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STATEMENTS BY THE SCHOLARS REGARDING THE TERM KUFR AND ITS TYPES

Started by Mudâfa’at’ut Tawhîd, 12.09.2022, 00:34

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Mudâfa’at’ut Tawhîd


Statements by the Scholars Regarding Kufr and Its Types

Imâm al-Baghawî Rahimahullâh1

Imâm al-Baghawî Rahimahullâh explained the term "Kufr" and its types as follows:

"Kufr means to deny. The root of the word means to cover. The night was called "Kâfir" because it covers everything with its darkness. The farmer is also called "Kâfir" because he covers the seed with soil. The Kâfir is the one who covers the truth with his refusal.

Kufr is of four types: Kufr of Denial, Kufr of Refusal, Kufr of Obstinacy, and Kufr of Hypocrisy.

The Kufr of Denial: It means not recognizing Allâh and not admitting His existence.

The Kufr of Refusal: It is recognizing Allâh (or His religion) by heart and not admitting it with the tongue. It is like the Kufr of Iblis -may Allâh curse him- and the Kufr of the Jews. Allâhu Taâlâ says, "When there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it." (al-Baqarah 2/89)

The Kufr of Obstinacy: It is recognizing Allâh (or His religion) by heart and confessing it with the tongue, but not espousing His religion. This is like the Kufr of Abû Tâlib. He had said,

"I know without a doubt that the religion of Muhammad is the best of religions for the creation.

If it wasn't for the fear of being condemned or reviled, you would have found me openly welcoming it!"

As for the Kufr of Hypocrisy, it is to confess by tongue and to disbelieve in the heart.

All of these types of Kufr are equal in terms of the person not being forgiven when confronted by Allâhu Taâlâ while having any of them."



1- Al-Baghawî, Tafsîr, Ihyâ'ut Turâth, 1/86.
قَالَ ابْنُ عَقِيل رَحِمَهُ اللهُ: «إذَا أَرَدْت أَنْ تَعْلَمَ مَحَلَّ الْإِسْلَامِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الزَّمَانِ فَلَا تَنْظُرْ إلَى زِحَامِهِمْ فِي أَبْوَابِ الْجَوَامِعِ، وَلَا ‌ضَجِيجِهِمْ فِي الْمَوْقِفِ بِلَبَّيْكَ، وَإِنَّمَا اُنْظُرْ إلَى مُوَاطَأَتِهِمْ ‌أَعْدَاءَ الشَّرِيعَةِ.»
Ibnu Aqîl Rahimahullâh said, "If you want to learn the status of Islâm among contemporary people, then do not look at their crowds at the doors of the mosques and their crying Labbayk at the Mawqif (during Hajj). On the contrary, look at their collusion with the enemies of the Sharî'ah!" (Ibnu Muflih, al-Âdâb'ush Sharî'ah, 1/237)

Subul’us Salâm


Râghib al-Isfahânî Rahimahullâh (502 H) said,

"Linguistically, Kufr is covering something. The night was described as a Kâfir since it covers people. Farmers were described as Kâfir since they cover the seed with soil...

Kufr of blessings and Kufrân of blessings are covering blessings by abandoning thanking for them...

The gravest Kufr is denying the oneness of Allâh, the Sharî'ah, or prophethood...

The word Kâfir in an absolute sense is commonly used for those who deny the oneness of Allâh, prophethood, the Sharî'ah, or all of the three. He committed Kufr may be said regarding those who violate the Sharî'ah and abandon what is necessary upon them of thanking Allâh...

Kuffâr, the plural form of Kâfir, is more commonly used for those who oppose Îmân (faith)."1

Ibnu Hazm Rahimahullâh (456 H) said,

"Kufr is a description in the religion for one who denies something which Allâhu Taâlâ made obligatory to believe in after the proof is established to him by the truth reaching him. This occurs in a person's heart without his tongue, his tongue without his heart, with both, or by acting by an action which there exists a textual proof stating that it takes one out of the fold of the name of Îmân."2

al-Qurtubî Rahimahullâh (681 H) said,

"Kufr is the opposite of Îmân."3

Badr'ud Dîn az-Zarkashî Rahimahullâh (794 H) said,

"Kufr is denying that which is necessarily known to be from the religion of Muhammad Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam. Such as denying the existence of the Creator, the prophethood of Muhammad Sallallâhu Alayhi wa Sallam, the prohibition of adultery, and its likes."4




1- al-Isfahânî, al-Mufradât, p. 714-716.

2- Ibnu Hazm, al-Ihkâm, 1/49-50.

3- al-Qurtubî, al-Jâmi'u li Ahkâm'il Qur'ân, 1/183.

4- az-Zarkashî, al-Manthûr fi'l Qawâ'id, 3/84.
"If the ignorant persists, gets haughty, is determined upon his transgression and misguidance, chooses blindness over guidance, and if what he falls into and disputes with regards to is Shirk Akbar (major Shirk) that brings the person who commits it out of the fold of the faction of Muslims to the party of polytheists, then in this case, the just verdict is the sword!" (al-Fath'ur Rabbânî min Fatâwâ'l Imâm ash-Shawkânî, 1/185)

Subul’us Salâm


Ibnu Mandhûr Rahimahullâh1

Ibnu Mandhûr Rahimahullâh (711 H) said in brief,

"Kufr; is the nullifier of Îmân. (It is said,) "We believe in Allâh and we disbelieve in the Tâghût." Its conjugation is as follows: Kafara Billâhi, Yakfuru Kufran, Kufûran and Kufrânan. It is said regarding the people of Dâr'ul Harb (the Abode of War), "They have done Kufr." Meaning, they rebelled and refrained. Kufr is denial of blessings, which nullifies gratitude. Kufr is ungratefulness of blessings, which nullifies gratitude. The statement of Allâhu Taâlâ, "We disbelieve in both of them." (al-Qasas 28/48), means, "we refuse both of them." The meaning of Kafara Ni'matallâh, Yakfuruhâ Kufûran and Kufrânan and Kafara Bihâ (which means that he denied the blessing of Allâh) is to be ungrateful and cover the blessing of Allâh. The meaning of the phrase "He Kâfara his right" is that he denied his right. A Mukaffar man is one whose blessing is denied despite his bestowal. A man who is a Kâfir is one who denies the blessings of Allâh. It is derived from covering. It was also said that he was called so because the heart of the Kâfir is covered...

Some from the people of knowledge said:

Kufr is of four types: Kufr of Denial, which is not recognizing Allâh and not admitting His existence, Kufr of Refusal, Kufr of Obstinacy, and Kufr of Hypocrisy.

Whoever meets his Lord with any of these types of Kufr will not be forgiven by his Lord and He will forgive other sins for whom He wills.

As for the Kufr of Denial, it is a person denying with his heart and tongue and not recognizing what is mentioned to him of Tawhîd. Likewise, it was narrated regarding the statement of Allâhu Taâlâ, "Surely for those who have disbelieved, it is all the same whether you warn them or you warn them not: they do not believe." (al-Baqarah 2/6) Meaning those who denied the Tawhîd of Allâh.

As for the Kufr of Refusal, it is one admitting Allâh by heart and not confessing it with his tongue. Such person is a Kâfir who refuses and his Kufr resembles the Kufr of iblîs and Umayyah bin Abi's Salt. The following statement of Allâhu Taâlâ is included in this genre, "When there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it." (al-Baqarah 2/89) Meaning they disbelieved with the Kufr of Refusal.

As for the Kufr of Obstinacy, it is a person recognizing Allâh by his heart and confessing Him with his tongue, but not espousing the religion out of envy or oppression. This resembles the Kufr of Abû Jahl and his likes. The following is said in the book at-Tahdhîb: He admits with his heart and affirms with his tongue and refuses to accept it. This resembles the Kufr of Abû Tâlib. He had said,

"I know without a doubt that the religion of Muhammad is the best of religions for the creation.

If it wasn't for the fear of being condemned or reviled, you would have found me openly welcoming it!"

As for the Kufr of Hypocrisy, it is a person confessing with his tongue and disbelieving and not having faith in it with his heart...

The basis of Kufr is covering something with a cover that wears it down. Al-Layth said: It is said that the Kâfir was only named Kâfir since Kufr has covered the entirety of his heart. Al-Azharî said: The meaning of this statement of al-Layth is in need of an explanation that is to be used as a guide. Its elucidation is as follows: Kufr linguistically is covering. The Kâfir is a possessor of Kufr, meaning he possesses a cover for his heart with his Kufr...

He said: With this regards, there is a view that is better than the view al-Layth adopted, which is: When Allâh invited the Kâfir to unify Him, Allâh invited him to His blessing and He loved for him to comply with what He invited him to. When the Kâfir refuses to accept what Allâh calls him to of Tawhîd, he became a Kâfir to the blessing of Allâh, meaning, with his refusal, he became a coverer and veiled it from himself...

He said: The Kâfir was therefore called a Kâfir, for he has concealed the blessings of Allâh, Azza wa Jalla.

Al-Azharî said: Allâh's blessings are the signs of Allâh that denote to His oneness. The blessings that the Kâfir conceals are the signs that make it clear to those who possess ration that their creator is one and that He has no partners. Likewise, the fact that Allâh sent messengers with verses that are miracles, revealed books, and open proofs is a blessing from Him that is manifest. So, whoever does not approve of them and rejects them, he has done Kufr to the blessing of Allâh, that is, he has concealed and veiled them from himself."



1- Ibnu Mandhûr, Lisân'ul Arab, Dâr'u Sâdir, 5/144-147.
"If the ignorant persists, gets haughty, is determined upon his transgression and misguidance, chooses blindness over guidance, and if what he falls into and disputes with regards to is Shirk Akbar (major Shirk) that brings the person who commits it out of the fold of the faction of Muslims to the party of polytheists, then in this case, the just verdict is the sword!" (al-Fath'ur Rabbânî min Fatâwâ'l Imâm ash-Shawkânî, 1/185)

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