O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies, 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 Allah , your Lord. If you have come out for jihad in My cause and seeking means to My approval, [take them not as friends]. You confide to them affection, 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.
Tafseer
{ يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا عدوي وعدوَّكم } أي كفار مكة { أولياء تلقون } توصلون { إليهم } قصد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم غزوهم الذي أسرَّوُ إليكم وَوَرَّى بحُنَين { بالمودة } بينكم وبينهم كتب حاطب بن أبي بلتعة إليهم كتابا بذلك لما له عندهم من الأولاد والأهل المشركين فاسترده النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ممن أرسله معه بإعلام الله تعالى له بذلك وقبل عذر حاطب فيه { وقد كفروا بما جاءكم من الحق } أي دين الإسلام والقرآن { يخرجون الرسول وإياكم } من مكة بتضييقهم عليكم { أن تؤمنوا } أي لأجل أن آمنتم { بالله ربكم إن كنتم خرجتم جهادا } للجهاد { في سبيلي وابتغاء مرضاتي } وجواب الشرط دل عليه ما قبله، أي فلا تتخذوهم أولياء { تُسرون إليهم بالمودة وأنا أعلم بما أخفيتم وما أعلنتم ومن يفعله منكم } أي إسرار خبر النبي إليهم { فقد ضل سواء السبيل } أخطأ طريق الهدى، والسواء في الأصل الوسط .
{O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies} meaning the disbelievers of Mecca {as allies, conveying to them} the Prophet’s intention, may God bless him and grant him peace, to invade them, which they concealed from you and concealed at Hunayn, {with affection} between you and them. Hatib bin Abi Balta’ah wrote a letter to them about this because he had children and family among them who were polytheists. So the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, took him back from the one who sent him with him, after God Almighty informed him of this, and accepted Hatib’s excuse for it. {And they have disbelieved in what has come to you of the truth} meaning the religion of Islam and the Qur’an. {They expel the Messenger and you} from Mecca by making things difficult for you {because you believe} meaning because you have believed {in God, your Lord, if you have come out for jihad} for jihad {in My cause and seeking My pleasure} and the answer to the condition is indicated by what precedes it, meaning do not take them as allies {concealing to them affection while I know what you conceal and what you declare. And whoever does that among you} meaning concealing the news of the Prophet to them {has certainly strayed from the right path} has missed the path of guidance. The middle ground is the same in origin.
