Exegesis of Surat al-Kafirun and what is derived from its verses.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : Then Allah the Exalted said: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful: [Al-Kafirun 109:1-6]:
This surah is one of the two surahs of sincerity, because the two surahs of sincerity are: and [Al-Ikhlas 112:1]. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite them in the sunnah of Fajr, in the sunnah of Maghrib, and in the two rak'ahs of tawaf, because of what they contain of sincerity to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and praise of Him with the perfect attributes, in the surah [Al-Ikhlas 112:1].
Allah says, commanding His Prophet: He calls out to them, announcing to them by this call, and this includes every disbeliever, whether he is from the polytheists, or from the Jews, or from the Christians, or from the communists, or from others. Every disbeliever must be called out to by your heart or by your tongue if he is present, so that you disavow him and his worship.
[Al-Kafirun 109:2-5]: It was repeated in the sentences twice, twice:
[Al-Kafirun 109:2] meaning: I do not worship what you worship, and they are the idols.
[Al-Kafirun 109:3] and He is Allah. And the "ma" here in His saying: means: from, because when the relative pronoun refers back to Allah, it comes with the word "min" (from).
[Al-Kafirun 109:2-3]: This means: I do not worship your idols, and you do not worship Allah.
[Al-Kafirun 109:4-5]: Now, the one who thinks assumes that this is repeated for emphasis, but that is not the case, because the form is different: [Al-Kafirun 109:2] Is this a verb or a noun? A question?
The questioner : A verb.
The Shaykh :[Al-Kafirun 109:2] is a verb, [Al-Kafirun 109:4-5] "a'bid" and "a'bidun" are nouns. And emphasis requires that the second sentence be like the first. Therefore, the claim that it was repeated for emphasis is weak.
So why is there this repetition?
Some scholars said:[Al-Kafirun 109:2] is now, [Al-Kafirun 109:4] is in the future. This is one opinion. So it became: [Al-Kafirun 109:2] meaning: in the present, [Al-Kafirun 109:4] meaning: in the future, because the present tense verb indicates the present, and the active participle indicates the future, as evidenced by the fact that it functions grammatically, and the active participle does not function grammatically unless it is for the future.
[Al-Kafirun 109:1-2]: is now, [Al-Kafirun 109:3] means: now, [Al-Kafirun 109:4] means: in the future, [Al-Kafirun 109:3] means: in the future.
But an objection was raised to this opinion: how did he say:[Al-Kafirun 109:3] when they might believe and worship Allah?
And on this basis, there is a type of weakness in this opinion. They answered that by saying his statement:[Al-Kafirun 109:3] addresses the polytheists whom Allah the Exalted knows will not believe, so the address is not general. And this weakens the opinion somewhat. So we now have two opinions:
The first: that it is for emphasis.
And the second: that it is for the future.
The third opinion:[Al-Kafirun 109:2] meaning: I do not worship the idols that you worship, [Al-Kafirun 109:3] meaning: you do not worship Allah.
[Al-Kafirun 109:4-5] meaning: in worship, meaning: my worship is not like your worship, and your worship is not like my worship. So this is a negation of the action, not of the object of the action, meaning: it is not a negation of the worshipped, but a negation of the worship, meaning: I do not worship as you worship, and you do not worship as I worship, because my worship is pure for Allah, and your worship is the worship of shirk (associating partners with Allah). How many opinions are there now?
Three.
The fourth opinion: chosen by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), is that his saying:[Al-Kafirun 109:2-3] this is the action, so it agrees with the first opinion in this sentence [Al-Kafirun 109:4-5] meaning: in acceptance, meaning: and I will not accept anything other than my worship, and I will not accept your worship, and you likewise will not accept. So the first sentence refers back to the action, and the second sentence refers back to acceptance and satisfaction, meaning: I do not worship it and I am not satisfied with it, and you likewise do not worship Allah and are not satisfied with its worship. And this opinion, if you reflect on it, has none of the previous objections raised against it, so it is a good and excellent opinion.
And from here we take: that the Noble Qur'an does not contain anything repeated without benefit absolutely, there is nothing repeated in it except that there is a benefit in it, because if we said that there is something repeated in the Qur'an without benefit, then there would be something in the Qur'an that is vain, and it is sanctified from that.
And on this basis, the repetition in Surat al-Rahman:[Ar-Rahman 55:13], and in Surat al-Mursalat: [At-Tur 52:11] is not without benefit, but it is repetition for a great benefit, which is: that every verse between these repeated verses contains great blessings and immense favors.
Then in it there is a linguistic benefit: alerting the one addressed, where it is repeated to him:[Ar-Rahman 55:13], and repeated to him: [At-Tur 52:11].
Then He said, Mighty and Majestic:[Al-Kafirun 109:6]: For you is your religion that you are upon and by which you practice, and for me is my religion. So I am disavowed of your religion, and you are disavowed of my religion.
Some people of knowledge said: and this surah was revealed before jihad was made obligatory, because after jihad, the disbeliever is not allowed to remain on his religion except by paying the jizyah (tax on protected non-Muslims) if he is from the People of the Book, and on the stronger opinion: or from others.
But the correct view is that it does not contradict the command of jihad to the extent that we say it is abrogated, but it remains, and it is obligatory for us to disavow the religion of the Jews, Christians, and polytheists at all times. For this reason, we allow the Jews and Christians to remain on their religion by paying the jizyah, and we worship Allah while they worship what they worship.
In any case, this surah contains disavowal and abandonment of the worship of other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic), whether in the worshipped or in the type of action, and it contains sincerity to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and that we do not worship except Allah alone, having no partner.
And up to here ends what was facilitated of the speech on this surah and Surat al-Kawthar, and we now begin with the questions, and from the right, and each person has one question.
(1) Say, "O disbelievers, (2) I do not worship what you worship. (3) Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. (4) Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. (5) Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship. (6) For you is your religion, and for me is my religion."
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ * لا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ * وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ * وَلا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَا عَبَدْتُمْ * وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ * لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِThis surah is one of the two surahs of sincerity, because the two surahs of sincerity are:
Say: O you disbelievers!
قل يا أيها الكافرونSay, "He is Allah, [who is] One,
قل هو الله أحدSay, "He is Allah, [who is] One,
قل هو الله أحدAllah says, commanding His Prophet:
Say: O you disbelievers!
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَO you disbelievers
يا أيها الكافرون(2) I do not worship what you worship. (3) Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. (4) Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. (5) Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship.
لا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ * وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ * وَلا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَا عَبَدْتُمْ * وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُI do not worship what you worship.
لا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَNor are you worshippers of what I worship.
وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُWhat I worship.
مَا أَعْبُدُ(2) I do not worship what you worship. (3) Nor are you worshippers of what I worship.
لا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ * وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ(4) Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. (5) Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship.
وَلا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَا عَبَدْتُمْ * وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُI do not worship what you worship.
لا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَThe questioner : A verb.
The Shaykh :
I do not worship what you worship.
لا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ(4) Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. (5) Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship.
وَلا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَا عَبَدْتُمْ * وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُSo why is there this repetition?
Some scholars said:
I do not worship what you worship.
لا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَNor will I be a worshipper of what you worship.
وَلا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَا عَبَدْتُمْI do not worship what you worship.
لا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَNor will I be a worshipper of what you worship.
وَلا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَا عَبَدْتُمْ(1) Say, "O disbelievers, (2) I do not worship what you worship.
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ * لا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَNor are you worshippers of what I worship.
وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُNor will I be a worshipper of what you worship.
وَلا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَا عَبَدْتُمْNor are you worshippers of what I worship.
وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُBut an objection was raised to this opinion: how did he say:
Nor are you worshippers of what I worship.
وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُAnd on this basis, there is a type of weakness in this opinion. They answered that by saying his statement:
Nor are you worshippers of what I worship.
وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُThe first: that it is for emphasis.
And the second: that it is for the future.
The third opinion:
I do not worship what you worship.
لا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَNor are you worshippers of what I worship.
وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ(4) Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. (5) Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship.
وَلا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَا عَبَدْتُمْ * وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُThree.
The fourth opinion: chosen by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), is that his saying:
(2) I do not worship what you worship. (3) Nor are you worshippers of what I worship.
لا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ * وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ(4) Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. (5) Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship.
وَلا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَا عَبَدْتُمْ * وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُAnd from here we take: that the Noble Qur'an does not contain anything repeated without benefit absolutely, there is nothing repeated in it except that there is a benefit in it, because if we said that there is something repeated in the Qur'an without benefit, then there would be something in the Qur'an that is vain, and it is sanctified from that.
And on this basis, the repetition in Surat al-Rahman:
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِThen woe, that Day, to the deniers,
وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَThen in it there is a linguistic benefit: alerting the one addressed, where it is repeated to him:
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?
فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِThen woe, that Day, to the deniers,
وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَThen He said, Mighty and Majestic:
For you is your religion, and for me is my religion."
لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِSome people of knowledge said: and this surah was revealed before jihad was made obligatory, because after jihad, the disbeliever is not allowed to remain on his religion except by paying the jizyah (tax on protected non-Muslims) if he is from the People of the Book, and on the stronger opinion: or from others.
But the correct view is that it does not contradict the command of jihad to the extent that we say it is abrogated, but it remains, and it is obligatory for us to disavow the religion of the Jews, Christians, and polytheists at all times. For this reason, we allow the Jews and Christians to remain on their religion by paying the jizyah, and we worship Allah while they worship what they worship.
In any case, this surah contains disavowal and abandonment of the worship of other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic), whether in the worshipped or in the type of action, and it contains sincerity to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and that we do not worship except Allah alone, having no partner.
And up to here ends what was facilitated of the speech on this surah and Surat al-Kawthar, and we now begin with the questions, and from the right, and each person has one question.