Ramadhan mubarak. It’s Ramadhan 2, 1436 Hejira. May our shaum (fasting) receive the ridha of Allah. Aamiin..

Dear Family and Nina’s Comrades, I was intrigued with a post made by one of my good friends in facebook, about some people who easily call others as “kafir”. Subhanallah… (Glorious is Allah; we say it when we hear something we dislike). And the most ironic thing who did it is the people (who call others as one) are those who claimed themselves as Muslim. Astaghfirullahal-adzim (I seek forgiveness from Allah).

What is “kafir”? There’s a definition in wiki Islam about “kafir”, but I am not sure if it’s a good reference to read. Wallahualam.. But in short, “kafir” is an Arabic word means an infidel or a non-believer. (The plural is “kaffar”).

I am not going to talk about the definition of “kafir”. My intention here is that to remind all my Muslim/ah brothers and sisters, as Muslim/ah who are fully believing in Allah, we are FORBIDDEN to call others as “kafir”. Why? Because clearly, only Allah is Al-Adl (The Just) and Al ‘Alim (The Omniscient) who knows what’s hidden. Therefore, only Allah, The Fairest Judge who has the only right to say whether is someone a “kafir” or not. And we, are merely human of flaws and sins.

Allow me to quote two hadiths, shahih (valid; trustworthy) which inshAllah able to explain why Muslims are NOT ALLOW to label others as “kafir”:

Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam (peace be upon him) said: “Who ever calls for other to mention infidelity or saying, ‘O enemy of Allah’, while the accused one was not, then the call is return back to him. “ (Shahih, HR. Muslim no. 61)

And,

Ibn ‘Umar radhiyallahu ‘anhu said: It is narrated that the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wassallam) said, “When a man says to his companion ‘O you Kaafir, then this would be necessarily binding upon one of the two. If the man who was called a kaafir is actually one, then he would be a kaafir; otherwise whatever the caller said would return upon him.” (Shahih, HR. Al-Bukhari no. 6104 dan Muslim no.60)

Then what about these people, community, who are easily call others as “kafir”? Well, do reread those two hadiths above. My question is simple: Are these people more noble than Rasulullah, SAW himself, who already conveyed us the warnings by those hadiths?

The rest:

“Indeed, those who disbelieve – it is all the same for them whether you warn them or do not warn them – they will not believe.” (Q.S. 2 Al Baqarah: 6)

So, do not label or call others as “kafir”, even if the fact they are so. Indeed, only Allah is The Omniscient. If there are others call us “kafir”, just say istighfar (dua of repentance; ask Allah forgiveness), give them smile and start to review yourself, get some self-introspections. If we are not what we mentioned, pray, may Allah forgive them and us all. Aamiin..

Wallahu’alam… Only God knows.

References:

• Feel free to read Asma-ul Husna–the 99 names of Allah here: The Asma-ul Husna
• Beware of labelling others as Kaafir at The Islamic Treasure website
• On the prohibition of takfir (a Muslim calling another Muslim a unbeliever) at Islam Pedia Online
• Janganlah Mengucapkan Kafir Kepada Saudaramu (bahasa Indonesia) at Quran dan Sunnah.