Contrast these verses with that of 5:48, 2:62, 5:69
The consistency among these seemed contradictory verses lies in the context and interpretations.
4. Sura an-Nisa
Medina 92 [Hijra 4]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
الَّذِينَ
يَتَّخِذُونَ
الْكَافِرِينَ
أَوْلِيَاء
مِن دُونِ
الْمُؤْمِنِينَ...
4: 139. Yea, to those who take for friends unbelievers rather than believers:
... أَيَبْتَغُونَ عِندَهُمُ الْعِزَّةَ فَإِنَّ العِزَّةَ لِلّهِ جَمِيعًا ﴿١٣٩﴾
is it honor they seek among them?
Nay, all honor is with Allah.
C648. If the motive is some advantage, some honour, -the fountain of all good is Allah.
How can it really be expected from those who deny Faith?
And if there is some show of worldly honour, what is it worth against the contempt they earn in the next world?
إِنَّ
الْمُنَافِقِينَ
يُخَادِعُونَ
اللّهَ وَهُوَ
خَادِعُهُمْ
...
4: 142. The Hypocrites, they think they are over-reaching Allah, but He will over-reach them:
... وَإِذَا قَامُواْ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ قَامُواْ كُسَالَى يُرَآؤُونَ النَّاسَ ...
when they stand up to prayer, they stand without earnestness, to be seen of men,
... وَلاَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللّهَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً ﴿١٤٢﴾
but little do they hold Allah in remembrance.
مُّذَبْذَبِينَ
بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ
لاَ إِلَى هَـؤُلاء
وَلاَ إِلَى
هَـؤُلاء...
4: 143. (They are) distracted in mind even in the midst of it, being (sincerely) for neither one group nor for another.
... وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ سَبِيلاً ﴿١٤٣﴾
Whom Allah leaves straying, never wilt thou find for him the way.
C651. If we choose evil deliberately and double our guilt by fraud and deception, we do not deceive Allah, but we deceive ourselves. We deprive ourselves of the Grace of Allah, and are left straying away from the Path. In that condition who can guide us or show us the Way?
Our true and right instincts become blunted: our fraud makes us unstable in character; when our fellow-men find out our fraud, any advantages we may have gained by the fraud are lost; and we become truly distracted in mind.
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ ...
4: 144. O ye who believe!
... لاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ الْكَافِرِينَ أَوْلِيَاء مِن دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ...
take not for friends unbelievers rather than believers:
... أَتُرِيدُونَ أَن تَجْعَلُواْ لِلّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَانًا مُّبِينًا ﴿١٤٤﴾
do ye wish to offer Allah an open proof against yourselves?
إِنَّ
الْمُنَافِقِينَ
فِي الدَّرْكِ
الأَسْفَلِ
مِنَ النَّارِ
...
4: 145. The hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the fire:
... وَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ نَصِيرًا ﴿١٤٥﴾
no helper wilt thou find for them.
4: 139 [ in the context of war]
Asad As for those who take the deniers of the truth for their allies in preference to the believers – do they hope to be honored by them when, behold, all honor belongs to God [alone]?
Yusuf Ali Yea to those who take for friends unbelievers rather than believers: is it honor they seek among them? Nay all honor is with Allah.
Pickthall Those who choose disbelievers for their friends instead of believers! Do they look for power at their hands? Lo! all power appertaineth to Allah.
Allazina yattakhizu_nal ka_firina aulaya_'a min du_nil mu'minin(a), ayabtagu_na 'indahumul 'izzata fa innal 'izzata lilla_hi jami'a_(n).
[[Asad’s note 154 – See 3:28, However, the term “allies” (awliya, sing wali) does not indicate, in this context, merely political alliances. More than anything else, it obviously alludes to a “moral alliance” with the deniers of the truth: ………………]]
[[ Ruby’s note – The context of these verses is war and possibility of war. Therefore these verses need to be understood from that context. The highest alliance is with God in complying with His moral law. A believer’s purpose of life, honor and dignity all should emanate from this idea. In another word our dignity and highest honor comes from complying with God’s law and serving Him. Other things that seem to give worldly recognition and honor before a society and/or individual are actually meaningless and not important. Often we humans in course of life get impressed and overwhelmed by worldly position and status, we feel we are uplifted by achieving these ourselves or trying to associate us with the individuals, offices, or ideas that has social recognition and standing. However, if these are coming from the people and/or institution which deny God, these are worthless because these deny the most important truth, and therefore all their doings and thinking are based on falsehood and wrong understanding. Associating with these seemingly glorified ideas and/or people in the society is absolutely wrong and fruitless. A believer’s dignity and honor come from following the law of God and serving Him even thought, sometime, that may not have social recognition.]]
4: 142
Asad Behold, the hypocrites seek to deceive God the while it is He who causes them to be deceived [by themselves] [note 158]. And when they rise to pray, they rise reluctantly, only to be seen and praised by men, remembering God but seldom,
Pickthall Lo! the hypocrites seek to beguile Allah, but it is Allah who beguileth them. When they stand up to worship they perform it languidly and to be seen of men, and are mindful of Allah but little;
Transliteration n). nnal muna_fiqina yukha_di'u_nalla_ha wa huwa kha_di'uhum, wa iza_ qa_mu_ ilas sala_ti qa_mu_ kusa_la_, yura_'u_nan na_sa wa la_ yazkuru_nalla_ha illa_ qalila_(m),
4: 143
Asad wavering between this and that, [true] neither to these not those. But for him whom God lets go astray you can never find any way.
Pickthall Swaying between this (and that), (belonging) neither to these nor to those. He whom Allah causeth to go astray, thou (O Muhammad) wilt not find a way for him:
Transliteration Muzabzabina baina za_lik(a), la_ ila_ ha_ ula_'i wa la_ ila_ ha_ ula_'(i), wa may yudlililla_hu falan tajida laha_ sabila_(
4: 144
Pickthall O ye who believe! Choose not disbelievers for (your) friends in place of believers. Would ye give Allah a clear warrant against you?
Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhal lazina a_manu_ la_ tattakhizul ka_firina auliya_'a min du_nil mu'minin(a), aturidu_na an taj'alu_ lilla_hi 'alaikum sulta_nam mubina_(n).
4: 145
Pickthall Lo! the hypocrites (will be) in the lowest deep of the fire, and thou wilt find no helper for them;
Transliteration Innal muna_fiqina fid darkil asfali minan na_r(i), wa lan tajida lahum
[[ Ruby’s note – The people whom should not be take as friends are the ones described fully in the next two verses: they have absolutely evil characters who do not have any trust in God and they seek to achieve security through compromising principles and betray believers.
===================================
5. Surah al-Maida, Medina 112
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ لاَ
تَتَّخِذُواْ
الْيَهُودَ
وَالنَّصَارَى
أَوْلِيَاء...
5: 51. O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors:
C764. That is, look not to them for help and comfort. They are more likely to combine against you than to help you. And this happened more than once in the lifetime of the Prophet, and in after-ages again and again.
He who associates with them and shares their counsels must be counted as of them. The trimmer loses whichever way the wheel of fortune turns.
... بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاء بَعْضٍ...
they are but friends and protectors to each other.
... وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ...
And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them.
... إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿٥١﴾
Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust.
فَتَرَى
الَّذِينَ فِي
قُلُوبِهِم
مَّرَضٌ يُسَارِعُونَ
فِيهِمْ ...
5: 52. Those in whose heart is a disease, thou seest how eagerly they run about amongst them,
C765. Cf. 2:10.
يَقُولُونَ نَخْشَى أَن تُصِيبَنَا دَآئِرَةٌ...
saying: "We do fear lest a change of fortune bring us disaster."
... فَعَسَى اللّهُ أَن يَأْتِيَ بِالْفَتْحِ أَوْ أَمْرٍ مِّنْ عِندِهِ ...
Ah! perhaps Allah will give (thee) victory, or a decision according to His Will.
... فَيُصْبِحُواْ عَلَى مَا أَسَرُّواْ فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ نَادِمِينَ ﴿٥٢﴾
Then will they repent of the thoughts which they secretly harbored in their hearts.
وَيَقُولُ
الَّذِينَ
آمَنُواْ أَهَـؤُلاء
الَّذِينَ
أَقْسَمُواْ
بِاللّهِ جَهْدَ
أَيْمَانِهِمْ
إِنَّهُمْ
لَمَعَكُمْ...
5: 53. And those who believe will say:
"Are these the men who swore their strongest oaths by Allah, that they were with you?"
C766. The Hypocrites, while matters were doubtful, pretended to be with Muslims, but were in league with their enemies. When matters came to a decision and Allah granted victory to Islam, their position was awkward.
They were not only disowned by the Muslims, but the Muslims could well say in reproach to their enemies:
"Are these the men who swore friendship for you?
What was their friendship worth to you?
Where are they now?".
... حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَأَصْبَحُواْ خَاسِرِينَ ﴿٥٣﴾
All that they do will be in vain, and they will fall into (nothing but) ruin.
Other Versions:
5: 51 [al-Maidah, Madina 112, One of the Last Chapters of Revelation]
Asad 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 [note 72]– and whoever of you allies himself with them becomes, verily, one of them: behold, God does not guide such evildoers [note 73].
Pickthall O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and Christians for friends. They are friends one to another. He among you who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Lo! Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.
Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhal lazina a_manu_ la_ tattakhizul yahu_da wan nasa_ra_ auliya_'(a), ba'duhum auliya_'u ba'd(in), wa may yatawallahum minkum fa innahu_ minhum, innalla_ha la_ yahdil qaumaz za_limin(a).
5: 52
Pickthall And thou seest those in whose heart is a disease race toward them, saying: We fear lest a change of fortune befall us. And it may happen that Allah will vouchsafe (unto thee) the victory, or a commandment from His presence. Then will they repent of their secret thoughts.
Transliteration Fataral lazina fi qulu_bihim maraduy yusa_ri'u_na fihim yaqu_lu_na nakhsya_ an tusibana_ da_'irah(tun), fa 'asalla_hu ay ya'tiya bil fathi au amrim min 'indihi fa yusbihu_'ala_ ma_ asarru_ fi anfusihim na_dimin(a).
5: 53
Pickthall Then will the believers say (unto the people of the Scripture): Are these they who swore by Allah their most binding oaths that they were surely with you? Their works have failed, and they have become the losers.
Transliteration Wa yaqu_lul lazina a_manu_ aha_'ula_'il lazina aqsamu_ billa_hi jahda aima_nihim, innahum lama'akum, habitat a'ma_luhum fa asbahu_ kha_sirin(a).
[[ Ruby’s note – None of the following explanations carry some fundamental characteristics of those with whom the allegiance is prohibited.
Among these characteristics are that these people are “evildoers” or “unjust” [verse 51], these are the people whose faith is feeble, in their hear is a disease, and out of fear ready to compromise their principles and values, and who harbor hateful or wrong thoughts in their hearts [verse 52], and those who were true hypocrites [verse 53]. These repugnant people are not exclusive to any particular faith but transcends in humanity, the Quran as it is in other places giving an example but not exclusivity to these characteristics. These are the people that existed among the Jews and the Christians and the hypocrites among the Muslims at the time of this revelation. The Quran sometime gives injunctions or exhortations in regards to an example of the broader category of people in humanity but that does not constitute exclusivity. It is just a matter of the context.
The key word here is “alliance”, often in the Quran this word “ auliya” is expressed as allegiance. Therefore allegiance to wrong things and people constitute wrong doings. The highest allegiance is to God and His moral Law. ]]
[[ Asad’s note 72 - ….and cannot, therefore, be expected to be really friendly towards the followers of the Quran. See also 8:73, and the corresponding note.
73 – Lit., “the evildoing folk”: i.e., those who deliberately sin in this respect. 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 Quranic terminology – “allies himself” with, non-Muslims……….
74- Lit., “vie with one another concerning them” – the pronoun referring to the hostile Jews and Christians, for whose good-will the hypocrites within the Muslim community vie with one another by trying to imitate their way of life.]]
[[ Ali’s notes - 764 That is, look not to them for help and comfort. They are more likely to combine against you than to help you. And this happened more than once in the lifetime of the Prophet, and in after-ages again and again. He who associates with them and shares their counsels must be counted as of them. The trimmer loses whichever way the wheel of fortune turns. (5.51)
765 Cf. ii. 10. (5.52)
766 The Hypocrites, while matters were doubtful, pretended to be with Muslims, but were in league with their enemies. When matters came to a decision and Allah granted victory to Islam, their position was awkward. They were not only disowned by the Muslims, but the Muslims could well say in reproach to their enemies: "Are these the men who swore friendship for you? What was their friendship worth to you? Where are they now?" (5.53) ]]