Quote:
{2:120} And never will the Jews or the Christians approve of you until you follow their religion. Say, "Indeed, the guidance of God is the [only] guidance." If you were to follow their desires after what has come to you of knowledge, you would have against God no protector or helper.
Two comments regarding the italicized words:
The Arabic does not refer to the "religion" of the Jews and the Christians. It specifically used the word
ملة, which means custom, ethnicity, or denomination.
"Protector" translates
مولى, not
ولي. The latter is better translated "ally."
My suggestion for a translation is,
{2:120} And never will the Jews nor the Christians approve of you until you follow their denomination. Say, "Indeed, the guidance of God is the [only] guidance." If you were to follow their desires after what has come to you of knowledge, you would have against God no ally nor helper.