The Concept of kufr according to the Quran

SUMMARY In this dissertation, I attempted to interpret the concept of "kufr" (disbelief) according to the Qur'an. "Kufr", in the terminology of the Qur'an, is one of the two basic concepts which define a human being's actions. Disbelief is, in one respect, is an attitude or judgement of heart which leads a disbeliever in opposition to the purpose of his or her creation. In both this world and the next, human beings are mainly categorised as believers and disbelievers. This study comprises three chapters. In the first chapter the concept of "kufr" is explained both in its literal meaning and as a concept in the terminology of the Qur'an. This concept or term has a wide range of usage in the Qur'an. It includes many other acts or doctrines or assertions like atheism, associating partners with God, denial of God's signs and other pillars of belief, hypocrisy and haughtiness before God. The second chapter is assigned to the elaboration of the typical character of a disbeliever. In this respect, how disbelief causes one to design his or her life and leads him or her to act in life is discussed. Disbelief is not a pure decision or judgement, it is a world-view which leads a disbeliever to adopt a certain style of living and establish certain social relations. Those who lead disbelief in a society, those who are fanatical in disbelief, usually develop an aggressive mood against belief and believers. They cannot tolerate even the existence of believers in the society. History is full of the instances of antagonism of disbelievers to belief and believers. In the third and last chapter, the approaches of different schools of theology to the concept of "kufr" and the changes that this concept has undergone during the history of Islam are discussed. Especially in the first centuries of Islam it usually happened that rather that the concept of "kufr", the issues of how or in what circumstances a human being becomes a disbeliever and who can be judged as a disbeliever were given priority in scholarly circles. This caused the introduction of new issues to the science of theology such as arbitration, Caliphate or Imamate and the views of different sects about "kufr." So, I tried to explain in the last chapter this transition from the Qur'anic concept of "kufr" to the theological issue of "takfir" (judging one as a disbeliever). KEYWORDS: God, "kufr", "takfir", disbelief, disbeliever