to my Muslim friends only please.....?

Question

i always thought that your book called muslims, christians and jews as those "people of the book" but then i saw someone with a verse of:

5:51 O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for friends. They are friends one to another. He among you who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Lo! Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.

i have always been an advocate of tolerance with islam, but this verse bothers me, is there more to the context? was something specific meant that i do not see, becuase it feels very cut and dry (so does leviticus and other scripture of law) or is there more that suprecedes this?

AND!!! i am not an islam basher, i saw this verse on a question from someone else, it troubled my heart, so i posted a question specific to it. thank you to those so far that have shared openly with respect, and to the person that spoke of talking to a scholar, i think that is going to be my best bet, becuase most people are being to harsh over a set of words that i took the effort to verify before i bothered asking. be blessed, and if you having nothing good do say, or you are not a muslim, or understand this, go to the next question....

Answer 1

'Aulia is the plural of 'wali which may mean much more then friend in arabic. The word is used to mean guardman also, even a lord or a master, the idea of a supporter or a protecter being the chiefelemnt in the meaning of the word. If used for the meaning of a friend, it means a sincerely interested one whose support and protection can always be depended upon, and from whom there can never be expected the least harm or hurt or the apprehention of decieving or misleading at any time in any matter whatsoever. Such a quality can never be expected of any one of the camps hostil to Islam.

The Verses in the Quran was revealed when the jews and christians clans of arabia only in hostility and hatred against the muslims otherwise they were not friends of each other. It refers only to those jews or christians who were at war with muslims and who were always hatching plans against Islam specially in mecca and madina.

This next verse should shed some light

[2:63] Surely, those who believe and the Jews and the Christians and the Sabians - whichever party from among these truly believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good deeds, shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve.

Holy Quran


"The Romans are vanquished in the nearby land, and they, after their defeat, will gain victory within nine years. God's is the command before and after. And on that day, the believers will rejoice for God's help. He helps whom He pleases, and He is the Mighty, the Merciful. (It is) God's promise. God will not fail in His promise, but most people know not ." 30:1-6

In the first decade of the seventh century, a war between the two great powers of the time, the Persian and Byzantine Empires was started. The war continued for more than twenty years, and the Persians were mostly victorious. The Encyclopaedia Britannica describes the situation:

"The Persian armies plundered Syria and Asia Minor, and in 608 advanced to Chaledon. In 613 and 614, Damascus and Jerusalem were taken by the General Shahaboraz, and the Holy Cross was carried away in the triumph. Soon after, even Egypt was conquered. The Romans (the people of the Byzantine Empire) could offer but little resistance, as they were torn by internal dissensions and pressed by the Avars and Slavs. "
The verses from the Qur'an cited were revealed in the sixth or seventh year after the first revelation came to Mohammad. (This means that these verses were revealed in 615 or 616.) The prophecy contained therein is definite and unconditional. It states that the vanquished Romans will obtain a decisive triumph over the victorious Persians within nine years from this revelation.

Once again the prophecy was made in a direction contrary to the expected outcome of the conflict. It was to be expected that the Romans would be defeated completely, since the Persian forces had already reached the very gates of Constantinople. At that time even the Roman leaders had little hope of eventual victory.

The Roman leaders, with all their military skill and information about that war, could not anticipate their victory. Clear information was unavailable to Mohammad because radio, television, press and efficient postal system did not yet exist. Mohammad, living in Mecca and very far from Constantinople, made the prediction of triumph within a stated time.

The prophecy was fulfilled within nine years after it had been made. Heraclius, the Roman Emperor, advanced to Northern Media, where he destroyed the great fire temple of Gondzak; then in 623 he recaptured all of the lost ground.


The Muslims were very concerned for the defeat of the Romans at the hand of the Persians. The prophecy seems to have been revealed as a condolence to the Muslims, since it states that the believers in Islam will rejoice for the victory of the Romans.

This actually announces a true love on the part of the Muslims towards the Christians.

The Muslims actually were very saddened by the news of the defeat of the Christians at that time. The Christians are followers of the scriptures, and the Muslims are followers of the new scripture, the Qur'an. Both share many beliefs. The Muslims, therefore, felt that there is a close bond between them and the Christians. They felt that the Christians are their brothers in religion.

The news of the defeat of the Romans was a good tiding to the idol-worshippers. They rejoiced at the defeat of the Christians and classed them with the Muslims, their enemies, because both Muslims and Christians are followers of the scriptures and opposed to idol-worshipping.

This relation between the Muslims and the Christians was only natural. Had the Christians accepted Mohammad and received his truth with open hearts, as the Muslims accepted the truth of Jesus, the brotherly relation could have continued between the followers of the two faiths. Unfortunately, the Christians refused to recognize the prophethood of Mohammad and to accept his truth. This and the subsequent events which took place after the death of the Prophet changed the natural atmosphere between the Muslims and Christians.

Answer 2

The theme of this Surah indicates, and traditions support it, that it was revealed after the treaty of Hudaibiyah at the end of 6 A. H. or in the beginning of 7 A. H. That is why it deals with those problems that arose from this treaty.
Once the treaty had been breached, this verse was revealed to make sure that none of the Muslims were "renegades" from their religion.
You can look up any translator's explanation and this will be validated; what the Quran thinks of other religions is summed up well in here (2:62)

Lo! Those who believe (in that which is revealed unto thee, Muhammad), and those who are Jews, and Christians, and Sabaeans - whoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth right - surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.
________________
The Quran broadly does not ask Muslims to repel people from other faiths however verses related to Hdaibiya might cause confusion as this is when the first proper invitation was given to the Christians and it resulted in animosity.

last but most importantly, you will find this six verses later:

O you who believe, do not befriend those among the recipients of previous scripture who mock and ridicule your religion, nor shall you befriend the disbelievers. You shall reverence GOD, if you are really believers

So this is a) pertaining to the Treaty of Hudaibia and b) Related to the intolerant miscreants at the time.
Hope this answers your question.

Answer 3

The way the Quran was revealed was piece by piece as events happened in the Prophet (pbuh) life. I think this verse is refering to the Battle of Khandaq (Trench) when there was a Jewish tribe allied with the Muslims fighting against the Meccans, who were sieging the them outside the city of Medina.

After many weeks of beseigement the Jews that were allied with the Meccans, persuaded the Jews allied with the Muslims in Medina to fight the Muslims from within. This is when this verse came about and it was a only temporaral. If you read the book War and Peace in the Life of the Prophet Muhammad (sws) by Zakaria Bashier, he gives a good explanantion of the whole aspect.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

verse 5:51 doesn't mean that we cannot socialize with non-Muslim and it doesn't mean we can't make agreements with non-muslims.but what this verse means is that we cannot take non-Muslim as best best friends.i know it sounds a little bit intolerant.but the reason behind is that in islam we are commanded to keep friends with people who are religiously righteous.we are not even supposed to be best friends with other Muslims who are sinful(and when i say sinful i mean drinking,sex,drugs the whole nine).

and thank you for your question.most people on yahoo answers don't even bother reading about islam before making a judgement.

Answer 5

Why don't you read the whole chapter, are you just reading quotes here and there or have you studied the quran.
It simply means that in the time of the prophet there was a lot of aggression from Christians and Jews that they chose to ignore the revelations from Allah to the prophet. Allah did not want people to follow them in there rejection of Islam. Any christian or Jew before the revealing of the Islam is considered a true believer but those after it was revealed and rejected it Allah considers them wrong doers. Does not mean they are not "people of the Books" they are. Does not mean we are to hate them or not friends. We are tolerant of all religions. This is part of our faith.

Answer 6

I think I read that verse recently, I think it only includes those who direspect islam or try to make you wrong.

If what you say is true that the quran said this than the prophet(PBUH) wouoldn't have married a christian and a jew.

Answer 7

Why would he be upset? Don't believe the media's representation of all muslims being fanged monsters who fly into religious rages all the time....that stuff is so far from the truth. Talk to him, you'll be surprised.

Answer 8

well i have seen u as the first person who want 2 learn something instead of try 2 insult islam and 4 ur question friend no body on yahoo answers could guide u properly plz i would request u 2 meet some muslim scholer thank u ;)

Answer 9

See the footnote to sura 5:51 of the Quran in:
http://www.submission.org/suras/sura5.html
http://www.masjidtucson.org/quran/noframes/ch5.html

and see also the discussion in:
http://www.omeriqbal.com/a/13

Answer 10

That's why the Qur'an shouldn't be translated, it loses a lot of it's accurate meaning.

the proper translation should mean "Don't take the christians or Jews as Allies instead of other muslims" it indicates that we shouldn't divide as muslims and create alliances with non-muslims against muslims.

May Allah bless your mind.