What complete insensitivity! I was appalled when I read about this.
My question basically is that who are we to identify anyone as a momin (believer) or a kaafir (non-believer)? Isn't that between the man (woman) and God? I know this is a question that has gone in circles since the beginning of time, but I wish to ask once again, who is a kaafir?
From what I have read and researched - a kaafir is someone who believes in a greater power than God or shares the glory of God with another power human or else. I believe nobody can know about another's belief except oneself. It is a very subjective and private matter which is unlikely to come out in any discussion or action for that matter. I certainly don't mean to deny the teachings of Quran and Sunnah (God forbid) but I do believe it is insensitive to classify like this when most among us who call ourselves Muslims don't follow the religion properly. It is a matter for Allah to resolve with his people.
In a discussion with some colleagues, it was pointed out to me that the Quran states; "O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people."
To which my rebuttal still stands, just because someone is not your friend or and enemy even - you must not defame him/her. People may be good, bad or evil, they still came to this Earth with Allah's will and where it may be important to explain that yes Islam is the correct religion, another's disagreement does not give anyone the right to call the other person names. And just because someone has a different name does not mean that he had not at some point converted to Islam.
So many angles can be touched upon for this topic but I am not here to battle all sides of the story. Just here to say one thing:
Name calling is wrong people - that's the bottom line.
exactly!!! and anyway we were taught in kindergarten that name calling is wrong!!!!
ReplyDeleteName calling is wrong. But the definition you gave for kafir is wrong. That is the definition of shirk - to associate. Kafir is from kufr - to deny. In Islamic terms, Kufr is to deny Allah SWT the full authority and sovereignty He Demands. This can also be done by Muslims when they do not fulfill/ignore/undermine the criteria/rules of Islam.
ReplyDeletei disagree - completely.
ReplyDeletekaafir is not a name or a bad word. its a term in arabic which comes from the root word kifr which means to disbelieve. the Quran refers to anyone who does not believe in on God (Allah) and prophet Muhammad SAW as a kaafir.
and there is no point in getting in the philosophical aspect of it. what is between God and the person is after what he declares publically - if i declare to be a muslim/momin by reciting the kalima shahadat, i am, to the public a momin. if i dont practice then thats between me and God.
instead of misleading others, i would suggest you find out and educate people that the word kaafir is not an abusive term, even tho the media and lots of websites on the internet including wikipedia claim it to be a racial term.
instead you need to tell them that its a word in our Holy Language, arabic, which means to deny. if any of our non-muslim friends ask you what you mean by that, ask them a simple question: "do u believe that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad was the last and final messenger of Allah"
their answer to this question should clarify/justify the term for you as well.
i hope i have managed to clarify - i do not intend to spark a debate, hence speaking on facts and dictionary meaning, and contextual meaning from the Quran and Hadith.
Zia Saleem
http://twitter.com/reputage
Thanku Zia and Mwaq. It is my ignorace. but i do believe Kafir is a very strong word and shouldn't be used so freely especially in such a situation where people may find it offensive. Nobody knows what goes on in another's mind. Hence the outrage.
ReplyDelete