Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

one of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Burhan Bhai

I was going through some of the websites that have the translation of Quran and there were few verses that I have noted , that contradict each other. They are regarding the Jews and the Christians. In the current scenario , when the whole world is looking towards Muslims and Islam as aggressors, isnt it confusing and convey the wrong meaning? I may be wrong in the interpretaion of the translations. Please throw some light on them.

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"Verily, those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve" (Surat Al-Baqarah 2:62).

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"0 ye who believe (Muslims) take not the Jews or the Christians for your friends and protectors. They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he among you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them"

(Surat AI-Maidah 5:51).

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Answer:

Contradiction in the Quran

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The first thing to understand well is that there are absolutely no contradictions in the Holy Quran, as declared by Allah Himself in the following verse:

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 82:Do they not ponder over the Quran? Had it been from any other than Allah, surely there would have been many contradictions in it.

Ref: Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 62:

"Verily, those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve"

If the above aayah is read in context of the preceding and following verses, it clearly shows that here it is not intended to lay down the details of the creeds which one should follow and practice, to achieve salvation in the Hereafter. The object is to remove the self-deception of the Jews, that salvation was their sole monopoly, irrespective of their deeds; simply because they were Jews, and that all the other people who were non-Jews, were born to become fuel for Hell. To remove this mis-understanding, it is being stated here that Allah does not reward you because you belong to a clan or a group, but what He recognizes and rewards is man’s true belief in Allah and the Last Day, and good righteous deeds. Whosoever goes before his Lord with these provisions will certainly get his due rewards from Him. Allah’s judgment will be based on the quality of one’s works, and not on the census registers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Al Baqarah verse 111-112:The (Jews and Christians) say: “None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian.” These are their wishful fancies! Say to them, “Bring your evidence if you are right in your claim!”. The fact is that no one has any special claim to Paradise! Whoever surrenders himself to Allah in obedience, and is a doer of good deeds, shall have his reward with His Lord. There shall be neither fear nor grief for such people.

Ref: Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 51:

"0 ye who believe (Muslims) take not the Jews or the Christians for your friends and protectors. They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he among you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them"

The verse you have quoted is not complete and its ends with the phrase: Indeed, Allah deprives the wrong-doers of His Guidance.

The topic and context of the above aayah of Surah Maidah is different from the one you quoted from Surah Baqarah. Here friendship does not mean the normal good relations which the believers are duty-bound to keep with his fellow human beings, irrespective of their beliefs. But here what is stressed, is that a believer should not give preference to his friendship with the Jews and the Christians over Islam and the believers. It does not behove a believer, who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day, to befriend the disbelievers against the believers and Islam.

In today’s context, this aayah has proved absolutely true! If you see the world stage today, the Jews and the Christians are indeed the friends of each other, and have combined their powers together to try and hurt the cause of Islam. And Allah warns that those muslims who befriend them, and prefer their friendship and protection (for their own political and paltry material gains), and join them in their mission to hurt the cause of Islam; will indeed be counted by Allah to be amongst them! These people are the ones whom Allah has deprived of His Guidance, therefore they have turned to the disbelievers to help and protect them in preference to Allah, Islam, and the believers.

Thus brother, there is absolutely no contradiction nor conflict between the above two aayahs. The context, the admonition, and the lessons to be learnt from the above two quoted aayahs are completely different. One shows the qualities which are required for salvation, and the other warns the supposed muslims who take the disbelievers as their friends and helpers against the believers.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan