Explaining the Difference Between Kufr and Shirk
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Question:
Honorable Shaykh, is there an apparent difference between kufr (disbelief) and shirk (associating partners with Allah)? Some people say that kufr is broader than shirk. How is this difference identified?
Answer:
Yes, the scholars said that in terms of scope, one is general and the other is specific. Every mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) is a kafir (disbeliever), but not every kafir is a mushrik. One may be a kafir through denial and ta'til (denial of the divine attributes), such as Pharaoh, the atheists, and the communists. These are kafirs, and they are not called mushrikin; they are atheist kafirs. As for the idolaters among the Arabs and others, these are mushrikin who worship Allah and worship others besides Him. Therefore, they are called mushrikin. So, every mushrik is a kafir, but not every kafir is a mushrik.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you
Honorable Shaykh, is there an apparent difference between kufr (disbelief) and shirk (associating partners with Allah)? Some people say that kufr is broader than shirk. How is this difference identified?
Answer:
Yes, the scholars said that in terms of scope, one is general and the other is specific. Every mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) is a kafir (disbeliever), but not every kafir is a mushrik. One may be a kafir through denial and ta'til (denial of the divine attributes), such as Pharaoh, the atheists, and the communists. These are kafirs, and they are not called mushrikin; they are atheist kafirs. As for the idolaters among the Arabs and others, these are mushrikin who worship Allah and worship others besides Him. Therefore, they are called mushrikin. So, every mushrik is a kafir, but not every kafir is a mushrik.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you
Source
شرح الكافية الشافية في الانتصار للفرقة الناجية [ القصيدة النونية ] [ صالح الفوزان ]، بداية من قوله : وكذاك زندقة العباد أساسها التعطيل يشهد ذا أولو العرفان — islamhouse.com (44:09)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.