even if he outwardly claims to be your friend or your ally; he is lying. He acts only for his own benefit, for none is more truthful than Allah, and He knows what lies within the breasts. Allah says, “O you who believe, do not take My enemy and your enemy as allies” (Q 60:1). He, sublime and exalted, also says, “O you who believe, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies; they are allies of one another” (Q 5:51). And He says, “The Jews and the Christians will never be pleased with you until you follow their way” (Q 2:120). It is impossible for them to be pleased with the Muslims unless the Muslims become Jews or Christians. For this reason they now do everything in their power to divert people from their religion: sometimes through shameless behavior, sometimes through magazines, sometimes through insidious propaganda, and sometimes by openly calling them to disbelief—just as Allah says: “We made them leaders who call to the Fire, and on the Day of Resurrection they will not be helped; We caused a curse to follow them in this world, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be among the despised” (Q 28:41-42).

Concerning such people Allah says, “Humble toward the believers—this is our evidence—mighty against the disbelievers” (Q 5:54). In a third verse He says, “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are stern against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves” (Q 48:29). This is the description of the Messenger ﷺ and, by extension, of his Companions: stern and strong against the disbelievers—never yielding to them, never flattering them, never taking them as allies or showing them affection. Yet among themselves they are “merciful among themselves,” each one showing mercy to the others.