In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the
Most Merciful
1.Say: "Oh, you who disbelieve!
2.I do not worship that which you worship,
3.Nor do you worship That Which I worship.
4.Nor will I worship that which you have been worshipping,
5.Neither will you worship That Which I worship.
6.To you your religion and to me mine."
It is narrated by Muslim that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu `alayhi wa
sallam used to recite this Soorah with Soorah al-Ikhlaas in two rak`ahs
following tawaaf of the Ka`bah; it is also narrated by Muslim that he used to
recite them in the two rak`ahs of fajr prayer; and Imam Ahmad narrates that the
Messenger of Allah sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam used to recite them in the two
rak`ahs before fajr prayer and in the two rak`ahs of maghrib prayer.
It has also been narrated that Soorah al-Kaafiroon is equivalent to one quarter
of the Qur’aan. The Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, also said: "Read: ,
then sleep at the end of it because it is freedom from shirk (associating
partners with Allah)." This Soorah is freedom from shirk and it is an order to
purify our faith (for Allah only) and the Words includes all those who
disbelieve in the world although those specifically addressed are the pagans of
the Quraish. It was said that they proposed that the Messenger of Allah,
sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, worship their gods for a year, then they would
worship That Which he worshipped (Allah) for a year, and so on. And so this
Soorah was revealed containing an order to the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa
sallam to declare his rejection of all that which they worship, and to say: ,
that is, their idols and the partners they associate with Allah.
, that is, Allah, Alone without partners.
, that is, I will not follow your mode of worship and I will worship only Allah
in the way which pleases Him.
means, neither will you follow the Commands of Allah and His prescribed way of
worship; indeed you have invented a thing for yourselves, as in his Words: (Soorah
an-Najm 53:23). And so he rejected all of their shirk, for the Messenger of
Allah, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, and all those who follow him worship Allah
in the way prescribed by Him; for this reason the testimony of the Muslim is Laa
ilaha ill Allah, Muhammadur-Rasoolullah – None is worthy of worship except Allah
and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. And there is no way to worship Him
except that which was brought by the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alayhi wa
sallam. The polytheists worship deities besides Allah in a way not permitted by
Allah and so He told the Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam to say to them: >,
as in His Words: (Soorah Yoonus 10:41) and (Soorah al-Qasas 28:55). According to
al-Bukhaari means kufr (disbelief) and means Islaam. Abu `Abdillah Ash-Shaafi`i
says that the verse shows that the disbelievers are one people…because disbelief
in all its many manifestations has one thing in common – that is, falsity. This
is the end of the tafseer of Soorah al-Kaafiroon, all praise is due to Allah and
from Him proceeds all Grace.