Part 2: What is the true meaning of Kafir?

After my previous posting, i believed that you've now gotten a grip on what the word Kafir truly and actually mean. Most would know by now that the true meaning of the word Kafir is 'concealer of the truth'. So, the next thing that i need to do now is to provide the proof to you that the Quran doesn't say all non Muslims are Kafirs although majority of Muslims considers them to be Kafir.

There are no specific verses in the Quran and authentic hadith that says all non Muslims are kafir. The word kafir (plural kafirun) is used directly 134 times in Qur'an, its verbal noun "kufr" is used 37 times, and the verbal cognates of kafir are used about 250 times. But never once did the Quran says that all non Muslims are kafir.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) received his Prophethood in 610. A.D. At that time all the people, including himself, were non-Muslims (not kafir but Ahlul Fatrah). After receiving his Prophethood and Revelations, he started spreading the good news to the local non Muslims and invites them to Islam.

When he addressed them to convey his message, he never once said, ‘O Kafirs’ or 'O non believer', but rather ‘O man’ or ‘O people’ using the plural form. He continued to use this form of address throughout his life. That is, to him, all those who had not entered the fold of Islam were simply human beings (an nas or insan).

The truth is, the Quran and the Prophet (pbuh) called the non Muslim in many different ways and names. For example, in Surah at Taubah verse 30, Allah SWT refers the non Muslim as Jews and Christians even though they call Ezra and the Messiah as 'Son of Allah'. Why the Quran never say, the kafir Jews or the kafir Christians if the meaning of the word 'kafir' is non Muslim?

In Surah ar-Rum verse 2, the Quran never say 'kafir' but refer the non Muslim only as Byzantines (Roman). The Quran also refers the non Muslims as the "People of the Book' in some verses of the Quran and the Muslims are permitted to engage in marriage with them (QS 5:5). Surely Allah SWT wouldn't call them kafir if Muslims are allowed to take them as spouse. But still, they are non Muslim, no?

Similarly in Surah al-Fil verse 1, the Quran mentions 'Abraha', the non-Muslim ruler of Yaman who rode on elephant to attack Makkah, but still the Quran does not refer him as ‘kafir ruler of Yaman’, but rather as the “man of the elephants”. (Abraha’s soldiers were mounted on elephants when they came to attack the Ka'bah at Makkah).

In Surah an-Nas verse 1, the Quran teaches humanity to say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind". The word 'mankind' are inclusive of Muslim and non Muslim altogether. You see, Allah SWT is not only the God for Muslims but He is the God of all Humanity. That is why the word kafir was not used on the non Muslims in the Quran but only referring it to a certain group of denier and concealer of the Truth.

As i've mentioned in my previous posting, it's the obligation of all Muslims to go and spread the Holy Message to the non Muslims. It's the duty of the Muslims to invite them to Islam. Whether or not you have fulfilled your obligation of Dakwah, only you yourself and Allah SWT knows best. If you choose to become a concealer of the Truth by calling them as kafir, that is entirely up to you...

I am sorry, i do not have the guts to do that. I am afraid of Allah SWT and His Hell Fire. It is always safest to assume that a non Muslim has been misguided, misinformed and fed with lies and misconceptions about Islam and Muslims than to refer them as kafir. Remove the name-calling and labeling from your mindset, your vocabulary, your articles and your websites. Wouldn’t you rather be safe than sorry?


Wallahu'alam