Major Kufr is only proven by The Kitab and The Sunnah (distinguishing between Major and Minor Kufr)
The Major Kufr is only what is proven by The Kitab and The Sunnah (how to distinguish between Major Kufr and Minor Kufr)
To say an act (a saying or action) is kufr, there must be shari’ evidences to prove this, so that whoever says a saying or does an act, the only way it could be proved to be kufr, is by shari’ evidences. The conditions established here are that we need to possess shari’ evidences (from the Qur’an or Sunnah, or both) to qualify a saying or an action as kufr. When we have acceptable shari’ evidences about an act, this we call kufr mutlaq, when you name only the act as kufr without naming the one who is saying or doing it. Kufr mutlaq is naming the kufr with clear shari’ evidences. The evidences that are used need to be clearly talking about major kufr without any doubt.
We have to be most careful in differentiating between major and minor kufr as there are evidences which refer to kufr, but the kufr being spoken about is minor kufr.
For example there is in the following hadith a reference to kufr,
Narrated By Jarir: The Prophet said to me during Hajjat-al-Wida’: Let the people keep quiet and listen. Then he said (addressing the people), “Do not revert to disbelief after me by striking the necks (cutting the throats) of one another (killing each other).” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 121)
From this hadith what is the proof, i.e., how would we know if the kufr being referred to is major or minor kufr?
There are only two ways to know this, either from within the same daleel (evidence) itself or from other dala’il (evidences – other ayat or ahadith).
Let us take an example where within the same evidence it is explained that the kufr referred to is not major kufr, rather it is minor kufr.
Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas: The Prophet said: “I was shown the Hell-fire and that the majority of its dwellers were women who were ungrateful (yakfurna).” It was asked, “Do they disbelieve in Allah (a yakfurna billahi)?” He replied, “They are ungrateful (yakfurna) to their husbands and are ungrateful (yakfurna) for the favours and the good (charitable deeds) done to them. If you have always been good (benevolent) to one of them and then she sees something in you (not of her liking), she will say, ‘I have never received any good from you.”. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 29)
The Prophet said that he had been shown the hell-fire and that the majority of its dwellers were women who “…yakfurna” (they disbelieve). It is important to note that the first reaction of the sahabah was to then ask “a yakfurna billahi?” (do they disbelieve in Allah?). The primary meaning the sahabah attached to the words ‘yakfurna’ were major disbelief, they thought that they had committed major kufr. It was then that the Prophet clarified that this reference to disbelief of the women meant their ungratefulness to their husbands (not major kufr) and he explained how it is that they are ungrateful. This hadith shows where a reference of kufr is made, and that within the same evidence the explanation is given as to what type of kufr it is, in this case minor kufr of ungratefulness to the husband. It also shows that whenever kufr was mentioned, the sahabah understood it (took it) to be major kufr unless stated otherwise. And this is a very important rule that whenever kufr is mentioned, it is taken as major kufr unless it is proven that it is minor kufr.
Now, we will take another evidence referring to kufr and show how the explanation of whether the kufr is major kufr or minor kufr, is not within the same evidence like the one above, but another/an external evidence.
Narrated By Jarir : The Prophet said to me during Hajjat-al-Wida’: Let the people keep quiet and listen. Then he said (addressing the people), “Do not revert to disbelief after me by striking the necks (cutting the throats) of one another (killing each other).” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 121)
The Prophet said not to return to being “kuffar after me by striking the necks of one another.” Is this major kufr, Muslims killing one another? The Prophet said not to return to being kuffar by killing each other. How will we understand whether this is major kufr or not? The reference to kufr can have one of two meanings. The reference to kufr will be taken to be major kufr, as was the position of the sahabah in their way to understand this matter as shown in the narration above, unless it is proven from within the same evidence or another/external evidence(s) that it is minor kufr.
The proof as to whether the above hadith is referring to major kufr or minor kufr is found within an ayah in the Qur’an (an external evidence, i.e., outside of the evidence being discussed).
Allah says,
“And if two parties or groups among the believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them both, but if one of them rebels against the other, then fight you (all) against the one that which rebels till it complies with the Command of Allâh; then if it complies, then make reconciliation between them justly, and be equitable. Verily! Allâh loves those who are equitable.
The believers are but a brotherhood. So make reconciliation between your brothers, and have Taqwa of Allah that you may receive mercy.” (Al-Hujurat: 9 – 10)
Allah commands making peace between Muslims that fight each other,
“And if two parties among the believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them both.”
Therefore, Allah calls both opposing groups among Muslims, believers, although they are fighting each other. And in the second of the two verses above, Allah commanded reconciliation between the brothers, and He was referring to the two groups that fight each other. What we see from these ayat is that Muslims can fight one another, which is a sin, but it is not to the level of major kufr which expels one from the fold of Islam. So, what we take from these ayat, which is external evidence, is that they clarify the type of kufr spoken about by the Messenger of Allah in the hadith quoted above. The type of kufr (minor kufr) was clarified by referring to external evidence.
The proofs used to establish whether a statement or action is an action of kufr akbar (major disbelief) need to be referring to major kufr without any doubt at all.
The following are some examples of words that can be understood to refer to either kufr akbar or kufr asghar (minor disbelief).
First, there is the hadith that insulting a Muslim is fusuq (a sin) and fighting him is kufr (disbelief). Narrated Abdullah: The prophet said, “Abusing a Muslim is Fusuq (an evil doing) and killing him is kufr (disbelief).” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 48). With regards to this hadith, we know that fighting between the Muslims is not major disbelief based on the verse “And if two factions among the believers should fight, then make settlement between the two.” (49:9), and this clarification of the minor disbelief is an external evidence, i.e., outside of the hadith being looked at. The prophet also said, “do not revert to disbelief after me by striking (cutting) the necks of one another.”(Bukhari, 7079), but again, we know from an external daleel, the ayah mentioned above, that the meaning here is not kufr akbar.
The prophet also said, “none of you [truly] believes until he loves for his brother that which he loves for himself.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 13), and in another narration, “By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe!” It was said, “Who is that, O Allah’s Messenger?” He said, “That person whose neighbour does not feel safe from his evil.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6016). We also have the ayah in which Allah says,
“But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muḥammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.” (An-Nisa:65).
In the ayah, we know that the kufr referred to is major disbelief. However, the question that we need to look at is why while considering statements of the prophet such as, “none one of you believes”, “he does not believe”, or “none of you truly believes” are some words classified as major disbelief and others as minor disbelief? What is the difference between these sayings of the prophet and the ayah, and how should they be classified? The prophet said, “none of you [truly] believes until he loves for his brother that which he loves for himself.”, but the ayah quoted above, “But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe…” is understood to be referring to major disbelief.
The reason for studying our deen (religion) is because when someone approaches it (the deen) based on a saying that every kufr mentioned in the Qur’an is kufr akbar, someone else can say that every kufr mentioned in the Qur’an is kufr asghar until proven otherwise, so for that reason we must come from the point of daleel. A person may know the evidence, but when giving the understanding to someone, it should be given with evidence which is ayat and ahadith. A person has to take knowledge in the correct way, and give it in the correct way. Firstly, a person takes knowledge correctly for himself; secondly, to give it correctly so as not anger Allah.
The prophet said, “none of you [truly] believes until he loves for his brother that which he loves for himself.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 13). We know that if someone steals from you, you would dislike it. You will also dislike it if someone lies to you, beats you up, or does zina (fornication) with your wife, daughter, sister or mother. All of these actions are ma’asin (sing. ma’siya, disobedience), and you do not like them for yourself or for your brother. It is from the emaan (belief) that if you do not like it, you also do not like it for your brother. The prophet said in a hadith that a Muslim should behave and act with the people as he would like the people to behave with him. Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever would love to be delivered from Hellfire and admitted into Paradise, let him meet his end with faith in Allah and the Last Day, and let him treat people as he would love to be treated.” (Sahih Muslim, 1844). If a Muslim wants people to behave with love and respect towards him, then he must do the same to others. If he is not acting according to these commands of Muhammad, he will have a decrease in his emaan. This is what emaan is. It can be complete, but it can also be deficient. It can go up and it can go down, i.e., it can increase and decrease. The emaan that the prophet is talking about in the ahadith quoted above is the great emaan. If you do not have a part of it, e.g., you insult a Muslim then you do not have this part of emaan, so your emaan will have decreased which means you will not have the full emaan. What the prophet is saying, for example, when he says, “laa yuminu (he does not believe)” is that a Muslim will not have these parts of emaan which are part of the great emaan while he is committing these sins. A Muslim may see these actions as small and not very significant, but the prophet is telling the people not to think that these actions are easy and of no worth, such as removing a harmful thing from the road, and being good to your neighbour. So, you will not have full emaan until you have all of this. When you take a level of emaan off, you will not have full emaan, i.e., it will decrease. If you disobey Allah, you will not have full emaan, and so it will decrease again and again and again in as much as a person is disobedient to Allah or falls short. If you do something nice to your neighbour, like remove something harmful from the road, you have this part of emaan. Therefore, when the prophet says, for example, laa yuminu, the meaning is that the emaan will not be full until these actions are there.
We know from another hadith that there was a situation where someone came to the prophet and said that his neighbour was harming him. The prophet said for him to take all of his belongings and put them on the street. Abu Hurayra said, “A man said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I have a neighbour who does me harm.’ He said, ‘Go and take your things out into the road.’ He took his things out into the road. People gathered around him and asked, ‘What’s the matter?’ He replied, ‘A neighbour of mine injures me and I mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He told me, “Take your things out into the road.”‘ They began to say, ‘O Allah, curse him! O Allah, disgrace him!’ When the man heard that, he came out to him and said, ‘Go back to your home. By Allah, I will not harm you.'” (Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, 124). In this situation, someone was harming this Muslim, and harming a Muslim is haram, so the prophet told the one who was being harmed to take his belongings and put them outside. The people were passing by and asking him what was wrong with him, etc. One of the things we take from this is hadith is that the prophet did not take the harm that was being done to this Muslim as an act of kufr. This man was not nice to his Muslim neighbour, so the prophet said that you will not have emaan until your neighbours are safe from your bad behaviour. The person who did this act of bad behaviour was not a kafir because if it was kufr that was being reported to the prophet, he would need to investigate it. He did not investigate it because it was ma’siyah (a sin, pl. ma’asiy), and there was no hadd (legal punishment) for it, but he did show this Muslim a way to make his neighbour stop what he was doing.
The prophet also said, “He who deceives is not of me.” (Sahih Muslim, 102) which apparently means that the person who does this is from the kuffar. If we go to other ahadith, we can see that the prophet would mention an act, and say that someone is in hellfire because of an act that was done, like the one who killed himself after he could not bear the pain of the wound that he had been inflicted with during war. The prophet said that he is from the people of the fire.
It is reported on the authority of Sahl b. Sa’d al-Sa’idi that there was an encounter between the Messenger of Allah and the polytheists, and they fought (against one another). At the conclusion of the battle the Messenger of Allah bent his steps towards his army and they (the enemies) bent their steps towards their army. And there was a person among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah who did not spare a detached (fighter of the enemy) but pursued and killed him with the sword. They (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) said: None served us better today than this man. Upon this the Messenger of Allah remarked: Verily he is one of the denizens of Fire. One of the people (Muslims) said: I will constantly shadow him. Then this man went out along with him. He halted whenever he halted, and ran along with him whenever he ran. He (the narrator) said: The man was seriously injured. He (could not stand the pain) and hastened his own death. He placed the blade of the sword on the ground with the tip between his chest and then pressed himself against the sword and killed himself. Then the man (following him) went to the Messenger of Allah and said: I bear testimony that verily thou art the Messenger of Allah, He (the Holy Prophet) said: What is the matter? He replied: The person about whom you just mentioned that he was one among the denizens of Fire and the people were surprised (at this) and I said to them that I would bring (the news about him) and consequently I went out in search of him till I (found him ) to be very seriously injured. He hastened his death. He placed the blade of the sword upon the ground and its tip between his chest and then pressed himself against that and killed himself. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah remarked: A person performs the deeds which to the people appear to be the deeds befitting the dweller of Paradise, but he is in fact one of the denizens of Hell. And verily a person does an act which in the eyes of public is one which is done by the denizens of Hell, but the person is one among the dwellers of Paradise. (Sahih Muslim, 112).
Also, the woman who imprisoned a little cat at home which she did not feed or let outside to feed itself until the cat died.
Narrated Ibn `Umar:
The Prophet said, “A woman entered the (Hell) Fire because of a cat which she had tied, neither giving it food nor setting it free to eat from the vermin of the earth. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 3318). The prophet said that this woman entered jahannam, that she is in hell.
The prophet said in a hadith that there was a kind of woman whom he described as being clothed, but naked. He also mentioned their hair and such things. He said that they will not enter jannah (paradise), and they will not even smell its fragrance.
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger having said this:
Two are the types of the denizens of Hell whom I did not see: people having flogs like the tails of the ox with them and they would be beating people, and the women who would be dressed but appear to be naked, who would be inclined (to evil) and make their husbands incline towards it. Their heads would be like the humps of the bukht camel inclined to one side. They will not enter Paradise and they would not smell its odour whereas its odour would be smelt from such and such distance. (Sahih Muslim, 2128). He said that they do not wear a hijab, their way of walking is by moving their whole body, they are astray from the haq (truth), and they also lead/entice men to follow them. The point is that these are all acts of fisq (immorality/sin). The prophet is saying that they will not enter jannah, but we know it is only the kafir who will not enter Jannah forever. So, if it is not major kufr, what is the explanation for these statements of the prophet, for example, they will not even smell the fragrance of jannah, the one who indulges in namimah (slander), breaks the ties of kinship, and all the other acts that are being concluded with being recompensed with hell-fire, not having faith, or not entering jannah. The answer is that we need to understand these statements and acts under the light of the ayat of Allah and the ahadith of Muhammad in general.
Allah says,
Indeed, he who associates others with Allāh – Allāh has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers. (Al-Ma`idah: 72)
We are talking about the sayings of the prophet where he made statements such as, he will enter the fire, and he will not enter jannah. The ayah above is clear and explains that it is whoever that makes partners with Allah, Allah is making jannah prohibited (haram) for them, and he will enter jahannam to remain there forever. It is definitive about the only people who will not enter jannah are people who die upon shirk. The people who enter an-nar (the fire) to remain there forever are the people who die upon shirk (polytheism) and kufr (disbelief), these are the people with the respective acts of shirk for whom jannah is haram, forever, and it is upon this understanding from the verse above that we come to understand the other statements of the prophet that have been mentioned above. We also know from many ahadith that the Muslimeen can enter jahannam as a punishment if they do not make tawbah from their sins. If their tawbah is accepted, Allah will not punish them on the day of judgement, and if they come to Him with sins which they did not make tawbah for, they will be under His mercy which means that Allah can forgive or punish them depending on what He wants to do. These sins include bad behaviour towards neighbours, and other such forbidden acts found in the Qur’an and Sunnah including the ones mentioned above. We know that these acts are not major kufr. We also know from ahadith that Allah will take out from the fire everyone who has at least a mustard seed of emaan, like a mustard seed grain of faith. Although these people committed sins, they will taken out from the fire and enter jannah.
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri:
Allah’s Messenger said, “When the people of Paradise have entered Paradise, and the people of the Fire have entered the Fire, Allah will say. ‘Take out (of the Fire) whoever has got faith equal to a mustard seed in his heart.’ They will come out, and by that time they would have burnt and became like coal, and then they will be thrown into the river of Al-Hayyat (life) and they will spring up just as a seed grows on the bank of a rainwater stream.” The Prophet said, “Don’t you see that the germinating seed comes out yellow and twisted?” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6560)
So, from this hadith we know that every Muslim will enter jannah. Therefore, the saying that they will not enter jannah means they will not enter jannah at first. If Muslims come with these kinds of sins on the day of judgement without tawbah and Allah decides not to forgive them, they will go to jahannam. This is the meaning of “they will not enter/go to jannah”. At first, they will go to jahannam, and the part which talks about going to jahannam does not mean that they will stay there forever. The prophet’s saying “he will be in hellfire” does not mean that he will stay there forever. Being in jahannam forever is only for the kuffar. When the prophet says whoever does a specific act will not enter jannah, it does not mean he will never enter jannah.
The matter is that the statements of the prophet such as, “they will not enter/go to jannah” and “he will be in hellfire” are understood in the light of the general ayat and ahadith like the ayah such as,
Allah says,
Indeed, he who associates others with Allāh – Allāh has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers. (Al-Ma`idah: 72)
Allah says,
But repentance is not [accepted] of those who [continue to] do evil deeds up until, when death comes to one of them, he says, “Indeed, I have repented now,” or of those who die while they are disbelievers. For them We have prepared a painful punishment. (An-Nisa: 18)
and with that, clarified to not be actions of major kufr, rather they are threats of punishment for certain prohibited actions of a lesser degree. Such Muslims who do those actions will not reside in hellfire forever because the only people who will reside in hellfire are the kuffar and mushrikeen who die doing actions of kufr for which they do not have an excuse.
Clarifying a few points regarding the verse to do with the kufr of mocking Allah, His messenger and His ayat.
Allah says,
And if you ask them, they will surely say, “We were only conversing and playing.” Say, “Is it Allāh and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?”
Make no excuse; you have disbelieved [i.e., rejected faith] after your belief. If We pardon one faction of you – We will punish another faction because they were criminals. (At-Tawbah: 65 – 66)
According to these two verses above, the people who were joking/mocking were munafiqoon (hypocrites, sing. munafiq). In verse 64, it is clear that Allah is speaking about the hypocrites.
Allah says,
The hypocrites are apprehensive lest a sūrah be revealed about them, informing them of what is in their hearts. (At-Tawbah: 64).
These hypocrites feared a surah (chapter) being revealed exposing what was in their hearts. What the munafiqoon said to cause these verses to be revealed was not actually kufr qat’i (clear kufr [kufr qat’i – clear kufr is where a specific action is specifically defined as kufr akbar in the Qur’an or Sunnah, such as magic, referring to the taghut for judgement, saying Allah has a son, rejecting the day of judgement, worshipping idols, sacrificing/slaughtering to other than Allah, following other than the law of Allah, etc. as opposed to kufr muhtamal (probable kufr [unclear kufr]) where a specific action is not found to be specifically defined as major kufr. Kufr muhtamal may or may not be kufr, like prostrating before a grave, i.e., maybe the person is worshipping the person in the grave or maybe they are just using the grave as a sutra. There are no ayat or ahadith defining praying in front of a grave as kufr akbar in comparison to the actions listed above for which there are]), it was not major kufr.
It is haram to mock a Muslim, and it can be fusuq (an immoral/sinful act) if this mocking is an insult, but it is not kufr. What was said to cause these verses to be revealed was, “I have never seen like these reciters of ours! They have the hungriest stomachs, the most lying tongues and are the most cowardice in battle.” This group of people said that they had not seen worse people who desire to eat a lot, meaning they are people who only eat, and when it comes to the battlefield they are scared like cowards. These words are clearly not kufr, but they were munafiqoon and Allah revealed to the prophet their intent behind their words, and what they intended by their statement was to mock Allah and His messenger, and by making this statement of mocking the sahabah (companions) they were kuffar. In reality, these people were rejecting the Qur’an. This is what we see from the ayat, “The hypocrites are apprehensive lest a sūrah be revealed about them, informing them of what is in their hearts.” (At-Tawbah: 64).
Allah sent these ayat to inform Muhammad that these people who said what they said were munafiqoon, and they were mocking Allah, His ayat, and His messenger, and with that the hukm of mocking Islam. From the beginning of verse 64, Allah is saying the hypocrites fear that a surah will be revealed about them exposing what is in their hearts, not kufr that is apparent to the people in their speech or actions. The hypocrites said something about the sahabah by way of mockery, words that were sinful, but not kufr. However, because they were hypocrites and Allah wanted to expose them, Allah revealed what was in their hearts, the intentions behind their words. In this specific case, Allah sent the ayat to reveal their true inner state.
If someone were to say the same thing about ‘Umar bin al-Khattab, or if someone insulted any sahabi, it would not be kufr because the words are not kufr. On the other hand, Allah revealed to us in the ayat we are looking at what was in the hearts of the people of mocking Allah, His ayat, and His messenger. What is meant by their niyyah (intention) is what they were hiding of the reality in their hearts of what they were doing, and not whether they wanted to be kuffar or preferred kufr over emaan. What they had said had something hidden behind it. They wanted to say a lot, but they were always hiding things in their words. They were hiding in their words the mockery of Allah, His ayat, and His messenger. The Muslims that were mocked in this ayah had certain characteristics; they were huffaz (sing. hafiz, one who knows the Qur’an by heart) of the qur’an, qurr’a (sing. qari, reciter of the Qur’an), and the munafiqoon hated them. The words of the munafiqoon were the only thing that came to the surface on their tongues, but Allah told us about their hearts, what could not be seen, but was revealed to Muhammad. This is the meaning of their intention. Nevertheless, what we take from this ayah, as the ‘ulama said, is the hukm of mocking, so if someone is mocking Allah, His messenger, and mocking the deen, we know that this person has disbelieved after they have believed.
If you give this ayah to the Jahmiyyah as daleel that mocking is kufr, they go to asbab al-nuzool (the causes of revelation), and say that this is proof that you cannot make takfir on the speech or action of someone unless he shows you his intention, and this is incorrect. They say that the sabab al-nuzool (cause of revelation) is proof that the intent must become apparent. They say this kufr was only kufr when it was revealed, when Allah revealed about the niyyah that was in their hearts. Only when this was revealed, Muhammad made takfir on them. They say that this can only occur when we have the sabab al-nuzool revealing what is in the heart. The reply is that what they had said is not kufr. They had a kufr action of the heart; their intent was kufr; but the action (their statement) was not kufr. Where is the kufr action (a statement is regarded as an action)? There was no kufr action (i.e. statement). Rather, Allah revealed their true intentions with an action that was not kufr. The Jahmiyyah say you cannot judge someone as a kafir when he says or does an act of kufr until you know the heart, and but only Allah knows the heart, or that the person will confess and say that he is a kafir. This is the incorrect view of the Jahmiyyah. The truth is that it is true Allah revealed what is in their hearts, that it was kufr, but we are not talking about having the intention as a proof to for an action of kufr because the action was not major kufr; it was just an insult, so we are not talking about whether they wanted to do their action because there was no action to call kufr. Even for the Jahmiyyah themselves, what they themselves say here is outside the scope of their own incorrect view of establishing kufr. The Jahmiyyah say even if someone is doing an act of kufr or shirk, you cannot judge it as such until you ask him whether he really believes that. They say this is the proof that people have done something of kufr and no one said they were kuffar until Allah revealed what was in their hearts. So the prophet’s judgement was according to revelation that in their hearts was kufr. Well, what the munafiqoon said is not an action of kufr, so we are not talking about takfir in that sense of having an action of kufr. They had said that some Muslims were cowards and they liked eating a lot, that is all they said and this is not kufr. What is true is that an action of major kufr is an action of major kufr and it is not dependent on nor does it hinge on whether the person wants/has the intention to be a kafir or wants/has the intention to do kufr. It is just that in this case in this specific ayah, the kufr in their hearts was revealed while the action was not a statement of kufr, and this does not change the hukm of the ayah that the action alone of mocking Allah, His messenger or His ayat is major kufr.
To summarise what has passed, there are statements of kufr which will be regarded as major kufr unless within the same nass or an external nass there is an indication to show that it is minor kufr being referred to, and this is the established understanding of the sahabah as shown in the narration about ungratefulness to the husbands. Do you not see that when the prophet said about the women, “yakfurna (they disbelieve)”, the sahabah said, “Do they disbelieve in Allah?” This indicates that when the term “disbelief” is used without qualification, it refers to major disbelief unless there is contextual evidence to the contrary.
Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas: The Prophet said: “I was shown the Hell-fire and that the majority of its dwellers were women who were ungrateful (yakfurna).” It was asked, “Do they disbelieve in Allah (a yakfurna billahi)?” He replied, “They are ungrateful (yakfurna) to their husbands and are ungrateful (yakfurna) for the favours and the good (charitable deeds) done to them. If you have always been good (benevolent) to one of them and then she sees something in you (not of her liking), she will say, ‘I have never received any good from you.”. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 29)
In the case of the above nass, it is an example where within the same nass there is an indication to take the label of kufr from major kufr to minor kufr.
As for when the indication to minor kufr is in an external nass, we have the following example.
Narrated By Jarir : The Prophet said to me during Hajjat-al-Wida’: Let the people keep quiet and listen. Then he said (addressing the people), “Do not revert to disbelief after me by striking the necks (cutting the throats) of one another (killing each other).” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 121)
The proof as to whether the above nass (text) is referring to major kufr or minor kufr is found within an ayah in the Qur’an (an external nass (text), i.e., outside of the nass (text) being discussed).
Allah says,
“And if two parties or groups among the believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them both.” (Al-Hujurat: 9)
Allah calls both opposing groups among Muslims, believers, although they are fighting each other. This shows that the action in the hadith above is not major kufr and this has been proven from an external nass.
There are also some ahadith which are labels of kufr, resembling major kufr such as will not enter Jannah, will go to Jahannam, is not from/one of us, but are not major kufr because they do not involve major disbelief or major polytheism along with the fact that in some of those narrations there was someone who did the action around the prophet and he did not make takfir upon the doers of those actions and/or tell them to do tawbah to return to Islam.
There are the ahadith about the one who has a mustard seeds weight of emaan who will go to Jahannam, but eventually enter jannah, and these are Muslims who died with sins who are under the mercy of Allah as to whether He wishes to forgive them or not, but who will eventually enter Jannah because they did not die upon kufr or shirk. And the key to understanding the statements of the prophet that we looked at above are the ayat regarding those who die as disbelievers who will abide in hell forever in surah al-Nisa, and Jannah being haram for the mushrikeen in surah Al-Ma’idah. These verses which show what removes a person from Islam are the key to understanding all of the statements of the prophet mentioned above.
Every wording of kufr in the Qur’an and Sunnah with the definite article “al (the)” is major kufr whether noun, verb or attribute. al-kufr, al-kafir, al-kuffar, al-kafirun, al-kawafir because the alif and lam (al, the definite article) indicates/points to the totality of the noun for the completeness of its meaning, and there is no difference of opinion on this between the people of knowledge and the people of language. Every derived form of k-f-r found in the Qur’an is kufr al-akbar whether it is in the form of a noun, a verb or the verbal noun. This has been proven by examining the vocabulary of the Qur’an, even the word of kufr mentioned in the context of ingratitude for blessings is major disbelief, as in surah Ibrahim verse 28,
Allah says,
Have you not considered those who exchanged the favor of Allāh for disbelief and settled their people [in] the home of ruin? (Ibrahim: 28)
and surah An-Nahl verse 112,
Allah says,
And Allāh presents an example: a city [i.e., Makkah] which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favors of Allāh. So Allāh made it taste the envelopment of hunger and fear for what they had been doing. (An-Nahl: 112)
even what appears to be intended as linguistic disbelief is actually intended, according to its interpretation, as shari’ disbelief, as in the verse in Al-Hadid verse 20.
Allah says,
Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children – like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allāh and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion. (Al-Hadid: 20)
Then there are the words of kufr found in the Sunnah, from them are those in the form of the definite article with al which are referring to kufr akbar like what is in the hadith,
It is narrated on the authority of Jabir that he heard the Apostle (may peace and blessings be upon him) saying. Verily between man and between polytheism and unbelief is the negligence of prayer. (Sahih Muslim, 82a),
And if it is in other than this form, then the principle is that it is kufr akbar until there is an evidence indicating it is kufr asghar (minor disbelief).
The ayah in surah Al-Fath’ is also referring to the shari’ meaning of major disbelief.
Allah says,
Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allāh; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allāh and [His] pleasure. Their sign is in their faces from the effect of prostration [i.e., prayer]. That is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is as a plant which produces its offshoots and strengthens them so they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, delighting the sowers – so that He [i.e., Allāh] may enrage by them the disbelievers. Allāh has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds among them forgiveness and a great reward. (Al-Fath’: 29)
The linguistic meaning of kafara is to cover/conceal. Yakfuru means one who is putting the seed under the soil, hiding something under something. This is the meaning in the Arabic language, to hide/conceal things, people who are putting seeds under the earth/soil. Allah chose this word because they are covering the truth of Allah. They know it is there and they are covering it with their rejection because they are kuffar.
Allah says,
“…yu’jibu azzura’a liyageedha bihimul kuffar (delighting the sowers – so that He [i.e., Allāh] may enrage by them the disbelievers.) (Al-Fath: 29)
So, here too, the word kuffar is used in the context of major kufr because the kuffar do not like to see the Muslimeen when they were flourishing. The example is about how Allah made the prophet Muhammad and the sahabah strong after they were weak. Just as plants start very weak in the beginning being soft, delicate and thin, likewise were the prophet and his companions in the beginning of Islam, small in number and weak. After time, the plants become vcry strong with their strong stems, fine growth, and multiplication. Likewise, Allah made the sahabah more in number and strong in piety to anger and upset the kuffar because they always wanted the sahabah to be very weak. Even in this ayah the meaning of kufr is the shari’ meaning, not the linguistic one.
Thus every adjective, noun, verb derived from k-f-r found in the Qur’an is used in the context of major kufr. Everything that is mentioned in the Qur’an that is kufr is major kufr. This is not a rule nor has a rule been set up. It was by the ‘ulama looking at all the ayat, and the context of each ayah that they saw that kufr akbar is the intended meaning, and this was deduced by all of the ‘ulama. So, the result of the ‘ulama is that in every surah and every ayah the words to do with kafara are linked to major kufr.
