others.  He says:

Hold fast to God's rope all together; do not split into factions. Remember God's favor to you: you were enemies, and then He brought your hearts together, and you became brothers by His grace; you were about to fall into a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. In this way, God makes His revelations clear to you so that you may be rightly guided. Let there be a community among you who call to the good, enjoin the right, and forbid the wrong. They are the ones who have success.  And do not be like those who, after they have been given clear revelation, split into factions and fall into disputes: a terrible punishment awaits such people. (3:103-105)

Allah wants faith to begin with love.  He could have simply used His absolute power to force people to be obedient, and no one would have been able to deviate.  Your life, after all, is constrained between two parentheses.  The opening parenthesis is your creation and birth, and it is entirely out of your control.  So is the closing parenthesis, which is your death.  Then, if this is the case, why would you act arrogantly and defiantly in between? 

The creation of the heavens and earth is greater by far than the creation of humankind, though most people do not know it. (40:57)

The Almighty controls the movement of the heavens and the earth, and nothing deviates even by an inch.  He could have done the same to us, but Allah wants loving hearts, not bowed heads.  Thus, Allah gave you freedom of choice in matters of faith.    

One of the ways you can demonstrate your love for God is by following the principle of "Let not the believers take the disbelievers as allies rather than the believers." Why? Because times of trouble show where your heart truly is.  If you seek the disbelievers for help, what does that say about you?  They may pretend to be your allies and display affection, but their hearts lack sincerity.  At every chance, they will try to make you follow their ways and be at ease with sin.  God says:

Just think! You hold them as your friends, but they do not, even though you believe in all the Scriptures. When they meet you, they say, "We believe," but when they are alone, they bite their fingers in rage. Say: "Die of your rage. God is aware of what your hearts hold." (3:119)