The Prohibition of Friendship with Non-Muslims in Islam: A Critical Examination of Qur’anic Teaching and Theological Implications

 

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba

Shimba Theological Institute

---

Introduction

One of the most contentious issues in Christian-Muslim dialogue concerns the Qur’anic injunctions regarding relations between Muslims and non-Muslims, especially in the context of friendship, loyalty, and trust. Several Qur’anic passages explicitly warn Muslims not to take Christians, Jews, or other non-believers as awliya (friends, protectors, or allies). The exegetical and theological implications of these passages have historically shaped Islamic attitudes towards interfaith relations. This article critically examines these injunctions, their interpretations, and their moral implications, particularly in light of deception (taqiyya) and duplicity, which bear striking resemblance to what Scripture identifies as satanic qualities.

---

Qur’anic Injunctions Against Friendship with Non-Muslims

The Qur’an repeatedly instructs Muslims to avoid deep bonds of friendship and alliance with non-Muslims. For example:

• “O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians as awliya (friends or allies). They are allies of each other. And whoever among you takes them as allies is surely one of them. Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.” (Qur’an 5:51).¹

• “Let not the believers take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. And whoever does that has nothing to do with Allah, unless you guard yourselves against them cautiously (except by way of precaution).” (Qur’an 3:28).²

The Arabic term awliya carries a range of meanings including “friends,” “protectors,” “patrons,” and “allies.” Classical exegetes such as Ibn Kathir emphasize that these verses are prohibitive, warning Muslims against political or emotional loyalty to Jews and Christians, while Al-Tabari underscores that taking them as protectors is tantamount to betraying Islamic faith itself.³

---

The Principle of Deception (Taqiyya)

The Qur’an (3:28) introduces a notable clause—“unless you guard yourselves against them cautiously”—which Muslim jurists have interpreted as legitimizing deception under certain circumstances. This doctrine, known as taqiyya, was historically systematized within Shi‘a Islam but also finds application among Sunnis in cases of necessity.⁴ It allows Muslims to conceal their true beliefs or intentions when under threat, or in situations where outward friendship with non-Muslims might serve protective or strategic purposes.⁵

Thus, the Islamic teaching can be summarized as follows:

1. Muslims are forbidden to take non-Muslims as sincere friends.

2. If forced by circumstance, they may outwardly pretend friendliness while inwardly harboring rejection or hostility.

3. This duplicity is considered permissible as a safeguard for faith and community.

Such a framework not only discourages genuine interfaith trust but also normalizes suspicion and hidden animosity in religious encounters.

---

The Satanic Characteristics of Deception

Theologically, this teaching raises profound moral concerns. Christianity identifies deception, lying, and hatred as the very attributes of Satan. Jesus describes Satan as “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).⁶ The Apostle Paul similarly warns that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, using deception as his primary weapon (2 Corinthians 11:14).⁷

When Muslims are taught to conceal their true intentions, feign friendship, and harbor inward hostility, these behaviors echo what Scripture characterizes as satanic attributes:

1. Deception – Satan deceived Eve in the Garden (Genesis 3:4–5).⁸

2. Duplicity – Satan masquerades as light while working evil (2 Corinthians 11:14).⁷

3. Hatred – Satan fosters enmity and discord among humanity (Ephesians 6:12).⁹

The Qur’anic teaching that authorizes deception towards non-Muslims therefore appears ethically and spiritually problematic, aligning with the properties of Satan rather than the God of truth and love revealed in Christ.

---

The Christian Contrast

In contrast, the Christian Scriptures command believers to love all people, including enemies: “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).¹⁰ The Apostle Paul exhorts Christians to live peaceably with all (Romans 12:18)¹¹ and to extend kindness and compassion universally (Ephesians 4:32).¹²

Unlike the Qur’an, which permits hostility hidden beneath pretended friendship, the Bible calls for integrity, transparency, and sincerity in all relationships. True friendship and genuine love are not contingent upon religious identity but flow from the nature of God Himself, who “so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16).¹³

---

Conclusion

The Qur’anic prohibition against befriending non-Muslims, coupled with the sanctioning of deception (taqiyya), raises serious ethical and theological concerns. It fosters division, distrust, and enmity, while embodying traits Scripture attributes to Satan—deception, duplicity, and hatred. By contrast, the Gospel of Christ promotes universal love, honesty, and reconciliation. This divergence underscores the incompatibility between the Islamic doctrine of conditional, deceptive friendship and the Christian ethic of genuine love and truth.

---

Bibliography

• Norman L. Geisler and Abdul Saleeb, Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002).

---

Would you like me to format this in full Chicago/Turabian style (with shortened subsequent citations and full bibliographic entries at the end), or is this footnote + bibliography hybrid style good for your academic purposes?

Footnotes

1. Qur’an 5:51, Sahih International Translation (Riyadh: Dar-us-Salam, 1997). ↩

2. Qur’an 3:28, Sahih International Translation (Riyadh: Dar-us-Salam, 1997). ↩

3. Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyya, 2000), vol. 2, 231; Al-Tabari, Jami‘ al-Bayan fi Ta’wil al-Qur’an (Cairo: Dar al-Ma‘arif, 1968), vol. 6, 289. ↩

4. Reuven Firestone, Jihad: The Origin of Holy War in Islam (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999), 116–117. ↩

5. David Cook, Understanding Jihad (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2005), 56–57. ↩

6. John 8:44, The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (Crossway Bibles, 2001). ↩

7. 2 Corinthians 11:14, ESV. ↩ ↩²

8. Genesis 3:4–5, ESV. ↩

9. Ephesians 6:12, ESV. ↩

10. Matthew 5:44, ESV. ↩

11. Romans 12:18, ESV. ↩

12. Ephesians 4:32, ESV. ↩

13. John 3:16, ESV. ↩