The Quran

Preface

لا يَتَّخِذِ المُؤمِنونَ الكافِرينَ أَولِياءَ مِن دونِ المُؤمِنينَ ۖ وَمَن يَفعَل ذٰلِكَ فَلَيسَ مِنَ اللَّهِ في شَيءٍ إِلّا أَن تَتَّقوا مِنهُم تُقاةً ۗ وَيُحَذِّرُكُمُ اللَّهُ نَفسَهُ ۗ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ المَصيرُ

Yusuf Ali

Let not the believers Take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than believers: if any do that, in nothing will there be help from God. except by way of precaution, that ye may Guard yourselves from them¹. But God cautions you (To remember) Himself; for the final goal is to God.

If Faith is a fundamental matter in our lives our associations and friendships will naturally be with those who share our faith. “Evil communications corrupt good manners”: and evil company may corrupt faith. In our ordinary everyday affairs of business, we are asked to seek the help of Believers rather than Unbelievers. Only in this way can our community be strong in organisation and unity. But where there is no question of preference, or where in self-defence we have to take the assistance of those not belonging to our faith, that is permissible. In any case we must not weaken our brotherhood: we must try to make it stronger if possible.