Posted by MBK

This verse does not prohibit Muslims making friends with non-Muslims, but rather it warns Muslims from making friends, patrons etc with unbelievers (non-Muslims and hypocrites) that try to deliberately make you lose faith in Islam, and those hypocrites who are helping non-Muslims in their cause to make you lose faith in Islam in order to gain honour in the eyes of non-Muslims rather than trying to increase the faith of the Muslims.

*except if you indeed fear a danger from them.