This seems like a strange post but its inspiration came from
something that one of my teachers said. He said that Muslim who has
characteristics like disbelievers are closer to disbelief than belief.
I started to wonder what the attributes of a disbeliever
were, in an effort to avoid them and inform anyone who would listen. The Quran
is the main source for this information.
As ever, the stories that are in the Quran about the
disbelievers are varied but there are some common traits that they all have.
The stories are not in there for jest they are there to make you ponder over
the magnitude of rejecting belief which is by rejecting a prophet. When tribes did that (reject their prophet) punishment followed swiftly and it meant destruction. In some cases all traces of their existence was wiped off the Earth. Almost as
if they were not there in the first place.
Here we want to list all the things we found in the Quran
and point out those character traits that made these peoples the wretched of
the earth.
Dislike of advice
How many a prophet came to these people but they rejected
them after a time and rejected the sincere advice of those calling for monotheism.
فتولى عنهم وقال يا قوم لقد أبلغتكم رسالة ربي ونصحت لكم ولكن لا تحبون الناصحين
"He turned to them and said, "O people I have informed you of the message of my Lord and given you sincere advice but you you do not like those who give advice."
Al-Araf 7:79.
The Prophet Salih (upon him peace) was encouraging his people to believe but they refused his sincere advice. This is one of the worst attributes of any person when they refuse to listen to advice. Especially when it comes to elders as many of them have good advice. Its not going to kill you to listen but it does also work both ways as many elders do not listen. So if you hate it when people give you advice then know that you one of the worst characteristics. We need to love of receiving advice if we are true believers.
Despair of the mercy of Allah
“Certainly, no one despairs of Allah’s mercy except the
people who disbelieve.” Yusuf 12: 87
As they have no hope in anything because they are here and
the world is there be and end all.
Hatred
“Hatred has already appeared from their mouths but what
their breasts conceal is far worse.” (Aal-Imran 4: 118)
Here they contain hatred for the believers and it’s hidden;
we have to be careful living in their lands.
Rejection
“They recognise the Grace of Allah, yet they deny it and
most of them are disbelievers.” (An-Nahl: 83
This is one of the worst things about a disbeliever
especially in wealthy countries. They benefit from so much wealth and many
worldly blessings but are ungrateful to the gift giver. It’s like the guest is
rude and fails to acknowledge the host. How will the host feel?
فَاذْكُرُونِي
أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُواْ لِي وَلاَ تَكْفُرُونِ
“Remember Me I’ll remember you; be grateful and do not
reject.” Al-Baqarah 2:154.
Here takfurron does not disbelief it means rejecting
blessings; as transmitted by Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). So the other attributes of a disbeliever is that they are ungrateful to God for all the blessings they have.
Limitation of the world
“They know only the outside appearance of the life of the
world (i.e. the matters of their livelihood, or irrigating, or reaping, or
sowing, etc.) And they are heedless of the hereafter.” Ar-Room: 7
They believe that the
world is everything and reject everything else. They have science as their idol and
they worship it by seeking answers from it.
الدُّنيَا سِجنُ
المُؤمِنِ وَ جَنَّة الكَافِرِ
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said,
“The world is the prison of the believer and the paradise of the disbeliever.”
(Tirmidhi and Muslim)
You see the disbeliever in their paradise now because they
have no rules and do what they like. Yet the believer is limited for a short time and then in paradise he can do what he wants forever.
Arrogance
“…But most of them
behave ignorantly” (Al-An’aam: 111).
Arrogance is the sin that was perpetrated by satan over Adam
(upon him peace). When the command came down to prostrate satan stubbornly refused.
“Except Iblis (Satan): he was proud and was one of the
disbelievers.” Sa'ad 38: 74.
His rejection made him one of those rejected forever.
Eating too much
The Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said,
“The disbeliever eats too much but the Muslim is satisfied with little food in
order to be able to worship. He preserves a third of his stomach for his food,
a third for his drink and a third for his breath. A believer’s food is
blessed.” He also said, “The food of two persons suffices three and the food of
three suffices four.” (Al-Bukhari)
Why do disbelievers eat so much? Because they have no
blessings in their food! Why would you have blessings in your food when you
reject the host?
Miserly
“Those who are miserly and enjoin miserliness on other men
and hide what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounties.” 4:37
When there is no understand of benefit or necessity, then
there is little need of giving. So dependent on the disbeliever’s upbringing and
nature they may or may not give charity. Being miserly is a characteristic
that those who are wretched have.
“And when it is said to them, “Spend (to the needy) from the
provision Allah has given to you”, the disbelievers say to the believers,
“Shall we feed those whom Allah could have fed, if Allah so willed? You are plainly erroneous.” Yasin 36:47.
This, perhaps, gives more clarity to the previous quote; at
the miserly nature of the disbeliever. Though it has to be said that many
disbelievers give great amounts of charity to the poor but because of their disbelief
are not given benefit of it like a Muslim would. The poors test is that they are in need and our test is that we have to spend. We have to spend to pass our test.
Not give zakah?
“Those who give not the Zakah and they are disbelievers in
the Hereafter.” Fussilat 41:7
Even though disbelievers are under no obligation to pay Zakah. So
this is warning for Muslims and those who do not believe in the afterlife.
Argumentation
“Have you noted those who argue against the proofs of Allah,
and how they have deviated?” Quran 40:69.
“We have cited in this Quran every kind of example, but the
human being is the most argumentative creature.” Quran 18:54.
A Muslim who argues is displaying his ignorance in religious
matters. He has no knowledge and thinks that everyone thinks like him. So he argues
with everyone and loves to put people down. The disbeliever argues about Allah and
there is a slight difference here. So they are both arguing about religious
matters but they are in different parts of the same field. The disbeliever
argues about his disbelief and he rejects any reason for submission to
anything.
Repel others from path of Allah
“Those who disbelieve spend their money to repel others from
the way of Allah. They will spend it, and then it will turn into sorrow and
remorse for them. Ultimately, they will be defeated, and all disbelievers will
be summoned to Hell.” Quran 8:36.
They spend money to help support systems that cause Muslims
problems. Many Muslim countries have allowed missionaries into their countries
and because of this the locals have many problems. Millions if not billions are
spent pushing ideas of disbelief into all homes thanks to the television and
the internet.
This also has a bearing on those who stop lessons of sacred knowledge take place in masjids. They are ignorant and do not see the need for knowledge thus condemning others to the same fate. Any Muslim with a hate for spreading knowledge is not a true Muslim to say the least! As the worst may be feared for such people as the spread of knowledge keeps Islam alive.
Heedless
"O you who believe! Obey Allah and His Messenger, turn not away from him - the Messenger Muhammad, while you are hearing. And be
not like those who say: We have heard but they hear not. Verily! The worst of
moving living creatures in the sight of Allah are the deaf and the dumb, those
who understand not - the disbelievers. Had Allah known of any good in them, He
would indeed have made them listen, even if He had made them listen, they would
but have turned away, averse to the truth.” Al-Anfal 8:20-4.
This shows that the disbelievers were called to faith but
did not respond but instead preferred to be how they were.
Muslims should not put their trust in them
“Those who disbelieved are allies of one another. Unless you
keep these commandments, there will be chaos on earth, and terrible corruption.”
Quran 8.73
The fall of Muslim Spain was partly down to regional kings
paying tributes to other Christian kings to protect them from other Muslims!
This made the coffers of the Christians swell and they slowly took back the
land from the Muslims.
Mock Quran
“Even if we sent down to them a physical book, written on
paper, and they touched it with their hands, those who disbelieved would have
said, "This is no more than clever magic."” Quran 6:7
We have seen some deranged Christan groups burn the Quran. Of
course they cannot do such a thing they are merely burning the translation. Yet
the punishment they will receive will be brutal.
Punishment of rejection
“Allah seals their minds and their hearing, and their eyes
are veiled. They have incurred severe retribution.” Quran 2:7
Their hearts are sealed as a punishment for continually
rejecting the message.
Do not prostrate
“When the Quran is read to them they do not prostrate.” 84:21
They do not prostrate and they do not prayer. So this leads
to arrogance and a Muslim has to prayer and he has no choice in his five daily prayers.
Do not repent
“See them not that they are tested once or twice in every year?
Still they turn not in repentance, neither pay they heed.” 9:126
They do not repent and even after there are sent
tribulation; it does not move them. They are constant in their state. They see
no need in repentance because they are too haughty to repent. A Muslim repents
because his heart does not feel tranquil without it but a disbeliever’s heart
is not like that.
Do not honour orphans
“You do not honour orphans.” Fajr 89:17
Orphans are children without parents or guardians and they
need lots of care. Harming those who are weak is the high of ignorance and
oppression.
Souls pulled out violently
“By those (angels) who pull out (the souls of the
disbelievers and the wicked) with great violence.” –Naziat 79:1
When the soul of disbeliever is pulled out it is done with
great violence and unbelievable pain. May Allah (the Exalted) save us from such
torment.
Do not let their riches deceive you
“So let not their riches nor their children please you (O
Muhammad). Allah thereby intended but to punish them in the life of the world
and that their souls shall pass away while they are disbelievers.” Quran 9:55
Do not think that Allah (the Exalted) loves those he gives
worldly things to. If you loved someone would you give them what is transitory
or would you give them something permanent? Answer is you would give them
something permanent and what’s that? Paradise. So the riches of a believer are
nothing but a tribulation that he will pay dearly for.
Surah Kafiroon (109)
Is one of the most interesting surah’s because of its first
line, “O you disbeliever,” here Allah using a grammatical term to draw the
disbelievers attention to what is being said. In that belief is incumbent upon
them to save them from an everlasting torment.
Final note
The characteristics are dangerous to have and if a Muslim
has them he is in great danger of causing himself great harm. As the essence of
a disbeliever is denial of his Creator. So if you are Muslim and have these
characteristics then fight them until you remove them from yourself. We hope
this has been beneficial for those who have read it.
If you would like to find out the characteristics of a
believer then please read the following work by Dhu Noon Al-Misri (may Allah show
him mercy) and may Allah protect us from all wretched characteristics. Ameen.
