Many people who are not familiar with the Quran or did not make
a good effort to study it are confused about the issue of
befriending people from other religions. Many of them make grave judgment
on this matter.
Quran is a complete book that occasionally presents a law or
commandment over several chapters or several verses in the same chapter and
the practical part of this commandment can be achieved by understanding the
whole issue as presented over all the verses and chapters and not by upholding
only part of the Quran. God specifically warn us against doing just that,
upholding part of the Quran while disregarding the rest.
[2:85] ?. Do you believe in part of the scripture
and disbelieve in part? What should be the retribution for those among you
who do this?..
To understand the issue of befriending the Jews and
Christians , we have to study all the concerned verses together in light
of the whole Quran.
I heard many people mention 5:51 with no referral to
the rest of the verses that discuss this important issue.
[5:51] O you who believe, do not take [certain]
Jews and Christians as allies; these are allies of one another. Those among
you who ally themselves with these belong with them. GOD does not guide the
transgressors.
Now, let's look at some other verses about befriending the Jews and
the Christians, or anyone not Muslim (Submitter) for that matter.
These two verses are regulating relations with any people, regardless
of faith;
[60:8] GOD does not enjoin you from befriending
those who do not fight you because of religion, and do not evict you from
your homes. You may befriend them and be equitable towards them. GOD loves
the equitable.
[60:9] GOD enjoins you only from befriending those
who fight you because of religion, evict you from your homes, and band together
with others to banish you. You shall not befriend them. Those who befriend
them are the transgressors.
Thus, we learn that we are only enjoined from befriending those who fight
us because of religion. Let's go back to the verse immediately after 5:51,
to see if it now sheds some more light on the issue.
[5:52] You will see those who harbor doubt in their
hearts hasten to join them, saying, "We fear lest we may be defeated." May
GOD bring victory, or a command from Him, that causes them to regret their
secret thoughts.
Thus, it is clear that this is a situation when there is a division and an
overhanging conflict between the believers and the others. Otherwise, what
would be the logic behind the statement. "We fear lest we may be defeated."
In these situations those with doubts in their hearts will ally themselves
with the enemy.
5:57 makes it clear again, who are not to be taken as friends;
[5:57] 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.
God teaches us throughout the Quran that there are righteous Jews and Christians.
So, if we think we are righteous, and they are righteous, what could possibly
be the problem between us, or obstacle for us to be friends?
[7:159] Among the followers of Moses there are
those who guide in accordance with the truth, and the truth renders them
righteous.
[5:46] Subsequent to them, we sent Jesus, the son
of Mary, confirming the previous scripture, the Torah. We gave him the Gospel,
containing guidance and light, and confirming the previous scriptures, the
Torah, and augmenting its guidance and light, and to enlighten the
righteous.
[5:47] The people of the Gospel shall rule in
accordance with GOD's revelations therein. Those who do not rule in
accordance with GOD's revelations are the wicked.
[2:62 & 5:69] Surely, those who believe, those
who are Jewish, the Christians, and the converts; anyone who (1) believes
in GOD, and (2) believes in the Last Day, and (3) leads a righteous life,
will receive their recompense from their Lord. They have nothing to fear,
nor will they grieve.
[3:113-114]. They are not all the same; among the
followers of the scripture, there are those who are righteous. They recite
GOD's revelations through the night, and they fall
prostrate.
They believe in GOD and the Last Day, they
advocate righteousness and forbid evil, and they hasten to do righteous works.
These are the righteous.
[3:199] Surely, some followers of the previous
scriptures do believe in GOD, and in what was revealed to you, and
in what was revealed to them. They reverence GOD, and they never trade
away GOD's revelations for a cheap price. These will receive their
recompense from their Lord. GOD is the most efficient in
reckoning.
We learn, however, from the Quran that the Christians are closer to the believers
(submitters-Muslims) than the Jews. This is
just a statement of fact by God almighty, that we can still
witness during our time. God is the best knower of
the emotional structure of His creations and
therefore was this statement of fact in 5:82. We
can witness from the conflict in the Middle East
for example , how very emotional the Jews get and how they react to
conflicts with their friends, their enemies or even among
themselves inside Israel.
[5:82] You will find that the worst enemies of
the believers are the Jews and the idol worshipers. And you will find that
the closest people in friendship to the believers are those who say, "We
are Christian." This is because they have priests and monks among them, and
they are not arrogant.
This verse should not be used by any mean to negate the fact that
among the Jews (and Christians) will be righteous people who can
be good friends as explained in the above verses, they do
not fight us in our religion or our homes. They can be our neighbors, colleagues,
friends, co-workers...etc We will be good to them as they are
good to us. We, all the righteous people of all religions ,can make
the difference and make this world better by respecting each other,
respecting the freedom of choice of each other, and remember that we
all have the One and the same God.
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