ك-ف-ر Arabic Root

A2verb

كَفَرَ

kafara

he disbelieved / he denied

Example

وَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ

wa-man yakfur billāhi wa-malāʾikatihī wa-kutubihī wa-rusulihī wal-yawmi al-ākhiri faqad ḍall

Whoever disbelieves in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day has gone far astray (4:136)

Root: ك-ف-ر Quranic

Grammar

Form I verb. Past: كَفَرَ, Present: يَكْفُرُ. Related: كُفْرٌ (disbelief), كَافِرٌ (disbeliever, pl. كُفَّارٌ). Original meaning: 'to cover/conceal' (covering the truth).

Culture

This verse outlines the six articles of Islamic faith. Kufr literally means 'covering,' implying that disbelief covers or conceals the innate human recognition of God.

A2noun

كَافِرٌ

kāfir

disbeliever / denier

Example

قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ

qul yā ayyuhā al-kāfirūna lā aʿbudu mā taʿbudūn

Say: O disbelievers, I do not worship what you worship (109:1-2)

Root: ك-ف-ر Quranic

Grammar

Active participle of كَفَرَ (Form I). Plural: كَافِرُونَ (kāfirūn) or كُفَّارٌ (kuffār). Literally means 'one who covers (the truth).' Also used for a farmer who covers seeds with soil.

Culture

Surah Al-Kāfirūn (109) establishes a clear declaration of religious distinction while maintaining coexistence: 'For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.'