Hi Jimmy (brother???)
Sura 9:23 like many Sura translations in English is an incomplete translation of the word friend. The word translated ‘friend’ in that passage is incorrect. In the original Arabic Quran the term friend in that verse means 'political allies and to follow the same moral code. In other words not to affiliate politically or morally but association and friendship are permitted. The Covenant of Muhammad to the Christians speak so highly of Christians that He says if they are harmed in any way Muslims are to be expelled from their Faith. Try and obtain a copy if you can. I have it on Kindle iPad app.
So sura 9:23 if you read many different English translations you will find ‘allies’ not friends translated correctly. It is those mistranslations which are used to attack Islam on various websites but quoting a few other translations clears the matter up so have a look at other English translations don’t take my word for it.
Sura 48:29 is again a sura taken out of context by most to try and imply what it doesn’t imply.
The entire Quran tells Muslims to turn away and fight those ‘who attack and oppress thrm first’ not friends and allies see sura 2:190. The term ‘unbelievers’ in the Quran is overly respectful because it is referring to attackers, oppressors, murderers, serial rapists and barbarous behaviour not your average blue collar New York office worker.
We must look at the,Quran what environment it came to. The Arabian Peninsula was a violent unruly place where the first born, if it was a girl, was buried in the sand alive. Refer to history of that time. Don’t take my word for these things. It was a place of barbaric crime.
If you read the Covenants of Muhammad to the Christians you will see just how much Christians are not only seen as sincere but how Muhammad expected them to be treated. He told Muslims to help Christians build their churches!!!
But after Muhammad died and the Umayyaids and Abbasids got a hold of power they used His religion to conquer and destroy for wealth and power against the Quran. They used and made up ‘sayings’ or Hadiths to whip up war and it is these violent Hadiths which form no true part of Islam and must be destroyed for Islam to be cleansed.
Muslims are told even to do good to those they capture in war and they can marry them too.
And do good unto your parents, and near of kin, and unto orphans, and the needy, and the neighbour from among your own people, and the neighbour who is a stranger,and the friend by your side, and the wayfarer, and those whom you rightfully possess.
When studying the quran one should keep in mind the meaning of word or words.
You say “Sura 48:29 is again a sura taken out of context by most to try and imply what it doesn’t imply.
The entire Quran tells Muslims to turn away and fight those ‘who attack and oppress thrm first’ not friends and allies see sura 2:190. The term ‘unbelievers’ in the Quran is overly respectful because it is referring to attackers, oppressors, murderers, serial rapists and barbarous behaviour not your average blue collar New York office worker.”
But your word “attack” and if we look up the word “attacker” in islam terms its…
Who is an attacker?
According to the jurists an attacker (Muharib) is one who carries weapons; like sword, spear, dagger, gun, wood, stone etc. to frighten the Muslims and rob them of their wealth or shed their blood. It is immaterial whether he does it alone or with a group of people or whether he succeeds in his aim or not. That is, whether people get frightened or not, or whether he takes their wealth or not, whether he kills them or not, if he carries a weapon he is an attacker. And it makes no difference whether he is on the seas or land, in a city and a crowded place, or in a desert like a wanderer; or whether he carries the weapon during day or at night and whether he enters the Muslims’ houses forcefully and attacks them, in all cases he is a Muharib (attacker)
Creating mischief in the land and disturbing peace or spreading fear or using weapons to kill or threaten people makes one an attacker.
In short a Muharib is one who attacks the life and property of Muslims using weapons and one who destroys peace and harmony.
Can the Golden Rule be seen in verse such as these…
Sahih International 3:110
“You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah . If only the People of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient.”
Sahih International 9:30
"The Jews say, "Ezra is the son of Allah “; and the Christians say, “The Messiah is the son of Allah .” That is their statement from their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved [before them]. May Allah destroy them; how are they deluded?”