Who are the people mentioned in the noble verse: "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" - toward whom we should be righteous and just?

The opinions of scholars regarding the verse, "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," either agree that it is abrogated by the Sword Verse or that it is a definitive (muhkam) verse. If it is a definitive verse, it applies to disbelievers who are under a treaty or dhimmi status, and who have not fought Muslims. "Acting justly toward them" means giving them a portion of money as a gesture of kindness, not merely fairness. However, congratulating them on their holidays, loving them, or befriending them is not permissible, as this implies an endorsement of their falsehood and a satisfaction with disbelief. This is because Allah Almighty said: "You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred."