Islamic Terminology

Kufr (Arabic: كفر) is the term which describes disbelief or denial [particularly in Islam], sometimes sometimes translated as infidelity. The term refers to a person who rejects Allah or who hides, denies, or “covers” the truth. The Qur'an uses the words Kafir [a disbeliever], Kuffar [disbelievers], and Kufr 470 times in 451 different verses.

The word kafir is the active participle of the root K-F-R "to cover". As a pre-Islamic term it described farmers burying seeds in the ground, covering them with soil while planting. Thus, the word kafir implies the meaning “a person who hides or covers”.

Indeed, We have warned you of a near punishment on the Day when a man will observe what his hands have put forth and the disbeliever will say, “Oh, I wish that I were dust!”

-78:40

The pillars of Kufr are four according to Imam ibn al Qayyim al-Jawziyyah [raheemullah]:

1. Kibr i.e. arrogance, which prevents him from submission, (to the command of Allah)
2. Hasad i.e. jealousy, which prevents him from accepting advice and giving it.
3. Ghadab i.e. anger, which prevents him from being just.
4. Sha`wah i.e. lowly desires, which prevents him from devoting himself totally to worship.

Read Explanation->

The opposite of kufr is imaan, belief. However, in the terminology of Islamic Doctrine, anyone who does not have Iman (Faith) commits kufr (disbelief).  The person who commits disbelief is called a kafir.  Hence, every non-Muslim, whether atheist, agnostic, Jew, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Zoroastrian, or the like is a kafir. 

The Believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger [Prophet Muhammad] and have no doubt.

-Surah Hujarat:15

There are three general categories of disbelief:

• Ta'til: the denial of Allah’s Attributes, such as, for one to claim that Allah does not know everything, or to claim that Allah is not the Creator of everything.
• Tashbih: the resembling of Allah to the creations in one way or another, such as, claiming Allah is an idol, the sun, moon, a human, or that Allah has a size or form or exists in a direction, location, or time.
• Takdhib: the belying or rejecting what is well-established and commonly known in the Religion, such as, the obligation of the five daily prayers, fasting during Ramadan, the hijab for the woman, and the prohibition of alcohol, stealing, murder, fornication, and homosexuality.  (It is important to note that simply doing a prohibition or neglecting an obligation does not constitute disbelief (kufr) unlessone deems the sin permissible, for deeming the sins permissible is, in essence, rejecting what Allah revealed, and the one who rejects what Allah has revealed can’t be considered a Muslim.)

Other examples of disbelief (kufr) would be for a person to mock the Sunnah of the Prophet, to intentionally throw the Qur’an or other religious material in the trash, or to assist another to commit disbelief.

The disbelievers are of two general categories: those who are legally accountable (mukallaf) and those who are not.  Any non-Muslim who is sane, pubescent, and has heard the Shahadah (Declaration of Faith) in a language he understands is considered an accountable kafir, and is obligated to immediately embrace Islam.  On the other hand, if the non-Muslim was prepubescent, insane, or never heard the Declaration of Faith, then he is not accountable.

Indeed, those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers - upon them will be the curse of Allah and of the angels and the people, all together, Abiding eternally therein. The punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be reprieved.

-2:161-162

Difference between Shirk [associating partners with Allah] & Kufr:

There are generalities (shared between them) and specifics (unique to each of them). Shirk is more general than Kufr, for every Mushrik is a Kaafir but not every Kaafir is a Mushrik. The Mushrik worships Allaah and worships other than Him, as for the Kaafir, then he rejects the existence of Allaah the Mighty and Exalted and does not acknowledge Allaah the Mighty and Majestic, and nor does he acknowledge a religion from amongst the religions. This is the rejecting Kaafir. As for the Mushrik, he acknowledges and believes, however, he worships Allaah and worships other than Him, hence he is a Mushrik Kaafir. Thus, every Mushrik is a Kaafir and not every Kaafir is a Mushrik, since the Kaafir can be a Mulhid, Jaahid (Athiest, Rejecter).

-Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan [raheemullah]

Read More:

• The Distinction between Doing an Action of Disbelief and Being a Disbeliever by Ibn Taymiyyah [raheemullah]
• General Kufr & it’s applications by Dr. Saleh as Saleh [raheemullah]
• Fatawas related to Kufr

Tags: kufr kafir kuffar disbelief denial aqeedah