Rights of non-Muslims in Islam: Quran and hadith

Texts from the Quran and from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim about rights of non-muslims. This is a collection of texts, not a ruling and not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar. All topics

From the Quran

لَآ إِكْرَاهَ فِى ٱلدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشْدُ مِنَ ٱلْغَىِّ ۚ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلطَّٰغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسْتَمْسَكَ بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.

لَّا يَنْهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَٰتِلُوكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُقْسِطِينَ ﴿8﴾ إِنَّمَا يَنْهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ قَٰتَلُوكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَأَخْرَجُوكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِكُمْ وَظَٰهَرُوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ إِخْرَاجِكُمْ أَن تَوَلَّوْهُمْ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُمْ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ ﴿9﴾

[8] 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. [9] 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. And whoever makes allies of them, then it is those who are the wrongdoers.

قُلْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْكَٰفِرُونَ ﴿1﴾ لَآ أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ ﴿2﴾ وَلَآ أَنتُمْ عَٰبِدُونَ مَآ أَعْبُدُ ﴿3﴾ وَلَآ أَنَا۠ عَابِدٌۭ مَّا عَبَدتُّمْ ﴿4﴾ وَلَآ أَنتُمْ عَٰبِدُونَ مَآ أَعْبُدُ ﴿5﴾ لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِىَ دِينِ ﴿6﴾

[1] Say, "O disbelievers, [2] I do not worship what you worship. [3] Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. [4] Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. [5] Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship. [6] For you is your religion, and for me is my religion."

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ قَوَّٰمِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَآءَ بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۖ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا۟ ۚ ٱعْدِلُوا۟ هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ

O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.

وَإِنْ أَحَدٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ٱسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّىٰ يَسْمَعَ كَلَٰمَ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُۥ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌۭ لَّا يَعْلَمُونَ

And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allah. Then deliver him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know.

۞ وَلَا تُجَٰدِلُوٓا۟ أَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَقُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَإِلَٰهُنَا وَإِلَٰهُكُمْ وَٰحِدٌۭ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ

And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best, except for those who commit injustice among them, and say, "We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you. And our God and your God is one; and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him."

ٱلْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتُ ۖ وَطَعَامُ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ حِلٌّۭ لَّكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّۭ لَّهُمْ ۖ وَٱلْمُحْصَنَٰتُ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِ وَٱلْمُحْصَنَٰتُ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ إِذَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَٰفِحِينَ وَلَا مُتَّخِذِىٓ أَخْدَانٍۢ ۗ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلْإِيمَٰنِ فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُۥ وَهُوَ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ

This day [all] good foods have been made lawful, and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them. And [lawful in marriage are] chaste women from among the believers and chaste women from among those who were given the Scripture before you, when you have given them their due compensation, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse or taking [secret] lovers. And whoever denies the faith – his work has become worthless, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.

ٱلَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا۟ مِن دِيَٰرِهِم بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ إِلَّآ أَن يَقُولُوا۟ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ ٱللَّهِ ٱلنَّاسَ بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍۢ لَّهُدِّمَتْ صَوَٰمِعُ وَبِيَعٌۭ وَصَلَوَٰتٌۭ وَمَسَٰجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا ٱسْمُ ٱللَّهِ كَثِيرًۭا ۗ وَلَيَنصُرَنَّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُۥٓ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَقَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ

[They are] those who have been evicted from their homes without right – only because they say, "Our Lord is Allah." And were it not that Allah checks the people, some by means of others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of Allah is much mentioned. And Allah will surely support those who support Him. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might.

From the hadith

مَنْ قَتَلَ مُعَاهَدًا لَمْ يَرَحْ رَائِحَةَ الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنَّ رِيحَهَا تُوجَدُ مِنْ مَسِيرَةِ أَرْبَعِينَ عَامًا

Narrated `Abdullah bin `Amr:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims, shall not smell the smell of Paradise though its smell is perceived from a distance of forty years

أَلَيْسَتْ نَفْسًا ". وَقَالَ أَبُو حَمْزَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عَمْرٍو، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى، قَالَ كُنْتُ مَعَ قَيْسٍ وَسَهْلٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ فَقَالاَ كُنَّا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم. وَقَالَ زَكَرِيَّاءُ عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى كَانَ أَبُو مَسْعُودٍ وَقَيْسٌ يَقُومَانِ لِلْجِنَازَةِ.

Narrated `Abdur Rahman bin Abi Laila:Sahl bin Hunaif and Qais bin Sa`d were sitting in the city of Al-Qadisiya. A funeral procession passed in front of them and they stood up. They were told that funeral procession was of one of the inhabitants of the land i.e. of a non-believer, under the protection of Muslims. They said, "A funeral procession passed in front of the Prophet (ﷺ) and he stood up. When he was told that it was the coffin of a Jew, he said, "Is it not a living being (soul)?

إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ الْجَنَازَةَ فَقُومُوا

Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:A funeral procession passed in front of us and the Prophet (ﷺ) stood up and we too stood up. We said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! This is the funeral procession of a Jew." He said, "Whenever you see a funeral procession, you should stand up

إِنَّ الْمَوْتَ فَزَعٌ فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ الْجَنَازَةَ فَقُومُوا

It is narrated on the authority of Jabir ibn 'Abdullah:There passed a bier and the Prophet (ﷺ) stood up for it and we also stood up along with him. We said: Messenger of Allah, that was the bier of a Jewess. Upon this he remarked: Verily, death is a matter of consternation, so whenever you come across a bier stand up

حَدَّثَنَا مُعَلَّى بْنُ أَسَدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، قَالَ ذَكَرْنَا عِنْدَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الرَّهْنَ فِي السَّلَمِ فَقَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الأَسْوَدُ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم اشْتَرَى طَعَامًا مِنْ يَهُودِيٍّ إِلَى أَجَلٍ، وَرَهَنَهُ دِرْعًا مِنْ حَدِيدٍ‏.‏

Narrated `Aisha:The Prophet (ﷺ) purchased food grains from a Jew on credit and mortgaged his iron armor to him

مَهْلاً يَا عَائِشَةُ، إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الرِّفْقَ فِي الأَمْرِ كُلِّهِ ". فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَلَمْ تَسْمَعْ مَا قَالُوا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " قَدْ قُلْتُ وَعَلَيْكُمْ

Narrated `Aisha:(the wife of the Prophet) A group of Jews entered upon the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "As-Samu-Alaikum." (i.e. death be upon you). I understood it and said, "Wa-Alaikum As-Samu wal-la'n. (death and the curse of Allah be Upon you)." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said "Be calm, O `Aisha! Allah loves that on, should be kind and lenient in all matters." I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Haven't you heard what they (the Jews) have said?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said "I have (already) said (to them) "And upon you

أَسْلِمْ ". فَنَظَرَ إِلَى أَبِيهِ وَهْوَ عِنْدَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَطِعْ أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ صلى الله عليه وسلم. فَأَسْلَمَ، فَخَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْوَ يَقُولُ " الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَنْقَذَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ

Narrated Anas:A young Jewish boy used to serve the Prophet (ﷺ) and he became sick. So the Prophet (ﷺ) went to visit him. He sat near his head and asked him to embrace Islam. The boy looked at his father, who was sitting there; the latter told him to obey Abul-Qasim and the boy embraced Islam. The Prophet (ﷺ) came out saying: "Praises be to Allah Who saved the boy from the Hell-fire

حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَسْمَاءَ بِنْتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَتْ قَدِمَتْ عَلَىَّ أُمِّي وَهْىَ مُشْرِكَةٌ، فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَاسْتَفْتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قُلْتُ ‏{‏إِنَّ أُمِّي قَدِمَتْ‏}‏ وَهْىَ رَاغِبَةٌ، أَفَأَصِلُ أُمِّي قَالَ ‏ "‏ نَعَمْ صِلِي أُمَّكِ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Asma' bint Abu Bakr:My mother came to me during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and she was a pagan. I said to Allah's Apostle (seeking his verdict), "My mother has come to me and she desires to receive a reward from me, shall I keep good relations with her?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Yes, keep good relation with her

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَمْرًا، قَالَ كُنْتُ جَالِسًا مَعَ جَابِرِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ وَعَمْرِو بْنِ أَوْسٍ، فَحَدَّثَهُمَا بَجَالَةُ، سَنَةَ سَبْعِينَ ـ عَامَ حَجَّ مُصْعَبُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ بِأَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ ـ عِنْدَ دَرَجِ زَمْزَمَ قَالَ كُنْتُ كَاتِبًا لِجَزْءِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَمِّ الأَحْنَفِ، فَأَتَانَا كِتَابُ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ بِسَنَةٍ فَرِّقُوا بَيْنَ كُلِّ ذِي مَحْرَمٍ مِنَ الْمَجُوسِ‏.‏ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ عُمَرُ أَخَذَ الْجِزْيَةَ مِنَ الْمَجُوسِ‏.‏ حَتَّى شَهِدَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَخَذَهَا مِنْ مَجُوسِ هَجَرٍ‏.‏

Narrated `Amr bin Dinar:I was sitting with Jabir bin Zaid and `Amr bin Aus, and Bajala was narrating to them in 70 A.H. the year when Mus`ab bin Az-Zubair was the leader of the pilgrims of Basra. We were sitting at the steps of Zamzam well and Bajala said, "I was the clerk of Juz bin Muawiya, Al-Ahnaf's paternal uncle. A letter came from `Umar bin Al-Khattab one year before his death; and it was read:– "Cancel every marriage contracted among the Magians between relatives of close kinship (marriages that are regarded illegal in Islam: a relative of this sort being called Dhu-Mahram.)" `Umar did not take the Jizya from the Magian infidels till `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf testified that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had taken the Jizya from the Magians of Hajar

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي أُسَامَةَ حَدَّثَكُمْ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ وُجِدَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مَقْتُولَةً فِي بَعْضِ مَغَازِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَنَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ قَتْلِ النِّسَاءِ وَالصِّبْيَانِ‏.‏

Narrated Ibn `Umar:During some of the Ghazawat of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) a woman was found killed, so Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade the killing of women and children

لاَ تَبْدَءُوا الْيَهُودَ وَلاَ النَّصَارَى بِالسَّلاَمِ فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمْ أَحَدَهُمْ فِي طَرِيقٍ فَاضْطَرُّوهُ إِلَى أَضْيَقِهِ

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Do not greet the Jews and the Christians before they greet you and when you meet any one of them on the roads force him to go to the narrowest part of it

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُعَذِّبُ الَّذِينَ يُعَذِّبُونَ فِي الدُّنْيَا

Urwa reported on the authority of his father that Hisham b. Hakim b. Hizam happened to pass by some people in Syria who had been made to stand in the sun and olive-oil was being poured upon their heads. He said:What is this? It was said: They are being punished for (not paying) the Kharaj (the government revenue). Thereupon he said: Allah would punish those who torment people in this world (without any genuine reason)

لأُخْرِجَنَّ الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى مِنْ جَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِ حَتَّى لاَ أَدَعَ إِلاَّ مُسْلِمًا

It has been narrated by 'Umar b. al-Khattib that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say:I will expel the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula and will not leave any but Muslim

لاَ تُخَيِّرُونِي عَلَى مُوسَى، فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ يَصْعَقُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، فَأَصْعَقُ مَعَهُمْ، فَأَكُونُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ يُفِيقُ، فَإِذَا مُوسَى بَاطِشٌ جَانِبَ الْعَرْشِ، فَلاَ أَدْرِي أَكَانَ فِيمَنْ صَعِقَ فَأَفَاقَ قَبْلِي، أَوْ كَانَ مِمَّنِ اسْتَثْنَى اللَّهُ

Narrated Abu Huraira:Two persons, a Muslim and a Jew, quarreled. The Muslim said, "By Him Who gave Muhammad superiority over all the people! The Jew said, "By Him Who gave Moses superiority over all the people!" At that the Muslim raised his hand and slapped the Jew on the face. The Jew went to the Prophet and informed him of what had happened between him and the Muslim. The Prophet (ﷺ) sent for the Muslim and asked him about it. The Muslim informed him of the event. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not give me superiority over Moses, for on the Day of Resurrection all the people will fall unconscious and I will be one of them, but I will. be the first to gain consciousness, and will see Moses standing and holding the side of the Throne (of Allah). I will not know whether (Moses) has also fallen unconscious and got up before me, or Allah has exempted him from that stroke

Quran verses use the Arabic text with the Sahih International translation. Hadith are from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. A translation is not the Quran itself, and one text does not give a full ruling. Open each link and read the text in its full context.

← Back to all topics