Q: Is it permissible for a believer to befriend a disbeliever? What are the Islamic teachings in regard to this issue?

A: Muslims are strongly discouraged in the Qur’aan and Hadith from befriending the disbelievers. Allah Ta‘ala states in the Qur’aan Majeed:

یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ اَوۡلِیَآءَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَؕ اَتُرِیۡدُوۡنَ اَنۡ تَجۡعَلُوۡا لِلّٰہِ عَلَیۡکُمۡ سُلۡطٰنًا مُّبِیۡنًا ﴿۱۴۴﴾

O you who believe! Do not take the disbelievers as friends instead of the believers! (Surah Nisaa v. 144)

Similarly, Allah Ta‘ala states in another verse of the Qur’aan Majeed:

یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الۡیَہُوۡدَ وَ النَّصٰرٰۤی اَوۡلِیَآءَ ۘؔ بَعۡضُہُمۡ اَوۡلِیَآءُ بَعۡضٍ ؕ وَ مَنۡ یَّتَوَلَّہُمۡ مِّنۡکُمۡ فَاِنَّہٗ مِنۡہُمۡ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ لَا یَہۡدِی الۡقَوۡمَ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ ﴿۵۱﴾

O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and Christians as friends! They are friends of one another. And whoever befriends them from you, then he is one of them. Indeed Allah Ta‘ala does not guide unjust people to the right path. (Surah Maa'idah v. 51)