Table of Contents
Understanding Kufr and Its Types
Meaning of Kufr
The Arabic word kufr originally means to cover or to conceal. In faith, it refers to covering or denying the truth that Allah has made clear. It is the opposite of iman, which is belief, affirmation, and acceptance.
Allah describes the disbeliever as one who knows yet rejects or turns away from the truth after it has become clear:
“They recognize the favor of Allah, then they deny it, and most of them are disbelievers.”
(Qur’an 16:83)
The Prophet ﷺ warned that a person’s final state is what truly matters:
“A man may perform the deeds of the people of Paradise as it appears to people, yet he is from the people of the Fire, and a man may perform the deeds of the people of the Fire as it appears to people, yet he is from the people of Paradise.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī)
So kufr is not only an outward label. It is a serious inner and outer stance toward Allah and His message.
Kufr is the deliberate denial, rejection, or opposition to what Allah has revealed after the truth has become clear.
In this chapter, we look briefly at the main types of kufr that the Qur’an and Sunnah speak about, without entering into detailed rulings about individuals, which will be discussed under “Judging Muslims and Takfir.”
Major and Minor Kufr
Scholars often distinguish between kufr that completely takes a person out of Islam and kufr that is called kufr because it resembles or contains an aspect of disbelief, yet does not by itself expel a person from the religion.
Major kufr is sometimes called kufr akbar. It nullifies iman entirely. Allah says:
“Whoever disbelieves in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers and the Last Day has certainly gone far astray.”
(Qur’an 4:136)
Minor kufr, sometimes called kufr asghar, refers to actions or sayings that are sinful and extremely serious, described as kufr in texts, but do not by themselves make a person a disbeliever as long as they still affirm the foundations of faith. An example is ingratitude toward one’s spouse, which the Prophet ﷺ called “kufr” in one hadith:
“I was shown the Fire and I saw that most of its inhabitants were women who were ungrateful (yakfurna).”
It was said, “Are they ungrateful to Allah?” He said, “They are ungrateful to their husbands and ungrateful for good treatment. If you are good to one of them all your life then she sees something in you (she dislikes), she says, ‘I have never seen any good from you.’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī)
This type is called kufr in the sense of severe sin and ingratitude, not in the sense of leaving Islam.
Major kufr removes a person from Islam.
Minor kufr is a grave sin described with the word “kufr” but does not itself expel a person from the religion.
In this chapter, when speaking of the “types of kufr,” the main focus is on major kufr that contradicts iman at its roots.
Kufr of Denial and Believing Allah to Be a Liar
The clearest form of kufr is to deny the truthfulness of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. This happens when someone hears the message, understands its claim, and then says with the heart and tongue that it is not true.
Allah describes those who denied the Qur’an and accused the Prophet ﷺ of lying:
“But they reject the truth when it comes to them, so they are in a confused state.”
(Qur’an 50:5)
“And who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah or denies the truth when it has come to him?”
(Qur’an 29:68)
This is the kufr of takdhib, explicit denial. It can be denial of Allah’s existence, denial of His oneness, denial of His attributes, or denial of any part of what is known with certainty to be from His revelation, such as the obligatory nature of prayer, fasting in Ramadan, or the truth of the Hereafter, once the proof has been clarified.
To knowingly deny what Allah and His Messenger ﷺ have clearly affirmed, or to accuse them of falsehood, is kufr of denial that removes a person from Islam.
Kufr of Arrogance and Refusal
Sometimes a person inwardly knows the truth and even believes it is true, but refuses to submit out of pride, status, or stubbornness. This is the kufr of arrogance and refusal. It is the kufr of Iblis and of many past nations.
About Iblis, Allah says:
“He refused and was arrogant and became of the disbelievers.”
(Qur’an 2:34)
Pharaoh and his people saw clear signs but still rejected, not because they thought the signs were false, but because of arrogance:
“And they rejected them, while their souls were convinced of them, out of injustice and arrogance. So see how was the end of the corrupters.”
(Qur’an 27:14)
So there can be people whose hearts recognize the truth but whose pride prevents them from bowing their heads and wills to Allah. They say in effect, “I will not obey,” even if they cannot deny what they see with their own eyes.
Knowing the truth but refusing to submit to it out of arrogance, pride, or stubbornness is kufr, even if the person secretly believes it is true.
Kufr of Turning Away and Neglect
Another type is to turn away from the message of Allah, not caring to learn it, accept it, or act upon it. This is not mere ignorance without access to the truth. It is a deliberate turning away with no concern.
Allah describes such people:
“And those who disbelieve turn away from that of which they are warned.”
(Qur’an 46:3)
“But those who disbelieve, turn away from that which they are warned of.”
(Qur’an 51:45)
They are not interested in asking, learning, or obeying. The heart is closed by choice. This neglect, when done after the message has reached a person in a clear way, is a form of kufr. The person says in effect, “I will not even give this any real attention.”
This kufr of iʿrāḍ is common when people prefer the distractions of worldly life and consciously refuse to engage with guidance.
Kufr of Doubt and Suspicion
Some people do not deny openly, yet they do not believe either. They live with doubt and suspicion toward Allah, His revelation, or the Hereafter. Instead of seeking certainty through sincere reflection and supplication, they remain satisfied with a state of skepticism.
Allah mentions this in the story of the People of the Cave and similar deniers:
“Indeed, they are in doubt about it, rather they are, concerning it, blind.”
(Qur’an 27:66)
And He says about those who reject resurrection:
“And they say, ‘There is nothing but our worldly life; we die and live, and nothing destroys us except time.’ And they have no knowledge of that, they are only assuming.”
(Qur’an 45:24)
Persistent doubt and hesitation in what Allah has made clear, when coupled with refusal to submit and accept, can be a form of kufr. It is not the brief passing doubts that a believer struggles against, but a settled attitude of suspicion and refusal to accept.
Temporary doubts that a believer fights against are not kufr. Settled doubt and refusal to accept what is established from Allah and His Messenger ﷺ is a path to kufr.
Kufr of Hypocrisy in Belief
A dangerous type of kufr is hidden disbelief that pretends to be Islam. This is hypocrisy in belief, not the smaller hypocrisy of bad manners. Here, the person claims to be Muslim outwardly but in the heart disbelieves, mocks, or hates the religion.
Allah revealed a whole surah about such people:
“When the hypocrites come to you, [O Muhammad], they say, ‘We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah.’ And Allah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars.”
(Qur’an 63:1)
They show Islam to gain safety, power, or money, but inside they do not believe. Their inner kufr makes their outward Islam a disguise.
The Prophet ﷺ described some of their qualities:
“The signs of a hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted, he betrays the trust.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al‑Bukhārī)
These signs can exist in a believer as sinful traits. But when they are rooted in a heart that does not truly believe in Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, this becomes the hypocrisy of kufr that will be discussed in more detail in the chapter on “Nifaq (Hypocrisy).”
Kufr by Mocking or Hating the Religion
Sometimes a person might acknowledge that Islam is true, yet still hate parts of it or mock its teachings, laws, or symbols. To hate what Allah has revealed as revelation, once one knows it is from Allah, is a form of kufr.
Allah says:
“That is because they disliked what Allah revealed, so He rendered worthless their deeds.”
(Qur’an 47:9)
About those who mocked the believers and Islam during the time of the Prophet ﷺ, Allah revealed:
“And if you ask them, they will surely say, ‘We were only conversing and playing.’ Say, ‘Is it Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?’ Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief.”
(Qur’an 9:65–66)
So making fun of Allah, the Qur’an, the Prophet ﷺ, or any part of the religion known to be from Allah, after understanding what one is saying, is extremely serious and enters into the kufr of mockery and hatred.
Mocking Allah, His verses, His Messenger ﷺ, or hating any part of His revealed religion after knowing it is from Him, is an act of kufr.
Kufr by Allegiance to False Gods and Taghut
Kufr can also be expressed by siding with false objects of worship or systems that oppose the command of Allah, preferring them over His judgment.
Allah commands:
“So whoever disbelieves in taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break.”
(Qur’an 2:256)
To disbelieve in taghut means to reject all false gods, rivals, and systems that demand obedience against Allah’s law. If a person believes that a false ruler, ideology, or system has a right to legislate against what Allah has clearly revealed, and prefers that over His guidance, this can enter into kufr of allegiance to taghut.
At the same time, dealing with non‑Muslims in worldly matters, contracts, or kindness is not kufr by itself. What crosses into kufr is to give the heart’s loyalty and obedience in a way that affirms falsehood against the truth of Allah.
Kufr and Ingratitude for Allah’s Favors
The Qur’an sometimes uses the word kufr to mean ingratitude for Allah’s blessings. This can describe both believers and disbelievers, depending on the context.
Allah says:
“And when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will surely increase you in favor; but if you are ungrateful (la‑in kafartum), indeed, My punishment is severe.’”
(Qur’an 14:7)
Here, kufr is the opposite of shukr, gratitude. A believer might fall into kufr of blessings when he ignores Allah’s favors, complains constantly, or uses blessings in disobedience. This is a major sin and a path toward full disbelief, but it does not by itself expel a Muslim from Islam as long as he still believes in Allah and His revelation.
The same word, kufr, is used for outright disbelief in other verses. The context and the person’s belief decide its level.
Persistent ingratitude and misuse of Allah’s favors is described in the Qur’an as a form of kufr of blessings. It is a grave sin and a path that can lead to greater disbelief if not repented from.
Kufr and Actions: When Do Deeds Become Disbelief?
Some actions are described in Qur’an and Sunnah as kufr, such as abandoning prayer entirely, fighting Muslims out of hatred for their faith, or participating in clear acts of idolatry. The detailed rulings about when such actions take a person outside Islam involve conditions and obstacles and will be discussed under “Judging Muslims and Takfir.”
Here, it is important to understand only the principle that certain deeds, if done knowingly, willingly, and without valid excuse, may reach the level of major kufr, such as:
Speaking words that clearly deny Allah or His Messenger ﷺ, or insult them.
Performing acts of worship intentionally for someone other than Allah, such as bowing in worship to an idol.
Openly rejecting what is known by all Muslims to be part of the religion, such as the obligation of prayer, after the proof has been established.
Allah says:
“That is because they followed what angered Allah and hated what pleases Him, so He rendered worthless their deeds.”
(Qur’an 47:28)
The Prophet ﷺ said about some deeds:
“Between a man and shirk and kufr is abandoning the prayer.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
The scholars took from such texts that some actions can be so serious that they enter into the realm of kufr, but judging individuals requires knowledge, care, and justice.
Protection from Kufr
Understanding the types of kufr is not to make a person quick to label others. Rather, it is to make each believer fear for his own heart and seek protection with Allah.
Allah teaches us to ask:
“Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us, and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower.”
(Qur’an 3:8)
The Prophet ﷺ often made the supplication:
“O Turner of the hearts, keep my heart firm upon Your religion.”
(Tirmidhī)
A believer protects himself from kufr by sincerely learning the foundations of faith, holding on to the Qur’an and Sunnah, keeping good company, and constantly renewing his intention and repentance. In this way he asks Allah to die as a believer and to be saved from every path of disbelief in this life and the next.