KUFR AND ITS VARIOUS KINDS
Assembled by Mallam Abba Abana, Kubwa, Abuja,
Nigeria
http://variousislamicdawadocuments.blogspot.com
Emails:gonidamgamiri@yahoo.com; abba.abana@gmail.com
Bismillah
Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah. As-Salaam Alaikum
Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu
Praise be to Allaah; we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
Bismillaahir Rahmaanir
Raheem
In sharia Kufr means “not believing in Allaah and His Messenger,
whether that is accompanied by denial or it is not accompanied by denial but
rather doubt, or turning away from faith out of jealousy or arrogance, or
because one is following whims and desires that prevent one from following the
message’’.
SECTION
ONE
There are various kinds of major
kufr that puts one beyond the pale of Islam.
The
reality of kufr and its various kinds is a lengthy topic, but we may sum it up
in the following points:
1 – The
importance of knowing what kufr is and the forms it may take:
The
texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah indicate that faith is not valid and is not
accepted unless two conditions are met – which are what are implied by the
testimony that there is no god except Allaah. These two conditions are
submission to Allaah alone (Tawheed), and denouncing and shunning all kinds of
kufr and shirk.
A person
cannot denounce or shun anything unless he knows what it is. From this we
understand the importance of knowing what Tawheed is, so that we may act
accordingly and attain Tawheed, and knowing what kufr and shirk is so that we
may avoid them and steer clear of them.
2 –
Definition of kufr:
Kufr in
Arabic means covering and concealing something.
In
shar’i terminology it means “not believing in Allaah and His Messenger, whether
that is accompanied by denial or it is not accompanied by denial but rather doubt,
or turning away from faith out of jealousy or arrogance, or because one is
following whims and desires that prevent one from following the message. So
kufr is the attribute of everyone who rejects something that Allaah has
commanded us to believe in, after news of that has reached him, whether he
rejects it in his heart without uttering it, or he speaks those words of
rejection without believing it in his heart, or he does both; or he does an
action which is described in the texts as putting one beyond the pale of
faith.” See Majmoo’ al-Fataawa by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, 12/335; al-Ihkaam
fi Usool al-Ahkaam by Ibn Hazam, 1/45.
Ibn
Hazam said in his book al-Fasl: “Rejecting something for which there is
sound proof that there can be no faith without believing in it is kufr, and
uttering words for which there is proof that uttering them is kufr is kufr.
Doing any action for which there is proof that it is kufr is also kufr.”
3 –
Kinds of major kufr which put one beyond the pale of Islam
The
scholars divided kufr into a number of categories, under which they listed many
forms and kinds of shirk. These are as follows:
-A-
The
kufr of denial and rejection. This kufr may sometimes take the form of
disbelief in the heart – which occurs rarely among the kuffaar, as Ibn
al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said – and 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, such
as the Jews’ rejection of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Allaah says of them (interpretation of the meaning):
“then
when there came to them that which they had recognised, they disbelieved in
it”[al-Baqarah 2:89]
He also
said (interpretation of the meaning]:
“But
verily, a party of them conceal the truth while they know it” [al-Baqarah
2:146]
That is
because rejection only happens which a person knows the truth and refuses it.
Hence Allaah stated that the kuffaar’s disbelief in the Messenger (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) was not disbelief in the true sense of the
word, because their disbelief was only outward and verbal, and inwardly they
recognized the truth.
Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
“it is
not you that they deny, but it is the Verses (the Qur’aan) of Allaah that the
Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers) deny”[al-An’aam 6:33]
“And
they belied them (those Ayaat) wrongfully and arrogantly, though their
ownselves were convinced thereof”[al-Naml 27:14]
Similar
to this is the kufr of permitting that which is forbidden. Whoever regards as
permissible something which he knows that Islam has forbidden has disbelieved
in the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and in that which
he brought. The same applies to one who forbids something which he knows that
Islam has permitted.
-B-
The
kufr of turning away in arrogance, such as the kufr of Iblees of whom Allaah
said:
“…
except Iblees (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers
(disobedient to Allaah)”[al-Baqarah 2:34 – interpretation of the meaning]
And
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“They
(hypocrites) say: ‘We have believed in Allaah and in the Messenger (Muhammad),
and we obey,’ then a party of them turn away thereafter, such are not
believers”[al-Noor 24:47]
So
Allaah has stated that those who do not act in accordance with faith are not
believers, even if they utter the words of faith. The kufr of turning away
means that one ignores the truth and does not learn it or act in accordance
with it, whether it is the matter of words, actions or beliefs. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
“But
those who disbelieve, turn away from that whereof they are warned”[al-Ahqaaf
46:3]
Whoever
turns away verbally from that which the Messenger has brought is like one who
says “I will not follow him.” The one who turns away by his actions is like one
who runs away from hearing the truth which he brought, or puts his fingers in
his ears so as not to hear, or who hears it but turns away in his heart and
refuses to believe, and who refuses to act upon it. He has disbelieved in the
sense of the kufr of turning away.
-C-
The
kufr of hypocrisy. This takes the form of not believing in the heart and not
acting, whilst submitting outwardly in order to show off to people. This is
like the kufr of Ibn Salool and the other munaafiqeen (hypocrites) of whom
Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning):
“And of
mankind, there are some (hypocrites) who say: ‘We believe in Allaah and the
Last Day,’ while in fact they believe not.
They
(think to) deceive Allaah and those who believe, while they only deceive
themselves, and perceive (it) not!
In
their hearts is a disease (of doubt and hypocrisy) and Allaah has increased
their disease. A painful torment is theirs because they used to tell lies.
And
when it is said to them: ‘Make not mischief on the earth,’ they say: ‘We are
only peacemakers.’
Verily,
they are the ones who make mischief, but they perceive not.
And
when it is said to them (hypocrites): ‘Believe as the people (followers of
Muhammad, Al-Ansaar and Al-Muhajiroon) have believed,’ they say: ‘Shall we
believe as the fools have believed?’ Verily, they are the fools, but they know
not.
And
when they meet those who believe, they say: ‘We believe,’ but when they are
alone with their Shayaateen (devils — polytheists, hypocrites), they say:
‘Truly, we are with you; verily, we were but mocking.’
Allaah
mocks at them and gives them increase in their wrong-doing to wander blindly.
These
are they who have purchased error for guidance, so their commerce was
profitless. And they were not guided.
Their
likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire; then, when it lighted
all around him, Allaah took away their light and left them in darkness. (So)
they could not see.
They
are deaf, dumb, and blind, so they return not (to the Right Path).
Or like
a rainstorm from the sky, wherein is darkness, thunder, and lightning. They
thrust their fingers in their ears to keep out the stunning thunderclap for
fear of death. But Allaah ever encompasses the disbelievers (i.e. Allaah will
gather them all together).
The
lightning almost snatches away their sight, whenever it flashes for them, they
walk therein, and when darkness covers them, they stand still. And if Allaah
willed, He could have taken away their hearing and their sight. Certainly,
Allaah has power over all things”[al-Baqarah 2:8-20]
-D-
The
kufr of doubt, which means hesitating with regard to following the truth and
being uncertain as to whether it is true, because what is required is certainty
of faith (yaqeen) that what the Messenger brought is truth with no hint of
doubt in it. Whoever thinks that what he brought may not be true has disbelieved,
in the sense of kufr of doubt, as Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
“And he
went into his garden while in a state (of pride and disbelief), unjust to
himself. He said: ‘I think not that this will ever perish.
And
I think not the Hour will ever come, and if indeed I am brought back to my
Lord, (on the Day of Resurrection), I surely, shall find better than this when
I return to Him.’
His
companion said to him during the talk with him: ‘Do you disbelieve in Him Who
created you out of dust (i.e. your father Adam), then out of Nutfah (mixed
semen drops of male and female discharge), then fashioned you into a man?
But as
for my part, (I believe) that He is Allaah, my Lord, and none shall I associate
as partner with my Lord.’”[al-Kahf 18:35-38]
From
this we may conclude that kufr – which is the opposite of eemaan or faith – may
take the form of feelings in the heart, such as hating Allaah or His signs, or
His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him); this contradicts
love and faith which support the actions of the heart. Kufr may also take the
form of spoken words, such as insulting Allaah, or it may be an outward action,
such as prostrating to idols, or offering sacrifices to someone other than
Allaah. Just as faith takes the form of actions of the heart, words on the
tongue and outward physical actions, so too kufr may take the form of actions
of the heart, words on the tongue and outward physical actions. We ask Allaah
to keep us safe from kufr and its branches, and to increase us in faith and
make us guided and cause us to guide others… Ameen.
SECION TWO
THE
MISGUIDANCE OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT KUFR ONLY MEANS DISBELIEF
Is the
idea that kufr is only disbelief an idea that came from the Murji’ah sect?
Kufr takes different forms. The Murji’ah and other followers of bid’ah (reprehensible innovation) say that kufr is only based on disbelief. But this view is contrary to the evidence and contrary to the truth. It is known that the Messengers were sent with miracles and proof to which hearts submitted. It is rare indeed that people believed that what the Prophets brought was false; most instances of kufr stemmed from arrogance, rejection and stubbornness. Allaah mentioned that Quraysh did not disbelieve the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “but it is the Verses (the Qur’aan) of Allaah that the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers) deny” [al-An’aam 6:33 – interpretation of the meaning]. This happens very often. Hence the scholars divided kufr into various types: the kufr of negligence and not caring; the kufr of arrogance and pride; the kufr of disbelief; the kufr of hypocrisy; the kufr of doubt. There is a great deal of evidence to that effect in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The story of Abu Taalib and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is clear; he believed in him and he used to say, “Our son does not tell lies,” but he was still a kaafir, because he never made a statement of faith or followed it up with actions.
And
Allaah knows best.
Sources
A’laam
al-Sunnah al-Manshoorah, 177; Nawaaqid al-Eemaan al-Qawliyyah wa’l-‘Amaliyyah by
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez Aal ‘Abd al-Lateef, 36-46; Dawaabit al-Takfeer by
Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah al-Qarani, 183, 196.
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