In a Nutshell:
The literal meaning of ‘kufr’ is to hide. Ingratitude is also called ‘kufr’ because the recipient hides the bounties of the giver (by denying it or not acknowledging it). In the Sharia, ‘kufr’ refers to the denial of anything Allah obliges belief in, whatever the Prophet (saw) brought from Allah proven definite and certain; having belief in that with one’s heart that it’s the truth is necessary for one to be a Muslim (believer). Therefore, a person who does not consider any of the definite teachings of the Prophet (saw) to be true or does not approve of them is called a ‘kafir’ (disbeliever).
Introduction
The trilateral root is k-f-r that linguistically means “to cover or to hide something.”
The meaning of 'kufr' as to veil, to hide or to conceal the truth is consistent with the renditions found in Arabic lexicons. It is said کَفَرَعَلیہ (he covered it over); کَفَرَ سَحَابَ السّمَاء (the clouds covered the sky; کَفَرَالبَذَرَالمَبذُور (he covered the sown seed with the earth).
The tiller of the soil is called ‘kafir’ (one who covers) because he hides the seed in the soil (for germination). Sharia uses this word ‘kafir’ for the disbeliever because he hides the blessings of Allah and denies them. Since all blessings and signs of Allah clearly manifests that He is the only creator of the universe and kafir denies it. In the same way it is a blessing of Allah to send the Prophets with the Books, miracles and clear signs, and the kafir (disbeliever) conceals this blessing from his attitude by not believing in the Prophets and denies it.
Evidences
Qur’an:
The opposite of ‘kufr’ is Iman (faith) and that of the ‘kafir’ is moumin (believer). Qur’an itself has described the necessary attributes of the moumin and has defined what iman and kufr is. It says:
آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ ۚ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ
“The messengers believe in what was sent down to him from his Lord. And the believer each one believes in Allah and His angels, and in His books and in His messengers. We make no division between any of his messengers. They say we hear and obey. Our Lord grant us thy forgiveness unto thee is the homecoming.” (Qur’an 2:285)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا آمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِہِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ مِنْ قَبْلُ ۚ وَمَنْيَكْفُرْ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا
“O believers (who wants to become a believer), believe in God and His Messenger and the book He has sent down on His messenger and the books which he sent down before. He who disbelieves in God and His angels and His books and His messengers and the Last Day, has surely gone astray into far error.” (Qur’an 4:136)
Hadith:
كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَارِزًا يَوْمًا لِلنَّاسِ، فَأَتَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ فَقَالَ مَا الإِيمَانُ قَالَ " الإِيمَانُ أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلاَئِكَتِهِ وَبِلِقَائِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ، وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْبَعْثِ
One day while the Prophet (saw) was sitting in the company of some people, (The angel) Gabriel came and asked, "What is faith?" Allah's Messenger (saw) replied, “Faith is to believe in Allah, His angels, (the) meeting with Him, His Apostles, and to believe in Resurrection.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 50)
These explanations are from both the Qur’an and hadith reveal that “for a person to become a moumin, it is necessary for him to have faith in all of these beliefs i.e belief in Oneness of Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Day of Judgement. If a person believes in the oneness of Allah, the Day of Judgement but doesn’t believe in anyone of His prophet than he is a ‘kafir’ as this part of the verse لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ implies that. Therefore we conclude that:
“Anyone one who denies all or any one of these beliefs i.e belief in Oneness of Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Day of Judgement is a kafir.”
Scholar’s Views
- Kufr is a destructive morbidity that harms one’s iman (faith). It is an Arabic term which means to cover, hide, and disbelieve (Al-Ba’albaki, 1995)
- According to the Holy Qur'an, ‘kufr’ means to disagree, to reject or not to give declaration to any one of the commands and prohibitions bestowed by Allah (SWT) and shown by Muhammad (saw). It is a complete opposite of iman. (Al-Gajnawi)
- A ‘kafir’ is one who denies (or refuses to acknowledge) the truth ; that is, irrespective of whether it relates to a cognition of the supreme truth - namely, the existence of God - or to a doctrine or ordinance enunciated in the divine writ, or to a self-evident moral proposition, or to an acknowledgment of, and therefore gratitude for, favors received. (Muhammad Asad)
- Rejecting something for which there is a sound proof and after which there can be no reason to deny it is ‘kufr’. (Ibn Hazam)
- ‘Kufr’ as evidenced from the Quran is a 'state' that one 'enters' into once the truth has been clearly manifested to them, made absolutely clear and there is no reason left to deny it. However, despite the clear evidence and proof, the recipient still rejects the truth or conceals it from within. It is then he becomes a ‘kafir’. (Joseph Islam)
- Kufr does not exist except by abandoning what makes the iman exists. (Ibn Abdulbar)
Types of Kufr
There are two types of kufr i.e., Kufr Akbar (Major disbelief) and Kufr Asghar (Minor disbelief)
Kufr Akbar: It is a disbelief in Allah and His messenger, and it is the disbelief that takes one outside of the fold of Islam. As for a person who believes in the oneness of Allah and believes in the Prophets, but he does not believe in Last Prophet (saw) then he is considered outside the realm of Islam. Following are the different kinds of ‘kufr’ that falls under the category of ‘kufr e Akbar’:
Kufr Juhood’ (Denial/ Rejection): It is a belief in the falsehood of the Messengers. Sometimes it takes the form of outward or apparent rejection, which means concealing the truth and not submitting to it outwardly, whilst recognizing it and knowing it inwardly. Since Allah has strengthened His Messengers and granted them such evidences and signs to establish their truthfulness that would be sufficient to establish a decisive proof, and after which there is no reason left to deny it. There are many verses in Qur’an articulating this kind of ‘kufr’. Some are as follows:
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ آمِنُوا بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ قَالُوا نُؤْمِنُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْنَا وَيَكْفُرُونَ بِمَا وَرَاءَهُ وَهُوَ الْحَقُّ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا مَعَهُمْ ۗ قُلْ فَلِمَ تَقْتُلُونَ أَنْبِيَاءَ اللَّهِ مِنْ قَبْلُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ
And when they were told ‘believe in that what God has sent’, they said 'we believe in what was sent down to us’; and they disbelieve in what is beyond that, yet it is the truth confirming what is with them. (Qur’an 2:91)
قُل مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِجِبْرِيلَ فَإِنَّهُ نَزَّلَهُ عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ۔ مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِلَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَجِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَالَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَدُوٌّ لِلْكَافِرِينَ- وَلَقَدْ أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ ۖ وَمَا يَكْفُرُ بِهَا إِلَّا الْفَاسِقُون
Say, "Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel - it is (none but ) he who has brought the Qur’an down upon your heart (O Muhammad), by permission of Allah, confirming that which was before it and as a guidance and good tidings for the believers. Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and His messengers and Gabriel and Michael - then indeed, Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers. And we have sent down unto thee signs, clear signs, and none disbelieves in them except the ungodly.” (Qur’an 2:97-99)
وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
When there has come to them a messenger from God confirming what was with them, a party of them that were given the Book reject the Book of God behind their backs, as though they knew not. (Qur’an 2:101)
قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لِمَ تَصُدُّونَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ تَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا وَأَنْتُمْ شُهَدَاءُ ۗ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
Say 'People of the Book, why do you disbelieve in the signs of God? Surely God is witness of the things you do.' Say ‘People of the Book, why do you bar from God’s way the believer, desiring to make it crooked, yourselves being witnesses? God is not heedless of the things you do. (Qur’an 3:99)
الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَهِدَ إِلَيْنَا أَلَّا نُؤْمِنَ لِرَسُولٍ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَنَا بِقُرْبَانٍ تَأْكُلُهُ النَّار قُلْ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِنْ قَبْلِي بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَبِالَّذِي قُلْتُمْ فَلِمَ قَتَلْتُمُوهُمْ إِ نْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ۔ فَإِنْ كَذَّبُوكَ فَقَدْ كُذِّبَ رُسُلٌ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ جَاءُوا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالزُّبُرِ وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُنِير۔
They said 'God has made covenant with us, that we believe not any messenger until he brings to us a sacrifice devoured by fire.’ Say ‘messengers have come to you before me bearing clear signs, and that you spoke of; why therefore did you slay them, if you speak truly?' But if they cry lies to thee, lies were cried to messengers before thee, who came bearing clear signs, and the Psalms, and the Book Illuminating. (Qur’an 3:183-184)
The ‘kufr of istikbaar and ibaa’ (arrogance and pride): It is like the ‘kufr of Iblees’ for he did not deny the command of Allah but he responded to it with arrogance and pride - and from this comes the disbelief of the one who knows the veracity of the messenger and that he has come with the truth from Allah, but he did not comply with it due to arrogance and pride. And this mainly, is the ‘kufr’ of the enemies of the messengers like Pharaoh and his people and the Jews. Qur’an says
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وکَانَ مِنَ الْکَفِرِینَ
And when we said to the angels ‘Prostrate before Adam’; so they prostrated, except for Iblis. He refused and was arrogant and became a disbeliever. (Qur’an 2:34)
وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنْفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا ۚ فَانْظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَة ُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ
But when our signs came to them (Pharaoh and his people) visibly they said ‘This is manifest sorcery’; and they denied them, though their souls acknowledged them, wrongfully and out of pride. Behold, how the end of the workers of corruption was. (Qur’an 27:14)
فَقَالُوا أَنُؤْمِنُ لِبَشَرَيْنِ مِثْلِنَا وَقَوْمُهُمَا لَنَا عَابِدُونَ
Shall we believe in two men like ourselves, whilst their people are enslaved to us? (Qur’an 23:47)
Several enemies (disbelievers) out of arrogance and pride used to say to the prophets sent to them by Allah as stated in Qur’an:
قَالُوا إِنْ أَنْتُمْ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُنَا
You are but men like ourselves. (Qur’an 14:10)
Kufr’ of Jews is the same as that of Satan and Pharaoh as Qur’an reveals
وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ كِتَابٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِمَا مَعَهُمْ وَكَانُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ مَا عَرَفوا کفروا بہ فلعنت اللہ علی الکفرین
When there came to them a book from God, confirming what was with them and they aforetime prayed for victory over the unbelievers, when there come to them that they recognized, they disbelieved in it; and the curse of God is on the believers.(Qur’an 2:89)
الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمُ ۘ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُواأَنْفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
They know him (the Messenger) just like they know their own sons. Those who have lost their own souls, they do not believe.(Qur’an 6:20)
وَأَقْسَمُوا بِاللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ لَئِنْ جَاءَهُمْ نَذِيرٌ لَيَكُونُنَّ أَهْدَىٰ مِنْ إِحْدَى الْأُمَمِ ۖ فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ نَذِيرٌ مَا زَادَهُمْ إِلَّا نُفُورًا۔ اسْتِكْبَارًا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَكْرَ السَّيِّئِ ۚ وَلَا يَحِيقُ الْمَكْرُ السَّيِّئُ إِلَّا بِأَهْلِهِ ۚ فَهَلْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَّا سُنَّتَ الْأَوَّلِينَ ۚ فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ اللَّهِ تَبْدِيلًا ۖ وَلَنْ تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ اللَّہِ تَحْوِيلاً
They have sworn by God the most earnest oaths that if a warner came to them, they would be more rightly guided than any one of the nations; but when a warner came to them, it increased them only in aversion, waxing proud in the land, and devising evil; but evil devising encompasses only those who do it. So do they expect anything but the wont of the ancients? And thou shalt never find any changing the wont of God, and thou shalt never find any altering the wont of God. (Qur’an 35:42-43)
Kufr of Nifaq’ (Hypocrisy): It is a form of manifesting iman (faith) outwardly in order to show off to people but not believing in the heart i.e rejection/denial is concealed in a person’s heart. Qur’an articulates:
وَيَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَبِالرَّسُولِ وَأَطَعْنَا ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّىٰ فَرِيقٌ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ ۚوَمَا أُولَٰئِكَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ
They say, ‘We believe in God and the Messenger, and we obey.’ Then after that the party of them turn away; they are not believers. (Qur’an 24:47)
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَمَا هُمْ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ۔يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّا أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ۔فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ اللَّهُ مَرَضًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ۔وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ۔أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْمُفْسِدُونَ وَلَٰكِنْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ۔وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ آمِنُوا كَمَا آمَنَ النَّاسُ قَالُوا أَنُؤْمِنُ كَمَا آمَنَ السُّفَهَاءُ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّهُمْهُمُ السُّفَهَاءُ وَلَٰكِنْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ۔وَإِذَا لَقُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْا إِلَىٰ شَيَاطِينِهِمْ قَالُوا إِنَّا مَعَكُمْإِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُسْتَهْزِئُونَ۔
And some men there are who say, ‘we believe in God and the Last Day’; but they are not believers. They would trick God and the believers, and only themselves they deceive, and they are not aware. In their heart is a sickness, and God has increased their sickness, and there awaits them a painful chastisement for what they have cried lies. When it is said to them, ‘Do not corruption in the land’, they say, ‘we are only ones that put things right.’ Truly they are the workers of corruption but they are not aware. When it is said to them, ‘Believe as the people believe’, they say, ‘Shall we believe as fools believe?’ Truly, they are the foolish ones, but they do not know. When they meet those who believe they say, ‘We believe’; but when they go to their satins, they say, ‘We are with you; we are only mocking.' (Qur’an 2:8-14)
وَإِذَا جَاءُوكُمْ قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَقَدْ دَخَلُوا بِالْكُفْرِ وَهُمْ قَدْ خَرَجُوا بِهِ ۚ وَاللَّهُأَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْتُمُونَ
When they come to you, they say, ‘we believe’, but they have entered in unbelief, and so they have departed in it; God knows very well what they were hiding. (Qur’an 5:61)
إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ قَالُوا نَشْهَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُهُوَاللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَكَاذِبُونَ
When the hypocrites come to thee they say, 'We bear witness that thou art indeed the messenger of God.' And God knows thou art indeed His messenger, and God bear witness that the hypocrites are truly liars.(Qur’an 63:1)
Kufr of Shaq’ (Doubt): that is when one is not certain in Allah’s tawheed i.e oneness of Allah and make associates with Him, doubts the veracity of His messengers, His Books and is doubtful of his resurrection. He does not certainly disbelieve in all of this- but he has a doubt. Qur’an reveals
وَمَا أَظُنُّ السَّاعَةَ قَائِمَةً وَلَئِنْ رُدِدْتُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّي لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيْرًا مِنْهَا مُنْقَلَبًا۔قَالَ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ أَكَفَرْتَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَكَ مِنْ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّاكَ رَجُلًا
'I do not think that this will ever perish; I do not think that the Hour is coming; and if I am indeed return to my Lord, I shall surely find a better resort than this.’ Said his fellow, and he was conversing with him, ‘what, you disbelieve in Him who created you of dust, then of a sperm-drop, then shaped you as a man?' (Qur’an 18:35-37)
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَجَعَلَ الظُّلُمَاتِ وَالنُّورَ ۖ ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ يَعْدِلُونَ۔هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ طِينٍ ثُمَّ قَضَىٰ أَجَلًا ۖ وَأَجَلٌ مُسَمًّى عِنْدَهُ ۖ ثُمَّ أَنْتُمْ تَمْتَرُونَ
Praise belongs to God who created heavens the earth and appointed the shadows and light; then the unbelievers ascribe equals to their Lord. It is who created you of clay, then determined a term and a term is associated with Him, yet thereafter you doubt. (Qur’an 6:1)
رُسُلًا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنْذِرِينَ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى اللَّهِ حُجَّةٌ بَعْدَ الرُّسُلِ ۚوَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا۔ لَٰكِنِ اللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ إِلَيْكَ ۖ أَنْزَلَهُ بِعِلْمِهِ ۖ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ يَشْهَدُونَ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا۔ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَصَدُّوا عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ قَدْ ضَلُّوا ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا
Messengers bearing good tidings, and warning, so that mankind might have no argument against God, after the Messengers, God is All-mighty, All-wise. But God bears witness to that He has sent down to thee, He has sent it down with His knowledge; and the angels also bear witness; and God suffices for a witness. Surely who disbelieve, and bar from the way of God, have gone astray into far error. (Qur’an 4:166-167)
يَقُولُونَ أَإِنَّا لَمَرْدُودُونَ فِي الْحَافِرَةِ۔ أَإِذَا كُنَّا عِظَامًا نَخِرَة
They shall say, 'what, are we being restored as we were before? What, when we are bones old and wasted?' (Qur’an 79:10-11)
وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ فِي رَيْبٍ مِمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَىٰ عَبْدِنَا فَأْتُوا بِسُورَةٍ مِنْ مِثْلِهِ وَادْعُوا شُهَدَاءَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
And if you are in doubt concerning what we have sent down on our servant, then bring a surah like it, and call your witnesses, apart from God, if you are truthful. (Qur’an 2:23)
قُلْ هَلْ مِنْ شُرَكَائِكُمْ مَنْ يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ ۚ قُلِ اللَّهُ يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤْفَكُونَ
Say: 'Is there any of your associates who originates creation, then brings it back again?' Say: ‘God - He originates creation, then brings it back again; so how are you perverted? (Qur’an 10:34)
All such doubts of disbelievers exist because he deliberately turns away from looking into the signs of Allah. If he was to turn to them and look at them then no doubt would remain with him, since all these signs necessitate truthfulness, like the indication of the presence of the sun, that it is day. Qur’an reveals
انَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَالْفُلْكِ الَّتِي تَجْرِي فِي الْبَحْرِ بِمَا يَنْفَعُ النَّاسَ وَمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مِنْ مَاءٍ فَأَحْيَابِہِ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِنْ كُلِّ دَابَّةٍ وَتَصْرِيفِ الرِّيَاحِ وَالسَّحَابِ الْمُسَخَّرِ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ لَآيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
Surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alteration of night and day and the ship that runs in the sea with profit to men, and the water God sends down from heaven therewith reviving the earth after it is dead and His scattering abroad in it all manner of crawling things, and the turning about of the winds and the clouds compelled between heaven and earth, surely there are signs for a people having understanding. (Qur’an 2:164)
Kufr of Iraad’ (Turning Away): That is to turn away with one’s hearing and his heart, away from the messenger - not believing in him and not rejecting him - neither allying with him and nor showing enmity towards him - and never paying attention to what the prophet came with. Qur’an says:
وَمَا تَأْتِيهِمْ مِنْ آيَةٍ مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَّا كَانُوا عَنْهَا مُعْرِضِينَفَقَدْ كَذَّبُوا بِالْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ ۖ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِيهِمْ أَنْبَاءُ مَا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ
Not a sign of their Lord comes to them, but they turn away from it. They cried lies to the truth when it came to them, but there shall come to them the news of that they were mocking. (Qur’an 6:4-5)
وَ مَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ ذُكِّرَ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا وَنَسِيَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ ۚ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَنْ يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِي آذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا ۖ وَإِنْ تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى لْهُدَىٰ فَلَنْ يَهْتَدُوا إِذًا أَبَدًا
And who does greater evil than he who, being reminded of the signs of His Lord, turns away from them and forget what his hands have forwarded? Surely we have laid veils on their hearts lest they understand it, and in their ears heaviness; and though you call them to the guidance, yet they will not be guided ever. (Qur’an 18:57)
أَفَلَمْ يَدَّبَّرُوا الْقَوْلَ أَمْ جَاءَهُمْ مَا لَمْ يَأْتِآبَاءَهُمُ الْأَوَّلِينَ أَمْ لَمْ يَعْرِفُوا رَسُولَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَهُ مُنْكِرُونَ أَمْ يَقُولُونَ بِهِ جِنَّةٌ ۚ بَلْ جَاءَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ وَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لِلْحَقِّ كَارِهُونَ۔ وَلَوِ اتَّبَعَ الْحَقُّ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ لَفَسَدَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ ۚ بَلْ أَتَيْنَاهُمْ بِذِكْرِهِمْ فَهُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِهِمْ مُعْرِضُونَ
Have they not pondered the saying, or came there upon them that which came not upon their fathers, the ancients? Or did they not recognize their Messenger and so denied him? Or do they say, ‘He is bedeviled?’ Nay, he has brought them the truth, but most of them are averse from the truth. Had the truth followed their caprices, the heavens and the earth and whosoever in them is had surely corrupted. Nay, we brought their remembrance, but from their remembrance they turned. (Qur’an 23:68-71)
All the above kinds of ‘kufr’ are Major kufr and the one who commits any one of these is expelled from the realm of Islam.
Kufr Asghar (Minor Kufr)
It doesn’t takes one outside the fold of Islam.It includes
Kufr of Nai’mat' (Blessings)
This is by denying the bounties of Allah and not being thankful to Him for the numerous bounties He has given us. Allah says in Qur’an
إِنْ تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ
And if you count the Blessings of Allah, never will you be able to count them. Surely, man is sinful and unthankful. (Qur’an 14:34)
At several places in Qur’an, ‘kufr’ and its derivations i.e., kafara (the verb), kafir, kafirun in the meaning of ‘ingratitude/ungratefulness’ has been mentioned. Some of the verses as are follows
وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنْ بُيُوتِكُمْ سَكَنًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنْ جُلُودِ الْأَنْعَامِ بُيُوتًا تَسْتَخِفُّونَهَا يَوْمَ ظَعْنِكُمْ وَيَوْمَ إِقَامَتِكُمْ ۙ وَمِنْ أَصْوَافِهَا وَأَوْبَارِهَا وَأَشْعَارِهَا أَثَاثًا وَمَتَاعًا إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۔ وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِمَّا خَلَقَ ظِلَالًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ أَكْنَانًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ سَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمُ الْحَرَّ وَسَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمْ بَأْسَكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْلِمُونَ۔ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ۔ یَعْرِفُونَ نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُنْكِرُونَهَا وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ الْكَافِرُون
And it is God who has appointed a place of rest for your houses, and He has appointed for you, of the skins of the cattle houses you find light on the day that you journey, and on the day you abide, and of their wool, and their fur, and of their hair furnishing and an enjoyment for a while. And it is God who has appointed for your covering of the things He created and He has appointed for you of the mountains refuges, and He has appointed for you shirts to protect you from the heat, and shirts to protect you from your own violence. Even so He perfects His blessing upon you that haply you will surrender. So, if they turn their backs, thine it is only to deliver the manifest Message. They recognize the blessings of God, then they deny it, and most of them are the unthankful. (Qur’an 16:80-83)
قَالَ الَّذِي عِنْدَهُ عِلْمٌ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ ۚ فَلَمَّارَ آهُ مُسْتَقِرًّا عِنْدَهُ قَالَ هَٰذَا مِنْ فَضْلِ رَبِّي لِيَبْلُوَنِي أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ ۖ وَمَنْ شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ
Said one who had knowledge of the Book, 'I will bring it to thee before thy noble messengers return to thee.’ And when he saw it set before him, he said, ‘This is by the grace of my Lord, that He may try me whether I am grateful or ungrateful. And whosoever is grateful is grateful for the good of his own soul; but whosoever is ungrateful, truly my Lord is self- sufficient, generous.' (Qur’an 27:40)
وَمَنْ يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ
Whosoever gives thanks gives thanks only for his own soul’s good, and whosoever is ungrateful, surely God is All-sufficient, All-laudable. (Qur’an 31:12)
خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ ۖ يُكَوِّرُ اللَّيْلَ عَلَى النَّهَارِ وَيُكَوِّرُ النَّهَارَ عَلَى اللَّيْلِ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ ۖ كُلٌّ يَجْرِي لِأَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى ۗ أَلَا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفَّارُ۔ خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَأَنْزَلَ لَكُمْ مِنَ الْأَنْعَامِ ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ ۚ يَخْلُقُكُمْ فِي بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ خَلْقًا مِنْ بَعْدِ خَلْقٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتٍ ثَلَاثٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ ۖ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُصْرَفُونَ۔إِنْ تَكْفُرُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنْكُمْ ۖ وَلَا يَرْضَىٰ لِعِبَادِهِ الْكُفْرَ ۖ وَإِنْ تَشْكُرُوا يَرْضَهُ لَكُمْ ۗ وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ ۗ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ۚ إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ
He created the heavens and the earth in truth, wrapping light about the day, and wrapping the day about night; and He has subjected the sun and the moon, each of them to a stated term. Is not He the All-mighty, the All- forgiving? He created you a single of soul, then from it He appointed its mate; and He sent down to you of the cattle eight couples. He creates you in your mother’s wombs creation after creation in threefold shadows. That then is God, your Lord; to Him belong the kingdom; there is no God but He; so how are you turned about? If you are ungrateful; God is independent of you, yet He approves not ungratefulness in His servants; but if you are thankful He will approve it in you. (Qur’an 39:5-7)
ثُمَّ إِذَا كَشَفَ الضُّرَّ عَنْكُمْ إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِنْكُمْ بِرَبِّهِمْ يُشْرِكُونَ- لِيَكْفُرُوا بِمَا آتَيْنَاهُمْ ۚ فَتَمَتَّعُوا ۖ فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ
Then, when He removes the affliction from you, lo, a party of you assign associates to their Lord, that may express ingratitude for that we have given them. So take your joy; certainly you will soon know. (Qur’an 16:54-55)
وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ آمِنَةً مُطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ
God has struck a similitude, a city that was secure, at rest, its provision coming to it easily from every place, then it was ungrateful for the blessings of God, so God let it taste the garment of hunger and fear, for their misdeeds. (Qur’an 16:112)
It is worth mentioning here that when a person is thankful to Allah for the bounties that He has given him, then Allah rewards him by increasing His bounties for him. It is only when a person expresses ingratitude for the bounties and blessings Allah has bestowed upon him that he is punished. As Allah says in Qur’an
وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِنْ كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ
And when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you (in favor); but if you deny, indeed, my punishment is severe.' (Qur’an 14:7)
مَا يَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ بِعَذَابِكُمْ إِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ وَآمَنْتُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ شَاكِرًا عَلِيمًا
Why should Allah punish you, if you are thankful and if you believe? And Allah is Appreciating, All-Knowing.(Qur’an 4:147)
Alternative views
The Orientalist scholar Toshihiko Izutsu has described the semantic transformation of the concept of ‘kufr’ in Qur’an as a process by which the term ‘kufr’ loses its original meaning becoming a brand new term. He thinks that ‘kufr’ gradually changes and transforms the meaning ‘ingratitude’ to the ‘disbelief’ through the history of the Qur’an. He argues that ‘kufr’ becomes completely divorced from its core meaning of ungratefulness and towards the end of Prophet Muhammad (saw)’s life, it becomes the opposite of belief. Marilyn Waldman, who was the scholar of Islamic history at the University of Chicago also agrees that meaning of ‘kufr’ deviates through the Qur’an; but what Izutsu has called change and transformation of meaning, she calls it an accumulation of meaning.
There are various weaknesses in their view as they did not take into account the richness of the meanings of the term ‘kufr’. He argues that the second Meccan period surahs establish the new found importance of ‘kafir’, that is the condemnation of shirk (associationism) and it becomes increasingly connected with shirk as it has not been in the first Meccan period. Whereas, he ignores the fact that the message of Islam was to call to tawheed i.e., the oneness of Allah and to believe in the prophethood of Muhammad (saw). Hence, there was no new found importance of ‘kufr’ as shirk rather it formed the basis of Islam and was there in Qur’an from the very beginning as one of the first few revelations to Muhammad (saw) confirms. Allah reveals
یَآ أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّر-قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْوَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّر
Oh you shrouded in your mantle, arise and warn! And proclaim the greatness of your Lord. (Qur’an 74:1-3)
This was the first occasion when the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was commanded to arise for performing the duties of the great mission of Prophet Hood, and the society in which he (saw) was commanded to perform this mission, was the center of polytheism. Here وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّر denotes -*to refute the greatness of all those whom the ignorant people might be holding as great and making them associates with Allah, and publicly proclaim that all the greatness in this universe belongs to none but Allah alone.
Following are some of the verses that as per the Noldeke’s chronological order of surahs belongs to the first Meccan period; these verses directly condemn shirk that proves Izutsu’s claims to be false. Qur’an reveals
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا بِشُرَكَائِهِمْ إِنْ كَانُوا صَادِقِينَ
Or do they have other gods who could help them against Allah? If so, let them produce their other gods if they are truthful. (Qur’an 68:41)
أَمْ لَهُمْ إِلَٰهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ ۚ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
Or do they have a God other than Allah? Glorified is Allah far above what they associate with him.(Qur’an 52:43)
وَلَا تَجْعَلُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا آخَرَ ۖ إِنِّي لَكُمْ مِنْهُ نَذِيرٌ مُبِينٌ
And do not set up another God with Allah. I am truly sent by Him with a clear warning to you. (Qur’an 51:51)
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ۔اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ۔لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ۔وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
Say, ‘He is God, One’, God, the Everlasting refuge, who has not begotten, and has not been begotten, and equal to Him is not any one.(Qur’an 112)
Moreover Izutsu asserts that ‘kufr’ became only an antonym for faith i.e., disbelief. This is quite weak as in the Medinan period kufr is still used in such a way as to involve the meanings of ingratitude and ungratefulness. The following verses from the Medinan period is a good example to put Izutsu’s claims to rest
فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ
So remember me, and I will remember you; and be thankful to me; and be you not ungrateful towards me. (Qur’an 2:152)
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدَافِعُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ خَوَّانٍ كَفُورٍ
Indeed, Allah defend those who have believed. Surely, Allah does not like whoever is treacherous and ungrateful. (Qur’an 22:38)
يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَروَيُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَأُولَٰئِكَ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَِ وَمَا يَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلَنْ يُكْفَرُوهُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالْمُتَّقِينَ
They believe in Allah and the Last Day, encourage good and forbid evil, and race with one another in doing good. They are truly among the righteous. They will never be denied the reward for any good they have done. And Allah has perfect knowledge of those mindful of him.(Qur’an 3:114-115)
He also states that concept of ‘kufr’ in Qur’an is not used for the believers. The following verse from the Medinan period suggests the contrary
وَكَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ وَأَنْتُمْ تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتُ اللَّهِ وَفِيكُمْ رَسُولُهُ ۗ وَمَنْيَعْتَصِمْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ هُدِيَ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ
How can you disbelieve, seeing you have God signs recited to you, and His messenger among you? (Qur’an 3:101)
It is obvious that here Allah is not charging believers with disbelief but with ingratitude.
On the basis of the above evidences it appears Izutsu’s interpretation entails ignoring those verses which are incompatible with the system he established for the semantic analysis of the words.
Conclusion
It is clearly understood from the above explanation that ‘kafir’ is simply not anyone who is a disbeliever. ‘Kufr’as evidenced from the Qur'an is a 'state' that one 'enters' into once the truth has been clearly manifested to them and there is no reason left to deny it. In addition, ‘kufr’ is used not only to categorize the unbelievers, but also to categorize the believers when they express ingratitude.
References
Abul A’la Maududi, Tafheem ul-Qur’an
Ahmad Al Wasabee, Kufr
Ismail Albayrak, The Reception of Toshihiko Izutsu’s Qur’anic Studies in the Muslim World
Joseph Islam, Understanding Kufr
Khurshid Rizvi, Arabic Literature before Islam
Marilyn Robinson Waldman, the Development of Concept of Kufr in Qur’an
Muhammad Shafi, Marif ul-Qur’an
Shams al Din, Madarij ul-Salikeen
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