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Friendship with non Muslims

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Askmufti.co.za

Q: What is the Islamic ruling on having non Muslims as friends?

A: The Quran Shareef prohibits Muslims from taking kuffar as their bosom friends. Allah Ta’ala states: “O Believers! Take not confidantes from people other than Muslims (i.e. unbelievers). They will leave no stone unturned to harm you” (Quran 3:118)

Again: “Let not the Believers take the disbelievers as close friends to the exclusion of Believers. Whoever does that, shall have no favour with Allah, except if you fear some danger from them” (Quran: 3:28)

Both these verses prohibit us from making the kuffar our close friends, like confidantes and intimate associates. The second verse, though, allows a casual friendship when there is some fear. The hadith teaches us that such fear can be related to one’s own life or limb, or the life or limb of a family member or friend, as well as fear for damage to one’s wealth and property. When these fears exist, then the friendship or alliance with the kuffar will just be superficial and formal.

A third type of relationship with the kuffar is that which pertain so business. Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and his Sahaaba (radhiyallahu anhum) conducted different types of trade with the Jews, Christians, and Pagans Arabs of their times, such as hiring, leasing, buying, selling, taking loans, pawning goods, etc; they lived next to them and fulfilled their rights as neighbours; they entered into pacts and treaties with them. This form of relationship is strictly business; nothing formal or intimate, and this is permissible.

From the above you will realize that these relationships do not ONLY refer to communities and countries. Instead the ruling of Shariah covers all groups of kuffar, whether individual or large sections.

Mufti Siraj Desai


This answer was collected from AskMufti.co.za, which is operated under the supervision of Mufti Siraj Desai of Darul-Uloom Abubakr, South Africa.

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