Can Muslims keep Non-Muslims as Friends - Dr Zakir Naik

Can Muslims keep Non-Muslims as Friends - Dr Zakir Naik

RMNS-4

And there is a verse of the Qur’an which many of the Muslims they misunderstand.

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Nisa ch. no. 4 verse no. 144 where Allah says “Ya ayyuha allazeena amanoo” “O you have believe, take not for Auliya the unbelievers in preference to the believers.”

And many of the translations, they translate the Arabic word ‘Auliya’ as ‘friends’. So the translation reads that “O you who believe do not take for friends unbelievers in preference to believers.”

which I feel it’s a wrong translation, the correct translation is the word ‘Auliya’ should be translated as someone who is a protector. So the right translation is that “Ya ayyuha allazeena amanoo”, “O you who believe do not take for protectors, unbelievers in preference to believers. Do not take for protectors non-Muslims in preference to Muslims.”

And the same message is repeated in Surah Maidah ch. No. 5 verse no. 57 and 58 that

“O you who believe do not take for friends and protectors those who make a mockery of your religion or take it as a sport.”

That means all those non-Muslims who take your Deen as a mockery don’t make friendship with them nor go to them for protection. These verses of the Qur’an are very clear but otherwise keeping acquaintship with a non-Muslim, keeping normal friendship with a non-Muslim is no problem at all.

Under normal circumstances we should treat the non-Muslims with justice and kindness. In fact I say we should go a step further so that they are impressed with our religion, they are impressed with our Deen and you can find several examples in the life history of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), several. You can give a talk only on giving examples how the Prophet dealt with the non-Muslims. And many of us are aware of that incident where a non-Muslim he enters the mosque of the prophet and he urinates. The Sahabas are irritated, they want to teach the non-Muslim a lesson but the Prophet, he stops them and he says be calm, get some water and wash the floor, that’s it.

We know of the famous incidence whenever Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), used to walk there was a non-Muslim lady who used to throw dirt on the Prophet, everyday. Whenever he used to walk the non-Muslim lady used to throw dirt. One day when the Prophet walks below the house of that lady no dirt falls on him so he’s surprised. He goes to her house to find out why was no dirt thrown today. And he realizes that she was sick and he prays for her Shifa and that non-Muslim lady she is so impressed with the Prophet that she accepts Islam.

We have the example in the Seerah of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) that there was a Jew by the name of Zaid. The Prophet had borrowed some money from him. But before the time was dew that Jew, he comes to the prophet and he demands for the money back and he is rude. He speaks rudely to the Prophet that give my money back! And the time was not yet up. Hazart Umar R.A. he gets angry and he says “O enemy of God had it not been for the treaty between the Muslims and the Jews I would have chopped off your head for speaking to the Prophet like that.”

Hazrat Umar R.A. we know that he was a man of justice. He gets irritated, how could someone speak to the Prophet of Allah like that. The Prophet immediately intervenes and he tells Hazrat Umar (r.a.)that be calm, he tells Hazrat Umar (r.a.) that give this Jew his money back and to it the ...