Responding to
Thank God I am a Muslim
By Sami Zaatari
http://answering-islam.org/Authors/Roark/if_muslim.htm
A
member of the Answering-Islam team has recently come out with an article titled
if I were a Muslim. The basic theme of the article is that if this Christian
was a Muslim he would be asking himself some questions on several issues. The
article is not sincere as we shall see, and is simply an attempt to look smart
and try to attack Islam, no worries since I love seeing Christian apologists
trying to be snart and play games, since it makes me my refutation to them all
the more better and pleasurable.
With
all this said we now proceed to this person’s article:
He Wrote
If I were a Muslim, I would
wonder
about the statement in the Qur’an,
There
are examples to prove this to be false. A non-Muslim country sought to bring
freedom from tyranny in
My Response
Actually,
if you were a Muslim you would first go check with the Arabic, and check if it
actually says friends, however so since your a typical missionary liar, I knew
you would not bother. So already notice the deception by this missionary, how
nice, it amazes me that we can never have one honest sincere article by these
Answering-Islam writers.
Now
since I have already wrote an article on this subject, I shall merely post the
article here, and since Bassam Zawadi has also written an article on this
issue, I shall also post his article. :
http://answering-christianity.com/sami_zaatri/friends.htm
One
common verse that Christians like to quote from the Quran is verse
Christians
like to quote this verse then go on to argue that Muslims are not allowed to be
friends with Christians and Jews.
The
point of this article is to simply show that Muslims are allowed to be friends
with Christians and Jews, and that the verse is actually wrongly translated
into friends.
I
will first quote a fatwa by a group of scholars concerning this very issue:
Details of FatwaTitle of
Fatwa Does Islam Forbid Befriending Non-Muslims?Date of Reply26/Nov/2005Topic Of FatwaRelations during PeaceCountry AppliedUnited
KingdomQuestion of FatwaA Greek Christian
friend of mine came to me and said that he wanted a book that guides him to the
way a man should live. I handed him a copy of the Qur'an. He took deep interest
in reading it until he came across the following verse: [O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for your
friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And
he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily God
guideth not a people unjust.] (Al-Ma’dah 5: 51) Reading the verse, he asked "why is
that so?" Why is your book telling you that we can't be your friends? Does
that mean I can't be your friend? And at his request I am seeking help from you
to throw some light on it. I am too confused by this. And if that is so then
why does Islam allow us to marry Christian and Jewish girls (despite the fact
they might not want to change their religion.) Please reply soon.
Name of Mufti Muzammil Siddiqi
Content of ReplyWa`alaykum
As-Salaamu Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.
In The Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and
peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. Dear
questioner, thank you very much for having confidence in us, and we hope our
efforts, which are purely for Allah's Sake, meet your expectations. In the first place, we would like to stress
that Islam urges all Muslims to deal kindly and justly with all people. Muslims
should have good relations with all people. At school, at work, in your
neighborhood, etc., you should be kind and courteous to everyone. Muslims are
allowed to have non-Muslims as friends as long as they keep their own faith and
commitment to Islam pure and strong. Allah has clearly forbidden Muslim from
fighting those who fight not their faith or drive them out from their homes.
Referring to this,
[Allah forbids you not with
regard to those who fight you not for your faith, nor drive you out of your
homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them. For Allah loves those who are
just. Allah only forbids you with regard to those who fight you for your faith,
and drive you out of your homes and support others in driving you out, from
turning to them for protection (or taking them as wali). Those who seek their
protection they are indeed wrong- doers.] (Al-Mumtahinah 60: 8-9)
In
his response to the question, Dr. Muzammil
Siddiqi, former president of the Islamic Society of North America, states
the following: The Qur'an does not say
that non-Muslims cannot be Muslims' friends, nor does it forbid Muslims to be
friendly to non-Muslims. There are many non-Muslims who are good friends of
Muslim individuals and the Muslim community.
There
are also many good Muslims who truly and sincerely observe their faith and are
very friendly to many non-Muslims at the same time. Islam teaches us that we should be friendly
to all people. Islam teaches us that we should deal even with our enemies with
justice and fairness. Allah says in the Qur'an in the beginning of the same
Surat Al-Ma’dah: [O you who believe!
Stand out firmly for Allah as witnesses to fair dealings and let not the hatred
of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just,
that is next to piety. Fear Allah, indeed Allah is well-acquainted with all
that you do.] (Al-Ma’dah 5 :8) In
another place in the Qur'an, Allah Almighty says:
[Allah forbids you not with
regard to those who fight you not for your faith, nor drive you out of your
homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them. For Allah loves those who are
just. Allah only forbids you with regard to those who fight you for your faith,
and drive you out of your homes and support others in driving you out, from
turning to them for protection (or taking them as wali). Those who seek their protection they are indeed wrong-
doers.]
(Al-Mumtahinah 60: 8-9)
Moreover,
Allah Almighty has described Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)
as "a mercy" to the worlds. He was a sign of Allah's Mercy to all,
Muslims as well as non-Muslims. In his kindness and fair treatment he did not
make any difference between the believers and non-believers. He was kind to the
pagans of Makkah and fought them only when they fought him. He made treaties
with the Jews of Madinah and honored the treaties until they broke them. He (peace and blessings be upon him) is
reported to have received the Christians of Najran with kindness in his Masjid
in Madinah. They argued with him about Islam, but he returned them with honor
and respect. There are many examples from his life that show that he was the
friendliest person to all people. In the
verse you quoted, the word "Awliya"
is used. It is a plural and its singular is "wali".
The correct translation of the word ""wali""
is not "friend" but it is someone who is very close and intimate. It
is also used to mean "guardian, protector, patron, lord and
master". In the Qur'an this word is
used for God, such as
[Allah
is the Protector (or Lord and Master) of those who believe. He takes them out
from the depths of darkness to light…] (Al- Baqarah 2: 257)
There
are many other references in the Qur'an that give this meaning. The same word
is also sometimes used in the Qur'an for human beings, such as
[And whosoever is killed
unjustly, We have granted his next kin "wali"
the authority (to seek judgement or punishment in this case)…] (Al-‘Isra' 17 :33)
The correct translation of the verse in Surat
Al-Ma’idah is: [O you who believe! Do
not take Jews and Christians as your patrons. They are patrons of their own
people. He among you who will turn to them for patronage is one of them. Verily
Allah guides not a people unjust.] (Al-Ma'dah 5: 51)
It is obvious that Jews patronize the Jews and
Christians patronize the Christians, so why not Muslims patronize Muslims and
support their own people. This verse is not telling us to be against Jews or
Christians, but it is telling us that we should take care of our own people and
we must support each other. In his Tafsir, (Qur’an exegesis) Imam Ibn
Kathir 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)
Muslims
are allowed to have non-Muslims as friends as long as they keep their own faith
and commitment to Islam pure and strong. You are correct in pointing out that a
Muslim man is also allowed to marry a Jewish or Christian woman. It is obvious
that one marries someone for love and friendship. If friendship between Muslims
and Jews or Christians was forbidden, then why would Islam allow a Muslim man
to marry a Jew or Christian woman? It is the duty of Muslims to patronize
Muslims. They should not patronize any one who is against their faith or who fights
their faith, even if they were their fathers and brothers. Allah says:
[O you who believe! Take not
for protectors (awliya') your fathers and your brothers if they love unbelief
above faith. If any of you do so, they are indeed wrong-doers.] (Al-Tawbah 9: 23)
n a
similar way, the Qur'an also tells Muslims that they should never patronize the
non-Muslims against other Muslims. However, if some Muslims do wrong to some
non-Muslims, it is Muslims's duty to help the non-Muslims and save them from
oppression. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that he himself
will defend a Dhimmi living among
Muslims to whom injustice is done by Muslims. But Islam also teaches that
Muslims should not seek the patronage of non-Muslims against other Muslims.
They should try to solve their problems among themselves. Allah Almighty says,
[Let
not the Believers take the unbelievers as their patrons over against the
Believers…] (Aal-'Imran
Domains of
Muslim-Christian Cooperation
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1119503544488&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar%2FFatwaE%2FFatwaE> Do Muslims Hate
non-Muslims?
<http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1119503545526&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar%2FFatwaE%2FFatwaE> Justice and
Compassion: Ethics and Our Responsibilities <http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1119503547450&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar%2FFatwaE%2FFatwaE Allah
Almighty knows best.Also
taken from http://www.load-islam.com/C/rebuttals/Misquoted/
Misquoted Verse #15
The first point to be noted is that, in the verse
above, the word Awliya is often
incorrectly translated as friends (Awliya is the plural and its singular is
wali and the concept is walaah). As a result, many people are under the
misconception that this verse commands Muslims to distance themselves from
Non-Muslims and to avoid friendship with them. This is far from the truth, as
we shall see after examining the meaning of the word Awliya. The Qur'an says:
3:122 ...Allah was their WALI
(protector), and in Allah should the faithful (Ever) put their trust.
This
verse indicates that a wali is one in whom trust is placed for protection, as
the Qur'an always declares God the protector, wali, of the righteous. As Dr.
Saeed Ismail Sieny concludes his discussion on Walaah by writing:
As
we have discovered above, the root of the word "al-walaah" does not
include love, support, etc., and that
the core meaning rests on guardianship. (Sieny, The Relationship Between Muslims and Non-Muslims; Toronto,
Al-Attique Publishers Inc., 2000, p. 102, emphasis added)
And
Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi writes:
In
the verse you quoted, the word "Awliya" is used. It is a plural and
its singular is "wali". The
correct translation of the word ""wali"" is not
"friend" but it is someone who is very close and intimate. It is also
used to mean "guardian, protector, patron, lord and master". In
the Qur'an this word is used for God, such as
“Allah
is the Protector (or Lord and Master) of those who believe. He takes them out
from the depths of darkness to light…” (Al-
Baqarah: 257)
There
are many other references in the Qur'an that give this meaning. The same word
is also sometimes used in the Qur'an for human beings, such as
“And
whosoever is killed unjustly, We have granted his next kin "wali" the
authority (to seek judgment or punishment in this case)…”(Al-‘Isra' :33)
(SOURCE
http://www.islamonline.net/fatwa/english/FatwaDisplay.asp?hFatwaID=8886
emphasis added)
It
becomes clear that the word Awliya cannot be taken as simply referring to
friendship, as it contains a much more complex meaning, including dependence
and guardianship. Therefore, a more accurate translation of the verse would be:
Therefore,
the referred verse does not prohibit friendship with Non-Muslims at all. Dr.
Muzammil Siddiqi writes:
The
Qur'an does not say that non-Muslims cannot be Muslims' friends, nor does it
forbid Muslims to be friendly to non-Muslims. There are many non-Muslims who
are good friends of Muslim individuals and the Muslim community. There are also
many good Muslims who truly and sincerely observe their faith and are very
friendly to many non-Muslims at the same time. Islam teaches us that we should
be friendly to all people. Islam teaches us that we should deal even with our
enemies with justice and fairness. Allah says in the Qur'an in the beginning of
the same Surah Al-Ma’dah:
“O
you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah as witnesses to fair dealings and
let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from
justice. Be just, that is next to piety. Fear Allah, indeed Allah is
well-acquainted with all that you do.” (Al-Ma’dah :8)
In
another place in the Qur'an, Allah Almighty says:
“Allah
forbids you not with regard to those who fight you not for your faith, nor
drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them. For
Allah loves those who are just. Allah only forbids you with regard to those who
fight you for your faith, and drive you out of your homes and support others in
driving you out, from turning to them for protection (or taking them as wali). Those
who seek their protection they are indeed wrong- doers.” (Al-Mumtahinah: 8-9)
Moreover, Allah Almighty has described Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, as "a mercy" to the worlds. He was a sign of Allah's Mercy to all, Muslims as well as non-Muslims. In his kindness and fair treatment he did not make any difference between the believers and non-believers. He was kind to the pagans of Makkah and fought them only when they fought him. He made treaties with the Jews of Madinah and honored the treaties until they broke them. He, peace and blessings be upon him, is reported to have received the Christians of Najran with kindness in his Masjid in Madinah. They argued with him about Islam, but he returned them with honor and respect. There are many examples from his life that show that he was the friendliest person to all people. (SOURCE <http://www.islamonline.net/fatwa/english/FatwaDisplay.asp?hFatwaID=8886)
And
as Muhammad Asad writes:
As
regards the meaning of the "alliance" referred to here, see 3:28, and
more particularly 4: 139 and the corresponding note, which explains the
reference to a believer's loss of his moral identity if he imitates the way of
life of, or-in Qur'anic terminology-"allies himself" with,
non-Muslims. However, as has been made abundantly clear in 60: 7-9 (and implied
in verse 57 of this Surah), this prohibition of a "moral alliance"
with non-Muslims does not constitute an injunction against normal, friendly
relations with such of them as are well-disposed towards Muslims. It should be borne in mind that the term
wall has several shades of meaning: "ally", "friend",
"helper", "protector", etc. The choice of the particular
term - and sometimes a -combination of two terms-is always dependent on the
context. (Asad, The Message of the
Qur’an, emphasis added)
The second point to note is that although this verse
makes a general statement, the ruling is
specific and is to be applied in a context similar to the historical
context. Shaykh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi wrote about this topic extensively in
response to a similar question:
[The
answer to this is that these verses are
not unconditional, to be applied to every Jew, Christian, or non-Muslim.
Interpreting them in this manner contradicts the injunctions of the Qur'an
which enjoin affection and kindness to
the good and peace-loving peoples of every religion, as well as the verses
which permit marriage to the women of the People of the Book, with all that
Allah says concerning marriage
and
He has put love and mercy between you” (30:21)
and
the verse concerning the Christians:
And
thou wilt find those who say, 'Surely we are Christians,' to be nearest to them
(the Muslims in affection...(5:82)
The
verses cited above [verse
They
will spare nothing to ruin you; they yearn for what makes you suffer. Hatred
has been expressed by their mouths, but what their hearts conceal is still
greater. Thus have We made clear to you the revelations (or signs), if you
possess understanding. Ah! You love them, but they do not love you…(3:118-119)
This
ayah throws light on the character of such people, who conceal great enmity and
hatred against the Muslims in their hearts and whose tongues express some of
the effects of such hostility. (Al-Qaradawi, Al-Halal Wal Haram Fil Islam; US American Trust Publications, 1994,
p. 340, emphasis added)
As
Shaykh Qaradawi mentioned, verse
5:5 … virtuous women of the
believers and the virtuous women of those who received the Scripture before you
are lawful for you…
And
the Qur’an describes the relationship of marriage to be a relationship with the
deepest bond of love:
30:21 And among His Signs is
this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in
tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily
in that are Signs for those who reflect.
Also
note that the Qur’an says:
60:8-9 Allah does not forbid you
respecting those who have not made war against you on account of [your]
religion, and have not driven you forth from your homes, that you show “Birr”
with them and deal with them justly; surely Allah loves the doers of justice.
Allah only forbids you respecting those who made war upon you on account of
[your] religion, and drove you forth from your homes and backed up [others] in
your expulsion, that you make friends with them, and whoever makes friends with
them, these are the unjust.
The
word “birr” is the same word used to describe a Muslim’s relationship with
their parents which is considered the most sacred blood relationship in Islam.
Therefore, Muslims are clearly commanded to deal with peaceful non-Muslims is a
friendly and peaceful manner. The third
point is that the specific groups being referred to in this verse were
those hostile to Islam, and not all
Jews and Christians in general. Concerning the historical context, the verse
was revealed during a time when the Muslims were being attacked from many
directions, including the Christian Roman empire and the Jews of Madinah. The
Muslims had originally made a pact with the Jews of Madinah, but they were
betrayed twice. So in this context, the Qur'an was telling the believers to be
cautious in dealings with such enemies who oppose Islam, and not to trust them
as protectors. As
Jasser
Auda writes:
It
was revealed in certain historic circumstances, in which there was a war
between the infant Islamic state on different occasions on four different
fronts: the Romans, the Persians, the pagans of
The
Qur'anic verse is relevant in a similar
context to the historical context. A Muslim cannot take Jews or Christians
or anyone as protectors if they oppose their religion and its teachings. The
Muslims are encouraged to rely on each other for support. Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi
writes:
It is obvious that Jews patronize the Jews and Christians patronize the Christians, so why not Muslims patronize Muslims and support their own people. This verse is not telling us to be against Jews or Christians, but it is telling us that we should take care of our own people and we must support each other. In his Tafsir, (Qur’an exegesis) Imam Ibn Kathir 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) (SOURCE <http://www.islamonline.net/fatwa/english/FatwaDisplay.asp?hFatwaID=8886)
The
groups prohibited for Muslims to take as protectors are described in the
Qur’an:
The Holy Qur'an, 60:1 O ye who believe! Take not
my enemies and yours as protectors,- offering them (your) love, even though
they have rejected the Truth that has come to you, and have (on the contrary)
driven out the Prophet and yourselves (from your homes), (simply) because ye
believe in Allah your Lord! If ye have come out to strive in My Way and to seek
My Good Pleasure, (take them not as friends), holding secret converse of love
(and friendship) with them: for I know full well all that ye conceal and all
that ye reveal. And any of you that does this has strayed from the Straight
Path. 60:2 If they were to get the better of you, they would behave to you as
enemies, and stretch forth their hands and their tongues against you for evil:
and they desire that ye should reject the Truth.
So
the Qur'an forbids taking those as protectors who expel the Muslims from their
homes and who would betray and attack as soon as the opportunity arises. Those
who have no respect for a Muslim’s beliefs and desire that the Muslim leaves
their faith - they cannot be taken as protectors. This is the correct
interpretation based on the context of the verse. To conclude, we once again
quote Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi:
Muslims
are allowed to have non-Muslims as friends as long as they keep their own faith
and commitment to Islam pure and strong. You are correct in pointing out that a
Muslim man is also allowed to marry a Jewish or Christian woman. It is obvious
that one marries someone for love and friendship. If friendship between Muslims
and Jews or Christians was forbidden, then why would Islam allow a Muslim man
to marry a Jew or Christian woman? It is the duty of Muslims to patronize
Muslims. They should not patronize any one who is against their faith or who
fights their faith, even if they were their fathers and brothers. Allah says:
“O
you who believe! Take not for protectors (Awliya') your fathers and your
brothers if they love unbelief above faith. If any of you do so, they are
indeed wrong-doers.” (Al-Tawbah : 23)
In
a similar way, the Qur'an also tells Muslims that they should never patronize
the non-Muslims against other Muslims. However, if some Muslims do wrong to
some non-Muslims, it is Muslim’s duty to help the non-Muslims and save them
from oppression . The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said that he
himself will defend a Dhimmi living among Muslims to whom injustice is done by
Muslims. But Islam also teaches that Muslims should not seek the patronage of
non-Muslims against other Muslims. They should try to solve their problems
among themselves. (SOURCE
<http://www.islamonline.net/fatwa/english/FatwaDisplay.asp?hFatwaID=8886)
Islam
is a religion of peace and compassion, therefore it requires its adherents to
act in the best possible manner to other human beings. Verse 5:51 does not
refer to friends, but protectors, and the historical context reveals that this
verse prohibits Muslims from seeking the protection and allegiance of those who
are hostile to the Islamic faith. It is not a reference to all Non-Muslims, as
the scholars of Islam have clarified.
This great information was written by Ansar ‘Adl, you can also find him on
http://www.islamic-board.com/
So
hopefully this will bring an end to this common mis-conception.
http://answering-christianity.com/bassam_zawadi/friends.htm
Many critics and
of Islam and unfortunately some Muslims use Quranic verses to show that we
cannot be friends with disbelievers. I agree that the Quran says that we cannot
take CERTAIN disbelievers as friends but not ALL. I will be presenting the Quranic
verses and analyzing them to see what indeed does the Quran teach regarding
this issue.
Quranic verse
no.1
Surah 4:144
O
ye who believe! Take not for friends (awliyaa)
unbelievers rather than believers: Do ye wish to offer God an open proof against
yourselves?
Now this is the
problem with most of the verses. You see, most unfortunately most of the
English translators of the Quran translated the word awliyaa as "friends". However, the word
friend in Arabic does not always necessarily mean wali. It could also mean
protector. (See <http://www.ectaco.co.uk/main.jsp?do=e-services-dictionaries-word_translate1&direction=2&status=translate&lang1=2&lang2=en&source=protector> )
In the Quran the
word wali is clearly used for meaning, "supporter",
"patron" etc. See this article quickly for the proof <http://www.answering-christianity.com/sami_zaatri/friends.htm>
Palmer and Rashad
Khalifa translated this verse most appropriately...
O
ye who believe! take not misbelievers for patrons rather than believers; do ye
wish to make for God a power against you? (Palmer)
O
you who believe, you shall not ally yourselves with the disbelievers, instead
of the believers. Do you wish to provide GOD with a clear proof against you?
(Rashad Khalifa)
So I will be using
Palmer's translation throughout the rest of this article.
So basically the
Quran is saying that the Muslims should not patronize the disbelievers instead
of the Muslims.
And
this is a prohibition of God on the believers that they should not be like the
hypocrites and take the disbelievers as allies besides the believers. So they
will become like them (the hypocrites) if they do what God forbid them, which
is allying themselves with the disbelievers. (Tafsir of Tabari, Commentary on Surah 4:144, Source <http://quran.al-islam.com/Tafseer/DispTafsser.asp?l=arb&taf=TABARY&nType=1&nSora=4&nAya=144> )
So God is not
warning the believers to act like the hypocrites because the hypocrites would
secretly aid the disbelievers against the Muslims. It is clear in the context
of the passage that it is referring to the hypocrites when you read the next
verse...
Surah 4:145
The
Hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire: no helper wilt thou find
for them;-
So the verse
really means that we cannot aid the disbelievers against the Muslims.
Quranic verse
no.2
Surah 3:28
Those
who believe shall not take misbelievers for their patrons, rather than
believers, and he who does this has no part with God at all, unless, indeed, ye
fear some danger from them. But God bids you beware of Himself, for unto Him
your journey is.
Tabari says in his
Tasfir that this means that we should not going supporting the disbelievers in
their religion and that we should support ours. Allah will make Himself
innocent from those that apostatize from Islam. See (<http://quran.al-islam.com/Tafseer/DispTafsser.asp?l=arb&taf=TABARY&nType=1&nSora=3&nAya=28> )
Quranic verse
no.3
Surah 3:118
O
ye who believe! take not to intimacy with others than yourselves; they will not
fail to spoil you; they would fain ye came to trouble,- hatred is shown by
their mouths; but what their breasts conceal is greater still. We have made
manifest to you our signs, did ye but understand.
Well, all we have
to do is read the verse a bit more carefully...
O
ye who believe! take not to intimacy with others than yourselves; they will not fail to spoil you;
they would fain ye came to trouble,- hatred
is shown by their mouths; but what their breasts conceal is greater still.
We have made manifest to you our signs, did ye but understand.
The verse is
clearly talking about the hypocrites who would want harm to come to us and
would want to spoil us. Therefore, we should avoid these people (common sense).
Quranic verse
no.4
Surah 5:51
O
ye who believe! take not the Jews and Christians for your patrons : they are
patrons of each other; but whoso amongst you takes them for patrons, verily, he
is of them, and, verily, God guides not an unjust people.
This
is referring to the hypocrites: 'Oh ye who believe outwardly', and they used to
assist the polytheists and tell them about the secrets of the Muslims...
Al
Suddi said that this verse came down during the Battle of Uhud when Muslims
were afraid that they were going to lose the battle and wanted to ally
themselves with the Jews and Christians. (Tafsir
of Qurtubi, Commentary on Surah 5:51, Source
<http://http://quran.al-islam.com/Tafseer/DispTafsser.asp?l=arb&taf=KORTOBY&nType=1&nSora=5&nAya=51> )
So again this
verse is referring to the believers (either outwardly meaning hypocrites or the
true sincere ones) not supposing to ally themselves with the enemy against the
believers. Reading the passage in context clearly indicates that it was in a
certain context where the people being warned were fearing something...
Surah 5:52
Thou
wilt see those in whose hearts is a sickness vieing with them; they say, 'We
fear lest there befall us a reverse.' It may be God will give the victory, or
an order from Himself, and they may awake repenting of what they thought in
secret to themselves.
Also continuing
reading on we see more clearly who we are not supposed to befriend...
Surah 5:57
O ye who believe! take not for patrons those who take your religion for a jest or a sport, from
amongst those who have been given the Book before and the misbelievers; but
fear God if ye be believers.
So we are not
supposed to take CERTAIN people from the People of the Book (Jews and
Christians) as friends and not ALL of them.
Quranic verse
no.5
Surah 5:80-81
Thou
wilt see many of them taking those who disbelieve for their patrons; evil is
that which their souls have sent before them, for God's wrath is on them, and
in the torment shall they dwell for aye. But had they believed in God and the
prophet, and what was revealed to him, they had not taken these for their patrons;
but many of them are evildoers.
Ibn Abbas said...
(Thou seest many of them) many of the hypocrites (making friends
with) by seeking their assistance and help (those who disbelieve) Ka'b and his
followers; it is also said that this means: you see many Jews, such as Ka'b and
his followers, making friends with the disbelievers, the disbelievers of Mecca,
Abu Sufyan and his followers, (surely ill for them is that which they
themselves send on before them) in their state of Judaism and hypocrisy: (that
Allah will be wroth with them and in the doom they will abide) never to die or
be removed. (If they) i.e. the hypocrites (believed in Allah) genuinely
believed in Allah (and the Prophet) Muhammad (and that which is revealed unto
him) i.e. the Qur'an, (they would not choose them) i.e. the Jews (for their
friends) seeking their assistance and help. (But many of them) from among the
people of the Book (are of evil conduct) they are hypocrites. It is also said
that this means: if the Jews genuinely believed in Allah, and in Allah's divine
Oneness, and believed in the Prophet (pbuh) and that which was revealed to him,
i.e. the Qur'an, they would not have taken Abu Sufyan and his followers for
friends, seeking their assistance and help. Nonetheless, many among the people
of the Book are disbelievers.
(Tanwîr
al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs, Commentary on Surah 5:80-81, Source
<http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=5&tAyahNo=81&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0> )
Again we see that
it is prohibited to take those who are fighting against Islam such as Kab Al Ashraf
<http://www.answering-christianity.com/sami_zaatri/rebuttal_to_silas_2.htm> as supporters.
Quranic verse
no.6
Surah 11:113
Lean
not unto, those who do wrong, lest the Fire touch you, for ye have no patrons
but God; and, moreover, ye shall not be helped!
(And incline not towards those who do wrong) themselves by means
of disbelief, idolatry and transgression (lest the Fire touch you) as it has
touched them, (and ye have no protecting friends) no relatives to help you
(against Allah) against Allah’s chastisement, (and afterward ye would not be
helped) you will not be prevented from what is wanted with you. (Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs,
Commentary on Surah 11:113, Source <http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=5&tAyahNo=81&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0> )
Again we cannot
support or incline towards evil doers. (common sense)
Quranic verse
no.7
Surah 58:22
Thou
shalt not find a people who believe in God and the last day loving him who
opposes God and His Apostle, even though it be their fathers, or their sons, or
their brethren, or their clansmen. He has written faith in their hearts, and He
aids them with a spirit from Him; and will make them enter into gardens beneath
which rivers flow, to dwell therein for aye! God is well pleased with them, and
they well pleased with Him: they are God's crew; ay, God's crew, they shall
prosper!
You will not find a people who believe in God and the Last Day
loving, befriending, those who oppose God and His Messenger, even though they,
the opposers, were their fathers, that is to say, the believers' [fathers], or
their sons or their brothers or their clan, rather [you will find that] they intend to do them harm and they
fight them over [the question of] faith, as occurred on one occasion
with some Companions, may God be pleased with them. [For] those, the ones who
are not loving of them, He has inscribed, He has established, faith upon their
hearts and reinforced them with a spirit, a light, from Him, exalted be He, and
He will admit them into gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will
abide, God being pleased with them, for their obedience of Him, and they being
pleased with Him, because of His reward. Those [they] are God's confederates,
following His command and refraining from what He has forbidden. Assuredly it
is God's confederates who are the successful, the winners. (Tafsir Jalalayn, Commentary on Surah 58:22, Source <http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=58&tAyahNo=22&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0> )
We cannot be
loving to those who oppose God and his messenger. Here 'opposing' is actually
to the degree of fighting against us and wanting to hurt us. This verse came
down in a certain context...
It
was also said that the Ayah,
(even
though they were their fathers), was revealed in the case of Abu `Ubaydah, when
he killed his father during the battle of Badr, while the Ayah,
(or
their sons) was revealed in the case of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq when he intended to
kill his (disbelieving) son, `Abdur-Rahman, (during Badr), while the Ayah,
(or
their brothers) was revealed about the case of Mus`ab bin `Umayr, who killed
his brother, `Ubayd bin `Umayr, during Badr, and that the Ayah,
(or
their kindred) was revealed about the case of `Umar, who killed one of his
relatives during Badr, and also that this Ayah was revealed in the case of
Hamzah, `Ali and Ubaydah bin Al-Harith. They killed their close relatives
`Utbah, Shaybah and Al-Walid bin `Utbah that day. Allah knows best. A similar
matter is when Allah's Messenger consulted with his Companions about what
should be done with the captives of Badr. Abu Bakr As-Siddiq thought that they
should accept ransom for them so the Muslims could use the money to strengthen
themselves. He mentioned the fact that the captured were the cousins and the
kindred, and that they might embrace Islam later on, by Allah's help. `Umar
said, "But I have a different opinion, O Allah's Messenger! Let me kill
so-and-so, my relative, and let `Ali kill `Aqil (`Ali's brother), and so-and-so
kill so-and-so. Let us make it known to Allah that we have no mercy in our
hearts for the idolators.'' Allah said,
(For
such He has written faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with Ruh from
Himself.) means, those who have the quality of not befriending those who oppose
Allah and His Messenger , even if they are their fathers or brothers, are those
whom Allah has decreed faith, meaning, happiness, in their hearts and made faith
dear to their hearts and happiness reside therein. (Tafsir of Ibn Kathir, Commentary on Surah 58:22, Source
<http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=58&tid=53009> )
So as we can see
this was in the context of those who were opposing God and his Messenger were
FIGHTING against the Muslims.
Quranic verses
no.8 and 9
The reason why I
put these verses together is because they are in the same Surah...
Surah 60:1
O
ye who believe! take not my enemy and your enemy for patrons, encountering them
with love for they misbelieve in the truth that is to come to you; they drive
out the Apostle and you for that ye believe in God your Lord! If ye go forth
fighting strenuously in my cause and craving my good pleasure, and secretly
show love for them, yet do I know best what ye conceal and what ye display! and
he of you who does so has erred from the level path.
Surah 60:13
O
ye who believe! take not for patrons a people whom God is wroth against; they
despair of the hereafter, as the misbelievers despair of the fellows of the
tombs!
Again these verses
are just simply telling us not to support those who fight us and to assist the
disbelievers against the Muslims...
And from his narration on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas that he said
concerning the interpretation of Allah’s saying (O ye who believe!): (O ye who
believe!) referring to Hatib, (Choose
not My enemy) in religion (and your enemy) who fight you, i.e. the
people of
(O ye who believe!) referring here to ‘Abdullah Ibn Ubayy and his
fellow believers (Be not friendly) i.e. seeking their help and assistance and
divulging to them the secrets of the Prophet (pbuh) (with a folk with whom
Allah is wroth) twice; this refers to the Jews when they said: “Allah’s Hand is
uptight” and again when they disbelieved in Muhammad (pbuh) ((a folk) who have
despaired of the Hereafter) who have despaired of the bliss of Paradise (as the
disbelievers) the disbelievers of Mecca (despair of those who are in the
graves) i.e. of the return of the people of the graves; and it is also said
that this means: of the questioning of Munkar and Nakir; and it is also said
this means: do not be friendly with a folk with whom Allah is wroth, but rather
be of those who glorify Allah and pray to Him.’ (Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs, Commentary on Surah 60:13, Source
<http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=5&tAyahNo=81&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0> )
This
is referring to the Jews, because some poor people amongst the Muslims used to
spell out the secrets of the Muslims to the Jews. (Tafsir of Qurtubi, Commentary on Surah 60:13, Source
<http://quran.al-islam.com/Tafseer/DispTafsser.asp?nType=1&bm=&nSeg=0&l=arb&nSora=60&nAya=13&taf=KORTOBY&tashkeel=0> )
We have to read
the whole Surah in order to understand exactly what God is saying...
Surah 60:8-9
God forbids you not
respecting those who have not fought against you for religion's sake, and who have not driven
you forth from your homes, that ye should act righteously and justly towards
them; verily, God loves the just! He
only forbids you to make patrons of those who have fought against you for
religion's sake, and driven you forth from your homes, or have aided in your
expulsion; and whoever makes patrons of them, they are the unjust!
Conclusion
So when the Quran
says that we cannot be awliyaa of the disbelievers it just simply means that we cannot ally
our selves and support them against the Muslims. We cannot be friends or
supporters of those that mock our religion. There is absolutely nothing wrong
with showing kindness to those who do not fight us.
So
there you go Mr. Dallas, so if you were Muslim you would go check the Arabic
text, once doing so you would realize it does NOT say do not become friends
with Christians and Jews.
He Wrote
If I were a Muslim I would think twice about the
imam’s preaching to hate the Jews and Christians when many imams and Muslims
have never met or seen Jews or Christians.
This
is the most profound prejudice one can describe. Many Muslims who come to the
west are surprised at the friendly reception they receive. Why should you make
Mohammed’s enemies your enemies? Interestingly enough, many Muslims have found
Hindus very warm and friendly to them. They are surprised at the love and
kindness of Hindus. If I were a Muslim I would wonder about this.
My Response
Notice
how this sad missionary lumps all Imams into one basket claiming they all
preach hate towards Jews and Christians. The missionary then goes further by
saying Muslims are received warmly by Christians and Hindus implying that
Christians and others are not received warmly by Muslims. The hate from this
missionary is already coming out and he is trying to say its the Muslim who
hates! Hilarious!
You
see as I have been saying, people like this and other writers on
Answering-Islam have a severe mental disorder, and I seriously mean this, and
do not say this in a mocking fashion.
Perhaps
this missionary should go ask his preachers such as Pat Robertson why he
preaches hate against Muslims, I am sure this missionary loves Pat Robertson as
most do.
Finally,
if Christians are not received warmly by Muslims then why would western
Christian be flocking to Muslim countries?! Go look at UAE,
He Wrote
If I were a Muslim I would
want to
read the Qur’an to see what it says. Many Muslims memorize it in Arabic but do
not understand the language. What use is the Arabic if one does not understand
it? Many Muslims do not know what the Qur’an says, and are shocked to learn
that it says lots of things they question. If I were a Muslim I would want to
know these things.
Why
does one have to pray in Arabic? If God is all knowing, doesn’t He know other
languages than Arabic?
("One thing I have to make clear that when I started writing abusing retorts to these Islam-bashers in FFI, I never had read the Koran, or the Hadiths. My knowledge of Islam was from hearsay." (Source <http://www.faithfreedom.org/Testimonials/MehrAliK> )
My Response
Once
again this missionary exposes himself, just because there are Muslims out there
who do not understand the Quran and so on this missionary goes and acts like
its the end of the world! Tell me, do all Christians know the Bible? Most
certainly NOT, in fact when you tell Christians that Jesus' great grandfather
came as an act of incest between Judah and his daughter and law, the Christians
will call you a liar, however so, I am more than happy to show you the story
from the un-holy Bible:
Genesis
38:
1
And it came to pass at that time, that
12 And in process of time the daughter of Shuah
24 And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told
Now
as I said, Jesus’ lineage is a result of this. The names of the two kids who
resulted out of this sexual encounter between Judah and Tamar were Pharez and
Zarah.
Here
is Jesus’ lineage according to Matthew 1:
1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; 3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; 4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; 5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; 7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; 8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; 9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham bega