To Asharaf:The context gambit all over again.

Submitted by Plato (India), Sep 4, 2007 at 10:10

Context is the brand name of the attar (perfume) used by Muslims to camouflage the odour given out by many verses of the Koran. Someone on this board fishes out a verse that stinks to high heaven and Muslims immediately reach for their bottles of "context" and spray it liberally on those verses.

Before you rushed to spray context on the verses I have quoted you should done a little research into what I quoted and yours. It is easy. Just go to http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/ for plenty of information. I have picked out comments by Maududi available at this site.

005.051 YUSUFALI: O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust.

Surah 5: The theme of this Surah indicates, and traditions support it, that it was revealed after the treaty of Hudaibiyah at the end of 6 A. H. or in the beginning of 7 A. H. That is why it deals with those problems that

003.028 : Let not the believers Take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than believers: if any do that, in nothing will there be help from Allah: except by way of precaution, that ye may Guard yourselves from them. But Allah cautions you (To remember) Himself; for the final goal is to Allah.

003.118 I: O ye who believe! Take not into your intimacy those outside your ranks: They will not fail to corrupt you. They only desire your ruin: Rank hatred has already appeared from their mouths: What their hearts conceal is far worse. We have made plain to you the Signs, if ye have wisdom.

This Surah 3 consists of four discourses The first discourses :-

The first discourse (vv. 1-32) was probably revealed soon after the Battle of Badr. (2 A.H.)

The second discourse (vv. 33-63) was revealed in 9 A. H. on the occasion of the visit of the deputation from the Christians of Najran.

The third discourse (vv. 64-120) appears to have been revealed immediately after the first one

009.023 : O ye who believe! take not for protectors your fathers and your brothers if they love infidelity above Faith: if any of you do so, they do wrong.

Surah 9: The first discourse (vv. 1-37), was revealed in Zil-Qa'adah A. H. 9 or thereabout.

060.008 : Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loveth those who are just.

060.009 : Allah only forbids you, with regard to those who fight you for (your) Faith, and drive you out of your homes, and support (others) in driving you out, from turning to them (for friendship and protection). It is such as turn to them (in these circumstances), that do wrong.

The Surah (60) deals with two incidents, the time of the occurrence of which is well known historically. The first relates to Hadrat Hatib bin Abz Balta'a, who, a little before the conquest of Makkah, had sent a secret letter to the Quraish chiefs informing them of the Holy Prophet's intention to attack them. The second relates to the Muslim women, who had started emigrating from Makkah to Madinah, after the conclusion of the Truce of Hudaibiyah, and the problem arose whether they also were to be returned to the disbelievers, like the Muslim men, according to the conditions of the Truce. The mention of these two things absolutely determines that this Surah came down during the interval between the Truce of Hudaibiyah and the Conquest of Makkah ( i.e. between 6 A.H and 8 A.H.)

Assuming Maududi's estimation of the time when the suras were revealed is correct we find 5:51, 33:28 and 3:118 condedmning any relationship with unbelievers is between 2 AH and 7 AH. Allah allowing relationships with unbelievers is revealed somewhere between 6 and 8 AH.

Allah has the habit of abrogating his own words once in a while for he said: 002.106: None of Our revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but We substitute something better or similar: Knowest thou not that Allah Hath power over all things?

If it is accepted that verses 60: 8-9 were revealed in 8 AH it means Allah has managed to abrogate all the verses calling for enmity between Muslims and infidels. But if these verses were reveled in early 6 AH then they abrogate only 3:28 and 3:118 leaving 5:51 still in force as it at the end of 6 AH or early 7 AH.

This of course, provided you believe in the theory of abrogation (2:106 is compelling). You will be forced accept that 33:28, 3:118 and 5:51 are redundant verses. (The number of times Allah changed his own words is an interesting study by itself). On the other hand if you believe in a kind of democratic principle then the ones forbidding relationships with infidels outnumber ones allowing it by 3 to 2.

You also have to deal with 9:23 which forbids relationships even with parents and siblings who are unbelievers. This verse is revealed after the verses allowing friendship with infidels. If you cannot even befriend your own near and dear ones who are unbelievers can you expect that Allah will be happy if you befriend others??

So what should Muslims really do? Should they frown or smile at unbelievers???

>>The verse quoted by Plato is not a general statement. It refers to those who fight againts Muslims.

The General advice by Quran to Muslims can be seen below (in 60:8-9)<<

You have not explained why 60:8-9 are general advice whereas 9:23 and the others frowning on friendships with infidels are specific. If the fatwas against Muslims living in foreign countries befriending unbelievers is anything to go by then Islamic scholars understand the Koran very differently from you.

You can of course again bring in the context perfume and say this refers only to relative who are fighting the Muslims. You should then ask what kind of a religion is that makes its followers fight their own parents and siblings for its greater glory.

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