Who is kaffir??

[ftbno1]

As a person from another religion I would like to know who is according to islam.If I go by defination given in wikipedia anyone who is non-muslim or does not follow sharia is kaffir.And what(according to quran) should be muslim's behavior toward kaffir.

[AbdulrazzaqFan]

It simply means disbeliever, and if you want to go into its etymological roots - the word kafir is derived from KFR which literally means "cover" like the cover you might put over a hole or a grave or something you wanna hide. Ergo, the word "kafir" means literally, someone who covers up the truth, the truth about the Unity of God, etc.

As for the Muslim behaviour towards Kuffar, we are generally told to be kind to everyone irrespective of their religion. Good akhlaq (manners) are extremely important in our religion. It is so important that inn one of the sayings of our beloved Prophet saw, we learn that on the day of Judgment, the one with the heaviest scale will be the one with good akhlaq.

[Hasan]

the only two conditions to be a muslims are:
1) Belief in the one God, Allah
2) Belief in Prophet Mohammad as the final messenger of Allah.

If you have true belief in these two statements you are a Muslim nothing more nothing less. If you have doubt in either of these two statements you are a Kafir.

[James]

Shame about the other meaning of kaffir :|

[AbdulrazzaqFan]

Shame about the other meaning of kaffir :|

What other meaning?

[Zeeraq]

Shame about the other meaning of kaffir :|

There isn't any other meaning.

[James]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaffir_(racial_term)

Worth reading the backstory as well. One of the darker aspects of white history :(

[AbdulrazzaqFan]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaffir_(racial_term)

Worth reading the backstory as well. One of the darker aspects of white history :(

It's not a racial term. I believe it created discomfort because some non-Muslims started treating it like a dirty word, and some Muslims also started using it with an insulting tone of voice, and attendant facial or body language. It simply means disbeliever like I said before.

[James]

Such is the power of language in the hands of the mis-user.

It's quite the taboo word now, particularly in Southern Africa.

[AbdulrazzaqFan]

Meh, all you need is a dictionary to see the word for yourself. It isn't rocket science ya know.

[anakwalajinn]

Such is the power of language in the hands of the mis-user.

It's quite the taboo word now, particularly in Southern Africa.

Did not read through the whole WikiPedia link and all, but is that what Leonardo Di Caprio says to Djimoun Hounsou when they have this fight and he calls him a kaffah/kaffer ? :13:

[James]

The very same. It's arguably got just as much context and power to offend as the n-word did/does in North America.

[Abdullah22]

Razzakfan summed it up pretty well. I personally didn't know about the racial term and never used in that sense either. I also don't understand why kaffir is translated as "infidel" quite a lot.

[AbdulrazzaqFan]

The very same. It's arguably got just as much context and power to offend as the n-word did/does in North America.

No it doesn't. Only a bigot would think that. The word simply refers to disbelievers. If you're not offended at the word disbeliever then you shouldn't be offended at the word Kafir either. Unlike "negro", when the word kafir is mentioned the majority of the Muslim ummah simply means "disbelievers" (those that do not believe in Allah/Islam) without any racial connotation to the word.

[khan-92]

Kafir is not a degratory term check this short clip on other meaning of this word.


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[Solid Snake]

I think Whippy is referring to how a similar sounding word is quite a derogatory term in places like South Africa. I think this is more of a coincidence and does not have any roots or connections with the arabic word. If I'm not mistaken it is even pronounced differently.

Obviously a word in one language might coincidently mean something quite rude in another. For example when I was younger I was talking to a friend of mine about the languages I can speak, and of course I mentioned urdu. When he repeated it back quizzically (he was from South Africa) his parents overheard and were appalled.

They scolded him right in front of me and told him to never use that sort of language! Needless to say we were both quite bemused, but it turns out in Affrikans 'urdu' (or something that sounds similar) is a very insulting term, though to this day I don't know what it really means!

[Looney]

anyone you do not like is a kafir :P

[mithun_minhas]

I am a Kaffir :asif

[Tapori]

AbdulrazzaqFan

Whilst you're right, I think you misunderstood Whippy's point.

Language is what you make it; Hence Ni++er is different when used by someone in a different context, i.e. Comedy routine highlighting racism, between black people etc etc.

Whippy is right too, you try getting away with that in SA and good luck having the time to explain that you didn't mean to say Kaafir/Kuffar racially etc etc.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zBYpzPZzrqA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Looney]

how can kafir be a racial term ? what has Islam got to do with anyone 's race ? :facepalm:

i will read that wiki page later , whippy


Kafir = non Muslim ( singular )
Kuffar - non Muslims ( plural )


what most of us do not pay attention to is that Quran is not only for Muslims but for all humankind .

[AbdulrazzaqFan]

AbdulrazzaqFan

Whilst you're right, I think you misunderstood Whippy's point.

Language is what you make it; Hence Ni++er is different when used by someone in a different context, i.e. Comedy routine highlighting racism, between black people etc etc.

Whippy is right too, you try getting away with that in SA and good luck having the time to explain that you didn't mean to say Kaafir/Kuffar racially etc etc.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zBYpzPZzrqA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


I don’t think I misunderstood Whippy. In fact, I agreed with him initially that if the term is used in a derogatory manner with a certain tone of voice & body language then it does become bad. However, he seems to be implying that the word ‘kafir’ has a racial connotation in a bigger context and this is the point I disagree with.

I did not know that it was used as a racial slur in SA, however, after reading this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaffir_(racial_term) article in Wikipedia, it’s quite apparent that they've have obviously misunderstood the word and probably use it like how the N-word is used in America, which is quite amusing since blacks aren’t the only kafirs even in SA.

Furthermore, in the bigger context, the word is simply used to describe “disbelievers” without implying a racial slur as majority of the Muslims on this forum and throughout the world will attest to it.

[Stanman]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaffir_(racial_term)

Worth reading the backstory as well. One of the darker aspects of white history :(

That is pronounced differently, its more like ghaffa with a gutterial utterance

[akhrot]

As a person from another religion I would like to know who is according to islam.If I go by defination given in wikipedia anyone who is non-muslim or does not follow sharia is kaffir.And what(according to quran) should be muslim's behavior toward kaffir.

to truly understand the meaning of kafir, go to Saudi Arabia and announce yourself as one.

[James]

However, he seems to be implying that the word ‘kafir’ has a racial connotation in a bigger context and this is the point I disagree with.

Way off the mark. There was no need for the word 'bigot' either.

I was pointing out that the word (whether it is pronounced this way or that) is, coincidentally, a riskier one to use now than it might have been five hundred years ago. My response was, I would argue, more valid than 'it has no other meaning.' and 'meh, just look it up in a dictionary'. I was trying to open up a debate on the potential mis-use of inoffensive language, and the development and power of language through the ages, but never mind.

Thankfully common sense prevailed later on in the thread and people understood my point. Having read the Qur'an, I am of course wary of the etymology.

No harm done.

[James]

Whippy is right too, you try getting away with that in SA and good luck having the time to explain that you didn't mean to say Kaafir/Kuffar racially etc etc.

Thankyou!

[Justcrazy]

A disbeliever in Unity Of Allah ( swt ) , The Quran , and the prophet hood of Prophet Muhammad ( Pbuh) is called Kaffir.

[SAPakFan]

I'm from SA & tbh the pronounciation of the word is different if it's said in english, afrikaans or arabic. As muslims though we don't use the arabic singular word often, we use it more in plural,but even that not often, we say non-believers /disbelievers. Even if we do mention the word & somebody takes it wrongly when we explain the meaning,they understand. But trust me it is pronounced differently & not suprisingly in arabic it doesn't sound offensive at all. From the spelling above it's obvious u guys don't even know how to say the word as it's said in SA(as offensive) even in english-the accent is different.

[Looney]

to truly understand the meaning of kafir, go to Saudi Arabia and announce yourself as one.

:)))

[Passionate-FastBowler]

But an interesting point , I think you cannot call someone a kaffir who doesn't even know that their is only one supreme diety , Allah.

Becuase how would he hide or covet/cover something when he does not even know the truth ?

There are plenty of People arounf the globe who don't know anything about Islam. Not sure what to call them though.

[AbdulrazzaqFan]

Way off the mark. There was no need for the word 'bigot' either.

Not at all. The OP was specifically asking about the word from an Islamic POV and not how it’s misunderstood by some Europeans.

Also, I wasn’t calling you a bigot. It was a general statement towards anyone who thinks that the word kafir which originates from Arabic, and within an Islamic context, is supposed to imply racism.

Moreover, You’re the one who came up with the alternative “meaning” suggesting the word is “taboo” and equated it with the N-word, which may be true for South Africans, but the rest of the world doesn’t see it as such and especially the Islamic world.

I was pointing out that the word (whether it is pronounced this way or that) is, coincidentally, a riskier one to use now than it might have been five hundred years ago. My response was, I would argue, more valid than 'it has no other meaning.' and 'meh, just look it up in a dictionary'. I was trying to open up a debate on the potential mis-use of inoffensive language, and the development and power of language through the ages, but never mind.

Thankfully common sense prevailed later on in the thread and people understood my point. Having read the Qur'an, I am of course wary of the etymology.

No harm done.

Again, my comment was in line with the Islamic meaning in mind. I understand your points about language and how it evolves over time et al. However, what I understood from your comments (and perhaps I’ve misunderstood your point, so I apologize & ask you to correct me) that you’re implying that the prevalent meaning of the word kafir is to incite a racial insult, which isn’t the case and in the bigger context of the word, as I’ve been saying for the umpteenth time, it just means a disbeliever. I wouldn’t consider this word to be riskier in any shape or form unless I’m in South Africa.

[DesiMunda]

I am a Kaffir :asif
Us Kaffir's be Krazy :nehra