The Difference Between the Term Mushrik and the Term Kafir
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Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, this questioner says: Is there a difference between the term mushrik and the term kafir?
Answer:
Not every mushrik is a kafir, and not every kafir is a mushrik. One may be a kafir who is an atheist, not acknowledging a Lord or a religion; this is a kafir. As for the one who acknowledges the existence of Allah and tawhid al-rububiyyah (oneness of lordship), but associates partners with Allah in worship, this is a mushrik. This mushrik acknowledges the existence of Allah and His names and attributes; he has tawhid al-rububiyyah (oneness of lordship), but he associates partners with Allah in tawhid al-uluhiyyah (oneness of worship). Yes.
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, this questioner says: Is there a difference between the term mushrik and the term kafir?
Answer:
Not every mushrik is a kafir, and not every kafir is a mushrik. One may be a kafir who is an atheist, not acknowledging a Lord or a religion; this is a kafir. As for the one who acknowledges the existence of Allah and tawhid al-rububiyyah (oneness of lordship), but associates partners with Allah in worship, this is a mushrik. This mushrik acknowledges the existence of Allah and His names and attributes; he has tawhid al-rububiyyah (oneness of lordship), but he associates partners with Allah in tawhid al-uluhiyyah (oneness of worship). Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 53 من 86 /شرح كتاب إغاثة اللهفان في مصائد الشيطان/صوت المعازف/صالح الفوزان/العقيدة/كبار العلماء — youtube.com (59:35)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.