Wallaahu a’lam (and Allah Ta’ala knows best)

Wassalaam

relating to the translation of Al-maidah : 51 that i stated previously from this link:

(http://tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=5&tid=14016)

which means:

. O you who believe! Do not take friends from the Jews and the Christians, as they are but friends of each other. And if any among you befriends them, then surely, he is one of them. Verily, Allah guides not those people who are the wrongdoers.

see the arabic word for “auliya” , it is not actually means: “friends” , it also can refer to “protectors” , “trusted guradians” and etc,

see this link:

http://www.islamnewsroom.com/content/view/95/52/

i copy paste part of it:

“O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliya(1) they are but Auliya(1) to one another. And if any amongst you takes them as Auliya(1), then surely he is one of them. Verily, Allah guides not those people who are the Zalimun(2).”

One of the many beauties of Islam is a miracle in that the Quran is still complete, whole and in the original language (Arabic) as it was when it was sent down to the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, 1,400 years ago. Another miracle of Quran is, no one can ever bring a book like it. For centuries the enemies of truth of Islam have attempted to duplicate or produce a book like it, yet they are unable to do so. The Quran is not to be translated or interpreted according to prevailing meanings or understandings of words in a given society or time frame. Rather, the Quran is to be understood first and foremost by comparing meanings within the Quran itself and then referring to the meanings offered by the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

There are verses like this in the Quran, such as in chapter 5, verse 51 (Surah Al Ma’idah, 5) clearly instructing the Muslims to avoid taking on the Jews and Christians in positions of allies thereby replacing the allegience owed to Allah (see ref. surah Baqarah, 2:257) and thereby offer confidential authority or trusted guardianship (sometimes wrongly translated as “darlings”). The word “Auliya” has been simply translated as “friends” in the past, due to a lack of exact translation to English. However, the usage of such a simplistic term would be most inadequate when other verses talking about the relationships between Muslims, Christians and Jews are taken into considerations. This naturally necessitates a more in depth explanation and understanding of the term “auliya” when used in the context of the verse or verses.

Both at the time of revelation and in modern times, we can see clear evidence of what happens to the condition of the Muslims when they turn over control of government and place total confidence of the disposition of their affairs in the hands of others. From the evidences provided by Quran in Arabic and hadith (teachings of Muhammad, peace be upon him), we conclude the best interpretation of the word “waly” is “ally” and “auliya” is “allies.” This clearly shows Muslims not to give their pledge of authority and leadership to other than Allah, even if it is to those who are the closest to the Muslims in their faith. See the reference to this relationship in surah Al Imran (3:110) and other places.

It must be mentioned however, this does not preclude assigning key positions to qualified individuals from the Jews and Christians when warranted. This is demonstrated at the time of the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and in the Islamic governments that followed after him, even up until the fall of the last Islamic empire under the Ottomans in 1922.

Wallaahu a’lam (and Allah Ta’ala knows well)

Wassalaam

Our religion is a continuation and completion of other faiths, not an eraser…

Dr. Abdul Hakim Jackson once said in his Seerah class that the Prophet (pbuh) trusted his life to a non-Muslim when he was leaving Makkah to find safety away from the people who wanted to kill him. The non-Muslim was a skillful desert guide and protected the Prophet well. Wasn’t the Prophet (pbuh) trusting and tolerant towards his guide?

Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, and India has a huge amount of Muslims as well (more than Pakistan), and both are listed as “free” countries. However saudi, iran, and iraq are listed as “not free”. You can find these values at Freedom House.

Anyway my point is: The “Muslim World” is NOT limited to the Middle East and therefore you cannot conform to the stereotype that you wrote: “There is no real Democratic Muslim government in the Muslim world. It’s all dictators or kingdoms.”

less than 20% of the Muslims live in the Middle East. Why are you neglecting the other 80%??

Please consult Rashad before you make posts like this.

We need to put our faith in Allah and not on who is elected in some country.
I pray to Allah that Muslims gain honor and justice (from Allah and Allah alone) Ameen.

P.S. and it really seems to me if our brother Malik El-Shabaz was still alive he would call Obama a House slave. but that is my opinion.

WRITE IN RON PAUL!!!

To vote or not to vote.

I don’t think there’s much dispute amongst Muslims about McCain or Obama. I’m certain most Muslim Americans who decide to vote will vote for Obama.

Rajiv, your point is clear, and I agree with you 99%. I don’t believe that voting for a Christian or Jewish politician makes us their friend. I’m certainly neither of their friends.

As for choosing a leader, your point is valid for those living in Muslim countries. While I don’t suggest anyone do anything against their government, tyrannical or not, we Muslims in America have no ability to choose our leaders here or anywhere else via Islamic means.

To say we should do things Islamically when the options don’t exist is pointless. Then to say that if we can’t we should just leave the entire thing alone.

How can I do that? My country is responsible for the deaths of thousands of Muslims. My country is currently violating the rights of hundreds of innocent AMERICAN citizens, many of them Muslims. My country is spying and eavesdropping on Muslims and non-Muslims here in America and abroad.

How can I just sit here and not do anything? Not even vote for someone who at least promises to correct some of these wrongs.

If I lived in a Muslim country that did not run the government in an Islamic manner, I probably would divorce myself from the entire process. But I don’t.

I live in a country where I am a minority within a minority. So I have double the risk of oppression, suspicion, and false imprisonment.

I’m not advocating voting. I’m just totally against “doing nothing”

And Allah knows best.