What is the difference between shirk (associating partners with Allah) and kufr (disbelief)?
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The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you. What is the difference between kufr (disbelief) and shirk (associating partners with Allah)?
The Shaykh : The difference between them is that we say: every shirk (associating partners with Allah) is kufr (disbelief), but not every kufr (disbelief) is shirk (associating partners with Allah). Is every shirk (associating partners with Allah) kufr (disbelief)? Yes. And is not every kufr (disbelief) shirk (associating partners with Allah)? Yes. The one who worships an idol is a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) and he is also a kafir (disbeliever). And the one who denies what is obligatory to believe in is a kafir (disbeliever) and not a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah).
The Shaykh : The difference between them is that we say: every shirk (associating partners with Allah) is kufr (disbelief), but not every kufr (disbelief) is shirk (associating partners with Allah). Is every shirk (associating partners with Allah) kufr (disbelief)? Yes. And is not every kufr (disbelief) shirk (associating partners with Allah)? Yes. The one who worships an idol is a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) and he is also a kafir (disbeliever). And the one who denies what is obligatory to believe in is a kafir (disbeliever) and not a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah).