5. Al-Maaida

(O ye who believe!) in Muhammad and the Qur'an. (Take not the Jews and Christians for friends) seeking their assistance and help. (They are friends one to another) He says: some are followers of the religion of others in secret and in the open, just as they are friends of each other. (He among you) O group of believers (who taketh them for friends) seeking their assistance and help (is (one) of them) in alliance and is not included in Allah's protection and safety. (Lo! Allah guideth not) to His religion and proof (wrong-doing folk) the Jews and Christians.

(And thou) O Muhammad (seest those in whose heart is a disease) doubt and hypocrisy, i.e. 'Abdullah Ibn Ubayy and his followers (race towards them) race to take them as friends, (saying) to one another: (We fear lest a change of fortune befall us) we fear hardship may befall us, this is why we take them as friends. (And it may) " may ['asa] " when used in connection with Allah denotes a requisite (happen that Allah will vouchsafe (unto you) the victory) the Conquest of Mecca and victory to Muhammad (pbuh) and his Companions (or a commandment from His presence) or a punishment inflicted on the Banu Qurayzah and Banu'l-Nadir, by means of killing and expelling them. (Then will they) i.e. the hypocrites (repent) after being exposed (of their secret thoughts) of their alliance with Jews.

(Then will the believers say) the sincere believers say to the hypocrites 'Abdullah Ibn Ubayy and his followers: (Are these) the hypocrites (they who swore by Allah their most binding oaths) when a man swears by Allah, he has sworn by his most binding oath (that they) the hypocrites (were surely with you) with the sincere ones: i.e. following your religion in secret? (Their works have failed) their works will be thwarted in this world, (and they have become the losers) by incurring punishment upon themselves.

(O ye who believe!) meaning: Asad, Ghatafan, and some people from Kindah and Murad. (Whoso of you becometh a renegade from his religion) after the death of Muhammad (pbuh) (Allah will bring a people) i.e. the people of Yemen (whom He loveth and who love Him, humble) compassionate and benevolent (towards believers, stern towards) hard on (disbelievers, striving in the way of Allah) attached to Allah's obedience (and fearing not the blame of any blamer. Such) that which I have mentioned of love, command, etc. (is the grace of Allah which He giveth unto whom He will) He gives to whoever is fit for it. (Allah is All-Embracing) Allah is Generous in His gift, (All-Knowing) to whom He gives.

Then Allah revealed about 'Abdullah Ibn Salam and his companions-Asad, Usayd, Tha'labah Ibn Qays and others-when they were shunned by the Jews, saying: (Your friend) your protector, helper and intimate companion (can be only Allah; and His messenger and those who believe) i.e. Abu Bakr and his companions, (who establish worship) the five daily prayers (and pay the poor-due) from their wealth, (and bow down (in prayer)) in the five daily prayers in congregation with the Prophet (pbuh).

(And whoso taketh Allah and His messenger and those who believe) Abu Bakr and his fellow believers, seeking their assistance and help (for friend (will know that), lo! the party of Allah) the soldiers of Allah, i.e. Muhammad and his Companions (they are the victorious) over their enemies.

(O ye who believe! Choose not for friends) seeking their assistance and help (such of those who received the Scripture before you) the Jews and Christians, (and of the disbelievers) the rest of the disbelievers, (as make a jest) a pleasantry (and sport) a joke and falsehood (of your religion. But keep your duty to Allah) fear Allah if you were to take them for friends (if ye are true believers).

(And when ye call to prayer) through the call to prayer (adhan) and the call announcing the start of the prayer (iqamah) (they take it for a jest and sport) they take it as a joke and falsehood. (That) jest (is because they are a folk who understand not) Allah's command nor do they know Allah's divine Oneness nor His religion. This verse was revealed about a Jewish man who used to poke fun at Bilal's call to prayer, and so Allah burned him.

(Say) to the Jews, O Muhammad: (O, People of the Scripture! Do ye blame us) do you accuse, and find fault with, us (for aught else than that we believe in Allah) for any other reason except for our faith in Allah, alone without any partners (and that which is revealed unto us) the Qur'an (and that which was revealed aforetime) of Scriptures and of messengers sent before Muhammad (pbuh) and before the Qur'an, (and because most of you) all of you (are evil-doers) disbelievers?

Allah then revealed about their saying: " we do not know any religious community that is more disfavoured than Muhammad (pbuh) and his Companions " , saying: (Shall I tell thee of a worse (case) than theirs) that which is worse than what you told Muhammad and his Companions (for retribution with Allah) for him who is going to be punished by Allah? (Worse (is the case of him) whom Allah hath cursed) imposing on him the capitation tax, (him on whom His wrath hath fallen! Worse is he of whose sort Allah hath turned some to apes) in the time of the Prophet David (pbuh) (and swine) in the time of Jesus, after eating from the table that Allah sent from heaven, (and who serveth idols) soothsayers and devils; or he whom Allah has made the worshipper of the devil, idols and soothsayers. (Such are in worse plight) worse in works in this world and worse in status in the Hereafter (and further astray from the plain road) the road of guidance.