تأملات بيانية في سورة الكافرون
Linguistic Reflections on Surah Al-Kafirun and Its Meaning (Part Two)
Translated by: Reza Ervani bin Asmanu
This article, “Linguistic Reflections on Surah Al-Kafirun and Its Meaning,” is part of the Tadabbur al Quran in English category
وعلى هذا؛ فإن الكفر في الاصطلاح الشرعي منبثق – على العموم – من معناه اللغوي، الذي يعني الستر والتغطية والجحود، فهو ضدُّ الإيمان؛ لانعدام وجود – عند الكافر – الإيمان بالله ورسله، سواء كان معه تكذيب، أم لم يكن معه تكذيب، بل مجرد شك وريب أو إعراض أو حسد، أو كبر أو اتباع لبعض الأهواء الصادة عن اتباع الرسالة الخاتمة، وإن كان المكذب أعظم كفرًا، وكذلك الجاحدُ والمكذِّب حسدًا، مع استيقان صدق الرسل.
Accordingly, in Islamic legal terminology, the meaning of kufr generally stems from its original linguistic meaning: covering, concealing, and denying. It is the opposite of faith, as there is no belief in Allah and His messengers in the heart of the disbeliever — whether accompanied by outright denial or not. It may manifest as mere doubt, uncertainty, neglect, envy, arrogance, or following desires that prevent acceptance of the final message. Nonetheless, those who actively deny are in greater kufr, as are those who reject out of envy despite being certain of the truth of the messengers.
أنواع الكفر:
Types of Kufr:
وقد قسم العلماء الكفر إلى نوعين؛ النوع الأول: كفر أكبر يُخرج من الملة، وهو خمسة أقسام:
Scholars have divided disbelief into two categories. The first type is major kufr (kufr akbar), which expels a person from Islam. This type is further divided into five kinds:
1. Kufr Takdhib (Denial)
القسم الأول: كُفرُ التَّكذيب، والدَّليلُ قوله – تعالى -:
Kufr of denial, which is rejecting the truth. The evidence is the statement of Allah Almighty:
﴿ وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِالْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَهُ أَلَيْسَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَثْوًى لِلْكَافِرِينَ ﴾ [العنكبوت: ٦٨].
“And who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah or denies the truth when it comes to him? Is there not in Hell a residence for the disbelievers?” (Surah Al-Ankabut: 68).
2. Kufr Iba’ wa Istikbar (Refusal and Arrogance)
القسم الثاني: كفر الإباء والاستكبار مع التصديق، والدليل قوله تعالى:
Kufr of refusal and arrogance, despite affirming the truth. The evidence is the statement of Allah Almighty:
﴿ وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ أَبَى وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ ﴾ [البقرة: ٣٤].
“And [mention] when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate to Adam,’ and they prostrated, except for Iblis. He refused and was arrogant and became of the disbelievers.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 34).
3. Kufr Shakk (Doubt and Uncertainty)
القسم الثالث: كفرُ الشكِّ، وهو كفر الظن، والدليل قوله – تعالى -:
Kufr of doubt, which is disbelief due to suspicion and uncertainty. The evidence is the statement of Allah Almighty:
﴿ وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ لِنَفْسِهِ قَالَ مَا أَظُنُّ أَنْ تَبِيدَ هَذِهِ أَبَدًا * وَمَا أَظُنُّ السَّاعَةَ قَائِمَةً وَلَئِنْ رُدِدْتُ إِلَى رَبِّي لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيْرًا مِنْهَا مُنْقَلَبًا * قَالَ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ أَكَفَرْتَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَكَ مِنْ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّاكَ رَجُلًا * لَكِنَّا هُوَ اللَّهُ رَبِّي وَلَا أُشْرِكُ بِرَبِّي أَحَدًا ﴾ [الكهف:٣٥-٣٨].
“And he entered his garden while he was unjust to himself. He said, ‘I do not think this will ever perish. And I do not think the Hour will occur; and even if I should be brought back to my Lord, I will surely find better than this as a return.’ His companion said to him while he was conversing with him, ‘Have you disbelieved in He who created you from dust and then from a sperm-drop and then proportioned you as a man? But as for me, He is Allah, my Lord, and I do not associate with my Lord anyone.’” (Surah Al-Kahf: 35–38).
4. Kufr I’radh (Turning Away)
القسم الرابع: كفرُ الإعراضِ، والدليلُ قولُه – تعالى -:
Kufr of turning away, meaning to deliberately turn away from the truth. The evidence is the statement of Allah Almighty:
﴿ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا عَمَّا أُنْذِرُوا مُعْرِضُونَ ﴾ [الأحقاف: ٣].
“And those who disbelieve turn away from that of which they are warned.” (Surah Al-Ahqaf: 3).
5. Kufr Nifaq (Hypocrisy)
القسم الخامس: كفرُ النّفاقِ، والدليلُ قوله – تعالى -:
Kufr of hypocrisy. The evidence is the statement of Allah Almighty:
﴿ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا فَطُبِعَ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ ﴾ [المنافقون: ٣].
“That is because they believed, and then they disbelieved; so their hearts were sealed, and they do not understand.” (Surah Al-Munafiqun: 3).
Second Type: Minor Kufr (Kufr Asghar)
النوع الثاني: كفرٌ أصغرُ لا يُخرجُ من الملة، وهو الكفرُ العملي، وهو الذنوب التي وردت تسميتها في الكتاب والسنة كُفرًا، وهي لا تصلُ إلى حدِّ الكفر الأكبر، مثل كفر النعمة المذكور في قوله – تعالى -:
The second type is minor kufr (kufr asghar), which does not take a person out of Islam. This is practical kufr — sins referred to in the Qur’an and Sunnah as kufr, but which do not reach the level of major kufr. Examples include:
- Ingratitude for blessings, as mentioned in the statement of Allah Almighty:
﴿ وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ آمِنَةً مُطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ ﴾ [النحل: ١١٢]،
“And Allah presents an example: a city which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favors of Allah.” (Surah An-Nahl: 112).
- Fighting a fellow Muslim, as in the saying of the Prophet ﷺ:
(سِباب المسلمِ فُسوقٌ، وقتالُه كفر)
“Insulting a Muslim is wickedness, and fighting him is kufr.” (Hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari and Muslim).
وفي قوله – صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم -:
Also, in his saying:
(لا تَرجعوا بعدي كُفَّارًا يضربُ بعضكم رقابَ بعض)
“Do not revert to being disbelievers after me, striking the necks of one another.” (Hadith narrated by Imam Muslim).
- Swearing by other than Allah, as in the saying of the Prophet ﷺ:
(مَن حلَف بغير الله فقد كفر أو أشرك)
“Whoever swears by other than Allah has committed kufr or shirk.” (Hadith narrated by Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawud).
To be continued in the next part, in shaa Allah
Source: Alukah
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