An-Nisa: 144

"O you who have believed, do not take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers."

The true believers are forbidden from taking the disbelievers as allies—whether this refers only to the Jews, as some have said, or whether it is inclusive of them and others, which is the apparent meaning following the description of the hypocrites’ condition. That is: do not take them as allies, for that is the habit and religion of the hypocrites, so do not resemble them.

It has been said: "Those who have believed" refers to the hypocrites, and "the believers" refers to the sincere ones; thus, the verse is a prohibition for the hypocrites against taking the disbelievers as allies instead of the sincere believers.

It has also been said: "The relative pronoun" refers to the sincere ones, and "the disbelievers" refers to the hypocrites. It is as if it were said: I have already explained the character of these hypocrites to you, so do not take them as allies. Al-Qaffal held this view. In both interpretations, there follows: "Do you wish to provide Allah against yourselves with a clear authority?"

"Meaning a manifest proof for [your] punishment."

This contains evidence that Allah Almighty does not punish anyone, according to His wisdom, except after the proof has been established against him; many verses suggest this. It is also said: Do you wish by that to provide Him—the Almighty—with a proof that you are in agreement [with the disbelievers], for the alliance of the disbelievers is the clearest evidence of hypocrisy.

Some have kept the word "authority" (sultan) in its known meaning. Ibn al-Mundhir and others narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said: "Every 'authority' (sultan) in the Quran is a 'proof' (hujjah)." It is permissible for it to be treated as masculine or feminine by consensus. Its masculine form is considered in view of it being a 'demonstration' (burhan) or its known meaning, while the feminine form is more common among the eloquent when intended as a 'proof' (hujjah), according to Al-Farra'. However, he did not consider it as feminine here, instead considering the masculine for the sake of the beauty of the closing verse (fasilah). Ibn Atiyyah claimed that the masculine is more famous and is the language of the Quran wherever it appears.

"Against yourselves" (alaykum) can be attached to the verb "provide" (ta'jalu) or to a deleted element acting as a state (hal) for "authority." The direction of the denial toward the "will/wish" rather than its object—by saying, for example, "Do you make...?" instead of "Do you wish...?"—is to intensify the denial and emphasize the gravity of the matter, by clarifying that it is something the intention of which does not proceed from a rational person, let alone the act itself.