Kafir – I think which is one of most important disturbance of Universal Brotherhood in the world.

 

Q. You have talked about racial brotherhood, linguistic brotherhood, blood brotherhood, and so on – and they are the disturbance of the concept of the Universal Brotherhood. But you have not talked on the concept of Kafir – I think which is one of most important disturbance of Universal Brotherhood in the world.

A. (Dr. Zakir): The professor has asked a question, that I have spoken about various concept   – I have explained the concept of Universal Brotherhood, and spoken that the concept of brotherhood based on blood relationship, on race, on caste, and creed, etc… they cause disturbance   – I have not spoken on the concept of Kafir. Brother, Kafir is an Arabic word, which comes from the root word Kufr –  which means ‘to conceal’… ‘to  conceal’, ‘to hide’. It also means ‘to reject’, ‘to conceal’, and in context… in Islamic context, it means that… ‘Any person who conceals or rejects the truth of Islam’ –  anyone who rejects the truth of Islam is called as a Kafir. Means  anyone who rejects the truth of Islam   – that there is one God, and Allah (swt), all that I spoke  – he is a Kafir. Any Brotherhood besides the brotherhood of Universal Brotherhood of faith, and the Islamic Brotherhood   – if it falls in other brotherhood, based on anything   – there can be a hundred types of Brotherhood. Brotherhood based on particular region  – whether it be India, whether it be Pakistan, whether it be America   – all these other brotherhoods, that is not in the per view of the brotherhood of faith… believing in the concept of one God   – disturbs the Universal Brotherhood, including if you say that the Kafirs… the Brotherhood of Kafirs. Do they disturb?… Yes  they disturb. What is the meaning of Kafir ?   – Anyone who rejects the truth of Islam. There are some Non-Muslims who ask me questions  – and during Question-Answer, in one of the cassette, he said that…‘Why do the Muslims abuse us by calling… Kafir –  and people say that their ego is hurt’. I said… ‘See Kafir is a Arabic word which means…‘A person who rejects the truth of Islam’   – It is a Arabic word. For a person who rejects the truth of Islam  – in English, if I have to translate –  He becomes a ‘Non-Muslim.’ So a person is a ‘Non-Muslim’, who rejects the truth of Islam   – he is called as a Kafir. It is just a translation of the English word ‘Non Muslim.’ So if you say that…‘Do not call a Non-Muslim a Kafir’  –  how can I do that? So if a person says…‘Why do you call me a Kafir ? Do not call me a Kafir’. So I can say that…‘You accept Islam – I will stop calling you a Kafir’. It is only a Arabic word for a Non-Muslim  – Hope  that answers the question.