Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah At-Taubah -> The Prohibition of taking the Idolators as Supporters, even with Relatives

Allah commands shunning the disbelievers, even if they are one's parents or children, and prohibits taking them as supporters if they choose disbelief instead of faith. Allah warns,

﴿ظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ طھظژط¬ظگط¯ظڈ ظ‚ظژظˆظ’ظ…ط§ظ‹ ظٹظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ’ظٹظژظˆظ’ظ…ظگ ط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒط®ظگط±ظگ ظٹظڈظˆظژط¢ط¯ظ‘ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظ…ظژظ†ظ’ ط­ظژط¢ط¯ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ظˆظژط±ظژط³ظڈظˆظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ ظˆظژظ„ظژظˆظ’ ظƒظژط§ظ†ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط،ظژط§ط¨ظژط¢ط،ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظژظˆظ’ ط£ظژط¨ظ’ظ†ظژط¢ط،ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظژظˆظ’ ط¥ظگط®ظ’ظˆظژظ†ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظژظˆظ’ ط¹ظژط´ظگظٹط±ظژطھظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظڈظˆظ’ظ„ظژظ€ط¦ظگظƒظژ ظƒظژطھظژط¨ظژ ظپظگظ‰ ظ‚ظڈظ„ظڈظˆط¨ظگظ‡ظگظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ط¥ظگظٹظ…ظژظ€ظ†ظژ ظˆظژط£ظژظٹظ‘ظژط¯ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط¨ظگط±ظڈظˆط­ظچ ظ…ظ‘ظگظ†ظ’ظ‡ظڈ ظˆظژظٹظڈط¯ظ’ط®ظگظ„ظڈظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط¬ظژظ†ظ‘ظژظ€طھظچ طھظژط¬ظ’ط±ظگظ‰ ظ…ظگظ† طھظژط­ظ’طھظگظ‡ظژط§ ط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒظ†ظ’ظ‡ظژظ€ط±ظڈ﴾

i(You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred (people). For such He has written (predetermined) faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a Ruh (proof, light and true guidance) from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens (Paradise) under which rivers flow.) ﴿58:22﴾ Al-Hafiz Al-Bayhaqi recorded that `Abdullah bin Shawdhab said, "The father of Abu `Ubaydah bin Al-Jarrah was repeatedly praising the idols to his son on the day of Badr, and Abu `Ubaydah kept avoiding him. When Al-Jarrah persisted, his son Abu `Ubaydah headed towards him and killed him. Allah revealed this Ayah in his case,

﴿ظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ طھظژط¬ظگط¯ظڈ ظ‚ظژظˆظ’ظ…ط§ظ‹ ظٹظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ’ظٹظژظˆظ’ظ…ظگ ط§ظ„ط§ظ‘ظŒط®ظگط±ظگ ظٹظڈظˆظژط¢ط¯ظ‘ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظ…ظژظ†ظ’ ط­ظژط¢ط¯ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ظˆظژط±ظژط³ظڈظˆظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ﴾

(You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger.'')﴿58:22﴾ Allah commanded His Messenger to warn those who prefer their family, relatives or tribe to Allah, His Messenger and Jihad in His cause,

﴿ظ‚ظڈظ„ظ’ ط¥ظگظ† ظƒظژط§ظ†ظژ ط،ظژط§ط¨ظژط§ط¤ظڈظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژط£ظژط¨ظ’ظ†ظژط¢ط¤ظڈظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژط¥ظگط®ظ’ظˆظژظ†ظڈظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژط£ظژط²ظ’ظˆظژط¬ظڈظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژط¹ظژط´ظگظٹط±ظژطھظڈظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژط£ظژظ…ظ’ظˆظژظ„ظŒ ط§ظ‚ظ’طھظژط±ظژظپظ’طھظڈظ…ظڈظˆظ‡ظژط§﴾

(Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained), amassed and collected,

﴿ظˆظژطھظگط¬ظژظ€ط±ظژط©ظŒ طھظژط®ظ’ط´ظژظˆظ’ظ†ظژ ظƒظژط³ظژط§ط¯ظژظ‡ظژط§ ظˆظژظ…ظژط³ظژظ€ظƒظگظ†ظڈ طھظژط±ظ’ط¶ظژظˆظ’ظ†ظژظ‡ظژط¢﴾

(the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight), and prefer and love because they are comfortable and good. If all these things,

﴿ط£ظژط­ظژط¨ظ‘ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظٹظ’ظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظ…ظ‘ظگظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط±ظژط³ظڈظˆظ„ظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط¬ظگظ‡ظژط§ط¯ظچ ظپظگظٹ ط³ظژط¨ظگظٹظ„ظگظ‡ظگ ظپظژطھظژط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظژطµظڈظˆط§ظ’﴾

(are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His cause, then wait...) for what will befall you of Allah's punishment and torment,

﴿ط­ظژطھظ‘ظژظ‰ ظٹظژط£ظ’طھظگظ‰ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ط¨ظگط£ظژظ…ظ’ط±ظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظژظ‡ظ’ط¯ظگظ‰ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ‚ظژظˆظ’ظ…ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظپظژظ€ط³ظگظ‚ظگظٹظ†ظژ﴾

(until Allah brings about His decision. And Allah guides not the people who are rebellious.) Imam Ahmad recorded that Zuhrah bin Ma`bad said that his grandfather said, "We were with the Messenger of Allah , while he was holding the hand of `Umar bin Al-Khattab. `Umar said, `By Allah! You, O Messenger of Allah, are dearer to me than everything, except for myself.' The Messenger of Allah said,

آ«ظ„ظژط§ ظٹظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظڈ ط£ظژط­ظژط¯ظڈظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ط­ظژطھظ‘ظژظ‰ ط£ظژظƒظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط£ظژط­ظژط¨ظ‘ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظٹظ’ظ‡ظگ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ ظ†ظژظپظ’ط³ظگظ‡آ»

(None among you will attain faith until I become dearer to him than even himself.) `Umar said, `Verily, now, you are dearer to me than myself, by Allah!' The Messenger of Allah said,

آ«ط§ظ„ظ’ط¢ظ†ظژ ظٹظژط§ ط¹ظڈظ…ظژط±آ»

(Now, O `Umar!)'' Al-Bukhari also collected this Hadith. Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawud (this is the version of Abu Dawud) recorded that Ibn `Umar said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah saying,

ط¥ظگط°ظژط§ طھظژط¨ظژط§ظٹظژط¹ظ’طھظڈظ…ظ’ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ’ط¹ظگظٹظ†ظژط©ظگ ظˆظژط£ظژط®ظژط°ظ’طھظڈظ…ظ’ ط¨ظگط£ظژط°ظ’ظ†ظژط§ط¨ظگ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¨ظژظ‚ظژط±ظگ ظˆظژط±ظژط¶ظگظٹطھظڈظ…ظ’ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ط²ظ‘ظژط±ظ’ط¹ظگطŒ ظˆظژطھظژط±ظژظƒظ’طھظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¬ظگظ‡ظژط§ط¯ظژ ط³ظژظ„ظ‘ظژط·ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‡ظڈ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظٹظ’ظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ط°ظڈظ„ظ‘ظ‹ط§ ظ„ظژط§ ظٹظژظ†ظ’ط²ظگط¹ظڈظ‡ظڈ ط­ظژطھظ‘ظژظ‰ طھظژط±ظ’ط¬ظگط¹ظڈظˆط§ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ ط¯ظگظٹظ†ظگظƒظڈظ…آ»

(If you transact in `Iynah (a type of Riba), follow the tails of cows (tilling the land), become content with agriculture and abandoned Jihad, Allah will send on you disgrace that He will not remove until, you return to your religion.)''

﴿ظ„ظژظ‚ظژط¯ظ’ ظ†ظژطµظژط±ظژظƒظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ظپظگظ‰ ظ…ظژظˆظژط§ط·ظگظ†ظژ ظƒظژط«ظگظٹط±ظژط©ظچ ظˆظژظٹظژظˆظ’ظ…ظژ ط­ظڈظ†ظژظٹظ’ظ†ظچ ط¥ظگط°ظ’ ط£ظژط¹ظ’ط¬ظژط¨ظژطھظ’ظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظƒظژط«ظ’ط±ظژطھظڈظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظپظژظ„ظژظ…ظ’ طھظڈط؛ظ’ظ†ظگ ط¹ظژظ†ظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ط´ظژظٹظ’ط¦ط§ظ‹ ظˆظژط¶ظژط§ظ‚ظژطھظ’ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظٹظ’ظƒظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ط£ظژط±ظ’ط¶ظڈ ط¨ظگظ…ظژط§ ط±ظژط­ظڈط¨ظژطھظ’ ط«ظڈظ…ظ‘ظژ ظˆظژظ„ظ‘ظژظٹظ’طھظڈظ… ظ…ظ‘ظڈط¯ظ’ط¨ظگط±ظگظٹظ†ظژ - ط«ظڈظ…ظ‘ظژ ط£ظژظ†ط²ظژظ„ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ط³ظژظƒظگظٹظ†ظژطھظژظ‡ظڈ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ط±ظژط³ظڈظˆظ„ظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ…ظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظˆظژط£ظژظ†ط²ظژظ„ظژ ط¬ظڈظ†ظڈظˆط¯ط§ظ‹ ظ„ظ‘ظژظ…ظ’ طھظژط±ظژظˆظ’ظ‡ظژط§ ظˆظژط¹ط°ظ‘ظژط¨ظژ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظƒظژظپظژط±ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظˆظژط°ظ„ظگظƒظژ ط¬ظژط²ظژط¢ط،ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظژظ€ظپظگط±ظگظٹظ†ظژ - ط«ظڈظ…ظ‘ظژ ظٹظژطھظڈظˆط¨ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ظ…ظگظ† ط¨ظژط¹ظ’ط¯ظگ ط°ظژظ„ظگظƒظژ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ظ…ظژظ† ظٹظژط´ظژط¢ط،ظڈ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ط؛ظژظپظڈظˆط±ظŒ ط±ظ‘ظژط­ظگظٹظ…ظŒ ﴾

(25. Truly, Allah has given you victory on many battlefields, and on the day of Hunayn (battle) when you rejoiced at your great number, but it availed you naught and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you, then you turned back in flight). (26. Then Allah did send down His Sakinah (tranquillity) on His Messenger, and on the believers, and sent down forces (angels) which you saw not, and punished the disbelievers. Such is the recompense of disbelievers). (27. Then after that Allah will accept the repentance of whom He wills. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.)