The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 348
CH. 5 AL-MA'IDAH PT. 6 أَفَحُكْمَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ وَمَنْ Do they then seek the. 51 judgement of the days of أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللهِ حُكْمَا لِقَوْمٍ يُوْقِنُونَ & Ignorance? And who is better than Allah as a Judge for a people who have firm faith?682 R. 8. 52. O ye who believe! "take not the Jews and the Christians for b MJUKU يَايُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا وَالنَّصْرَى أَوْلِيَاء بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ friends. They are friends one وَمَنْ يَّتَوَلَّهُم مِّنْكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُم إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الظَّلِمِينَ to another. And whoso among you takes them for friends is indeed one of them. Verily, Allah guides not the unjust people. 683 "3:29, 119; 4:145; 5:58; 60:10. (on account of) is a particle used to give a number of meanings. Here it signifies "because of" or "on account of" (Lane). Commentary: The words, they cause thee to fall into affliction on account of part of what Allah has revealed to thee, mean that the cause of the enmity and hatred of the disbelievers for the Holy Prophet is the revelation which God has sent down to him. His enemies hatch plots against him and seek to involve him in trouble because some parts of his teachings are particularly repugnant to them, running counter to their most cherished views. 682. Important Words: (judgement) gives a number of meanings including judgement, rule, jurisdiction, dominion, government, ordinance, decree, law; also predica- ment (Lane). See also 2:130; 3:8; 4:36. 788 683. Commentary: The verse should not be construed to prohibit or discourage just or benevolent treatment of Jews, Christians and other disbelievers. Elsewhere, the Quran says: Allah forbids you not respecting those who have not fought against you on account of your religion and who have not driven you forth from your homes, that you be kind to them and act equitably towards them; surely Allah loves those who are equitable (60:9). Thus it is only those Jews or Christians who are at war with Muslims whom the Quran forbids to be taken for friends. Moreover, the word W (friends) signifies not only friends but helpers and protectors also, and may thus be rendered as "protecting friends"; and surely Muslims cannot take Jews and Christians as their protecting friends.