is a believer and has received the Quran, just like all other addresses of this kind, such as His words, Most High:

“O you who believe, when you rise to pray,”

and similar passages. The same applies to His words, Most High:

“Allah has promised those among you who believe.”

Both promises have been fulfilled and continue to be fulfilled, just as Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has foretold. No group has ever apostatized from Islam without Allah bringing forth a people whom He loves, who strive in its defense. They are the group granted victory until the Hour comes.

This is made clear by the fact that He mentioned this in the context of prohibiting allegiance to the disbelievers. He, Most High, said:

“O you who believe, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are allies of one another. Whoever among you takes them as allies is indeed one of them. Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.

“You see those in whose hearts is a disease hastening to ally themselves with them, saying, ‘We fear that a turn of fortune may strike us.’ But perhaps Allah will bring victory or a decree from Him, and then they will become regretful over what they concealed within themselves.”

Then, further on, He says:

“O you who believe, whoever among you turns back from his religion—Allah will bring forth a people whom He loves and who love Him.”

Thus, those addressed by the prohibition against taking the Jews and Christians as allies are the very same people addressed by the verse concerning apostasy. It is well known that this encompasses every generation of the Muslim community. Having forbidden allegiance to the disbelievers and explained that whoever among those addressed gives them allegiance is one of them, He then explained that whoever gives them allegiance and apostatizes from the religion of Islam does not harm Islam in the least.