Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother,

Walekum Assalam

 

could you please let me know about pagans, as disbelievers what I understood is non follower of Allah(SWT).

5. The clothes worn must not be an imitation of the pagans or disbelievers.

 

Thanks & Regards,

Mohd Azam

IBM IT FMS Team

 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

 

Answer:

 

Who are the pagans and disbelievers

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

In most translations, the Arabic term ‘kaafir’ is translated in the English language as ‘disbelievers’ and the term ‘mushrik’ is translated as pagans. 

 

A ‘kaafir’ or disbeliever in legal terms is one who denies even one, or even a part of one of the following six points:

1. The Absolute Oneness of Allah Subhanah
2. Any of the Prophets of Allah Subhanah
3. Any of the Angels of Allah Subhanah
4. Any of the Revealed Divine Books of Allah Subhanah
5. The concept of the Hereafter
6. The concept of ‘Qadr’ or the Divine Decrees of Allah Subhanah.

 

A ‘mushrik’ or pagan is one who associates other beings with Allah Subhanah, be it:

1. in the Self of Allah Subhanah (eg. ascribes a father, mother, wife, son, daughter, etc. of Allah)
2. in the Absolutely Exclusive Attributes of Allah Subhanah (eg. believes someone other than Allah is the Creator, or Sustainer, or is All-Hearing, All-Seeing, All-Knowing, etc.)
3. in the worship of Allah Subhanah (eg. does rites or rituals of worship to other self-declared deities with Allah Subhanah)

 

All ‘mushriks’ (pagans) are also ‘kaafirs’ (disbelievers) because they do not believe in the Absolute Oneness of Allah Subhanah; but all ‘kaafirs’ are not necessarily ‘mushriks’……for example, one may believe in the Absolute Oneness of Allah Subhanah but deny the appointment of Prophet Mohamed (saws) as the Last and Final Messenger of Allah, or deny one or more of the Divine Books of Allah Subhanah, etc.….such a person would be a ‘kaafir’ but not a ‘mushrik’ in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan