10 Types of Kufur

Kufur is the opposite of iman or faith, which may take the form of feelings in the heart, such as hating Allah SWT or His signs, or His Messenger(pbuh); this contradicts love and faith, which support the actions of the heart.

Kufur may also take the form of spoken words, such as insulting Allah,SWT or it may be an outward action, such as prostrating to idols, or offering sacrifices to someone other than Allah.

Just as faith takes the form of actions of the heart, words on the tongue and outward physical actions, so too kufur may take the form of actions of the heart, words on the tongue and outward physical actions.

Kufur, derives from the Arabic root word which means hiding and concealing something. In terms of Islamic doctrine it means “…not believing in Allah SWT and His Messenger (pbuh), whether that is accompanied by denial or it is not accompanied by denial but rather doubt, or turning away from faith out of jealousy or arrogance, or because one is following whims and desires that prevent one from following the message.

Kufur is the attribute of everyone who rejects something that Allah SWT has commanded us to believe in, after news of that has reached him, whether he rejects it in his heart without uttering it, or he speaks those words of rejection without believing it in his heart, or he does both; or he does an action which is described in the texts as putting one beyond the pale of faith.(Majmu’ al-Fatawa, 12/335; Al-Ihkam fi Usul al-Ahkam by Ibn Hazam, 1/45)

The scholars divided Kufur into few categories, under which they listed many forms and kinds of kufur. These are as follows:

1) The Kufur of Denial and Rejection. Disbelief out of denial (Kufr al-Inkaar and Kufr al-Juhood)

This applies to someone who denies with both heart and tongue. Allah (SWT) says: "They recognize the favors of Allah, yet they deny them. Most of them are disbelievers." (Surah Nahl (16), Ayah 83)

This kufur may sometimes take the form of disbelief in the heart – which occurs among the kuffar, as Ibn al-Qayyim said – and sometimes it takes the form of outward or apparent rejection, which means concealing the truth and not submitting to it outwardly, whilst recognizing it and knowing it inwardly, such as the Jews’ rejection of Muhammad(pbuh).

Allah SWT Says of them:
“Then when there came to them that which they had recognized, they disbelieved in it”(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:89)

Allah SWT  also Says:
“Then when there came to them that which they had recognized, they disbelieved in it”(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:146)

That is because rejection only happens which a person knows the truth and refuses it. Hence, Allah SWT stated that the kuffar’s disbelief in the Messenger(pbuh) was not disbelief in the true sense of the word, because their disbelief was only outward and verbal, and inwardly they recognized the truth.

Allah SWT Says:
“It is not you that they deny, but it is the Verses of Allah that the Dzalimun deny”(Surah Al-An’am, 6:33)

Allah SWT Says:
“And they belied them (those Ayat) wrongfully and arrogantly, though their ownselves were convinced thereof”(Surah Al-Naml, 27:14)

Similar to this is the kufur of permitting that, which is forbidden. Whoever regards as permissible something, which he knows that Islam has forbidden has disbelieved in the Messenger(pbuh) and in that which he brought. The same applies to one who forbids something, which he knows that Islam has permitted.

2) The Kufur of Turning Away In Arrogance, Such As the Kufur of Iblis. Disbelief out of arrogance and pride. (Kufr al-Kibr)

Allah SWT Says:
“… except Iblis (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allāh)”(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:34)

Allah SWT Says:
“They (hypocrites) say: ‘We have believed in Allāh and in the Messenger (Muhammad), and we obey,’ then a party of them turns away thereafter, such are not believers”.(Surah Al-Nur, 24:47)

Therefore, Allah has stated that those who do not act in accordance with faith are not believers, even if they utter the words of faith. The kufur of turning away means that one ignores the truth and does not learn it or act in accordance with it, whether it is the matter of words, actions, or beliefs.

Allah SWT says:
“But those who disbelieve turn away from that whereof they are warned”
(Surah Al-Ahqaf, 46:3)

Whoever turns away verbally from that which the Messenger(pbuh) has brought is like one who says “I will not follow him.” The one who turns away by his actions is like one who runs away from hearing the truth, which he brought, or puts his fingers in his ears so as not to hear, or who hears it but turns away in his heart and refuses to believe, and who refuses to act upon it. He has disbelieved in the sense of the kufur of turning away.

3) The Kufur of Hypocrisy.(Kufr an-Nifaaq)

Disbelief out of hypocrisy. This applies to someone who pretends to be a believer but conceals his disbelief. Such a person is called a munafiq or hypocrite.

Allah SWT says: "Verily the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of Hell. You will find no one to help them."(Surah An Nisaa (4), Ayah 145)

This takes the form of not believing in the heart and not acting, whilst submitting outwardly in order to show off to people. This is like the kufur of Ibn Salul and the other munafiqin (hypocrites).

Allah SWTsaid:
“And of mankind, there are some (hypocrites) who say: ‘We believe in Allāh and the Last Day,’ while in fact they believe not. They (think to) deceive Allah and those who believe, while they only deceive themselves, and perceive (it) not!"(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:8-9)

4. The Kufur of Doubt.

It means hesitating with regard to following the truth and being uncertain as to whether it is true, because what is required is certainty of faith (yaqin) that what the Messenger brought is truth with no hint of doubt in it. Whoever thinks that what he brought may not be true has disbelieved, in the sense of kufr of doubt, as Allah SWT says:

“And he went into his garden while in a state (of pride and disbelief), unjust to himself. He said: ‘I think not that this will ever perish. And I think not the Hour will ever come, and if indeed I am brought back to my Lord, (on the Day of Resurrection), I surely, shall find better than this when I return to Him.’

His companion said to him during the talk with him: ‘Do you disbelieve in Him Who created you out of dust (i.e. your father Adam), then out of Nutfah (mixed semen drops of male and female discharge), then fashioned you into a man? But as for my part, (I believe) that He is Allāh, my Lord, and none shall I associate as partner with my Lord.’”(Surah Al-Kahf, 18:35-38)

5) Disbelief out of stubbornness. (Kufr al-'Inaad)

This applies to someone who knows the truth and admits to knowing the truth and admits to knowing it with his tongue, but refuses to accept it and refrains from making a declaration. Allah SWT says: "Throw into Hell every stubborn disbeliever".(Surah Qaaf (50), Ayah 24)

6) Disbelief out of trying to make halal into halal. (Kufr al-Istihaal)

This applies to someone who accepts as lawful (halal) that which Allah has made unlawful (haram) like alcohol or adultery. Only Allah SWT has the prerogative to make things halal and halal and those who seek to interfere with His right are like rivals to Him and therefore fall outside the boundaries of faith.

7) Disbelief out of detesting any of Allah's commands. (Kufr al-Kurh)

Allah SWT) says: "Perdition (destruction) has been consigned to those who disbelieve and He will render their actions void. This is because they are averse to that which Allah has revealed so He has made their actions fruitless". (Surah Muhammed (47), Ayah 8-9)

8) Disbelief due to mockery and derision. (Kufr al-Istihzaha) 

Allah SWT says: "Say: Was it Allah, His signs and His apostles that you were mocking off? Make no excuses. You have disbelieved after you have believed." (Surah Taubah (9), ayah 65-66)

9) Disbelief due to avoidance. (Kufr al-I'raadh)

This applies to those who turn away and avoid the truth.

Allah SWT says: "And who is more unjust than he who is reminded of his Lord's signs but then turns away from them. Then he forgets what he has sent forward (for the Day of Judgment)."(Surah Kahf (18), Ayah 57)

10) Disbelief because of trying to substitute Allah's Laws. (Kufr al-Istibdaal)

This could take the form of:
i) Rejection of Allah's law without denying it.
ii) Denial of Allah's law and therefore rejecting it.
iii) Substituting Allah's laws with man-made laws.

Allah SWT says: "Or have they partners with Allah who have instituted for them a religion which Allah has not allowed."(Surah Shuraa (42), Ayah 8)

Allah SWT says: "Say not concerning that which your tongues put forth falsely (that) is lawful and this is forbidden so as to invent a lie against Allah. Verily, those who invent a lie against Allah will never prosper".(Surah Nahl (16), Ayah 116)


Wallahu'alam