The Test (Al-Mumtahanah)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Believers, do not choose My enemies and your own enemies for friends, and offer them strong love. They have rejected the Truth which has come to you, and have expelled the Messenger and you from your homes because of your belief in your Lord. When you go to fight for My cause and seek My pleasure, you secretly express your love of them. I know best what you reveal or conceal. Whichever of you does this has indeed gone astray from the right path. 1 If they gain ascendancy over you, they will behave towards you as enemies and stretch out their hands as well as their tongues with evil intent; they long for you to renounce your faith. 2 But [bear in mind that] neither your kinsfolk nor [even] your own children will be of any benefit to you on Resurrection Day, [for then] He will decide between you [on your merit alone]: and God sees all that you do. 3 There is a goodly pattern for you in Abraham and those with him, when they told their folk: Lo! we are guiltless of you and all that ye worship beside Allah. We have done with you. And there hath arisen between us and you hostility and hate for ever until ye believe in Allah only - save that which Abraham promised his father (when he said): I will ask forgiveness for thee, though I own nothing for thee from Allah - Our Lord! In Thee we put our trust, and unto Thee we turn repentant, and unto Thee is the journeying. 4 Our Lord! make us not a trial for those who disbelieve, and forgive us, our Lord! verily Thou! Thou art the Mighty, the Wise. 5 Verily ye have in them a goodly pattern for everyone who looketh to Allah and the Last Day. And whosoever may turn away, lo! still Allah, He is the Absolute, the Owner of Praise. 6