Al-Mumtahanah, "She Who Is Examined," is the sixtieth surah — 13 verses revealed in Medina.1 It belongs to the tense period between the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah and the conquest of Mecca, when families were divided across the lines of a conflict.
What it is about
The surah opens with a warning to believers not to extend secret affection to enemies "having driven out the Prophet and yourselves [only] because you believe in Allah, your Lord," reminding them that "never will your relatives or your children benefit you" on the Day of Resurrection.2 It holds up Abraham, who told his idol- worshipping people, "we are disassociated from you," and then adds a hope: "Perhaps Allah will put, between you and those to whom you have been enemies among them, affection."3
Then comes its most important principle: "Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes — from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. Allah only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and aid in your expulsion — [forbids] that you make allies of them."4
The surah is named for the women who fled to Medina: "when the believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them. Allah is most knowing as to their faith. And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers."5 It closes with the pledge they gave the Prophet ﷺ — not to associate anything with God, steal, commit unlawful intercourse, kill their children, invent slander, or disobey him in what is right.6
Why it matters
Al-Mumtahanah's verses 60:8–9 are among the clearest statements in the Quran of how Muslims are to treat people of other faiths: kindness and justice toward all who live in peace with them, with hostility reserved for those who wage war on them for their faith. Its pledge of the women emigrants records women taking their own oath of allegiance directly to the Prophet ﷺ. To read Al-Mumtahanah in Arabic with translations and recitation, open it on Quran.com.