Peace,
@Tinkerbell725
You write:
‘Christians are called infidels in the Quran right?
Nope!
The word ‘infidel’ was coined in the mid-15th century. It is derived from the Middle French ‘infidèle’, or Latin ‘īnfidēlis’; meaning ‘not faithful’; and was used by the Church to denote anyone who did not accept its core doctrines, or who belonged to a different religion. The word does not exist in classical Arabic, and is not found in the Qur’an.
‘Infidel’ is sometimes used (incorrectly) to render the Qur’anic word ‘kafir’; a word derived from the root K-F-R (kafara); one meaning of which is ‘to cover’ or ‘to conceal’:
'Bear in mind that the present life is just a game, a diversion, an attraction, a cause of boasting among you, of rivalry in wealth and children. It is like plants that spring up after rain: their growth at first delights the sowers ('l-kufāra'), but then you see them wither away, turn yellow, and become stubble. There is terrible punishment in the next life as well as forgiveness and approval from Allāh; the life of this world is only an illusory pleasure.' (Al-Hadid: 20).
A sower covers the seed at planting time; and because of this may be called (without any pejorative implication) a ‘kafir’ – ‘one who covers’.
Kufr becomes a sin when a believer (Jew, Christian or Muslim) deliberately buries – in her heart – what she knows to be true, in order to disobey: ‘I know I really shouldn’t be doing this, but I’m going to do it anyway….just this once……it’ll be alright.’
John Calvin captures the meaning of ‘kufr’ (in this context) when he writes:
‘I say, therefore, that he sins against the Holy Spirit who, while so constrained by the power of divine truth that he cannot plead ignorance, yet deliberately resists, and that merely for the sake of resisting.’ (‘Institutes of the Christian Religion; Book 3; Chapter 3; Section 22).
The word ‘kafir’ is also used to denote one who is ungrateful; one who refuses to acknowledge favours given by their Lord:
‘And so Moses said to his people, ‘Remember God’s blessing on you when He saved you from Pharaoh’s people, who were inflicting terrible suffering on you, slaughtering your sons and sparing only your women – that was a severe test from your Lord! Remember that He promised, “If you are grateful, I will give you more, but if you are ungrateful (‘kafartum’), My punishment is terrible indeed.” ’ And Moses said, ‘Even if you, together with everybody else on earth, are ungrateful, God is self-sufficient, worthy of all praise.’
(Ibrahim: 6-8).
Puritan Muslims use ‘kafir’ as a term of abuse; applying it especially to Christians and Jews. This is not correct. Indeed, according to the Encyclopaedia of Islam, a Muslim commits an offence if he accuses a Christian or a Jew of unbelief (cf. Encyclopaedia of Islam: second edition).
It has already been said: Allāh (subḥānahu ūta'āla) refers to Christian and Jews as ‘Ahl al-kitab’ (the ‘People of the Book’ – an honorific title). This is what He has to say about them:
‘Those who believe, and do good deeds,
are the best of creation. Their reward with their Lord is everlasting Gardens graced with flowing streams,
where they will stay forever.
Allāh is well pleased with them and they with Him. All this is for those who stand in awe of their Lord.’ (Al-Bayyina: 7-8; my emphasis).
Puritans claim that these verses have been abrogated by the following:
‘If anyone seeks a religion other than complete devotion to Allāh, it will not be accepted from him: he will be one of the losers in the Hereafter.’ (Al‘Imran: 85).
The words ‘complete devotion’ are a rendition of ‘
islam’; a word that is never capitalised in Arabic. This word can also be rendered ‘submission’.
Puritans take the word ‘religion’, and then capitalise ‘
islam’; giving the impression that the verse refers to that particular Faith alone. They argue that Islam is the
only religion acceptable to Allāh (subḥānahu ūta'āla). At the same time, they claim (correctly) that Islam is not
merely a ‘religion’, but a way of life. But so are Christianity and Judaism (and all other religions, too, of course). And the best ‘way of life’ is one spent in complete devotion to the Beloved.
Al‘Imran: 85 can safely be rendered: ‘If anyone seeks a way of life other than complete devotion to Allāh, it will not be accepted from him: he will be one of the losers in the Hereafter.’
By the way, sūrah Al‘Imran was the 89th to be revealed. Sūrah Al-Bayyina was the 100th.
I would be very interested to learn how a sūrah can
abrogate one that came after it.
I hope this answers your question.
Continued:
