The Kafir: Islam’s Doctrine of Permanent Discrimination

What is a Kafir and why does it matter?

Apr 13, 2025

During a recent conversation about employment and sharia compliance, the topic of preferential hiring practices in Islam came up. The example was that of having received a job application from a young Moroccan girl who wanted to fill an HR position. She was asked “Why do you want to be HR?”

Her answer was simple: “Because I want my relatives to always have a job.”

That wasn’t just nepotism — it was an example of ‘wala’ wal bara’, the Islamic doctrine of loyalty and disavowal: loyalty to Muslims, and disavowal of non-Muslims — ‘Kafirs’.

Koran 48.29 ‘Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah ; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. ..’

Hatred for the Kafir dominates Islamic foundational doctrine.

There are two issues here: the amount of commentary and its type. Now, something need only be said once by Allah or Mohammed for it to become law, but it is remarkable how thoroughly deep hatred for the Kafir is embedded in Islamic doctrine — raison d’être is not an exaggeration.

There are many ways to refer to the Kafir — polytheist, Christian, Jew, Mushrikun, idolators, wrongdoers, shirk (the worst of sins — associating others with Allah, i.e. the Trinity), and many more. And while all Mushrikun are Kafirs, not all Kafirs are Mushrikun. So, the best way to determine the frequency of the term “Kafir” is to use transliteration — writing a word from one language using the alphabet of another.

Here is an example from an Islamic website citing the Koranic imperative not to help the Kafirs. [1]:

“This issue is not the matter of ordinary or minor sins, rather it is a matter that has to do with the basis of ‘aqeedah (belief) and Tawheed (belief in the Oneness of Allaah), and the Muslim’s support and loyalty towards the Religion of Allaah and his disavowal of the enemies of Allaah.”

Koran 5.51 “O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you — then indeed, he is one of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.”

And then provides a transliteration of Koran 5.51

Transliteration: Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo latattakhithoo alyahooda waalnnasaraawliyaa baAAduhum awliyao baAAdin waman yatawallahum minkum fainnahu minhum inna Allaha la yahdee alqawma alththalimeena

Using transliteration to analyze the Koran, one quickly sees that it devotes an inordinate amount of attention to the Kafir rather than the believer — detailing what they’ve done, why it’s wrong, and how they should be treated or punished. Most people assume that religious texts focus primarily on guiding followers, not condemning those outside the faith — but that’s not the case with Islam.

Kafirs are described in many ways, none of them favourable, and some explicitly hostile. Since the Koran uses a range of terms to refer to unbelievers, it’s useful to examine the root of the word.

The Kafir: Islam’s Most Hated Category

1. Why ‘Kafir’ Matters: the Count.

Transliteration is the phonetic rendering of Arabic words using the Latin alphabet, allowing non-Arabic speakers to read Arabic terms without learning the script. In English translations of the Koran, terms derived from the Arabic root K-F-R (ك-ف-ر) are often inconsistently translated — as disbeliever, rejector, or ungrateful — obscuring their shared origin and frequency.

Arabic words typically derive from three-letter roots, which are modified to form nouns, verbs, and adjectives. The root K-F-R appears in a wide range of forms throughout the Koran, all conveying themes of disbelief, rejection, and ingratitude. Using transliteration to trace this root, the word Kafir (كافر) and its variations appear nearly 500 times according to one source, 525 times according to another and a full 593 according to legacy.quran.com. [2, 3, 4].

This status of Kafir — as defined in the Koran, Hadith, and sharia — directly affects the legal rulings, social norms, and moral codes applied to non-Muslims within the global Islamic community — the ‘ummah’.

Direct Usage:
The noun “Kafir” and its plural forms are used approximately 134 times in the Koran.
Verbal Forms:
The verbal noun “kufr” appears around 37 times.
Other verbal derivatives related to the root K-F-R are utilized about 250 times.

With these primary derivatives:

كُفْر (kufr) — Disbelief: This noun form appears numerous times, emphasizing the concept of rejecting faith.
كَافِر (Kafir) — Disbeliever (singular): Refers to an individual who disbelieves.
كَافِرُون / كَافِرِينَ (Kafirūn/Kafirīn) — Disbelievers (plural): Denotes groups of individuals who disbelieve.
كُفَّار (kuffār) — Intensified plural of disbelievers: Often used to describe staunch rejecters of faith.
يَكْفُرُونَ (yakfurūn) — They disbelieve: A verb form indicating the act of disbelief by multiple subjects.
كَفَرُوا (kafarū) — They disbelieved: Past tense verb form for multiple subjects.
تَكْفُرُ (takfuru) — You (singular) disbelieve: Addressing an individual in the present tense.
أَكَفَرْتُمْ (akafartum) — Did you (plural) disbelieve: Interrogative form addressing a group.

Two excellent tools for examining root usage and translation consistency are worth noting. The Quranic Arabic Corpus offers an in-depth analysis of every verse in the Koran, including root derivations and word-by-word definitions [5]. Additionally, the Legacy Quran Search Engine provides access to seven different English translations including transliteration, making it especially useful for tracking variant renderings of key terms such as “Kafir” [6].

2. What Does ‘Kafir’ Mean in Islamic Doctrine?

Fully 64% of the Koranic text, is about the Kafir and consistently portrays them not simply as an unbeliever, but as cursed, defiled, and condemned. It is not a neutral label — it’s a moral and legal designation with lasting consequences [7].

A Kafir is anyone who rejects Islam, whether passively or actively — this includes atheists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Bahai’s, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, apostates and others. There is no middle ground: Islam divides the world into believers — the ‘ummah’ — and Kafirs.

Although often softened in translation as “disbeliever” or “unbeliever,” the term Kafir in Islamic doctrine implies someone to be hated, cursed, and punished — in this life and the next. This distinction forms the basis for the Kafir’s second-class status under Islamic law, where rights, protections, and social standing are significantly inferior to those of Muslims.

In fact, Islamic texts go further — comparing the Kafir not just to animals, but to creatures with even less value or reason:

Koran 62.5 The likeness of those who are entrusted with the Law of Moses, yet apply it not, is as the likeness of the ass carrying books. …
Koran 8.55 Indeed, the worst of creatures in the sight of Allah are those who disbelieve, and they will not believe.
Koran 7.179 They are like cattle. Rather, they are even more astray.

3. The Koran’s Language: Repetition, Derision, and Condemnation

Below are examples of how the Koran consistently refers to Kafirs in derogatory terms, establishing a theological basis for their permanent inferior status and prescribed punishment.
For a more comprehensive list, see: 500 Problematic Verses in the Koran [8].

4. Mohammed’s Example: How the Prophet Treated the Kafir

Mohammed’s contempt for unbelievers is on a par with Allah’s — not surprising, since every word in the Koran was uttered by Mohammed. It is notable that in the early verses (Mecca), there is no Jew-hatred; Mohammed believed they would accept him as a prophet, but they did not. When that changed (with the migration to Medina), the Koran changed as well — becoming even more antisemitic than Mein Kampf — clearly illustrating the parallel between Mohammed’s agenda and the words of the Koran.

Hadith Muslim 1767a — “I will expel the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula…”
Hadith Bukhari 6924 — “I have been commanded to fight the people until they say ‘There is no god but Allah’…”
‘The Life of Muhammad’ (Ibn Ishaq): Within five years of Mohammed’s migration to Medina, all members of the three resident Jewish tribes had either been either exiled or executed [9].

Mohammed fought with all his Kafir neighbours until he conquered the entire Arabian peninsula by the sword.

5. Codified in Law: How Sharia Treats the Kafir

Islamic jurisprudence is consistent with the Koran and Hadith of Mohammed — the ordained way of Islam — sharia (Koran 45.18).

Reliance of the Traveller: A Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law [10].

Book O (Justice), Section 9: JIHAD — means to war against non-Muslims…
o9.8 — Jihad is a communal obligation. To fight the Kafirs until they become Muslim pay the jizya, or are killed.
o11.5 — Non-Muslims living under Islamic rule must pay the jizya and feel subdued.
o8.7 — ‘Acts that Entail Leaving Islam’. A Muslim can be executed for leaving Islam.
o1.2 — “There is no expiation” for a Muslim who kills a non-Muslim without cause or an apostate from Islam — who is now considered even worse than a Kafir.
o11.1–11.11 — Dhimmi rules {a non-Muslim subject]: Kafirs may live under Islamic rule by paying the jizya, living as second-class subjects with numerous restrictions.
o24.2 (e) — A non-Muslim’s testimony is not accepted against a Muslim in an Islamic court.
m4.2, o9.13, (k32.4 — Arabic only) — A Muslim woman may not marry a Kafir man; sexual access is permitted to female captives (Kafirs).

These rulings are not fringe — they are based on Koranic commands and centuries of legal consensus (ijma) across all four Sunni schools of law.

6. The Islamic Principle of Al Wala’ wa’l Bara — loyalty and enmity

Excerpts from ‘Al Wala’ wa’l Bara’ Authored by: Muhammad Sa’eed Al Qahtani [11] Migration for the ’Cause of Allah’:

Islam/sharia has very detailed rules about migration — a Muslim is not supposed to remain in the land of the Kafir unless he strives to bring it under Islamic rule.

The ‘Abode of Disbelief’ — Dar ul-Kufr — is land ruled by the Kafirs, in which the laws of the Kafirs are supreme and political power is in their hands even though Muslims may be the majority.

The Abode of Islam is any land that is ruled by the Muslims, where Shariah is the supreme law and the Muslims hold political power. It is Dar ul-Islam, even if the majority of the population are Kafirs, so long as the Muslims rule it according to Shariah.

“Those who would emigrate to non-Muslim lands in search of wealth or prosperity to live under their protection, while they were able to go to live amongst the Muslims in their own land, but still do not withdraw themselves from the disbelievers; such people are not far from the fold of disbelief, and we can find no possible excuse for them”
“Asserting one’s religion does not mean that you simply leave people to worship whatever they please without comment, like the Christians and the Jews do. It means that you must clearly and plainly disapprove of what they worship, and show enmity towards the disbelievers; failing this there is no assertion of Islam.”
“If you are unable to assert your religion or avoid supporting them, then it is not permitted to venture amongst them for trading purposes. The subject has been addressed by the scholars and the relevant support for their position will be found in the Prophet’s Ahaadeeth. Allah has required all believers to uphold their faith and to oppose the disbelievers. Nothing is allowed to undermine or interfere with these obligations.”

Report: ‘Ongoing Concerns About Muslim American Mosques and Events’ detailing 153 Muslim American events in 28 States and Washington DC inciting hatred and calls to violence or support for terrorists. Ninety-seven of these events were Friday Sermons [12].

Mohammed said: “There is no migration after the conquest, but there is jihad and intention. And when you are called to arms, then go forth.” (Bukhari 2783)

Consequences: In Doctrine, in History, and Today

The consistent derogation of Kafirs in the Koran and Hadith is not limited to doctrine — it plays out in real-world events, both historically and in the present day. While modern analysts often explain hostility toward non-Muslims through the lens of politics, colonialism, or economics, Islamic texts make clear that the core issue is theological: contempt for the Kafir.

This contempt has been institutionalized in law, taught as virtue, and passed down through generations. Below are current manifestations of this doctrinal hatred:

1. Anti-Jewish Violence in Western Cities
Attacks on Jews in Toronto, Sydney, London, and Western University campuses are typically attributed to “Middle East tensions.” But in Islamic doctrine, Jews are uniquely despised as “those whom Allah has cursed and with whom He is angry” (Koran 5.60, 5.82). This doctrine precedes any modern political conflict that may be engineered to enforce it [13].

2. Persecution of Kafirs in Muslim Lands
Church bombings, arrests for blasphemy, and massacres of Christians in countries like Pakistan, Egypt, and Nigeria reflect a deep-seated belief that Christians, though allowed to live under Islamic rule as dhimmis, are Kafirs who must submit or suffer consequences [14].

3. Execution and Threats Against Apostates
The case of Salman Rushdie and many ex-Muslims in hiding reflects a hadith-backed ruling: “Whoever changes his religion, kill him” (Bukhari 3017). Apostates are seen as even worse than Kafirs because they have rejected Allah after knowing Him [15].

4. Suppression of Criticism in the West
From censorship on social media to physical attacks on cartoonists and writers, Western societies are increasingly enforcing Islamic blasphemy norms under the guise of “tolerance.” Criticism of Islam by Kafirs is not tolerated because it undermines the supremacy of Islam [16].

5. Islamic Outreach in Public Institutions
Events in Western schools, institutions, museums and public spaces that promote hijab, mosque visits, and ‘Islam awareness’ or ‘dawa’ (a common word) events, are often labeled as diversity efforts. However, they align precisely with the Koranic command to make Islam “prevail over all religion” (Koran 48.28). Academic writing on Islam often avoids words like Kafir, jihad, or dhimmi in their original doctrinal context. Instead, terms are softened, reinterpreted, or obscured behind abstract theory [17].

CONCLUSION:

Why the Kafir Doctrine Cannot Be Ignored

It is interesting to note that the word “Kafir” is not generally capitalized — rather like “dog.” Go ahead and check Wikipedia — which itself auto-capitalizes in a “Word document” — while the word “Kafir” does not. Subtle and insidious. And yet, in Islam, this word encompasses the world’s entire population of non-Muslims — human beings — and so I, and other Kafirs, prefer to capitalize it.

Islamic doctrine, combined with deeply rooted derogatory views toward the unbeliever - the ‘Kafir’, explains far more about workplace dynamics, government policy, and intergroup relations than many Westerners realize. And yet, it is consistently ignored by authorities.

In fact, terms like Kafir are translated vaguely or avoided altogether in academic discourse — and even in matters of national security — not for the sake of accuracy, but to avoid discomfort. In doing so, doctrine is softened, bowdlerized, and misquoted altogether — sometimes by influential Kafirs: useful pawns in the service of a doctrine that condemns them.

Another overlooked but vital aspect of Islamic doctrine is the permission to deceive the Kafir when it serves the interests of Islam. This is not only allowed — it is endorsed under specific circumstances. Koran 3.28 permits believers to conceal their true allegiance when dealing with non-Muslims: “except when taking precaution against them in prudence.”

Classical commentaries (tafsir) confirm that Muslims may show outward friendliness while concealing inner loyalty to the ummah. This includes doctrinal concepts such as taqiyya (to lie strategically), tauriya (to deceive), kitman (omitting part of the truth), and muruna (to suspend sharia temporarily). The result is a sanctioned double standard: one for Muslims, another for Kafirs [18].

In every case, the motive — though unacknowledged — is not hidden: it is doctrinal. The common thread is not grievance, poverty, or geopolitics. It is the enduring, unambiguous contempt for the Kafir, as mandated in Islam’s foundational texts.

Since Muslims are required to believe everything the Koran says about Kafirs — and to act accordingly — none of this is surprising. What is surprising is that the West keeps looking for other explanations.

SOURCES:

[1] Islamway: https://en.islamway.net/article/13855/ruling-on-helping-the-kuffaar-against-the-muslims

[2] Wikipedia https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kafir

[3] Good Tree Institute: https://www.instagram.com/goodtreeinstitute/reel/C-V6MTXuzsg/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

[4] Legacy Quran Search ‘kfr’ https://legacy.quran.com/search?q=kfr

[5] Quranic Arabic Corpus https://corpus.quran.com/translation.jsp

[6] Legacy search https://legacy.quran.com/5/51

[7] Warner, Bill http://cspipublishing.com/statistical/trilogy-kafir.html

[8] 500 verses: https://www.perspectivesonislam.info/_files/ugd/b59f76_f178471782cb462d8d2177075e01d9a3.pdf

[9] Guillaume, Alfred. 'The Life of Muhammad: a Translation of Ishaq’s Sirat Rasul Allah' (p. 281, 363, 437, 461-66), Oxford University Press, 1982

[10] Reliance of the Traveller, A Classic Manual of Islamic Law

[11] Muhammad Sa'eed Al Qahtani, 'Al Wala' wa'l Bara' https://www.kalamullah.com/hijrah.html

[12] Kirby, Steve 'Ongoing Concerns About Muslim American Mosques and Events' https://jihadwatch.org/2025/03/what-is-going-on-at-muslim-american-mosques-and-events

[13] An Explanatory Memorandum: from the Archives of the Muslim Brotherhood in America’ Gov’t Exhibit 003-0085 U.S. vs Holy Land Foundation et al. https://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/2013/05/25/an-explanatory-memorandum-from-the-archives-of-the-muslim-brotherhood-in-america/

[14] Ellinger, E. 'The Dark Reality of Sharia Law, https://perspectivesonislam.substack.com/p/the-dark-reality-of-sharia-law-analyzing

[15] Crimp & Richardson ed. ‘Why We Left Islam, Former Muslims Speak Out’ WND Books, 2008

[16] Ellinger, E. 'Fear Masked as Cultural Sensitivity' https://perspectivesonislam.substack.com/p/fear-masked-as-cultural-sensitivity

[17] Ellinger, E. 'International Women's Day May Be Replaced' https://perspectivesonislam.substack.com/p/international-womens-day-may-be-replaced

[18] Video: