The REAL meaning of Kafir and Kufur
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Malaysia Today is only six months old and already the Federal Territory Mufti has called me jahil (ignorant), the Deputy Prime Minister has threatened to take action against me, and the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) has made a police report with regards to my allegation that the government-written Friday prayer kutbah (sermon) incites hatred.
And I have not even gone into all the issues yet.
The only issue I have so far raised (and rest assured there are many more issues I am yet to raise) is with regards to the free use of the word ‘Kafir’ and ‘Kufur’ against non-Muslims which many Muslim bloggers in Malaysia Today have defended as the proper term to use since this has already been stipulated in the Koran. To protest this labelling of non-Muslims, they say, goes against the very grain of Islam and many ‘pious’ Muslims have suggested I go find a guru and learn about Islam before talking.
As much as it is important to understand the meaning of ‘Islam’ and ‘Muslim’, likewise it is important to understand the opposite; that is, ‘Kafir’ and ‘Kufur’. There is a lot of confusion about these words and their meaning. Therefore, the knowledge of their meaning in Arabic becomes even more essential.
Kafir; that is being in a state of Kufur; does not just mean ‘non-Muslims’. It is more than that and Muslims too can be in a state of Kufur. Malays, however, think that ‘Kafir‘ is a word Muslims should use as a ‘label’ for non-Muslims.
This is not so! And this is what our religious leaders should explain in the government-written kutbah.
There is a lot of misunderstanding as to who is a Muslim (a believer in the Oneness of Allah) and who is a Kafir (those who reject the concept of the existence of One God of whatever name they would like to call Him by). This confusion has reached a level where some people do not like to call anyone a Kafir, including those whom Allah has clearly indicated in the Koran. On the other hand, there are some who arbitrarily call people Kafir without knowing the essential meaning of the word.
It is therefore time that we understand the true meaning of the word.
We also find Muslims being labelled as terrorists, extremists or fundamentalists, while others attempt to water-down the boundaries of Islam into something that resembles pseudo-Christianity, where everyone is forgiven and everyone goes to heaven, regardless of their disobedience and ingratitude to Allah and their perception of who Allah is.
Islam, however, stands between these two extremes.
First of all, Allah uses the terms Kafir and Kufur in the Koran. So we cannot say that these words do not exist or that they have no meaning.
Allah has stated plainly in the Koran that the righteous; the Muslims who believe sincerely and act according to the laws of Allah; will inherit Paradise.
In Sura An Nur, Allah says:
God has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion – the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: ‘They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught with Me. ‘If any do reject Faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked. (Sura 24:55)
Can this honour possibly be for anyone who is in a state of Kufur?
In Sura Al A’raf Allah says:
The Companions of the Fire will call to the Companions of the Garden: “Pour down to us water or anything that God doth provide for your sustenance.” They will say: “Both these things hath God forbidden to those who rejected Him.” (Sura 7:50)
From this we can clearly see that disbelief is a state; a state wherein resides the consequences of one’s actions. The disbeliever will not be allowed the comfort and provision of Allah that he used to enjoy in this life.
Who are these disbelievers and what are some of their characteristics?
Allah says in the Koran:
“Such as took their religion to be mere amusement and play, and were deceived by the life of the world.” That day shall We forget them as they forgot the meeting of this day of theirs, and as they were wont to reject Our signs. (Sura 7:51)
The phrase ‘who took their religion as an amusement and play’ is important. We want to look at the words ‘amusement and play’ and analyse their meaning in Arabic.
The Arabic for this is ‘lahu wal la’b’.
This includes anything that does not include remembrance of Allah; anything which distracts us from thinking about Allah and mentioning His name; where the remembrance of Allah is the last thing on one’s mind. In short: to put another priority about Allah.
This is the state of taking Islam as an amusement and play.
How many ways can we become distracted from Islam and from remembering Allah? This is a state of existence; a state of putting oneself far from Allah. Such people are those who allow themselves to be diverted, for whatever reason, from the remembrance of Allah and from taking the religion of Islam seriously as it should be taken.
Allah says:
When thou seest men engaged in vain discourse about Our signs, turn away from them unless they turn to a different theme. If Satan ever makes thee forget, then after recollection, sit not thou in the company of those who do wrong. (Sura 6:68)
The root word of Kafir is ‘kafara‘, which means to cover something up or not disclosing something. It refers to people who know the truth but cover it up and fail to disclose it; one who covers the truth after it has been made manifest to him; who covers the favours of Allah and opposes it.
Allah says in Sura Al An’am:
No just estimate of God do they make when they say: “Nothing doth God send down to man (by way of revelation)” Say: “Who then sent down the Book which Moses brought?- a light and guidance to man: But ye make it into (separate) sheets for show, while ye conceal much (of its contents): therein were ye taught that which ye knew not- neither ye nor your fathers.” Say: “God (sent it down)”: Then leave them to plunge in vain discourse and trifling. (Sura 6:91)
This is essentially different from those people who are ignorant (Jahil), that is, they do not know about Islam or have not been exposed to Islam.
It is important to note that the word ‘la’b’ implies deviating from the straight path; to engage in something other than what one has been told to do — meaning to disobey Allah.
Those who take Allah’s religion as a plaything, a sport, as being of secondary importance in life — and do this while knowing about Islam and of their duties to Allah — are guilty of Kufur and hence have removed themselves from Islam.
Allah says:
They are those who deny the Signs of their Lord and the fact of their having to meet Him (in the Hereafter): vain will be their works, nor shall We, on the Day of Judgment, give them any weight. (Sura 18:105)
In short, the above means those who are guilty of Kufur are all those who:
- Use Islam as a means to an end — as a tool.
- Take Islam lightly or belittle it.
- Put other beliefs, ideologies, concepts or ‘struggles’ above Islam.
- Hide the truth and lie about what Islam really represents.
- Reject the true teachings and requirements of Islam.
Kufur, therefore, does not merely refer to those who do not face Mecca to pray. This is too narrow a meaning. Kufur is broader than that. Kufur is all the above. And this would mean that many Muslims in Malaysia could be in a state of Kufur as well. And if they are Kufur, would not the Kafir label then be most appropriate to be used on them?
And who are these Malaysian Muslims who are guilty of Kufur? You tell me! The Malay Muslims who hurl the Kafir label at non-Muslims could actually be in a state of Kufur themselves.
