"Auliyah" (friends, protectors, helpers)

Submitted by Lactantius Jr. (United Kingdom), Jun 21, 2008 at 12:54

Since fewer than 20% of Muslims speak Arabic, "Assessing English Translations of the Qur'an" Khaleel Mohammed http://www.meforum.org/article/717 most Muslims therefore cannot read the Qur'an, reading translations, and you assert the urgency for "Arabic native scholared in Islam to take the initiative and translate the Quran in the proper way. not according to the translation of the British or Pakistani people." (sic)

Does the translation by Dr Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al Hilali and Dr Muhammad Musin Khan foot the bill? Hilali and Khan are scholars at Islamic University, Madinah, their translation is subsidised by the Saudi Royal family, and published by the King Fahd printing complex, Madinah, "and this is the Qur'an often distributed to hajjis in Saudi Arabia." http://www.onlineislamicstore.com/nobqurarenmu.html

Hilali Khan translate Surah 5:51 as follows,

"O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliya' (friends, protectors, helpers, etc.), they are but Auliya' to one another. And if any amongst you takes them as Auliya', then surely he is one of them. Verily, Allah guides not those people who are the Zalimun" (polytheists and wrongdoers and unjust).

Bracketed terms are not part of the Qur'anic Arabic, Hilali Khan rendering Auliya' as "friends, protectors, helpers, etc.

"The Qur'an, A New Translation" by M.A.S.Abdel-Haleem, is the result of a seven-year effort by a Professor of Islamic Studies and Director of the Centre of Islamic Studies, at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. An Egyptian, educated at al-Azhar University, Cairo, a hafiz Qur'an, Abdel-Haleem makes it clear that he intends to "go further than previous works in accuracy, clarity, flow, and currency of language." ("The Qur'an, A New Translation" p.xxix) How does he translate Surah 5:51? I can't find his translation online, so if anyone reading this has a copy, please respond to my posting, so we can see his translation.

"Auliya" is the subject of a posting by ‘Muttaqun OnLine,' which makes for interesting reading, and is posted at http://muttaqun.com/auliya.html concluding among other things that,

• It is one thing to be friendly towards a non-believer, but you are commanded not to establish alliances or friendships with a non-Muslim.

• You should not refer to or think of a non-Muslim as your friend.

• The Arabic word "Auliya" is not interchangeable with "friend" in all uses of the word. Note that it translates as "friends, protectors, supporters, helpers," i.e. it is referring to a certain type of friend - the type you count on for help, support, or protection.

• You may count yourself as a friendly (kind) person to some disbelievers, but don't ever make the mistake of counting them as your friend.

• If there are no Muslims where you live, remember that Allah, swt, is your closest Auliya and Wali. To have anyone else but Allah, swt, his Messenger or the believers as Auliya, is haram.

On their exegesis of Qur'an (Hilali Khan translation) and Sunnah, do they line-up with your understanding sTs?

With kind regards and best wishes

Lactantius Jr.

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