Befriending a Non-Muslim for Worldly Benefit Is Not Disbelief

21-10-2019 | IslamWeb

Question:

Aoa sir,
I wanted to ask one question. I have a non-Muslim friend (Hindu) and I am really closer to her. She's not like other Hindus, she actually helped me to go near Allah. By providing good Quranic material. I read one ayat which says you cannot have non Muslim friends like really close.
AM I GOING TO BE A DISBELIEVER IF I YET HAVE HER IN MY LIFE AS A CLOSED COMPANION/FRIEND? AM I GOING TO BE OUT OF THE FOLDS OF ISLAM?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that none is worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and messenger.

Your friendship with this girl does not take you out of the fold of Islam. The prohibited Walaa’ (taking disbelievers as allies) that drives a Muslim out of the fold of Islam is when he likes and befriends a disbeliever for the sake of his disbelief. However, befriending a disbeliever for the sake of obtaining a worldly benefit does not fall into the category of the prohibited Walaa’. Nonetheless, taking Muslim friends is better and yields better outcomes.

Allah Knows best.