سُوْرَةُ الْكَافِرُوْنَ
Surah Al-Kaafiroon (109) — Ayah 1
قُلْ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ ﴿1﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say: (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم to these Mushrikûn and Kâfirûn): "O Al-Kafirûn (disbelievers in Allâh, in His Oneness, in His Angels, in His Books, in His Messengers, in the Day of Resurrection, and in Al-Qadar)!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُلْ
qul
Say
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O
ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ
l-kāfirūna
disbelievers
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 1 to 6) ➊ {قُلْ يٰۤاَيُّهَا الْكٰفِرُوْنَ … :} In Tabarani and Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim and others, the narrations from Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) have the gist that Walid bin Mughirah and some other polytheists once said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that you should stop speaking ill of our deities, so that we and you can live together in Makkah. If you do not do this, then for one year you should worship our idols, and the next year we will worship your God. Upon this, Allah Almighty revealed this Surah. Although in the chain of narration of this reason for revelation there is a person, Abu Khalaf Abdullah, who is weak, the content of the verse: «قُلْ اَفَغَيْرَ اللّٰهِ تَاْمُرُوْٓنِّيْۤ اَعْبُدُ اَيُّهَا الْجٰهِلُوْنَ » [ الزمر : ۶۴ ] (Say! Then do you order me to worship other than Allah, O ignorant ones!) supports this reason for revelation, because the request of the Quraysh mentioned in this narration is evident from the content of the verse, that the Quraysh certainly made such a request to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). (Ahsan al-Tafasir)
➋ In Sahih Muslim, it is narrated from Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited Surah Ikhlas and Surah Kafiroon in the two rak‘ahs of Tawaf. [ مسلم ، الحج، باب حجۃ النبي صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم : ۱۲۱۸] In Sahih Muslim itself, it is narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited these two Surahs, i.e., Surah Kafiroon and Surah Ikhlas, in the two rak‘ahs (Sunnah) of Fajr. [ مسلم، صلاۃ المسافرین وقصرھا، باب استحباب رکعتي سنۃ الفجر… : ۷۲۶ ] When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would pray three Witr, he would recite Surah Kafiroon in the second rak‘ah. [ دیکھیے ترمذي، الوتر، باب ما جاء في ما یقرأ بہ في الوتر : ۴۶۲، صححہ الألباني ]
➌ The content of the Surah is that all the disbelievers of the world should be told that Muslims can never worship anyone other than Allah, and there is no room for compromise on this issue.
➍ The wisdom of repetition: (1) Many scholars have said that the repetition in the verses is for emphasis, that Muslims can never compromise with the disbelievers regarding Tawheed, and this is a common style in Arabic and the Qur’an, as He said: « كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُوْنَ (4) ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُوْنَ » [ النبا : ۴ ، ۵ ] “No! Soon they will know. Then no! Soon they will know.” And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the presence of Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding permission for a second marriage: [ فَلاَ آذَنُ، ثُمَّ لاَ آذَنُ، ثُمَّ لاَ آذَنُ ] [ بخاري، النکاح، باب ذبّ الرجل عن ابنتہ في… : ۵۲۳۰ ] “I do not give permission, then I do not give permission, then I do not give permission.” Similarly, in Surah Rahman and Mursalat, verses are repeated again and again. Here, the purpose of repetition is that it is never possible for me to leave the path of Tawheed and adopt the path of Shirk, nor is it possible for you, while remaining disbelievers, to completely abandon the worship of others and be content with the worship of one Allah. Shawkani has considered other explanations besides emphasis as unnecessary.
(2) Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) has narrated (from Abu Ubaidah) this explanation that the meaning of the verse: «لَاۤ اَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُوْنَ » is that I do not worship now, at this present time, what you worship, and the meaning of the verse: « وَ لَاۤ اَنَا عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدْتُّمْ» is that in the future, as long as I live, I will never worship what you have worshipped. Similarly, regarding the disbelievers, it is said that neither now, in the present time, do you worship (the One Allah) whom I worship, nor in the future. There is a question here: how can it be said about the disbelievers that they will not worship the One Allah in the future, as it is possible that in the future they may become Muslims, and in fact, countless disbelievers have become Muslims? The answer is that as long as they remain disbelievers, it is not possible for them to worship the One Allah; if they become Muslims, that is another matter. The second answer, mentioned by Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him), is that it refers to those people for whom, after hearing the verses, their disbelief only increases, and faith is not destined for them, as He said: «وَ لَيَزِيْدَنَّ كَثِيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ مَّاۤ اُنْزِلَ اِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ طُغْيَانًا وَّ كُفْرًا » [ المائدۃ : ۶۸ ] “And indeed, what has been revealed to you from your Lord will surely increase many of them in rebellion and disbelief.” The words of Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) are: {’’وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ : « لَاۤ اَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُوْنَ» اَلْآنَ وَلَا أُجِيْبُكُمْ فِيْمَا بَقِيَ مِنْ عُمُرِيْ «وَ لَاۤ اَنْتُمْ عٰبِدُوْنَ مَاۤ اَعْبُدُ » وَهُمُ الَّذِيْنَ قَالَ : « وَ لَيَزِيْدَنَّ كَثِيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ مَّاۤ اُنْزِلَ اِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ طُغْيَانًا وَّ كُفْرًا » [المائدة : ۶۷] ‘‘} [ بخاري، التفسیر، سورۃ : «قل یأیھا الکافرون» ، قبل ح : ۴۹۶۷ ] The meaning is as explained above.
(3) Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) has preferred the meaning that in the first two verses {’’ مَا ‘‘} is a relative pronoun, and in the second two it is a verbal noun. The meaning will be that I do not worship that which you worship (i.e., false deities), and you do not worship that which I worship (i.e., the One Allah), and nor am I a worshipper in the way you worship (i.e., as you clap and whistle in remembrance and perform Tawaf naked, I do not worship in this way), and nor are you worshippers as I worship, i.e., worshipping only in the way Allah has prescribed; you are not prepared to do so.
(4) Hafiz Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said {’’ لَاۤ اَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُوْنَ ‘‘} is a verbal sentence, meaning I do not worship what you worship, and {’’ وَ لَاۤ اَنَا عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدْتُّمْ ‘‘} is a nominal sentence, in which the negation is more emphatic, i.e., it is not my nature, nor is it ever possible for me (as a Messenger) to commit Shirk. That is, neither has this act occurred from me, nor is it legally possible for me. {’’ مَا عَبَدْتُّمْ ‘‘} Perhaps the past tense is used because even before my Prophethood, when you committed Shirk, it was not appropriate for me, nor did I ever worship anyone else at that time or after. The state of the disbelievers is described both times with the nominal sentence {’’ وَ لَاۤ اَنْتُمْ عٰبِدُوْنَ مَاۤ اَعْبُدُ ‘‘}, i.e., you do not have the capacity, nor is it possible for you to worship Allah alone without any partner.
➎ {لَكُمْ دِيْنُكُمْ وَ لِيَ دِيْنِ:} Some commentators have said regarding this that this verse is abrogated by the verses of Jihad, but this is not correct. Even now, it is not permissible to force any disbeliever to become Muslim, as He said: « لَاۤ اِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّيْنِ» [ البقرۃ : ۲۵۶ ] “There is no compulsion in religion.” If they wish to remain in disbelief, they can do so by paying Jizyah, but the decision will be on the Day of Judgment. This verse refutes the view of those who consider Islam, present-day Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and all religions as different manifestations of the same reality and declare all to be correct.
➏ {’’ وَ لِيَ دِيْنِ ‘‘} The original is {’’ وَلِيَ دِيْنِيْ ‘‘}, since the other verses end with noon, the “ya” at the end has been omitted, but the kasrah has been retained.
➋ In Sahih Muslim, it is narrated from Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited Surah Ikhlas and Surah Kafiroon in the two rak‘ahs of Tawaf. [ مسلم ، الحج، باب حجۃ النبي صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم : ۱۲۱۸] In Sahih Muslim itself, it is narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited these two Surahs, i.e., Surah Kafiroon and Surah Ikhlas, in the two rak‘ahs (Sunnah) of Fajr. [ مسلم، صلاۃ المسافرین وقصرھا، باب استحباب رکعتي سنۃ الفجر… : ۷۲۶ ] When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would pray three Witr, he would recite Surah Kafiroon in the second rak‘ah. [ دیکھیے ترمذي، الوتر، باب ما جاء في ما یقرأ بہ في الوتر : ۴۶۲، صححہ الألباني ]
➌ The content of the Surah is that all the disbelievers of the world should be told that Muslims can never worship anyone other than Allah, and there is no room for compromise on this issue.
➍ The wisdom of repetition: (1) Many scholars have said that the repetition in the verses is for emphasis, that Muslims can never compromise with the disbelievers regarding Tawheed, and this is a common style in Arabic and the Qur’an, as He said: « كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُوْنَ (4) ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُوْنَ » [ النبا : ۴ ، ۵ ] “No! Soon they will know. Then no! Soon they will know.” And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the presence of Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding permission for a second marriage: [ فَلاَ آذَنُ، ثُمَّ لاَ آذَنُ، ثُمَّ لاَ آذَنُ ] [ بخاري، النکاح، باب ذبّ الرجل عن ابنتہ في… : ۵۲۳۰ ] “I do not give permission, then I do not give permission, then I do not give permission.” Similarly, in Surah Rahman and Mursalat, verses are repeated again and again. Here, the purpose of repetition is that it is never possible for me to leave the path of Tawheed and adopt the path of Shirk, nor is it possible for you, while remaining disbelievers, to completely abandon the worship of others and be content with the worship of one Allah. Shawkani has considered other explanations besides emphasis as unnecessary.
(2) Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) has narrated (from Abu Ubaidah) this explanation that the meaning of the verse: «لَاۤ اَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُوْنَ » is that I do not worship now, at this present time, what you worship, and the meaning of the verse: « وَ لَاۤ اَنَا عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدْتُّمْ» is that in the future, as long as I live, I will never worship what you have worshipped. Similarly, regarding the disbelievers, it is said that neither now, in the present time, do you worship (the One Allah) whom I worship, nor in the future. There is a question here: how can it be said about the disbelievers that they will not worship the One Allah in the future, as it is possible that in the future they may become Muslims, and in fact, countless disbelievers have become Muslims? The answer is that as long as they remain disbelievers, it is not possible for them to worship the One Allah; if they become Muslims, that is another matter. The second answer, mentioned by Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him), is that it refers to those people for whom, after hearing the verses, their disbelief only increases, and faith is not destined for them, as He said: «وَ لَيَزِيْدَنَّ كَثِيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ مَّاۤ اُنْزِلَ اِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ طُغْيَانًا وَّ كُفْرًا » [ المائدۃ : ۶۸ ] “And indeed, what has been revealed to you from your Lord will surely increase many of them in rebellion and disbelief.” The words of Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) are: {’’وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ : « لَاۤ اَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُوْنَ» اَلْآنَ وَلَا أُجِيْبُكُمْ فِيْمَا بَقِيَ مِنْ عُمُرِيْ «وَ لَاۤ اَنْتُمْ عٰبِدُوْنَ مَاۤ اَعْبُدُ » وَهُمُ الَّذِيْنَ قَالَ : « وَ لَيَزِيْدَنَّ كَثِيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ مَّاۤ اُنْزِلَ اِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ طُغْيَانًا وَّ كُفْرًا » [المائدة : ۶۷] ‘‘} [ بخاري، التفسیر، سورۃ : «قل یأیھا الکافرون» ، قبل ح : ۴۹۶۷ ] The meaning is as explained above.
(3) Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) has preferred the meaning that in the first two verses {’’ مَا ‘‘} is a relative pronoun, and in the second two it is a verbal noun. The meaning will be that I do not worship that which you worship (i.e., false deities), and you do not worship that which I worship (i.e., the One Allah), and nor am I a worshipper in the way you worship (i.e., as you clap and whistle in remembrance and perform Tawaf naked, I do not worship in this way), and nor are you worshippers as I worship, i.e., worshipping only in the way Allah has prescribed; you are not prepared to do so.
(4) Hafiz Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said {’’ لَاۤ اَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُوْنَ ‘‘} is a verbal sentence, meaning I do not worship what you worship, and {’’ وَ لَاۤ اَنَا عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدْتُّمْ ‘‘} is a nominal sentence, in which the negation is more emphatic, i.e., it is not my nature, nor is it ever possible for me (as a Messenger) to commit Shirk. That is, neither has this act occurred from me, nor is it legally possible for me. {’’ مَا عَبَدْتُّمْ ‘‘} Perhaps the past tense is used because even before my Prophethood, when you committed Shirk, it was not appropriate for me, nor did I ever worship anyone else at that time or after. The state of the disbelievers is described both times with the nominal sentence {’’ وَ لَاۤ اَنْتُمْ عٰبِدُوْنَ مَاۤ اَعْبُدُ ‘‘}, i.e., you do not have the capacity, nor is it possible for you to worship Allah alone without any partner.
➎ {لَكُمْ دِيْنُكُمْ وَ لِيَ دِيْنِ:} Some commentators have said regarding this that this verse is abrogated by the verses of Jihad, but this is not correct. Even now, it is not permissible to force any disbeliever to become Muslim, as He said: « لَاۤ اِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّيْنِ» [ البقرۃ : ۲۵۶ ] “There is no compulsion in religion.” If they wish to remain in disbelief, they can do so by paying Jizyah, but the decision will be on the Day of Judgment. This verse refutes the view of those who consider Islam, present-day Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and all religions as different manifestations of the same reality and declare all to be correct.
➏ {’’ وَ لِيَ دِيْنِ ‘‘} The original is {’’ وَلِيَ دِيْنِيْ ‘‘}, since the other verses end with noon, the “ya” at the end has been omitted, but the kasrah has been retained.
