سورة الكافرون

Al-Kafirun means "Those who do not believe". It is surah 109. It has 6 verses.

The story: in Mecca, some leaders offered the Prophet ﷺ a deal: "Worship our idols for a year, and we will worship your God for a year." Allah answered with this surah: we worship only Allah, with nothing mixed in. [À VÉRIFIER : ce récit vient des livres de tafsir ; degré d'authenticité]

1. قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ Qul yaa ayyuhaa l-kaafiruun Say: O you who do not believe,

2. لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ Laa a'budu maa ta'buduun I do not worship what you worship,

3. وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ Wa laa antum 'aabiduuna maa a'bud and you do not worship what I worship.

4. وَلَا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدتُّمْ Wa laa ana 'aabidun maa 'abadtum I will never worship what you have worshipped,

5. وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ Wa laa antum 'aabiduuna maa a'bud and you do not worship what I worship.

6. لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ Lakum diinukum wa liya diin To you your religion, and to me my religion.

The little lesson: a Muslim worships only Allah, and does not mix his worship with anything else. This surah teaches us to be firm and clear, without shouting or insulting. The last verse also says that we force no one: Allah says elsewhere "There is no compulsion in religion" (meaning of verse 2:256). We can have neighbours and classmates of another religion, be kind and fair to them, while staying faithful to Allah.

Did you know? The Prophet ﷺ often recited Al-Kafirun and Al-Ikhlas in the two rak'as before the Fajr prayer. (Muslim 726) [À VÉRIFIER : numéro]

Memorisation tip: careful, verses 3 and 5 are exactly the same! And verses 2 and 4 look alike. Think of a pendulum: me (2), you (3), me (4), you (5), then the end (6).

Understanding Surah Al-Kafirun

1. Explanation • Verse 1: "Say": Allah asks the Prophet ﷺ to speak clearly to those who refused to believe. • Verses 2 to 5: I do not worship, and I will never worship, what you worship; and you do not worship the One I worship, Allah alone. The sentences repeat, with small differences: this is to say "no" very clearly, today and tomorrow. No mixing is possible in worship. • Verse 6: "To you your religion, and to me my religion." This verse does not mean that all beliefs are equal: it means that I will not change my religion for theirs, and that everyone will answer for their choice before Allah. The Prophet ﷺ himself kept calling people to Islam with gentleness. The Prophet ﷺ advised reciting this surah before sleeping, because it is a clear declaration against shirk (associating something with Allah). (Abu Dawud 5055, Tirmidhi 3403) [À VÉRIFIER : numéros]

2. Lessons to learn • In worship, I make no compromise: I pray to, call upon and worship Allah alone. • Being firm does not stop us being polite: we can say "no" calmly, without mocking anyone. • In everyday life, I am fair and kind to my neighbours and classmates, whatever their religion. • I know my religion well, so I can explain it simply if someone asks me questions.

3. To remember • We worship only Allah, with nothing mixed in: now and forever. • "To you your religion, and to me my religion": firmness, without compulsion. • A surah to recite before sleeping.

4. The message of the surah A Muslim keeps their worship pure, for Allah alone, and says so clearly; they live with others in fairness and respect, without forcing anyone.

Source: Al-Mukhtasar fi tafsir al-Qur'an (English translation), with well-known points from the tafsirs of Ibn Kathir and As-Sa'di.