Ahok, Farid Esack and wali/awliya

Basuki Tjahaja or Ahok has already been relieved from prison after two years. But new cases asnd debates about blasphemy, respect for religious ideas, continue. Therefore it is good to reconsider also the Ahok-case once again.
In the verse of 5.51 there are several problems of interpretation. First the word of wali/awliya. The Plural word awliya was translated by MUI as 'pemimpin'.  Indeed, in Indonesian wali negara can be a leader of a country. H.B. Jassin gives two words pelindung dan sahabat. Farid Esack has a long chapter on the problem and he translates it as'collaborator'.  (Qur'an, Liberation and Pluralism, Oxford, One World, 1997: 180-206).
The circumstances of his writings are as follows: in the period of Apartheid, Esack joined a moved of the Protestant minister Beyers Naudée against Apartheid, while at the same time the famous preacher Ahmad Deedat, was together with some black people a supporter of the privileges given to some Black and coloured (= Indian offspring) people. Al-Maidah 5.51 was so used by Deedat against Esack. Deedat only wanted to fight Christians, Esack wants to fight injustice.

Farid Esack mentions a number of verses where the Qur'an takjs about 'taking people as wali'. Only in 5.51 it is about Jews and Christians. Other verses talk about seeking support with believers, men and women of faith (5.56; 9:70). Of not seeking support from the unbelievers (3.28; 4.139; 4.144). For Esack the basic problem at the time was justice, fighting against Apartheid and for democracy. In this case some of the white Christians are injuste, because the want apartheid. But other Christians are fighting against corruption, against racism and the faithful Muslims must join them, because they are seeking the right way as commanded by God.
Mangunwijaya already said in 1995 that there is perhaps "too much religion in Indonesia".  Not religious denomination should be dcisive, but values like anti-racism, pro-democracy, free from corruption and inefficiency. In social and political life that really determines good faith, irrespective whether it is within Christianity or Islam, because in both religions also many evil people can be found! There Esack pleads for a contextual reading of this command of the Qur'an.