don’t take the Jews and Christians as Friends? there is a ambigous translation which misleads us in that way, verse 5:51 which reads: O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends: They are but friends to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust. (5:51) let us check it once again, but word by word: yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū lā tattakhidhū l-yahūda wal-naṣārā awliyāa baʿḍuhum awliyāu baʿḍin waman yatawallahum minkum fa-innahu minhum inna l-laha lā yahdī l-qawma l-ẓālimīna examination of the very word friends:- the very word which mentioned in the holy Quran as to refer friends is awliyāa, plural of wali. in a very popular and shallow sense, while criticizing of the verse, many of us understand the phrase wrongfully O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends.. applying the wrong sense of the word awliyāa in the understanding. awliyaa doesnt actually mean in the narrow sense of friendship. it has a spectrum of meaning of deeper sense: guardian, protector, patron, lord and master, intimate friends or guides. in surah Al- Baqarah 2: 257, Allah swt says, Allah is the Protector (or Lord and Master) of those who believe. He takes them out from the depths of darkness to light… historical context, tafsir:- we may consider a famous tafsir to understand the historical context of the verse to place the meaning at the right place. Imam Ibn Kathir in his tafsir has mentioned that some scholars say that this verse (i.e. the one you referred to) was revealed after the Battle of Uhud when Muslims had a set back. At that time, a Muslim from Madinah said, I am going to live with Jews so I shall be safe in case another attack comes on Madinah. And another person said, I am going to live with Christians so I shall be safe in case another attack comes on Madinah. So Allah revealed this verse reminding the believers that they should not seek the protection from others, but should protect each other. (See Ibn Kathir, Al-Tafsir, vol. 2, p. 68) now this is clear that, this friendship doesnt match with the narrow sense of the verse often non-Muslim friends questioned about. the correct translation of the verse in Surat Al-Ma’idah should be : who O you believe! (Do) not take the Jews and the Christians (as) allies/patrons. Some of them (are) allies/patrons (to) others. And whoever takes them as allies/patrons among you, then indeed, he (is) of them. Indeed, Allah (does) not guide the people, the wrongdoing. (5:51). so this verse is not telling us to be against Jews or Christians. we Muslims can have non-Muslims as friends as long as we keep our faith pure. think, why would Islam allow a Muslim man to marry a Jew or Christian woman? other verses to get the complete sense of the verse:- let us have a look on to other relevant verses in this connection, Al-Mumtahinah 60: 8-9 Al-Ma’dah 5 :8, Al-Madah 5: 51 Al- Baqarah 2: 257 Al-‘Isra 17 :33 Al-Tawbah 9: 23 Aal-Imran 3: 28 An-Nisaa’ 4:144 may Allah swt bless us with true Islamic knowledge and keeps us away from fitnas (misinterpretations.)
Posted on: Tue, 02 Dec 2014 13:27:04 +0000
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