Surah 60 · Medinan · 13 Verses
الممتحنة
SURAH AL-MUMTAHANAH
She That Is To Be Examined
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوا۟ عَدُوِّى وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ تُلْقُونَ إِلَيْهِم بِٱلْمَوَدَّةِ وَقَدْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِمَا جَآءَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْحَقِّ يُخْرِجُونَ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَإِيَّاكُمْ ۙ أَن تُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ رَبِّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ خَرَجْتُمْ جِهَٰدًۭا فِى سَبِيلِى وَٱبْتِغَآءَ مَرْضَاتِى ۚ تُسِرُّونَ إِلَيْهِم بِٱلْمَوَدَّةِ وَأَنَا۠ أَعْلَمُ بِمَآ أَخْفَيْتُمْ وَمَآ أَعْلَنتُمْ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْهُ مِنكُمْ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ
O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies,1672 extending to them affection while they have disbelieved in what came to you of the truth, having driven out the Prophet and yourselves [only] because you believe in Allāh, your Lord. If you have come out for jihād [i.e., fighting or striving] in My cause and seeking means to My approval, [take them not as friends]. You confide to them affection [i.e., instruction], but I am most knowing of what you have concealed and what you have declared. And whoever does it among you has certainly strayed from the soundness of the way.
إِن يَثْقَفُوكُمْ يَكُونُوا۟ لَكُمْ أَعْدَآءًۭ وَيَبْسُطُوٓا۟ إِلَيْكُمْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ وَأَلْسِنَتَهُم بِٱلسُّوٓءِ وَوَدُّوا۟ لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ
If they gain dominance over you, they would be [i.e., behave] to you as enemies and extend against you their hands and their tongues with evil, and they wish you would disbelieve.
لَن تَنفَعَكُمْ أَرْحَامُكُمْ وَلَآ أَوْلَٰدُكُمْ ۚ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَكُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌۭ
Never will your relatives or your children benefit you; the Day of Resurrection He will judge between you. And Allāh, of what you do, is Seeing.
قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌۭ فِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥٓ إِذْ قَالُوا۟ لِقَوْمِهِمْ إِنَّا بُرَءَٰٓؤُا۟ مِنكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ وَبَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ ٱلْعَدَٰوَةُ وَٱلْبَغْضَآءُ أَبَدًا حَتَّىٰ تُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَحْدَهُۥٓ إِلَّا قَوْلَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ لَأَسْتَغْفِرَنَّ لَكَ وَمَآ أَمْلِكُ لَكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍۢ ۖ رَّبَّنَا عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
There has already been for you an excellent pattern1673 in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, "Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from whatever you worship other than Allāh. We have denied you, and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allāh alone" - except for the saying of Abraham to his father, "I will surely ask forgiveness for you, but I have not [power to do] for you anything against Allāh. Our Lord, upon You we have relied, and to You we have returned, and to You is the destination.
رَبَّنَا لَا تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةًۭ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا رَبَّنَآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
Our Lord, make us not [objects of] torment for the disbelievers and forgive us, our Lord. Indeed, it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِيهِمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌۭ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلْءَاخِرَ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْغَنِىُّ ٱلْحَمِيدُ
There has certainly been for you in them an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allāh and the Last Day. And whoever turns away - then indeed, Allāh is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.
۞ عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَجْعَلَ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ ٱلَّذِينَ عَادَيْتُم مِّنْهُم مَّوَدَّةًۭ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ قَدِيرٌۭ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ
لَّا يَنْهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَٰتِلُوكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُقْسِطِينَ
Allāh does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allāh loves those who act justly.
إِنَّمَا يَنْهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ قَٰتَلُوكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَأَخْرَجُوكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِكُمْ وَظَٰهَرُوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ إِخْرَاجِكُمْ أَن تَوَلَّوْهُمْ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُمْ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا جَآءَكُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَٰتُ مُهَٰجِرَٰتٍۢ فَٱمْتَحِنُوهُنَّ ۖ ٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَٰنِهِنَّ ۖ فَإِنْ عَلِمْتُمُوهُنَّ مُؤْمِنَٰتٍۢ فَلَا تَرْجِعُوهُنَّ إِلَى ٱلْكُفَّارِ ۖ لَا هُنَّ حِلٌّۭ لَّهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحِلُّونَ لَهُنَّ ۖ وَءَاتُوهُم مَّآ أَنفَقُوا۟ ۚ وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَن تَنكِحُوهُنَّ إِذَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ ۚ وَلَا تُمْسِكُوا۟ بِعِصَمِ ٱلْكَوَافِرِ وَسْـَٔلُوا۟ مَآ أَنفَقْتُمْ وَلْيَسْـَٔلُوا۟ مَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ حُكْمُ ٱللَّهِ ۖ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌۭ
O you who have believed, when the believing women come to you as emigrants, examine [i.e., test] them. Allāh is most knowing as to their faith. And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them. But give them [i.e., the disbelievers] what they have spent.1676 And there is no blame upon you if you marry them when you have given them their due compensation [i.e., mahr]. And hold not to marriage bonds with disbelieving women, but ask for what you have spent and let them [i.e., the disbelievers] ask for what they have spent.1677 That is the judgement of Allāh; He judges between you. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
وَإِن فَاتَكُمْ شَىْءٌۭ مِّنْ أَزْوَٰجِكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْكُفَّارِ فَعَاقَبْتُمْ فَـَٔاتُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ ذَهَبَتْ أَزْوَٰجُهُم مِّثْلَ مَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنتُم بِهِۦ مُؤْمِنُونَ
And if you have lost any of your wives to the disbelievers and you subsequently obtain [something],1678 then give those whose wives have gone the equivalent of what they had spent. And fear Allāh, in whom you are believers.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ إِذَا جَآءَكَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَٰتُ يُبَايِعْنَكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن لَّا يُشْرِكْنَ بِٱللَّهِ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا يَسْرِقْنَ وَلَا يَزْنِينَ وَلَا يَقْتُلْنَ أَوْلَٰدَهُنَّ وَلَا يَأْتِينَ بِبُهْتَٰنٍۢ يَفْتَرِينَهُۥ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِنَّ وَأَرْجُلِهِنَّ وَلَا يَعْصِينَكَ فِى مَعْرُوفٍۢ ۙ فَبَايِعْهُنَّ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُنَّ ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ
O Prophet, when the believing women come to you pledging to you that they will not associate anything with Allāh, nor will they steal, nor will they commit unlawful sexual intercourse, nor will they kill their children, nor will they bring forth a slander they have invented between their arms and legs,1679 nor will they disobey you in what is right - then accept their pledge and ask forgiveness for them of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَوَلَّوْا۟ قَوْمًا غَضِبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ قَدْ يَئِسُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ كَمَا يَئِسَ ٱلْكُفَّارُ مِنْ أَصْحَٰبِ ٱلْقُبُورِ
O you who have believed, do not make allies of a people with whom Allāh has become angry. They have despaired of [reward in] the Hereafter just as the disbelievers have despaired of [meeting] the companions [i.e., inhabitants] of the graves.
About This Surah
Surah Al-Mumtahanah addresses loyalty during conflict without erasing justice toward people who are peaceful. It warns against giving confidential support to active enemies, recalls Abraham’s separation from idolatry and explicitly permits kindness and fairness toward those who do not fight or expel believers. It also addresses believing women who migrate and the legal consequences for marriage.
The opening concerns disclosure or support to people actively hostile to the community. Historical context is essential: the passage should not be simplified into a ban on friendship with every non-Muslim.
Abraham and those with him are presented as an example in rejecting worship other than God. However, the chapter also expresses hope that hostility may become affection and reminds that God is forgiving and merciful.
A central pair of verses distinguishes people who do not fight believers or expel them from those who participate in persecution. Kindness and justice toward peaceful people are not merely tolerated; justice is loved.
The title comes from the examination of believing women who migrate. The chapter discusses whether they should be returned, marital bonds and financial obligations. These are historically and legally complex rules and cannot be implemented by private individuals or reduced to modern immigration advice.
The final verses record a pledge from believing women involving monotheism, theft, sexual wrongdoing, killing children, false accusation and disobedience in what is right.
The chapter distinguishes active enemies who expel and fight from people who do not fight believers because of religion.
Kindness and justice toward non-hostile people are explicitly permitted, preventing blanket hostility toward non-Muslims.
Migrating women are examined based on available knowledge and their marital status is addressed within a historical legal framework.
These verses cannot justify invasive testing, detention, forced marriage, or amateur rulings about contemporary immigration and family law.
Core Themes
- Conflict changes confidentiality obligations.
- Religious disagreement does not erase fairness.
- Peaceful people deserve kindness and justice.
- Hostility can change over time.
- Migration can create family and legal complexity.
- Women participate directly in covenant and moral responsibility.
Structure
Verses 1-3: Confidential loyalty during conflict — 1-3
Verses 4-7: Abraham’s example and possibility of changed relations — 4-7
Verses 8-9: Kindness, justice and active hostility — 8-9
Verses 10-11: Migrating women and marriage obligations — 10-11
Verses 12-13: Women’s pledge and final warning — 12-13
Reading Guide
Reading step 1
Read **60:8–9** as a controlling distinction.
Reading step 2
Avoid translating conflict-era loyalty into blanket social hostility.
Reading step 3
Keep hope of changed relations visible.
Reading step 4
Treat marriage/migration rulings as qualified legal material.
Key Passages
Conflict-era confidentiality — 1-3
The opening addresses assistance and concealed communication involving opponents who expelled the messenger and believers. Family connections are then set against final accountability. That specific hostility is essential context; the later distinction between peaceful people and persecutors prevents the opening from becoming a ban on ordinary cross-religious kindness.
Abraham’s example — 4-6
Abraham's example joins a clear rejection of false worship with reliance, repentance and prayer. The passage also explicitly excepts one statement concerning his father, so the example is not presented without qualification. Its prayers emphasize dependence and forgiveness within a difficult separation over belief.
Possible affection after hostility — 7
The possibility of affection interrupts a discussion of hostility before the chapter distinguishes peaceful relations from persecution. Relationships are not assumed to remain frozen in their present form. The verse opens space for change while locating the capacity for that change in divine power and mercy.
Kindness, justice and hostile action — 8-9
Kindness and justice toward people who have not fought or expelled believers are distinguished from allegiance to active persecutors and their helpers. The contrast is stated through conduct. It is therefore important to read both verses rather than substitute a blanket judgment about everyone of another religion.
Migrating women and marriage — 10-11
Migrating women, the assessment of their stated faith and the financial consequences of disrupted marriages are treated together. The text also reserves complete knowledge of faith to God. These provisions belong to a defined communal and treaty-era setting; a short reading note cannot replace qualified advice on a present marriage.
Women’s pledge — 12
The women's pledge names belief and concrete responsibilities concerning property, sexual conduct, children, false accusation and right conduct. The messenger is instructed to accept the pledge and seek forgiveness. The women appear as participants making a commitment, rather than only as subjects of decisions made about them.
Recitation Note
No exclusive time, fixed repetition count, or guaranteed worldly outcome is asserted here for reciting Surah Al-Mumtahanah. Reading it is worship and study; any claim about protection, healing, provision, marriage, political success, or a prescribed number requires separate exact evidence and carefully limited wording.
Interpretation Limits
- The chapter does not prohibit all friendship with non-Muslims.
- Modern immigration/marriage cases require qualified legal advice.
- Conflict labels cannot be casually assigned.
- Historical examination procedures are not private authority.
- Interfaith guidance must not encourage discrimination or harassment.
- Loyalty warnings must not become blanket hostility toward non-Muslims or ordinary civic relations.
- Kindness and justice toward non-hostile people must remain explicit in any summary.
- Migrant-women and marriage passages require qualified legal, historical, and contemporary analysis.