Transliteration:( Laa yanhaakumul laahu 'anil lazeena lam yuqaatilookum fid deeni wa lam yukhrijookum min diyaarikum an tabarroohum wa tuqsitooo ilaihim; innal laaha yuhibbul muqsiteen )
“Allah does not forbid you to respect those who have not fought against you on account of (your) religion, and who have not expelled [28] you out of your homes, that you show them kindness and deal with them justly. Indeed, Allah loves [29] those who are just.”
This verse clarifies that Muslims are not prohibited from treating non-believers with kindness, as long as they have not fought against Islam or expelled the believers from their homes.
The guidance promotes fairness and respectful coexistence: where there is no aggression, believers are allowed—even encouraged—to maintain peaceful and just relations.
This verse was revealed in two notable contexts:
Banu Khiza‘a, a tribe of disbelievers, had made a peace pact with the Muslims, agreeing not to fight or support attacks against them. As they posed no hostility, Muslims were allowed to treat them justly and kindly.
Hazrat Asma bint Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنها) faced a dilemma when her non-Muslim mother, Qateelah bint Abdul Uzza, visited her with gifts. Unsure whether to accept them, Hazrat Asma initially refrained.
This verse clarified that since her mother was not hostile, it was permissible to accept her gifts and treat her with kindness.
Thus, Islam commands mercy, justice, and good conduct even with non-believers, provided they are not enemies of faith or aggressors.
The tafsir of Surah As-Saff verse 8 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Saff ayat 7 which provides the complete commentary from verse 7 through 9.
(60:8) Allah does not forbid that you be kind and just to those who did not fight against you on account of religion, nor drove you out of your homes. Surely Allah loves those who are equitable.[12]
12. Here a doubt may arise in the minds. It is all right to treat the disbelievers, who are not hostile, kindly, but should only they be treated unjustly? And should the disbelievers, who arc hostile, be treated unjustly? The answer is that in this context, the word justice, in fact, has been used in a special sense. It means: Justice demands that you should not be hostile to those who are not hostile to you, for it is not justice to treat the enemy and the nonenemy alike. You have every right to adopt a stern attitude towards those who persecuted you for embracing Islam and compelled you to leave your homes and pursued you even after your expulsion. But as for those who were not partners in persecuting you, you should treat them well and should fulfill the right they have on you because of blood and other relationships.
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