Should non-muslims befriend Muslims, inspite of the Quran's proscription of friendship with non-muslims?

Question

Quran 5:51 : “O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors" http://cwis.usc.edu/dept/msa/quran/005.qmt.html

Knowing the Quran's literal postion on friendship, and the majority agreement with it, why would any self respect non-muslim ever consider a freindship with any Muslim?

Any engagement with members of the Islamic community is in part, legitimizing doctrines like that one cited above. If this sounds "bigoted" then using the same logic, you might as well call me a bigot for not wanting anything to do with nazis, skinheads or members-of-nambla.

If youve read the Quran, youve essentially read the religious version of Mein Kampf. What difference does it make that Islam is considered a "religion". Is there anything inherently good about being labeled a religion? If so, then lets speak more found of the Aztec religion that ripped beating hearts out of sacrifical rib cages.

How can anything ever change in Islam, if people simply accept Islam as is. The "terrorists" are not people you can spot, in fact, they could very well be the muslims you know on a daily basis and have no problem with considering the accounts that people who have known Muslims who turned out to be terrorists have given in the past.

Ahmed:

Your asking me to defend a contradiction in the Quran? LOL, I am not a Muslim!!

I do with the contradiction you refer to impacted friendships outside marriage, but it doesnt, although I still agree, its a constradiction.

Also, dont think for a minute that your "suggestion" was confused with a renouncing of the doctrine. You didnt deny it, you merely implied an alternative. Why didnt you deny it?

Answer 1

As usual, you are right, and devout muslims don't make friends of non-muslims.

The only muslims who befriend kuffar are the ones who don't take their Islamic religion seriously.

Then again, what person in their right mind would want to take Islam seriously?... it was invented by a child raping terrorist (PBUH)

Answer 2

Truth Seeker - It seems like you a knit picking verses out of the Qua ran. The same can be done with the Bible. Which is irrelevant because there both fiction. The point here I`am trying to make is that Christianity says some pretty way out ish... That believers would never do.
I.E. Take a women who has committed adultery before the village elders and stone her to death.

But you would not call Christianity a vice for hatred. Islam is a peaceful religion. Followers of Islam have different interpretations of the Qua ran as Christians do about the bible.

I do not think you are playing fair. But, I may be wrong because I have not personally studied the book. Feel free to correct me.

Answer 3

These injunctions are specific for the period of prophet pbuh when disbeliever were his and other muslims relatives. And they were trying to terminate Islam day and night. At that time if a Muslim was making friendship with disbelievers then it was very easy to destroy minor muslim community. So it was strictly prohibited. Even now to harm Islam is prohibited by making friendship with disbelievers even if they are weak muslim groups.

History has proof that Muslim has kept close friendship with all religions.

Suleman the Magnificient was having 4 out of 8 minister Christian while he was at war with all Europe.

Akbar the Great, king of India, married a Hindu Rajput lady Judha Bai and his son Jahangir was from her ......

Even very recently Saddam was keeping a Christian foreign minister Tariq Aziz, while there were so many muslim in Iraq.

Do ask doubt and hate creating questions without knowledge.

Answer 4

As a muslim females you're no longer allowed to marry a non-muslim guy, as a results of fact in islam we've faith that the male or husband is the pinnacle of the homestead and your toddlers will maximum in all probability persist with the instructions of their father. additionally you will desire to take heed to on your husband impressive, if he's no longer a muslim and he tells you to offer up praying, what are you going to do? So think of of it that way. If he reverts to Islam (no longer on your sake) then particular you may marry him if your wali or male father or mom approves. yet with adult adult males on the different hand they're allowed to marry females from the folk of books meanings the jews and the christians or maybe then its nevertheless greater perfect to marry a muslim females. Sister, persons are going to tell you despite they think of in this internet site, so be careful.

Answer 5

If you look at the times it was written in. Everything was in flux on religious, economic, and ethnic community scales. It was overbalanced most of the time as one culture invaded another and entire empires were being created out of the mix.

Even back a few hundred years if you weren't apart of the "right" religion or economic base in a certain region you were looked upon with suspicion.

Every single religion has a passage that reads about the same as the above. It is up to the person reading it to find it's meaning as it pertains to their lives.

I see it as saying don't let others outside your culture/ethnic/economic/family circle dictate how you should do things. It is a basic safeguard written in commonsense language pounded into the masses of the time that those who profess to be looking out for you "interests" may not be.

Yes the world is still a melting pot of cultures squabbling over the same issues, but on a grander scale and so it shall continue till the last sentient being draws breath.

*Personally I don't agree with what the Aztecs and quite a few Asian, European, and fringe cultures did in sacrifice, but I once read a book that while not forgiving the actions did point out another aspect of those who practiced it.

Imagine If you were a priest of the time in that particular religion and blood sacrifice was THE way of appeasing the gods/curing your flock's ills and someone dragged you into the future with a representative of every major religion/scientific figure of the era in our world's history to the threshold of this worlds extinction.

What would be accomplished and how would the individual and group work to save it? One character's view point was to see the Aztec priest as just plain EVIL, but a scientist who existed after her pointed out that for hundreds of years this person's belief system was based upon a short and primal scope of life, death, agriculture, and stargazing. In his own way he has soul searched, studied his religious teaching and celestial charts, and come to the realization his sacrifice must be more of a physical and immediate nature. It is not done out of petty greed or power (few were for the truly devote), but for what was for the common good of the culture. What holds true with all religions is that the most sacred and precious of gifts is life itself.

I imagine In his place modern ways of thinking and religious practices must seem ineffectual and contradictory to these basic tenets.

Answer 6

Most all translations are good but not perfect.

One example ----- "do not take the Jews and Christians as your friends (auliya)".

The arabic word AULIYA is used to mean protector or absolute confidential guardian of ones property and family if you died.

The translation "friend" doenst translate well and in fact has created confusion.


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Answer 7

sure i know a few muslims that are cool

my best friend in the whole world was a muslim but she was from england and not one of those radicals

Answer 8

LoL

Do you know that the Quran also teaches that it is OK to marry Christians and Jews?? Even if they don't revert to Islam.

Now, smarty,
How can I marry someone who is not my friend??

My in laws are Christians and I care about them and FYI me and my wife are fundamentalists, we take religion seriously and follow every single part of it.

Replying to you:
Why do I need to defend Islam against you?? I am just trying to make you think!! (Thats if you want) You are taking bits and pieces of Quran to prove your points. Quran is to be taken as a whole.
Regarding being friends with Kuffar, it is eligible. But prohibited if you take them as friends and approving of their beliefs. The prophet had a Jewish neighbor and the prophet visited him when the Jew got sick.
So, we are to take non Muslims as friends, without approving of their belief, and treat them nicely.

Answer 9

I would say it's ignorant to not befriend anyone when they're a loving, sincere person.

Christianity tells others to "do unto them as you would want done unto you" while Muslims preach hate and self-righteousness. Christians will not hurt you, so why would you be worried to be friends with one? It's not them that want to blow buildings and people up. A tree will be known for its fruit it yields.

Answer 10

we should learn to realize that we are all a part of the human race first and then address the veracity of ideology .