Question:

What is meant by the verse: “O you who believe, do not take your fathers and brothers for guardians, if they love disbelief more than faith.” [At-Tawbah 9:23]

يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا آباءكم وإخوانكم أولياء إن استحبوا الكفر على الإيمان

Response:

Fadl Ibn Hasan reported that Imams Al-Baqir (a.) and As-Sadiq (a.) said: “The verse was revealed because of Hatib Ibn Abi Balta’ah, after he wrote something to the tribe of Quraish, to give them the news about Prophet Muhammad (s.), who at that time wanted to conquer the city of Mecca.” [Bihar-ul-Anwar of Al-Majlisi, Volume 19 page 155]

عن محمد بن محمد عن فضل من حسن عن أبي جعفر وأبي عبد الله عليهما السلام قالا: إنها نزلت في حاطب بن أبي بلتعة حيث كتب إلى قريش يخبرهم بخبر النبي صلى الله عليه وآله لما أراد فتح مكة

Jabir reported that he asked Imam Al-Baqir (a.) about the verse: “O you who believe, do not take your fathers and brothers as your guardians if they love disbelief more than faith, and whoever takes them as guardians from among you, these are the unjust. Say: If your fathers and sons and brothers and wives and relatives, a fortune you have acquired, a trade you fear losing and dwellings that please you, are dearer to you than God and His Messenger and striving in His way, then wait until God comes with His command, and God does not guide the people of the wicked rightly.” (9:23-24) He said: “As for the statement, “Take not your fathers and your brethren for your guardians, if they love disbelief more than faith.” So the deeper meaning of disbelief in this verse is the leadership of the First (Abu Bakr) and Second (Umar) and faith is the leadership of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.) and He says: “So whoever takes them as guardians from you, these are the unjust.” [Tafsir Al-Ayyashi, Volume 2 page 84 Hadith 36]

عن جابر عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: سألته عن هذه الآية في قول الله: يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا آبائكم واخوانكم أولياء إلى قوله: الفاسقين (قال) فاما لا تتخذوا آبائكم واخوانكم أولياء ان استحبوا الكفر على الايمان، فان الكفر في الباطن في هذه الآية ولاية الأول (أبي بكر) والثاني (عمر) وهو كفر، وقوله على الايمان فالايمان ولاية علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام، قال: فمن يتولهم منكم فأولئك هم الظالمون

Abu Ali At-Tabarsi writes: “God forbids the believers to have affection for the disbelievers even if they are the closest relatives, for He says: “O you who believe, do not take your fathers and brothers as guardians if they love disbelief more than belief.” (9:23) But this refers to religious affairs, for as far as the worldly affairs are concerned, there is no problem in sitting with them and being in their company, for the Exalted One says: “If they insist you to associate with Me, about which you have no knowledge, then disobey them and be to them a benevolent friend for this world.” (31:15) [Majma’-ul-Bayan, Volume 5 page 30]

قال أبو علي الطبرسي: نهى الله سبحانه المؤمنين عن موالاة الكافرين، وإن كانوا في النسب الأقربين، فقال: يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتخذوا آباءكم وإخوانكم أولياء وهذا في أمر الدين، فأما في أمر الدنيا فلا بأس بمجالستهم ومعاشرتهم، لقوله سبحانه: وصاحبهما في الدنيا معروفا