By: David Dakake
“Qur’an (5:51): “O, you who believe, do not take Jews and Christians as awliya’. They are awliya’ to one another, and the one among you who turns to them is of them. Truly, God does not guide wrongdoing folk.” The word awliya’ (sing. “wali”), which we left above in the original Arabic, has been commonly translated into English as “friends.” Given this translation, the verse appears to be a very clear statement opposing “normative” or “kindly relations” between Muslims and Jews and Christians, however, when we look at the traditional Quranic commentaries of Medieval times, which discuss the events surrounding the revelation of this verse, the modern translation becomes suspect.”
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