The next on my list is Verse 60:1. Its translation: 'O you who believe! Have no intimacy with My enemies and yours. Would you shower your love on them while they refute that which has come to you of the Truth? They have thrown the Rasool as well as you out of your homes just because you believe in Allah as your Lord! Even when you have come out to struggle in My Path and to seek my Pleasure, you are still affectionately inclined towards them! And I (Allah) know what you hide and what you disclose. And whoever amongst you does this (love those who have denied the Truth and expelled you), he/she has certainly strayed from the Right Path!'
This Verse was revealed in the background that the Rasool and his few followers were forced to leave Makkah just because he advocated that mankind should worship only the One Power (Allah) Who has created the entire Universe and everything therein. Among those who engineered this eviction were some of the Rasool's and his followers' own close relatives.
And some of the followers who had thus gone to Medina with the Rasool continued to have some soft corners in their hearts for their close relatives back home at Makkah. This softness is what is indicated in the Verse above.
Those who deny the existence of Allah, and therefore disobey His instructions given through His Messengers, are the enemies of Allah. HE will deal with them in the Hereafter. But if such people do not come in the way of those who believe in Him and obey Him, mankind is unauthorized in any way to punish them! Mankind can take action against them only when they act against others' beliefs.
This is apparent since Allah Almighty has sent mankind to earth to test everyone whether he/she believes in Him without seeing Him, with his/her own free will. HE has provided ample proof of His existence!
Mohammad Shafi
11th December 2021.