بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
1. قُلْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْكَٰفِرُونَ
2. لَآ أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
3. وَلَآ أَنتُمْ عَٰبِدُونَ مَآ أَعْبُدُ
4. وَلَآ أَنَا۠ عَابِدٌۭ مَّا عَبَدتُّمْ
5. وَلَآ أَنتُمْ عَٰبِدُونَ مَآ أَعْبُدُ
6. لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِىَ دِينِ
The surah Al-Kāfirūn (“The Disbelievers”) is a Meccan surah composed of 6 verses. It was revealed when the Quraysh nobles proposed a compromise to the Prophet ﷺ: that he worship their gods for one year, and they would worship Allah the next. This surah was revealed as a categorical rejection of any compromise in faith, affirming the exclusivity of monotheism.
According to Ibn Kathīr, the surah marks a clear doctrinal separation between Islam and polytheism, commanding the Prophet ﷺ to declare his spiritual independence from idol worship. It is seen as the declaration of absolute disavowal of any associative beliefs or practices.
Al-Kāfirūn teaches the purity of monotheism and peaceful distinction in faith: it advocates spiritual separation without hostility. Its main teachings include:
The Prophet ﷺ often recited this surah before sleeping and during the Fajr and Maghrib prayers as a declaration of unwavering devotion to pure monotheism (Sahih Muslim; Ahmad).
The tone of the surah is firm yet peaceful: it proclaims the truth of monotheism without aggression, rejecting idolatry while maintaining dignity.
The key verse of the surah is verse 6:
لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ
To you your religion, and to me mine.
Why is this verse key?
In summary, Al-Kāfirūn proclaims pure monotheism and religious freedom. It teaches that Islamic faith is founded on sincerity, clear spiritual identity, and respect for difference—without any compromise in belief.
The Disbelievers