Tafsir of Al Imran 3:118-119

"O you who have believed, do not take as intimates [those] from other than yourselves..."

"Intimates" (Bitana): A man’s bitana and walija (confidant) is his special, chosen person to whom he reveals his secrets, trusting him. It is likened to the lining (bitana) of a garment. As it is said: "So-and-so is my shi'ar (inner garment)." The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "The Ansar are the shi'ar, and the people are the dithar (outer garment)."

"From other than yourselves": From other than your own kind, who are the Muslims. It is permissible for this to be linked to "do not take" or to "intimates" as a description—meaning: intimates who exist outside of your own group.

"They will not spare you [any] corruption": It is said ala in a matter, ya'lu, if one falls short in it. It is then used transitively with two objects in the saying: "I do not withhold from you advice, nor do I withhold from you effort," based on the concept of inclusion. The meaning is: I will not withhold advice from you, nor will I diminish it. Khabal (corruption) is ruin.

"They wish you would have distress": They desire your distress, where "ma" is a verbal particle. 'Anat is severe harm and hardship; its origin is the re-breaking of a bone after it has set. It means: they wish to harm you in your religion and worldly life with the most severe and complete harm.

"Hatred has already appeared from their mouths": Because they cannot restrain themselves, despite their efforts to control their impulses, what they harbor of hatred for the Muslims escapes from their tongues. Qatada said: "Hatred has appeared to their allies among the hypocrites and disbelievers because they inform one another of it." In the reading of Abdullah [ibn Mas'ud], it is: "Hatred has begun."

"We have clearly shown to you the signs": Which indicate the obligation of sincerity in religion, taking the allies of Allah as allies, and taking His enemies as enemies.

"If you have reason": If you understand what has been made clear to you and act upon it.

If you ask: How are these sentences positioned? I say: It is permissible for "They will not spare you..." to be an adjective for "intimates," and likewise "Hatred has appeared..." as if it were said: "Intimates who do not spare you corruption, whose hatred is apparent." As for "We have clearly shown," it is a new sentence. Better and more eloquent is that they are all independent sentences serving as the reason for the prohibition of taking them as intimates.

"Ha" (in Ha-antum): For alerting. "Antum" (You): Subject. "Ula'i" (Those): Predicate. Meaning: You are those who are mistaken in befriending the hypocrites of the People of the Scripture.

"You love them, but they do not love you": An explanation of their error in befriending them, as they offer their love to those who are full of hatred. It is said that ula'i is a relative pronoun and "you love them" is its connective clause. The "wa" in "while you believe" is for the state (hal), and its accusative case is derived from "they do not love you"—meaning: they do not love you, while you believe in all of their scripture, yet they hate you. So why do you love them when they do not believe in any of your scripture? This contains a severe rebuke, implying that they are firmer in their falsehood than you are in your truth.

Similar to this is: "If you are suffering, then they are suffering as you are suffering, but you expect from Allah that which they expect not" (An-Nisa: 104). One who is enraged or remorseful is described as biting their fingertips or thumbs. Al-Harith ibn Zalim al-Murri said: "I kill base, lowly tribes, who bite the tips of their thumbs out of rage."

"Say, 'Die in your rage'": A prayer against them that their rage may increase until they perish by it. The intent by the increase of rage is the increase of what angers them: the strength of Islam, the honor of its people, and the humiliation, disgrace, and destruction they face because of it.

"Indeed, Allah is Knowing of that within the breasts": He knows what is in the breasts of the hypocrites regarding fury and hatred, and what occurs when they are alone with one another. This is either part of the quoted speech or outside of it. If you ask: How is the meaning in both cases? I say: If it is inside the quoted speech, the meaning is: Tell them what they conceal of biting their fingertips in rage when they are alone, and say to them: "Indeed, Allah is Knowing of what is more hidden than what you conceal among yourselves," which are the secrets of the breasts; so do not think that any of your secrets are hidden from Him. If it is outside, the meaning is: Say that to them, O Muhammad, and do not be surprised by My informing you of what they conceal, for I know what is more hidden than that—which is what they have kept in their breasts and not revealed with their tongues.

It is also possible that there is no "saying" here, and that "Say, 'Die in your rage'" is a command to the Messenger (ﷺ) to have a peaceful soul, strong hope, and to rejoice in Allah’s promise that they will perish in their rage due to the strengthening of Islam and their own humiliation—as if it were said: "Speak this to your own soul."