The ayah that is often cited to support the claim that Muslims should not befriend Christians an Jews:
"O you who believe, do not take Jews and Christians as patrons; they are patrons of each other. Whoever amongst you affiliates with them, he is one of them. God does not guide the folk who do wrong." [5:51]
Does this really mean that Muslims now should not take Christians and Jewsa s "friends"?
The word "awliyaa" in Arabic, translated as "friends" in the ayah must first of all be differentiated from "asdiqaa" or "ashab" which means friends. "Awliyaa" rather means "allies, guardians", etc.
Occasion of Revelation
[size=14]‘Atiyyah al-‘Awfi said,
“‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit went to see the Prophet and asked him, ‘O Messenger of Allah! I have numerous clients from amongst the Jews, who are ever ready to support me. However, I stand before Allah and His Messenger to absolve myself from the guardianship of the Jews. And I turn, instead, to Allah and His Messenger’.
Hearing this, ‘Abd Allah ibn Ubayy said, ‘I am a man who fears the turn of events and will not absolve myself from the guardianship of the Jews’.
The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, then said, ‘O Abu’l-Hubab, that which you reserve to yourself of the guardianship of the Jews apart from ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit is all yours and none of it is his’.
He said: ‘I accept’.
And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed about the two of them: (O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for friends. They are friends one to another) up to His saying (And thou seest those in whose heart is a disease) [5:52], i.e. ‘Abd Allah ibn Ubayy (race toward them) for support (saying: We fear lest a change of fortune befall us)”.
This was a time when the some Jews were hostile to the Prophet, pbuh, and they breached their treaties with him and allied with the polytheistic against Muslims. Hence to rely on them for securing worldly gain was a foolish act because they were not reliable. Besides, it was a situation where there was a clash on interests between the general interest of Muslims and what the Jews were doing then.
Does this mean that Muslims should apply this ayah blindly in their daily relations with Christians and Jews if the same circumstances do not hold?
More:
http://www.islamicity.com/Articles/articles.asp?ref=IC0608-3072
Fri Jul 08, 2011 2:46 am