Please accept my apologies for the late reply. I often find myself promising to answer in detail without execution. I hope to change this habit with the following post:
I also agree with your interpretation of the relevant verses form Quran. However, the Quran is not hostile towards the christians but it certainly is towards the yahood., zionist or not.
Atomic Chicken and Canaan, I understand you were both eager for my take on certain Ayahs, in particular the ayah that is often presented – by ignorant Muslims and anti-Islamic individuals alike – to mean that we as Muslims CANNOT befriend Jews and Christians whoever they may be, good or bad. Here is the verse:
O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for your allies: they are but allies of one another and whoever of you allies himself with them becomes, verily, one of them; behold, God does not guide people who are unjust. (Quran 5:51)
There are several renderings for this verse, some interpret the part “
your allies” as “
friends and protectors”:
“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 Allah guideth not a people unjust.”
In reality, both renderings are problematic as they fail to translate correctly the message of the Qur’an as revealed in Arabic. When analysing the Qur’an, we do not just take one verse about a subject in order to derive from it understanding. We must analyse the message in its entirety.
So, is Surah 5 of the Qur’an referring to all Jews and all Christians? Is it referring to these Jews and Christians too?:
Of the people of Moses there is a section who guide and do justice in the light of truth. (Quran 7:159)
Verily, those who have attained to faith [in this divine writ], as well as those who follow the Jewish faith, and the Christians, and the Sabians - all who believe in God and the Last Day and do righteous deeds-shall have their reward with their Sustainer; and no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve. (Quran 2:62)
Not all of them are alike: Of the People of the Book are a portion that stand (For the right): They rehearse the Signs of God all night long, and they prostrate themselves in adoration. They believe in God and the Last Day; they enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong; and they hasten (in emulation) in (all) good works: They are in the ranks of the righteous. (Quran 3:113-114)
And there are, certainly, among the People of the Book, those who believe in God, in the revelation to you, and in the revelation to them, bowing in humility to God. They will not sell the Signs of God for a miserable gain! For them is a reward with their Lord, and God is swift in account. (Quran 3:199)
These 4 sections from the Qur’an (
2:62,
3:113-114,
3:199,
7:159) all speak of Jews, Christians and indeed people of other faiths in a very good light. Add to that the fact that a Muslim man can marry a Jewish lady, or a Christian Lady.
To interpret therefore, surah 5:51 of the Qur’an, to mean that we as Muslims cannot befriend
all Jews and all Christians, in the light of the evidences presented, is incorrect. The ayah, when analysed in Arabic, tells us that there is a specific category of Jews and Christians with whom friendly ties and alliances, is strictly forbidden – and this is where a great miracle of the Qur’an is prevalent.
When analysed in Arabic, ayah 5:51 of the Quran qualifies and outlines the category from amongst the Jews and Christians with whom it has been made
Haraam for Muslims to form alliances – and they are “
such Jews and Such Christians who are allies of one another”.
Throughout history, the Jews and the Christians have been at loggerheads, especially during the era of Qur’anic revelation. The Jews accused Hazrat Mary of being unchaste (nauzabullah) and the Christians accused the Jews of killing Jesus (upon him be peace) himself.
The hatred between the Jews and the Christians was so prevalent, that upon the Christian conquest of Muslim Spain, the Christians issued a decree (
Alhambra decree) demanding the expulsion of Jews from Christian territories.
For the Qur’an therefore, to predict a time where the Jews and Christians would form alliances is truly remarkable. The Christian-Zionist and Jewish-Zionist movements are a recent phenomena, and we as Muslims are forbidden to form alliances with such Jews and Such Christians.
The Qur’an sums it up in the following verse:
God only forbids you to turn in friendship towards such as fight against you because of [your] faith, and drive you forth from your homelands, or aid [others] in driving you forth: and as for those [from among you] who turn towards them in friendship; it is they, they who are truly wrongdoers! (Quran 60:9)
We as Muslims can never be friends with, for example, Israel. we are one ummah. However, we can befriend those who do not oppress the Muslims:
As for such [of the unbelievers] as do not fight against you on account of [your] faith, and neither drive you forth from your homelands, God does not forbid you to show them kindness and to behave towards them with full equity: for, verily, God loves those who act equitably. (Quran 60:8)
Shaykh Imran Hosein, who now lives in Trinidad, addresses this ayah in the following lecture:
The Gold Dinar - Islam and Future of Money
Watch from 3 minutes onwards (the lecure is about money – I highly recommend it)
Have a nice day