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:

What does this word Kafir stands for.  Person saying Kalimah Shahada ( Muslim) can also be graded as kafir for his some activities. will kafir  never come back to Jannat. Will they be in jhannam for ever ever ever .  are todays christians are also considered as “ahle kitab” What about Ahle kitab who are they are their belief still acceptable or they will also be thrown in jhannam for ever ever . 

 

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Answer:

 

Who are ahle kitab

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.

 

Your Question: …What does this word Kafir stands for.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chaper 2 Surah Baqarah verses 38-39:

38      We (Allah Subhanah) said: "Get ye (Adam, Hawwa, and Iblees) down all from here (Paradise); and if, as is sure, there comes to you Guidance from Me; whosoever follows My Guidance on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.

39      But those who do ‘kufr’ (reject, deny) and belie Our Signs they shall be companions of the Fire; they shall abide therein."

 

The Arabic term ‘Kaafir’ is derived from the root word ‘kufr’ which literally means to doubt, deny, or reject something which is presented to them….and when used in the Islamic or legal context, a ‘kaafir’ would mean one who disbelieves or denies even one of the following six aspects of faith:

1. The Absolute Oneness of Allah
2. All the appointed Prophets of Allah
3. All the revealed Books of Allah
4. The concept of the Hereafter
5. The concept of the Angels
6. The concept of Divine Qadr or Destiny.

 

Your Question: …..person saying Kalimah Shahada ( Muslim) can also be graded as kafir for his some activities .

If any amongst mankind openly and verbally denies or disbelieves in any one of the above six quoted elements of faith, regardless of whether he has declared the ‘shahaadah’ or not, will be considered a ‘kaafir’ in the Sight of Shariah Law.

 

For example, there is one who declares the ‘shahaadah’ and claims to be a muslim….but denies that Prophet Isa ibn Maryam (or Musa, or Nuh, etc.) are amongst the appointed Messengers of Allah (saws)…or denies one amongst the Angels of Allah, or denies one amongst the Revealed Books of Allah, etc….such a person will be considered a ‘kaafir’ in the Sight of Shariah Law and in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

 

Your Question: …..will kafir  never come back to Jannat. Will they be in jhannam for ever ever ever .

Allah says in the Quran: Chapter 4 Surah An-Nisa Verse 48

‘Shirk’ is the only sin that Allah does not forgive, and He forgives, whomsoever He pleases, sins other than this.  For whosoever associates any other partner with Allah, does indeed forge a big lie and commits the most heinous sin

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 72:

Whoever commits ‘shirk’, Allah shall forbid for him Paradise, and Hell shall be his abode.  And for such wrong doers there will be no one to help.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 73:

73      Allah has (made it incumbent upon Himself) to punish the hypocrites, men and women, and the disbelievers, men and women; and Allah turns in Mercy unto the believers, men and women: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.

 

In light of the Guidance of the Glorious Quran, once one is condemned to Hell-Fire, one will stay there for absolute eternity…and amongst them will be the ‘mufaniq’ (hypocrites), the ‘mushriks’ (polytheists), and the ‘kaafirs’ (disbeleivers).

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 6.254         Narrated by Abu Said Al Khudri

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "On the Day of Resurrection Death will be brought forward in the shape of a black and white ram. Then a call maker will call, 'O people of Paradise!' Thereupon they will stretch their necks and look carefully. The caller will say, 'Do you know this?' They will say, 'Yes, this is death.' By then all of them will have seen it. Then it will be announced again, 'O people of Hell!' They will stretch their necks and look carefully. The caller will say, 'Do you know this?' They will say, 'Yes, this is death.' And by then all of them will have seen it. Then it (that ram) will be slaughtered and the caller will say, 'O people of Paradise! Eternity for you and no death. O people of Hell! Eternity for you and no death.'"

 

Your Question: ….are todays christians are also considered as “ahle kitab” What about Ahle kitab who are they are their belief still acceptable or they will also be thrown in jhannam for ever ever . 

The Lord Most High has not divided mankind by race, or color, or language, or nationality, etc….but the Lord All-Knowing All-Wise has chosen to divide mankind according to belief into two categories:

1. Believers (Muslims)
2. Disbelievers (Kaafirs)

 

The people who professed belief in (almost) all the Messengers before Prophet Mohamed (saws) and (almost) all the Divine Revelations before the Glorious Quran are referred to the ‘ahle-kitaab’ or ‘People of the (Divine) Book’….and indeed those who call themselves Christians today are also considered to be amongst the ‘ahle-kitaab’ or ‘People of the Book’.

 

Although the ‘ahle-kitaab’ believe in almost all the basic elements of faith, they declare disbelief in Prophet Mohamed (saws) as the Last and Final Messenger of Allah (saws), and the Glorious Quran as the Last and Final Revelation of Allah….thus without an iota of a doubt, the ‘ahle-kitaab’ too are disbelievers in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

 

The belief of all those who believed in all the Prophets before the advent of Prophet Mohamed (saws) to the rank of Prophethood will obviously be acceptable to Allah Subhanah…for indeed they were all muslims.  But after the advent of Prophet Mohamed (saws), if any still claimed or claims to be a Christian thus declaring disbelief in Prophet Mohamed (saws) and the Glorious Quran as the Last and Final Messenger and Message of the Lord Who Created, they will be considered disbelievers in the Sight of the Lord Most High….and the just reward of all those who profess disbelief is eternal and everlasting Hell Fire in the Decree of the Lord Most Just. 

 

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