BENEFIT 286: Types of Kufr (disbelief)

Imām Ibn Al-Qayyim raḥimahullāh states: As for major Kufr, it is of FIVE TYPES: 1⃣. كفر تكذيب The Kufr of denial 2⃣. كفر استكبار وإباء مع التصديق The Kufr of arrogance and refusal while acknowledging (the truth) 3⃣. كفرُ إعراض The Kufr of indifference 4⃣. كفر شكٌ The disbelief of doubt 5⃣. كَفَرُ نفاق The disbelief of hypocrisy. 1▪️The Kufr of denial (تكذيب) is the belief that the Messenger is false. This type is rare among disbelievers, for Allāh has supported His Messengers and provided them with evidence and signs that prove their truthfulness, thus establishing the proof and removing any excuses. Allāh said about the people of Fir’awn: ﴿وَجَحَدُوا۟ بِهَا وَٱسۡتَیۡقَنَتۡهَاۤ أَنفُسُهُمۡ ظُلۡمࣰا وَعُلُوࣰّاۚ فَٱنظُرۡ كَیۡفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِینَ﴾ "And they rejected them, while their souls were certain of them, out of injustice and pride" [An-Naml: 14]. And He said to His Messenger ﷺ: ﴿فَإِنَّهُمۡ لَا یُكَذِّبُونَكَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِینَ بِـَٔایَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ یَجۡحَدُونَ﴾ "Indeed, they do not deny you, but the wrongdoers deny the signs of Allāh" [Al-An’ām: 33]. If this Kufr is also referred to as lying, it is correct, as it refers to lying with the tongue. 2▪️As for the Kufr of refusal (الإباء) and arrogance (الاستكبار), it is similar to the disbelief of Iblees, who did not deny the command of Allāh nor did he oppose it with denial. Rather, he responded with refusal and arrogance. This is also the case with those who know the truth of the Messenger and acknowledge that he came with the truth from Allāh, but they refuse to submit out of arrogance and pride. This is the most common form of disbelief among the enemies of the Messengers, as Allāh relates about Fir’awn and his people: ﴿أَنُؤۡمِنُ لِبَشَرَیۡنِ مِثۡلِنَا وَقَوۡمُهُمَا لَنَا عَـٰبِدُونَ﴾ "Do we believe in two human beings like ourselves, while their people are our slaves?" [Al-Mu’minun: 47], and the statement of the nations to their Messengers: ﴿قَالُوۤا۟ إِنۡ أَنتُمۡ إِلَّا بَشَرࣱ مِّثۡلُنَا تُرِیدُونَ أَن تَصُدُّونَا عَمَّا كَانَ یَعۡبُدُ ءَابَاۤؤُنَا فَأۡتُونَا بِسُلۡطَـٰنࣲ مُّبِینࣲ﴾ "You are nothing but human beings like us. You want to turn us away from what our forefathers used to worship. So bring us a clear sign" [Ibrāhīm: 10], and His saying: ﴿كَذَّبَتۡ ثَمُودُ بِطَغۡوَىٰهَاۤ﴾ "Thamud rejected the warning" [Ash-Shams: 11]. This is the disbelief of the Jews, as Allāh says: ﴿فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُم مَّا عَرَفُواْ كَفَرُوا بِهِ﴾ "And when what they recognised came to them, they disbelieved in it" [Al-Baqarah: 89], and His saying: ﴿ٱلَّذِینَ ءَاتَیۡنَـٰهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ یَعۡرِفُونَهُۥ كَمَا یَعۡرِفُونَ أَبۡنَاۤءَهُمۡۖ وَإِنَّ فَرِیقࣰا مِّنۡهُمۡ لَیَكۡتُمُونَ ٱلۡحَقَّ وَهُمۡ یَعۡلَمُونَ﴾ "Those to whom We gave the Scripture recognise him (the Prophet) as they recognise their own sons. But a party of them conceal the truth while they know" [Al-Baqarah: 146]. This also applies to the disbelief of Abū Ṭālib, for he acknowledged the truth of the Prophet ﷺ and did not doubt it, but pride and respect for his ancestors prevented him from abandoning their faith, and he refused to accept Islam. 3▪️As for the Kufr of indifference (الإعراض), it is when one turns away with his ears and heart from the Messenger, neither believing nor denying him, neither supporting him nor opposing him, and not paying attention to what he has brought at all. This is exemplified in the statement of one of the Banu Abd Yalil to the Prophet ﷺ: "By Allāh, I will not say a word to you. If you are truthful, you are too noble in my eyes to reply to you. If you are lying, you are too insignificant for me to speak to you." 4▪️As for the Kufr of doubt (الشك), it is when one does not firmly affirm the truthfulness or falsehood of the Messenger, but instead remains in doubt about him. Such doubt persists only if the person deliberately turns away from reflecting on the signs of his truthfulness entirely, refusing to listen or pay attention to them.