Is Kafir abusive toward no Muslims?
When people who are not Muslims are being spoken to in Holy Quran, their are different ways to address them in arabic based on their behavior towards Islamic belief, and they do not all have the same qualities. Most talked about word used by the Quran, is the word Kafir and often stated that it is to insult the Hindus and all non-Muslims, but how true is that statement?
To be in a position where one is talking about the issue one must first look into what the meaning of the Arabic terminology used in the Holy Quran is, and not just rely on the sound a foreign language may produce.
What is Kafir in Islam?
Definition of Kafir in Islam The word ‘Kafir’ (which comes from an Arabic root K-F-R meaning to cover or conceal) was introduced by Muslims to designate someone that doesn’t believe. In general, it refers to the non-Muslims in a Muslim land.
However, the Quran uses the term Kafir in a religious context and it is not in any way similar to the meanings of words like 'madman', 'lunatic' and 'fool'. All the above words are related to an individual's mental capability or status, and when used as insults they carry offensive connotations of the kind mentioned.
Kafir in its primary sense is a religious term, and a label that defines an individual's stance toward Islam.
For example in the Islamic perspective iman stands for belief or faith, the opposite of disbelief. Therefore a Muslim is called a mu'min, or a believer, whereas a person who denies/rejects Islamic faith may be called a Kafir; this is a terminology describing a religious standing of the person and it does not by itself qualify the person as a fool, mentally deficient or without worth.
Is calling a person of Kafir an insult?
In Islam, as an Islamic term Kafir is an identification of the position concerning belief and disbelief within Islam, this is in the same context as saying a person is a 'non-Muslim'; there is no element of hatred or insult in such wording, just a statement of facts as Islam considers them.
However religious terms are not free from being used in a hostile or offensive way and therefore using the label of religion to insult, demean, and mistreat other people must be avoided.
And indeed he had forbade the Muslims with a similar instruction in Al Quran60:8: “Allah forbid you not from those who are not fighting you because of religion, nor have driven you out of your homeland, that you show them kindness and justly…” This should also have been borne in mind while dealing with the word "Kafir" as used in its strict Islamic concept related to disbelief which does not require abuse, mockery etc.
What is Mushrik?
Another word that tends to be misunderstood is Mushrik.
The term Mushrik applies to any one who commits Shirk, a belief wherein a person associates partners with Allah in worship and divinity. Islam vehemently preaches its belief in the absolute oneness of Allah.
Consequently where people Associate partners with Allah in worship of deities, Islam labels them and their stance as Mushrik. For example, should one associate multiple gods with worship, the term Shirk will be used to define such belief from an Islamic perspective; a person who believes in multiple deities will not be referred to as being Tawheed.
As a religious term it does not imply insults.
Is Hinduism insulted by the Quran?
Thus, stating that such and such a person is, and has to be described as a 'madman' from an Islamic standpoint differs from Islam's stance where individual opinions must not be insulted. The Islamic faith denounces certain faiths from its own viewpoint but it does not endorse the maltreatment of peoples regardless of their faith. Muslims are therefore cautioned;
"...do not insult the things they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah spitefully without knowledge." (Quran 6:108).
And urged to talk about Islam in the best manner;
"... Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction..." (Quran 16:125)
An individual must be separated from the religion that he or she follows, although that religion might contain conflicting dogma or beliefs the individual himself can not be insulted and personally abused.
Linguistic terminology within various religions is not to be misconstrued as having the same connotation as a secular terminology does. Every religion has its specific terms that are unique to itself and that's the only fair way of translating and portraying them to be in line with their meanings without distorting their literal connotations.
Words such as Kafir and Mushrik are strictly religious in their intent concerning disbelief so it certainly is not an insult or malicious term; the terms are not 'maniac','lunatic','fool', 'crazy' etc .etc that refer to one suffering from a mental illness.
Muslims must also become aware that Islamic terminology/terms must only be used within their respective religious context, NOT to demean, taunt and abuse other fellow human-beings belonging to a different religious persuasion; our Holy Quran supports respect, learning and a courteous discourse.
This is only for Islamic knowledge informations not for hurting others.