Does the Quran forbid Muslims from being friends with Jews and Christians (5:51)?

The short answer

Verse 5:51 forbids taking Jews and Christians as awliya, a word meaning allies, protectors and those whose side one takes, and classical scholars read it strictly. The Quran itself permits kindness and justice toward non-Muslims who do not fight Muslims, allows Muslim men to marry Jewish and Christian women, and the Prophet ﷺ traded with and honoured non-Muslims. So the verse is about loyalty and alliance, not about basic friendship, kindness or good neighbourliness.

Evidence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Explanation

The verse says, "do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is [one] of them" 1. The next verse shows the setting: some "in whose hearts is disease" were hastening to them, saying "We are afraid a misfortune may strike us", hoping for protection if the Muslims were defeated 2. The issue was switching sides in a conflict, not being polite to a neighbour.

The Quran draws the line itself. "Allah 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" 3. What it forbids is alliance with those who fight Muslims for their religion and drive them out 4. It also allows a Muslim man to marry a Jewish or Christian woman 5, a relationship that could hardly exist without love and closeness.

The Prophet's life shows the same. He bought food on credit from a Jew and left his armour with him as security 6. When a Jewish funeral passed, he stood up, and when this was questioned he said, "Is it not a living being?" 7.

There is also a harder hadith: "Do not greet the Jews and the Christians before they greet you", and on a road "force him to go to the narrowest part of it" 8. Some classical scholars, including Ibn Kathir, read 5:51 strictly, and some used it to discourage giving non-Muslims positions of state trust. Others linked the hadith to a time of open hostility. But none of the mainstream readings forbids kindness, honest business, neighbourliness or good relations in daily life, as long as a Muslim's loyalty to his faith and community is not betrayed.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Quran Al-Maaida · 5:51

    Do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies (awliya); whoever does so is one of them.

    ۞يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَّخِذُواْ ٱلۡيَهُودَ وَٱلنَّصَٰرَىٰٓ أَوۡلِيَآءَۘ بَعۡضُهُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءُ بَعۡضࣲۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمۡ فَإِنَّهُۥ مِنۡهُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهۡدِي ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ۝٥١

    O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people

  2. 2
    Quran Al-Maaida · 5:52

    The context - some hurried to them for protection, fearing a misfortune would strike the Muslims.

    فَتَرَى ٱلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضࣱ يُسَٰرِعُونَ فِيهِمۡ يَقُولُونَ نَخۡشَىٰٓ أَن تُصِيبَنَا دَآئِرَةࣱۚ فَعَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَأۡتِيَ بِٱلۡفَتۡحِ أَوۡ أَمۡرࣲ مِّنۡ عِندِهِۦ فَيُصۡبِحُواْ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَسَرُّواْ فِيٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ نَٰدِمِينَ ۝٥٢

    So you see those in whose hearts is disease hastening into [association with] them, saying, "We are afraid a misfortune may strike us." But perhaps Allah will bring conquest or a decision from Him, and they will become, over what they have been concealing within themselves, regretful

  3. 3
    Quran Al-Mumtahana · 60:8

    Kindness and justice toward those who do not fight Muslims are not forbidden.

    لَّا يَنۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمۡ يُقَٰتِلُوكُمۡ فِي ٱلدِّينِ وَلَمۡ يُخۡرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِكُمۡ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمۡ وَتُقۡسِطُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُقۡسِطِينَ ۝٨

    Allah 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, Allah loves those who act justly

  4. 4
    Quran Al-Mumtahana · 60:9

    Alliance is forbidden with those who fight Muslims for their religion and expel them.

    إِنَّمَا يَنۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ قَٰتَلُوكُمۡ فِي ٱلدِّينِ وَأَخۡرَجُوكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِكُمۡ وَظَٰهَرُواْ عَلَىٰٓ إِخۡرَاجِكُمۡ أَن تَوَلَّوۡهُمۡۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُمۡ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ ۝٩

    Allah only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and aid in your expulsion - [forbids] that you make allies of them. And whoever makes allies of them, then it is those who are the wrongdoers

  5. 5
    Quran Al-Maaida · 5:5

    Muslim men may marry chaste women of the People of the Book.

    ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتُۖ وَطَعَامُ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ حِلࣱّ لَّكُمۡ وَطَعَامُكُمۡ حِلࣱّ لَّهُمۡۖ وَٱلۡمُحۡصَنَٰتُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِ وَٱلۡمُحۡصَنَٰتُ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ إِذَآ ءَاتَيۡتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحۡصِنِينَ غَيۡرَ مُسَٰفِحِينَ وَلَا مُتَّخِذِيٓ أَخۡدَانࣲۗ وَمَن يَكۡفُرۡ بِٱلۡإِيمَٰنِ فَقَدۡ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُۥ وَهُوَ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ ۝٥

    This day [all] good foods have been made lawful, and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them. And [lawful in marriage are] chaste women from among the believers and chaste women from among those who were given the Scripture before you, when you have given them their due compensation, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse or taking [secret] lovers. And whoever denies the faith - his work has become worthless, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers

  6. 6
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2068
    Sahih Bukhari

    The Prophet ﷺ bought food on credit from a Jew and mortgaged his armour to him.

    Narrated `Aisha:The Prophet (ﷺ) purchased food grains from a Jew on credit and mortgaged his iron armor to him

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُعَلَّى بْنُ أَسَدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، قَالَ ذَكَرْنَا عِنْدَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الرَّهْنَ فِي السَّلَمِ فَقَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الأَسْوَدُ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم اشْتَرَى طَعَامًا مِنْ يَهُودِيٍّ إِلَى أَجَلٍ، وَرَهَنَهُ دِرْعًا مِنْ حَدِيدٍ‏.‏

  7. 7
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 1312
    Sahih Bukhari

    The Prophet ﷺ stood for a Jew's funeral, saying "Is it not a living being?"

    Narrated `Abdur Rahman bin Abi Laila:Sahl bin Hunaif and Qais bin Sa`d were sitting in the city of Al-Qadisiya. A funeral procession passed in front of them and they stood up. They were told that funeral procession was of one of the inhabitants of the land i.e. of a non-believer, under the protection of Muslims. They said, "A funeral procession passed in front of the Prophet (ﷺ) and he stood up. When he was told that it was the coffin of a Jew, he said, "Is it not a living being (soul)?

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ مُرَّةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ أَبِي لَيْلَى، قَالَ كَانَ سَهْلُ بْنُ حُنَيْفٍ وَقَيْسُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ قَاعِدَيْنِ بِالْقَادِسِيَّةِ، فَمَرُّوا عَلَيْهِمَا بِجَنَازَةٍ فَقَامَا‏.‏ فَقِيلَ لَهُمَا إِنَّهَا مِنْ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ، أَىْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ فَقَالاَ إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَرَّتْ بِهِ جَنَازَةٌ فَقَامَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ إِنَّهَا جَنَازَةُ يَهُودِيٍّ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ أَلَيْسَتْ نَفْسًا ‏"‏‏.‏ وَقَالَ أَبُو حَمْزَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عَمْرٍو، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى، قَالَ كُنْتُ مَعَ قَيْسٍ وَسَهْلٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ فَقَالاَ كُنَّا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ وَقَالَ زَكَرِيَّاءُ عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى كَانَ أَبُو مَسْعُودٍ وَقَيْسٌ يَقُومَانِ لِلْجِنَازَةِ‏.‏

  8. 8
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 2167
    Sahih Muslim

    Do not initiate the greeting to Jews and Christians, and make them take the narrow side of the road.

    Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Do not greet the Jews and the Christians before they greet you and when you meet any one of them on the roads force him to go to the narrowest part of it

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ، - يَعْنِي الدَّرَاوَرْدِيَّ - عَنْ سُهَيْلٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ لاَ تَبْدَءُوا الْيَهُودَ وَلاَ النَّصَارَى بِالسَّلاَمِ فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمْ أَحَدَهُمْ فِي طَرِيقٍ فَاضْطَرُّوهُ إِلَى أَضْيَقِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24

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