Surat
Al Kaafiroon
“Say, “O disbelievers!”
Neither do I worship what you worship.
Nor do you worship Whom I worship.
And neither will I ever worship what you worship.
Nor will you worship Whom I worship.
For you is your religion, and for me is mine." {Surah 109: Ayaat 1-6}
Context of revelation
This Surah was revealed in Makkah at a time when a storm of opposition had arisen in the pagan society of Quraish against the message of Islam preached by the Holy Prophet (SAW), yet the leaders of Quraish had not yet lost hope that they would reach some sort of a compromise with him. Therefore, from time to time they would visit him with different proposals of compromise in the hope that they could bring this dispute to an end.
Abdullah bin Abbas states that the Quraish proposed to the Holy Prophet; "We shall give you so much wealth that you will become the richest man of Makkah; we shall give you whichever woman you like in marriage; we are prepared to follow and obey you as our leader, only on the condition that you will not speak ill of our gods. If you do not agree to this, we have another proposal which you will benefit from as well as us" When the Holy Prophet asked what it was, they said that if he would worship their gods, Lat and Uzza, for a year, they would worship his God for the same space of time. The Holy Prophet said: "Wait awhile; let me see what my Lord commands in this regard." Thereupon, the revelation came down: “Qul ya-ayyuhal- kafirun” “Say O Disbelievers, Neither do I worship what you worship…” ... and: Qul afa-ghair Allahi... (Az-Zumar: 64): "Say to them: ignorant people do you bid me to worship others than Allah?" (Source: Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Tabarani)
Explanation
In this Surah Allah (SWT) commanded his Messenger (SAW) and thereby the believers, to disavow themselves from the religion of Kufr completely. Hence, the disavowal is from all of what they are involved in. Ibn Kathir explains this point by stating that Islam is based on absolute monotheism (tawhid) whose concepts, values, beliefs and laws cover all aspects of human life and are all received from Allah (SWT) and none else. Without this basic separation, confusion, doubt and distortion will certainly persist. This is further emphasised by repetition of the statement that neither the Muslims will worship with the Disbelievers do and vice versa.
Finally, the whole argument is summed up in the last verse, "For you is your religion and for me is mine", meaning that Islam and the disbelievers are very far apart, without any bridge to connect them. Faith on the one hand, is the way of life which directs man and the whole world towards Allah alone and hence, can never meet with disbelief. This also puts an end to the many variations of interfaith which seem to seek a middle ground between Islam and other faiths.
Merits
Naufal bin Muawiyah al-Ashjai asked the Holy Prophet (SAW):"Teach me something which I may recite at the time I go to bed." The Holy Prophet (SAW) replied: "Recite Qul ya-ayyuhal kafirun to the end and then sleep, for this is immunity from polytheism." (Musnad Ahmad)
Hadrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) has related that on many occasions he heard the Holy Prophet recite Surahs Qul Ya- ayyuhal- kafirun and Qul Huwu-Allahu ahad in the two rakahs before the Fajr obligatory Prayer and in the two rakahs after the Maghrib obligatory Prayer. {Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Nasai narrate this with minor variations}.
Abdullah ibn Abbas and Anas ibn Malik (RA) reported that Rasoolillah(SAW) said "It is equivalent to a quarter of the Qur'an" {At-Tirmidhi}
Lessons
1. We learn from the example of the Messenger (SAW) that even in the face of the sternest of circumstance and adversity in the Da’wah, we must refer to Allah (SWT) and the Shari’ah and not make the reality or the circumstances our reference point, irrespective of the conditions.
2. In response to the call of a compromise, Allah’s (SWT) address didn’t cloud or leave any ambiguity in responding to the calls of a merger between Kufr and Iman. Likewise, the Prophets were always direct and steadfast when delivering this Deen without need to appease others or conform to what is deemed politically correct.
3. Inevitably with the Da’wah will come the toils of hardship, pain and rejection, and it is within this context that this Surah teaches us to be patient, holding firmly to the truth and being brave in our stance by living true out these eternal words “To you be your religion and me my religion.”
Ibn Abbas stated "Whoever loves for the sake of Allah, and hates for the sake of Allah, and whoever seals a friendship for His sake, or declares an enmity for His sake, will receive, because of this, the protection of Allah. No one may taste true faith except by this, even if his prayers and fasts are many. People have come to build their relationships around the concerns of the world, but it will not benefit them in any way." (Hasan narration recorded by At-Tabarani)
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