Christians and Jews as friends
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Sura (551) - "O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people."
Why does this verse say that Muslims can't take Christians and Jews as friends? I find it very disturbing. I have many great friends from all religions, and I don't understand why god would tell us to be so intolerant? Besides doesn't that verse contradict other verses in the Koran that call Christians and Jews as "people of the scripture"?
Thanks
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To be honest this was a verse that confused me when I was studing Islam as well, it almost sounds diffirent than other verses.
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Scholars have suggested that a more appropriate translation of "Awliya" is "protectors/patrons/guardians" and not "friends". The verse was revealed at a time when some Muslims feared for their own survival and wanted to ally themselves with the Christian and Jewish tribes. 551 is telling Muslims not to gain patronage from others and to stay united.
http//www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503543362
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Adding to that, taking Jews and Christians as Awliya means you accept their system of law and economy and their judgements, so you have become logically one of them. It refers not the secular systems or Jews and Christians as personal friends, but to the societies that used the TeNaCh, Old Testament, as their source of law and beliefs in the time of the first Muslims.
As the TeNaCH and Talmud contains many many oppressing, discriminating, slave-making, women-oppressive ideas, the Qur'an addresses the people who rather want to live in such a tribal, partiarchal society compared to the humanistic social secular society presented by the Qur'an.
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Adding to that, taking Jews and Christians as Awliya means you accept their system of law and economy and their judgements, so you have become logically one of them. It refers not the secular systems or Jews and Christians as personal friends, but to the societies that used the TeNaCh, Old Testament, as their source of law and beliefs in the time of the first Muslims.
As the TeNaCH and Talmud contains many many oppressing, discriminating, slave-making, women-oppressive ideas, the Qur'an addresses the people who rather want to live in such a tribal, partiarchal society compared to the humanistic social secular society presented by the Qur'an.
that seems to make sense, considering you are permitted to marry a christian or a jew. it wouldnt make sense that you were not allowed to be your wife's friend.
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that seems to make sense, considering you are permitted to marry a christian or a jew. it wouldnt make sense that you were not allowed to be your wife's friend.
Exactly, this is why you must never pick out 1 verse. The Qur'an firstly is not a "personal" spiritual book, it is a guide for mankind how to create sustaining societies. So the main issues it discusses are systems which people live under.
Every subject can only be understood when taking all the verses together. A holistic view.
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The verse in literal translation
You, you those who believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians (as) AWLIYA , some of them (are) AWLIYA (of) some, and who follows them from you, so that he truly is from them, that God does not guide the people, the unjust/oppressive.Observe that the previous verse speaks about JUDGEMENT/RULING.
Thus AWLIYA on this verse actually means JUDGES. Bear in mind during that period when Quran is being written; there are no distinction between POLITICAL LEADERS (King, Head Of The Tribe etc..) and JUDGES. POLITICAL LEADER is the court's JUDGE and vice-versa.The JEWS and CHRISTIANS on this verse is taken as an example of SECTARIAN group of people.
Sectarian people and especially Sectarian Judges or Political Leader is usually and commonly UNJUST.
They will try their best to protect the member of their own sect (and their interests) while oppressing those who is not a member of their own sect / group.
And they also pass on a ruling which always favour their own sect (while oppress the other).
In general they're not 'objective' on examining facts before passing on their judgement.The Jews oppressing the christians and vice-versa is a common thing in Muhammad's period.
Just like the Sunni oppressing the Shia (or other groups which is not a member of their sect) and vice-versa is a common thing you can find during our period.In modern context the verse could also means.
You, you those who believed, do not take the SECTARIANS (as) AWLIYA , some of them (are) AWLIYA (of) some, and who follows them from you, so that he truly is from them, that God does not guide the people, the unjust/oppressive.Salam
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Peace,
Awliya does not ever mean
friends. The best word I can see fitting isallies/protectors.We are told not to take these groups as our protectors since they will eventually betray/turn on us as they are allies to one another first and foremost.
I believe Saddam Hussein learnt this lesson firsthand when his
allies(the US/UK) threw him to the dogs to serve their own twisted objectives. -
I believe Saddam Hussein learnt this lesson firsthand when his
allies(the US/UK) threw him to the dogs to serve their own twisted objectives.And Saddam is certainly an oppressor as well..
Go ask the Khurds or the shias..
Another good evidence of God does not guide the unjust/oppressive..Salam
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Thank you guys, your explanations are quite helpful. I'm relieved really, since other Muslim websites market the idea that this verse bans relations with Christians and Jews and that would have really disturbed me.
Many Muslim sites? The general Sunni opinion is that Muslims can be friends with Christians and Jews. I posted a Fatwa from a Sunni site earlier in this thread. I don't know of many Muslims, Sunni or otherwise that disagree with this position.
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Sura (551) - "O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people."
Why does this verse say that Muslims can't take Christians and Jews as friends? I find it very disturbing. I have many great friends from all religions, and I don't understand why god would tell us to be so intolerant? Besides doesn't that verse contradict other verses in the Koran that call Christians and Jews as "people of the scripture"?
Thanks
Peace
If you read the verses after that verse you will understand the reason behinde that verse
And you see those in whose hearts there is a disease (of hypocrisy), they hurry to their friendship, saying "We fear lest some misfortune of a disaster may befall us." Perhaps All?h may bring a victory or a decision according to His Will. Then they will become regretful for what they have been keeping as a secret in themselves. (52) And those who believe will say "Are these the men (hypocrites) who swore their strongest oaths by All?h that they were with you (Muslims)?" All that they did has been in vain (because of their hypocrisy), and they have become the losers. (53)
Can you note that the prophet was at war aginest the people (including Jews and Christian)who were trying to Kill him and end his Message. Thus, God was telling the Moslems to not become "Awllia" (Alliance) with them aginest there prophet.
Please read the following post regarding how the Quran has many verses that either Decisive or AllegoricalWhen reading the Quran, any one can be confused and become misguided if does not ably a very important rule What are the DECISIVE Verses, and what are the ALLEGORICAL ones?
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He it is Who has revealed the Book to you; some of its verses are decisive, they are the basis of the Book, and others are allegorical; then as for those in whose hearts there is perversity they follow the part of it which is allegorical (not of well-established meaning), seeking to mislead and seeking to give it (their own) interpretation. but none knows its interpretation except Allah, and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge say We believe in it, it is all from our Lord; and none do mind except those having understanding (3- 7).
In the previous Quranic verse, and many other verses, God warns people from following verses in the Quran that were revealed to give the prophet and the believers certain guidance in a specific situation. But once the situation ends, the special guidance should not be followed, but the original one?the decisive?becomes the law.
In some verses in the Quran, the prophet Mohamed (PBUH) was instructed to fight back the Jews and Christians who allied with the unbelievers to fight Moslems and end their religion. Can you tell that the pre-condition of self defiance is met; therefore,. The prophet followed the verses that was revealed for such situation?the ALLEGORICAL ones. But when the war ended, he went back to the DECISIVE Ones.
But today, the Extremists follow the Allegorical ones as a Decisive Ones.as for those in whose hearts there is perversity they follow the part of it which is allegorical
Thus, if we not at war with them, we should treat them as God showed us in many verses, which I can not recall. But I remember that God told us to treat them as we our Family, and to speak to them in a good manar, and to tell them that their Lord is ours.
Peace
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Peace
"Say, 'People of the Book, you have no true basis unless you uphold the Torah, the Gospel, and that which has been sent down to you from your Lord,' but what has been sent down to you from your Lord is sure to increase many of them in their insolence and defiance do not worry about those who defy . For believers, the Jews, the Sabians, and the Christians - those who believe in God and the Last Day and do good deeds - there is no fear they will not grieve."
568It is clear from here that there are hyprocrites in these faiths just as there are hypocrites in the Islamic faith that claim to believe in God but repel the idea of Mohammed as a messenger, God is saying they are defying him, so they are not worthy of true friendship. There are some true believers in these faiths and these are the CLOSEST friends of muslims - in fact they ARE muslims (devoted to God) - the problem is there are not many in this present World
"You Prophet are sure to find that the closest in affection towards the believers are those who say, 'We are Christians,' for there are among them people devoted to learning and ascetics."
582It is the truth that like minded people will be the closest of friends, because they share a deeper bond. In terms of faith a friend is very different from how it is treated in an athiestic sense. It is not that so called Christians and Jews are your enemies (unless they persecute you) they just aren't you're true friends in faith, only the believers are. I have many atheist, christian, jewish friends but they do not share the same faith as me so they are not close friends to me in faith, despite how much they know about me. Which is why it should be a perogative to share the Qur'an with your friends and family so they maybe gain understanding, get closer to God, and closer to you as a result.
Intolerance is not the word, because it is a basis of faith, this is greater than anything else we hold to us (race, sex, sexuality). If Christians and Jews who claim to believe in God are not reading their books and furthermore denying the Qur'an it cannot be tolerated, they should be argued with and they should be shown this is not the way
"Fight those of the People of the Book who do not truly believe in God and the Last Day.."
929Fight does not mean kill or physically harm, fight can mean debate, argue, confront with the Qur'an. This is because Christians (who do not believe Christ was God) Jews and Muslims follow the SAME GOD so if they differ and are denouncing each other's faith, they are defying God. So they must be fought to shown the error of their ways, and they cannot before then be accepted as true friends just as with disbelievers. It is also to stop their whisperings from distracting you from the path of God. If you surround yourself with like-minded, successful people you will be successful minded. If you surround yourself with people who have no faith and whisper conjecture, you may become anxious, doubtful and disbelieve. The distance God wants to set up between believers and disbelievers is for a reason, you will distance from certain people, that is the test of Life for you, just have to get on even if it is (. In the end the truly devoted should love God more than friends, family and possessions
"Say , 'If your fathers, sons, brothers, wiives, tribes, the wealth you have acquired, the trade which you fear will decline, the dwellings you love are dearer to you than God and His Messenger and the struggle in His cause, then wait until God brings about His punishment.'"
924Peace
