I was recently talking to a non muslim who had 2 questions for me.
Please elaborate and discuss in a manner that is mature enough for me to convey to the person who asked me the questions.
Why is it important in Islam to convert other people?
Well it isn’t. A Muslim job is to only to convey the message of Islam. Discussed here [first 1 min];
http://video.aol.co.uk/video-detail/gary-miller-nature-of-belief-part-88/1698501648
Why is a non Muslim referred to as a kaafir?
Will write about it later, Insha’Allah
Because we are follower of true religion and it's mandated by the religion to tell others about it.
[QUOTE]
2. Why is a non muslim referred to as a kaafir?
[/QUOTE]
I think in pre-Islamic times word infidel/kaafir was only used for the idol worshipers. By the time or probably it's started from sub-continent now it's a general term for all the non-Muslims. Wallah-o-Alam !
I was recently talking to a non muslim who had 2 questions for me.
Please elaborate and discuss in a manner that is mature enough for me to convey to the person who asked me the questions.
Peace Niksik
1) shahmir123 is absolutely right ...
I would go one step further and say that it is forbidden for Muslims to convert other people.
Guidance comes from God
We are charged with the task to deliver the message of Islam
There is no compulsion in the Deen
We have to spread the message of Islam as an extension to the prophetic mission. If on the Day of Judgement someone who knew a Muslim and was never invited with wisdom to Islam then they would have an excuse against that person ... that "Why hold me accountable? So and so did not tell me about it." and so on. So to protect our own selves we should undertake this important mission ... it is also considered invitation to be so nice and brilliant in character that people want to be with us and to be like us, rather than simply telling them that we have truth.
2) A Kaafir is a term which means a person who often covers up ... to cover up can mean to hide oneself or to hide something else or to be unmindful of it or to lie and so on ... Kaafir hence refers to people who disown the truth that their inner natures are telling them to accept. In which case kufr can exist in Muslims as well in selected matters but when it comes to recognition of God and His Law then we submit to it ... to do otherwise would be kufr.
A kaafir can also be understood as a person who does not give due dilligence or is not being shrewd enough to find the truth and accepts those things that are just easy to accept, either because of the status quo or because it is easy on their whims and egos to do so.
A non-Muslim by definition is a person who does not submit ... to submit is to show ones cards and to be an open book in matters of faith so the opposite would that person who hides this and hence is kaafir. It only seems like a bad term to those who hear it because it has been stigmatised by the west but also because when looking at it objectively it hurts to be told that we are not being honest with ourselves. Kaafir in reality should be that person who hears the truth and has no reason left to deny it yet still does so. Most non-Muslims can argue the case that they really are not kaafir, but in any case that is the term used for them in the general sense.
Most non-Muslims can argue the case that they really are not kaafir, but in any case that is the term used for them in the general sense.
Peace Psyah.
Why is it okay to use such a demeaning word in a general sense? After writing an essay, you have come back to the question with zero answer.
I was reading somewhere recently how our bodies r our tools, Allah (SWT) creates our souls and puts us into these tools for the short time we r on earth. Our souls are Eternal yet our tools are only temporary. Allah (SWT) tells us to invest in our souls seek knowledge ask questions etc etc. yet we choose to invest more time and money in our tools (our physical appearance).
Allah has given us freedom of choice to seek knowledge so how can we be forceful on anyone else? The best advice we can give the next person is the same as Allah (SWT) gives us which is to seek knowledge and make ur own choice
Peace Psyah.
Why is it okay to use such a demeaning word in a general sense? After writing an essay, you have come back to the question with zero answer.
Peace queer
Is it demeaning because it's unfair or is it demeaning because it has some truth to it?
I can explain my answer ...
To cover the truth one can do so;
a) consciously
b) unconsciously
Most people are undertaking acts of kufr without realising their kufr, those who do not believe in God are hence called Kaafir, but those who after being shown the wisdom and beauty of Islam still do not except it are still kaafir but more rightly deserve that title.
I find it amazing that many people believe in God yet do not believe in any accountability to God, and some people like to believe in God but say they don't, others still believe there could be a God, and others again are ashamed of their belief in God.
This variety of agnostic/atheist/lapsed believers are symptomatic of the same ailment ... which is kufr in God. Some realise it and others do not and to differing degrees.
Being a mo'min means to believe with firm conviction ... I guess being called a Kaafir is considered derogatory because deep down in the psyche of people the term addresses their innermost natures and that itself should be a point to reflect on.
Re: 2 Questions on Islam
peace brother psyah, my question relates to people in non muslim and remote parts of the world. is there a term for people who genuinely have not heard the message? and is there any sort of minimum information one needs to hear before a person can be said to have entered kufr?
Peace queer
Is it demeaning because it's unfair or is it demeaning because it has some truth to it?
I can explain my answer ...
To cover the truth one can do so;
a) consciously b) unconsciously
Most people are undertaking acts of kufr without realising their kufr, those who do not believe in God are hence called Kaafir, but those who after being shown the wisdom and beauty of Islam still do not except it are still kaafir but more rightly deserve that title.
I find it amazing that many people believe in God yet do not believe in any accountability to God, and some people like to believe in God but say they don't, others still believe there could be a God, and others again are ashamed of their belief in God.
This variety of agnostic/atheist/lapsed believers are symptomatic of the same ailment ... which is kufr in God. Some realise it and others do not and to differing degrees.
Being a mo'min means to believe with firm conviction ... I guess being called a Kaafir is considered derogatory because deep down in the psyche of people the term addresses their innermost natures and that itself should be a point to reflect on.
peace Psyah.
Belief in Allah, Jesus, Zeus etc is ultimately blind at the core. There is nothing conclusive about it when someone decides to believe in a certain idea of God, or the lack of one. Else we would all be of one faith, no one willingly decides to ignore the carrot and go to hell, or whatever the stick side of the argument is. This is something we all need to acknowledge - one mans faith is another's lie.
Hence it is best to address those who aren't muslims as non-muslims, and not kafirs. kafirs is accusatory by definition - it means someone who hides, as you have so eloquently explained.
peace brother psyah, my question relates to people in non muslim and remote parts of the world. is there a term for people who genuinely have not heard the message? and is there any sort of minimum information one needs to hear before a person can be said to have entered kufr?
Peace shardmanny
This is a simple question with a complex answer.
First of all the quoting from two main schools of 'aqeedah in Ahl-ul-Sunnah wal-Jammah ... 'Ashari and Maturidi ... are named after the scholars who first documented sets of beliefs that were considered necessary to be Muslim extracted from the Qur'an and Sunnah.
'Ashari - holds that due to the verse in the Qur'an that we are heavily disadvantaged and that Muslims were instructed to spread the message and the fact that messengers were sent that humans by default can never arrive at the truth 'absolute' without scriptural/prophetic guidance, so they have a different conclusion for those people of remote parts.
Maturidi - holds that due to our fitrah being inclined to arrive at the truth and also in the Qur'an it states that every soul knows righteousness it hence arrives at a different conclusion for such people.
In short there are differences in the two ideas that one believes some people who are not Muslim can enter Jannah as long as they follow their tribal codes and natural human laws. Other people believe that there is no excuse for not seeking the truth.
Others have refined these ideas and say that to be monotheist can mean that one enters Jannah so long as they are 'good' according to divine law. Some people say that if they have had the message of Islam then they have no excuse ... others say further that if they have not had the message of Islam given in the best way then still they are safe or their accountability will be reduced.
A monotheist is a mutawahid this is mentioned in hadith as far as I remember
A mushrik is a person who does not worship God exclusively, and these may be of two main types, kaafir and daaleen. Those who cover the truth and those who have gone astray. There are also those people who Zalimun the tyrants or wrongdoers, who are also called 'maghdubi 'alahim' on whom is the Wrath, who are not necessarily kaafir but commit kufr.
Kaafir is hence an all encompassing word, notice the difference in the two types of people in Surah Fatihah ... Those who earn the Wrath of Allah and those who have gone astray ... According to Sh. Ibn Kathir the former are the Jews and the latter are the Christians ... looking at them closer one can see that Jews are viewed as mutawahhid (montheistic) but very zealous and have bad character. The other i.e. Christians are those who have sincere motives are good natured, but have gone astray i.e. commit shirk. So you see ... both are kaafir ...
One group maintains Haquq Allah but not Haquq al-ibaad and the other maintains Haquq al-ibaad but not Haquq Allah.
Haquq Allah = Rights of Allah
Haquq Ibaad = Rights of the Servants (People/Environment)
However, there are those who know the truth and hide it, there are those who don't know their falsehood and there is a distinction between these people and we must believe this as we hold that God is Just.
peace Psyah.
Belief in Allah, Jesus, Zeus etc is ultimately blind at the core. There is nothing conclusive about it when someone decides to believe in a certain idea of God, or the lack of one. Else we would all be of one faith, no one willingly decides to ignore the carrot and go to hell, or whatever the stick side of the argument is. This is something we all need to acknowledge - one mans faith is another's lie.
Hence it is best to address those who aren't muslims as non-muslims, and not kafirs. kafirs is accusatory by definition - it means someone who hides, as you have so eloquently explained.
Peace again queer
It is not a term we coin ... it is used by Who we believe to be God in the Qur'an, Who we believe knows the hearts of all people. We trust that every soul knows its Lord but denies this in the state of disbelief. Some of them see it (truth) but reject it others don't let themselves see it.
A non-Muslim is the same as a kaafir by the definition of one who is Muslim - One can only submit to what he has affirmed and not rejected and not covered up.
Re: 2 Questions on Islam
Then that is clearly an open cause for friction when you live and work alongside non-muslims.
Peace is a lot of work, Psyah. It isn't only about starting posts with "Peace."
Then that is clearly an open cause for friction when you live and work alongside non-muslims.
Peace is a lot of work, Psyah. It isn't only about starting posts with "Peace."
That's true it is a lot of work ... part of peace is agreement and here I agree with you ... Peace
Please note: Even though we hold that kaafir may be a befitting title for disbelievers at the same time we must humble ourselves and offer them our love, and help and brotherhood. For all we know their accountability could be less than ours and for all we know they could have done something that Allah liked and for all we know they may have that mustard grain of faith ... we are not to use the term Kaafir as a label to discriminate any particular person.
Have I ever called you by the term? I may hold a certain belief but that has nothing to do with the way I treat you ... however, your conduct may have friction towards me based on what I believe but you see then the peace hopefully will still be sent your way ... even if you decide to show me friction and May Allah (SWT) help me to do this.