Name
This surah is called Surat Al-Mumtahanah. [384] See: Tafsir Ibn ?Ashur, 28/129.
Makki or Madani?
Surat Al-Mumtahanah is Madani; more than one of the commentators narrated that there was consensus regarding that. [385] Those who narrated that there was consensus regarding that include: Al-Mawardi, Ibn ?Atiyyah and Al-Qurtubi. See: Tafsir Al-Mawardi, 5/516; Tafsir Ibn ?Atiyyah, 5/267; Tafsir Al-Qurtubi, 18/49.
Objectives
The most important objectives of this surah include:
Warning the believers against taking the polytheists as allies. [386] See: Al-Biqa?i: Masa?id An-Nazr, 3/75; Tafsir Ibn ?Ashur, 28/131.
Topics
The most significant topics addressed in Surat Al-Mumtahanah include:
Forbidding the believers to take the enemies of Allah and their enemies as allies; highlighting the hatred that the enemies of Allah have towards the truth, and the bad fate of the one who takes them as allies.
Calling the believers to follow the example of their father Ibrahim (peace be upon him), who cut off ties with his father and his people because they stubbornly persisted in disbelief.
Allah gives glad tidings to the believers that they will be reunited with their relatives, and that love and affection will develop between them, after their relatives are guided to the truth.
The concession allowing kind treatment of disbelievers who did not fight the Muslims out of enmity towards their religion, and did not expel them from their homelands.
Details of the rulings concerning women who came to them as believers, after leaving their disbelieving husbands.
Allah?s command to His Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to accept the allegiance of the believing women, and to take a pledge from them that they would obey Allah and keep away from prohibited things.
The surah ends by forbidding the believers to take the enemies of Allah and their enemies as allies and close friends.