Is Every non-Muslim a disbeliever (Kafir) and a polythiest (Mushrik)?

One of the biggest confusions that could come while reciting the Qur`an is whether how come that kuffar will be punished although they did not know the message, and they would do good thinking it to be good, but Allah described those who deeds will be lost: “[They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work." [18:104]

Further questions are raised whether who are kuffar? Is every non-Muslim including the one who did not hear of Islam a kafir; how can it be so when kafir is defined as someone who ‘rejects’? How can one become a kafir when he has rejected nothing? Is Every non-Muslim a polythiest (Mushrik)?

Kafir:

I write this looking at the confusion even among some famous preachers known to explain Qur’an. The answer is divided into three parts: Linguistic definition of a kafir; Legal definition of a kafir; Categories of kuffar on the Day of Judgment.

Linguistic definition of kufr:

According to Ibn Faris’s dictionary, it carries the meaning of ستر (to hide, conceal, cover) and تغطيىة (covering, enveloping, wrapping). End quote.

It is used linguistically in many ways like to describe night (as it covers the sky). It is said:

في ليلة كفر النجوم غمامها (In a dark night, the stars are its clouds).

And according to one of the opinions, the word kuffar is used for tillers (cultivators) in the Qur’an because they cover the seed under the soil:

كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ

“..like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers.” [al-Hadeed 57:20]

And it is common to use the phrase كفر النعمة (kufr an-ni’mah) which is translated to ‘kufr of ungratefulness’. This is concealment by not thanking, because thanking (of any form) makes itself apparent. But silence and not thanking is its concealment and immersion. It has come in the same meaning in [Abas 80:17] which can be compared with [Saba 34:13]. And it has also come with the same meaning here:

إِنَّا هَدَيْنَاهُ السَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا

Indeed, We guided him to the way, be he grateful or be he ungrateful (kafoora). [al-Insan 76:3] And also:

وَهَدَيْنَاهُ النَّجْدَيْنِ

And have shown him the two ways? [al-Balad 90:10] So some choose to be grateful and others don’t.

Therefore, kufr linguistically carries the meaning of concealment or hiding. Cross check and refer to Umdat-ul Huffaz fi Tafseer al Alfaaz of al-Halabi [page 406] for more.

Legal (shar’ee) definition of Kufr:

It is true that Qur'an was revealed in pure Arabic language, so if anyone wants to understand a word, he must refer back to definitions of old preserved in the poems of Jahiliyyah. This is important because the language keeps evolving, which leaves us with no other way to know the correct definition of words except the poems of old or definitions from dictionaries like that of Ibn Faris who defines as. To make it simple, if someone wants to know the actual location of any city historically, he must look into maps of old (atlas-tareekh). Because a city may be located in the East in the past, but shifted or renamed later.

However, Qur'an came with new words and definitions as well. The same goes for Hadith, which is why there is a special science in the field of Hadith known as 'Gareeb-ul Hadith' which studies the new words or usage which was not known or rare generally. The context in which kufr is used in the Qur'an is as follows:

Allah says:

وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوقَ وَالْعِصْيَانَ

“..And has made hateful to you disbelief (kufr), wickedness and disobedience.” [al-Hujrat 49:7]

And also:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا

“Indeed, those who disbelieve...” [aale-Imran 3:4]

And the most explicit aayah is this aayah of Surat-ul Fath:

وَمَن لَّمْ يُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَإِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ سَعِيرًا

"And whoever has not believed in Allah and His Messenger - then indeed, We have prepared for the disbelievers (Kafireen) a Blaze." [al-Fath 48:13]

Therefore, anyone who merely does not believe in Allah and His messenger is a Kafir. Now, to define kufr, the most concise definition of kufr should be:

كفر: هو ستر اصل الايمان وكماله

“To conceal the foundations of faith and its integrity”.

This is why the word disbelief is appropriate to be used which means “Lack of faith” but in our context it would mean lack of faith in Islam. This definition was mentioned by our sheikh Salih ibn Abdullah al-Usaymee, a teacher in the sacred mosque of Madeenah, and a member of senior scholars committee in the KSA, in his explanation of ‘Thalathat-ul Usool’.

Therefore, there are only two broad categories of people in terms of religion, as Allah says:

هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ فَمِنكُمْ كَافِرٌ وَمِنكُم مُّؤْمِنٌ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

“It is He who created you, and among you is the disbeliever (kafir), and among you is the believer.” [at-Taghabun 64:2]

There is no third category, and a non-Muslim (or not yet Muslim) is equivalent to Kafir. And it does not matter whether they are aware of Islam or not, as Allah said:

الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا

“[They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work." [18:104]

Imam at-Tabari commented:

They (falsely) assumed what they were doing to be in obedience of Allah and to be struggle in his path. This is one of the strongest proofs of the mistake of the one who says that no one disbelieves in Allah except after doing so while acknowledging it to be disbelief in His oneness. And that is because Allah informed about these and characterized them in this aayah, that their efforts in the world are lost in deviancy although they used to think that they were good-doers, and also that these are the ones who disbelieved in their Lord. And if it would be the case that as some claim that no one can disbelieve except after knowing, it would necessitate for these people about who Allah informed to be assuming to be doing good to have their efforts accepted and rewarded. However, the fact is in opposition to what they say, so Allah informed about them that they are disbelievers in Allah, and that their deeds will be destroyed. End quote.

And there are many other proofs to it such as:

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ ءَامِنُواْ كَمَآ ءَامَنَ النَّاسُ قَالُواْ أَنُؤْمِنُ كَمَآ آمَنَ السُّفَهَآءُ أَلاَ إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ السُّفَهَآءُ وَلَـكِن لاَّ يَعْلَمُونَ

And when it is said to them: Believe as the people believe,'' They say: "Shall we believe as the fools have believed'' Verily, they are the fools, but they do not know. [al-Baqarah 2:13]

Ibn Kathir commented on this aayah: "Since they are so thoroughly ignorant, the hypocrites are unaware of their degree of deviation and ignorance, and such situation is more dangerous, a severer case of blindness, and further from the truth than one who is aware." End quote.

In conclusion, everyone who is not a Muslim is a kafir, as mentioned by scholars by consensus (ijmaa) of the early generations. And shaikh Sa`ad ibn Abdullah al-Qu`ood did hard work collecting the statements of scholars who mentioned agreement of the scholars on naming all non-Muslims as Kuffar. He said:

Ibn Hazm, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “And there is agreement on naming the Jews and the Christians as Kuffar.” (Maratib Al-Ijmaa fil Ibadaat wal Mu`amalaat wal I`tiqadaat of Abu Muhammad Ibn Hazm)

And Shaikh-ul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Indeed the Jews and the Christians are Kuffar, kufr which is known by necessity from the religion of Islam.” (Majmoo` al-Fatawa, gathered by Abdur-Rahman bin Qasim)

And Qadhi `Iyaadh (one of the most famous Maliki scholars) noted, may Allah have mercy on him: "There is consensus on the Kufr of the one who does not declare takfeer on anyone of the Christians and the Jews, and anyone who separates himself from the religion of the Muslims, or doubts or does not takes a stance in declaring them Kuffar."  (Al-Shifaa’ bi Ta’reef Huqooq al-Mustafaa)

And Imam Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab, may Allah have mercy on him, said that from the nullifiers of Islam are: “Third: The one who does not declares takfeer on the polytheists, or doubts their kufr, or declares their religion to be correct, it is kufr by consensus.” (Nawaqid al-Islam)

And shaikh Abdullah Aba Batayn, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “The scholars have consensus about the kufr of the one who does not declare takfeer on the Jews and the Christians or doubts their disbelief.” (Al-Intisar Li Hizb Allah Al Muwahhideen)

And the permanent committee for knowledge research and verdicts was asked about the one who does not declare takfeer on the Jews and the Christians, and says about them: “They are Ahlul Kitaab only” ?!

So they replied: “The one who says this is a Kafir, due to his denial of what has come in the Qur`an and the Sunnah clearly declaring their kufr. Allah ta`aala stated: 

 "O People of the Scripture, why do you disbelieve in the verses of Allah while you witness [to their truth]?" (3:70)

And He stated: “Surely, in disbelief are they who say that Allaah is the Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary)…” [al-Maa’idah 5:17]

And He stated: “Surely, disbelievers are those who said: “Allaah is the third of the three (in a Trinity).” [al-Maa’idah 5:73]

And the Jews say: ‘Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allaah, and the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allaah. That is their saying with their mouths, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. Allaah’s Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth!” [al-Tawbah 9:30].

End quote from Shaikh Abdullah Al-Qu`ood from his "Fiqh Maqasid ad-Da`wah" (pg. 241).

Fate of Kuffar:

This is well known and does not needs to be explained in detail, but what follows is in brief:

1. The kuffar who know about Islam and understood it yet did not accept it: These will be in the Hell-fire forever. They won’t go through the counting of deeds like believer would go, they would be thrown directly to their destination against which they fought their life.

2. The kuffar who do not know about Islam or were not conveyed the message correctly: These will be tested on the Day of Judgment as Allah wishes to test. Those who will pass will be successful, those who fail will fail.

What needs to be kept in mind is that: “Your Lord treats no one with injustice” [al-Kahf 18:49] There will be complete justice, and if anyone is really concerned for them that why would they be send to Hell, we tell them: Show your concern the way the prophet showed (as mentioned in the beginning of the Surah) to display them Islam so that they

accept it and become one of the successful. Keep up the Da’wah!

Shirk:

Shirk refers to association linguistically, and could be applied in other ways depending on the context. But shirk in the share`ah means to give the some of the rights of Allah to someone else. And Mushrik is the doer of shirk, i.e., the one who gives some of the rights of Allah to someone else will be called a Mushrik.

Shaikh Muhammad al Munajjid said:  "Shirk and kufr are the same when it comes to the ruling (hukm)." (Fatwa number 6688 on islamqa.info)

And Ibn Hazm said: "Kufr and shirk are the same; every kaafir is a mushrik and every mushrik is a kaafir. This is the view of al-Shaafa’ and others." (al-Fisl, 3/124).

On this basis, every non-Muslim is a Kafir and also a Mushrik, as every Kafir gives one or more fundamental right of Allah to others.

And shaikh Ibn Jibreen (rahimahullah) wrote a booklet on this issue named "Al- I`laam bi kufri man Ibga deena gairal-Islam", and declared the Ahlul-Kitab to be Kuffar and Mushrikeen. And shaikh Saleh ibn Abdullah ibn Hamad al-`Usaymee did a commentary on this book and mentioned a very important point:

Not for once the term ‘Mushrikeen’ has been used for the people of the Book. In-fact, the Qur`an differentiates between them and the Mushrikeen, like Allah stated:

لَمْ يَكُنِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ

"Those who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists.." (98:1) And by default, ‘and’ is used to differentiate.

However, their shirk has been mentioned, and there are multiple ayaat mentioning that they fallen into shirk. And there is difference between describing them as the doer (i.e., Mushrik) and attributing the action (i.e., shirk) to them. Since the actual religion they followed was correct, falling into shirk does not makes them absolute people of shirk. So, the action has been limited to action, instead of naming them as the doer.

As for other than ahlul kitab, of those who fell into shirk and do not belong any religion like the people of jahiliyyah (ignorance), they submerged into shirk and so it would be correct to use the doer form (i.e., Musrik) on them.

And this is why, if it was asked: Are the Jews and the Christians Mushriks or not?

It would be answered: It requires a detailed answer. If you intend by this that they have fallen into shirk, then it is correct as they have actually fallen into shirk. But if you intend that they submerged into shirk up-to an extent that their religion has become the religion of Mushriks, and have departed from the very foundation of the true religion, then it is incorrect. And that is why there has come difference between these two groups in the Qur`an, and it limits ascribing them only to the action and not describing them as the doer. And the word Mushrik has come for the one who does not even origins from the true religion. And through this is solved the problem of this issue.

End quote from shaikh's commentary.

Conclusion:

Important definitions to remember:

1. Islam: To submit to Allah with tawheed, and compliance to Him with obedience, and disavowal from polytheism and its people.

2. Muslim: The one who accepts Islam by declaring the testimony and acting at-least the minimum required.

3. Kufr: To conceal the foundations of faith and its integrity.

4. Kafir: The one who hides the foundation of faith (Islam) and shows something other than it.

5. Shirk: To give one or more rights of Allah to someone else, specially the rights of worship.

6. Mushrik: The one who gives one or more right of worship of Allah to someone else.

This is the end of this article, and we ask Allah to accept it from us, and to make it a reason for our forgiveness! May Allah reward the one who shares it for the benefit of others, and for the victory of the truth. Finally, may Allah's peace, mercy and blessings be upon his final messenger, the chosen one and the best of creation!