Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ma'idah Verse 57

Mufti Taqi Usmani

O you who believe, do not take those who have taken your Faith in jest and fun for friends from those who have been given the Book prior to you, and the disbelievers. Fear Allah, if you are believers.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

O believers! Do not seek the guardianship of those given the Scripture before you and the disbelievers who have made your faith a mockery and amusement. And be mindful of Allah if you are ˹truly˺ believers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

O you who believe, do not take as allies those who were given the Scripture before you and the disbelievers who ridicule your religion and make fun of it. And fear Allah if you are believers.

A. J. Arberry

O believers, take not as your friends those of them, who were given the Book before you, and the unbelievers, who take your religion in mockery and as a sport -- and fear God, if you are believers --

Abdul Haleem

You who believe, do not take as allies those who ridicule your religion and make fun of it- whether people who were given the Scripture before you, or disbelievers- and be mindful of God if you are true believers.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

O ye who believe! take not as friends those who make a mockery and fun of your religion from among those who have been vouchsafed the Book before you and other infidels. And fear Allah if ye are believers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

O ye who believe! take not for friends and protectors those who take your religion for a mockery or sport,- whether among those who received the Scripture before you, or among those who reject Faith; but fear ye Allah, if ye have faith (indeed).

Abul Ala Maududi

Believers! Do not take for your allies those who make a mockery and sport of your faith, be they those given the Book before you or other unbelievers. Fear Allah if you indeed believe.

Ahmed Ali

O believers, do not make friends with those who mock and make a sport of your faith, who were given the Book before you, and with unbelievers; and fear God if you truly believe;

Ahmed Raza Khan

O People who Believe! Those who have made your religion a mockery and a sport, and those who received the Book before you, and the disbelievers – do not befriend any of them; and keep fearing Allah, if you have faith.

Ali Quli Qarai

O you who have faith! Do not take those who take your religion in derision and play, from among those who were given the Book before you, and the infidels, as friends, and be wary of Allah, should you be faithful.

Ali Ünal

O you who believe! Do not take for guardians and confidants such of those who were given the Book before as make a mockery and sport of your Religion, and the unbelievers (who reject the Messenger, Divine Revelation, and the Last Day). Keep from disobedience to God in reverence for Him and piety, if you are truly believers.

Amatul Rahman Omar

O you who believe! do not make those who take your religion lightly and consider it worthless, from among those who were given the Scripture before you and the other infidels, your allies. And keep your duty to Allâh if you are (true) believers.

English Literal

You, you those who believed, do not take those who took your religion mockingly and playing/amusement from those who were given The Book from before you, and the disbelievers (as) guardians/patrons/allies , and fear and obey God, if you were believing.

Faridul Haque

O People who Believe! Those who have made your religion a mockery and a sport, and those who received the Book before you, and the disbelievers - do not befriend any of them; and keep fearing Allah, if you have faith.

Hamid S. Aziz

Nor those who, when you call to prayer, take it for a jest and a sport; that is because they are a people without understanding.

Hilali & Khan

O you who believe! Take not for Auliya' (protectors and helpers) those who take your religion for a mockery and fun from among those who received the Scripture (Jews and Christians) before you, nor from among the disbelievers; and fear Allah if you indeed are true believers.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And whoever takes Allah and His Messenger and those who believe for friend -- surely the party of Allah, they shall triumph.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

O you who believe! do not take for guardians those who take your religion for a mockery and a joke, from among those who were given the Book before you and the unbelievers; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah if you are believers.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

O Ye who believe! Choose not for guardians such of those who received the Scripture before you, and of the disbelievers, as make a jest and sport of your religion. But keep your duty to Allah if ye are true believers.

Muhammad Sarwar

Believers, do not consider those among the People of the Book and the unbelievers who mock at your religion and treat it as useless, as your protectors. Have fear of God if you are true believers.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Believers, do not take as guides those who were given the Book before you who have made of your religion a jest and a pastime, nor the unbelievers. Have fear of Allah, if you are believers.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

O you who believe! Do not take as friends those who take your religion for a mockery and fun from those who received the Scriptures before you, and (nor) the disbelievers; and have Taqwa of Allah if you indeed are true believers.

Wahiduddin Khan

Believers! Do not seek the friendship of those who were given the Book before you or the disbelievers who ridicule your religion and make a jest of it. Have fear of God, if you are true believers.

Talal Itani

O you who believe! Do not befriend those who take your religion in mockery and as a sport, be they from among those who were given the Scripture before you, or the disbelievers. And obey God, if you are believers.

Tafsir jalalayn

O you who believe, do not take as patrons those who take your religion in mockery, [as something] to be mocked, and as a game, from among (min is explicative) those who were given the Scripture before you and [from among] the disbelievers (read al-kuffri or al-kuffra), the idolaters -- and fear God, by refraining from affiliating with them, if you are believers, [if you are] truthful in your faith.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Prohibition of Being Loyal Friends with Disbelievers

Allah said;

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ لَا تَتَّخِذُواْ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ دِينَكُمْ هُزُوًا وَلَعِبًا

O you who believe! Do not take as friends those who take your religion for a mockery and fun,

This Ayah discourages and forbids taking the enemies of Islam and its people, such as the People of the Book and the polytheists, as friends. These disbelievers mock the most important acts that any person could ever perform, the honorable, pure acts of Islam which include all types of good for this life and the Hereafter. They mock such acts and make them the subject of jest and play, because this is what these acts represent in their misguided minds and cold hearts.

Allah said;

مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَالْكُفَّارَ

from those who received the Scriptures before you and (nor) the disbelievers...,

This is to clarify the particular category (of disbelievers).

As Allah said,

فَاجْتَنِبُواْ الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الاٌّوْثَـنِ

So shun the evil of the idols... (22;30)

So some recited it "Kuffari", making it an object of the preposition, and others recited it "Kuffara", making it a predicate noun;

لَا تَتَّخِذُواْ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ دِينَكُمْ هُزُوًا وَلَعِبًا مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ


Take not as friends those who take your religion for a mockery and fun from those who received the Scriptures before you...,

with the meaning of "nor",

وَالْكُفَّارَ

أَوْلِيَاء

nor the disbelievers as friends,

That is, do not take these people nor those people as friends.

The meaning here of "Kuffar" (disbelievers) is idolators.

Similarly, Ibn Jarir recorded that;

in the recitation of Ibn Mas`ud (in place of "Kuffar" he recited it;"and those who commit Shirk."

Allah's statement,

وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ إِن كُنتُم مُّوْمِنِينَ



And have Taqwa of Allah if you indeed are true believers.

means, fear Allah and do not take the enemies of you and your religion as friends, if you believe in Allah's Law and religion that these people mocked and jested about.

Allah said in another Ayah,


لااَّ يَتَّخِذِ الْمُوْمِنُونَ الْكَـفِرِينَ أَوْلِيَأءَ مِن دُونِ الْمُوْمِنِينَ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ فَلَيْسَ مِنَ اللَّهِ فِي شَىْءٍ إِلَا أَن تَتَّقُواْ مِنْهُمْ تُقَـةً وَيُحَذِّرْكُمُ اللَّهُ نَفْسَهُ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ الْمَصِيرُ

Let not the believers take the disbelievers as friends instead of the believers, and whoever does that, will never be helped by Allah in any way, except if you indeed fear a danger from them. And Allah warns you against Himself, and to Allah is the final return. (3;28)
The Disbelievers Mock the Prayer and the Adhan

Allah said