Who Is A Kafir In The Light Of Quran (14:9)?
-First of all, these verses are not talking about Quran. These are related to previous nations who rejected the message of Messengers and were ultimately subject to divine punishment under itmam-e-hujjat. If you look at the veses in Quran (14: 9-14) [1] , they are not referring to the fact that those deniers were actually in doubt, infact it was an excuse used by them to avoid the inevitable truth either by hook or by crook. Use of words, “ … then they inserted their hands in their mouths [that be silent] … ” clearly indicate that in reality they were convinced of the message deep down. _____________________________ [1] أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَبَأُ الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَّعَادٍ وثَمُوْدَ وَالَّذِيْنَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ لَا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلَّا اللّهُ جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَرَدُّوْا أَيْدِيَهُمْ فِیْ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَقَالُوْا إِنَّا كَفَرْنَا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ وَإِنَّا لَفِیْ شَكٍّ مِّمَّا تَدْعُوْنَنَا إِلَيْهِ مُرِيْبٍ. قَالَتْ رُسُلُهُمْ أَفِی اللّهِ شَكٌّ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ يَدْعُوْكُمْ لِيَغْفِرَ لَكُمْ مِّنْ ذُنُوْبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرَكُمْ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَـمًّى قَالُوْا إِنْ أَنْتُمْ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا تُرِيدُوْنَ أَنْ تَصُدُّوْنَا عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَآؤُنَا فَأْتُونَا بِسُلْطَانٍ مُّبِيْنٍ. قَالَتْ لَهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ إِنْ نَّحْنُ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ وَلَـكِنَّ اللّهَ يَمُنُّ عَلَى مَنْ يَّشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَمَا كَانَ لَنَا أَنْ نَّأْتِيَكُمْ بِسُلْطَانٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ وَعلَى اللّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ. وَمَا لَنَا أَلَّا نَتَوَكَّلَ عَلَى اللّهِ وَقَدْ هَدَانَا سُبُلَنَا وَلَنَصْبِرَنَّ عَلَى مَآ آذَيْتُمُوْنَا وَعَلَى اللّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُوْنَ. وَقَالَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا لِرُسُلِهِمْ لَنُخْرِجَنَّـكُمْ مِّنْ أَرْضِنَآ أَوْ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِیْ مِلَّتِنَا فَأَوْحَى إِلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ لَنُهْلِكَنَّ الظَّالِمِيْنَ. وَلَنُسْكِنَنَّـكُمُ الْأَرْضَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامِیْ وَخَافَ وَعِيْدِ. Has not the news of those reached you who lived before you? The people of Noah, the ‘Ad, the Thamud and those who were after them, who no one except God knows. Their messengers brought veritable signs to them; then they inserted their hands in their mouths [that be silent] and said: “We do not believe in what you are calling us to; we are in a perplexing doubt about it.” Their messengers said: “Do you have doubts about the God Who is the creator of the heavens and the earth? He is calling you in order to forgive some of your sins [you did before this] and give you respite till an appointed time.” They answered: “You are a mortal like us. You want to stop us from the worship of what our forefathers have been worshipping . [If this is true,] then bring before us a clear proof.” Their messengers said to them: “Indeed, we are but mortals like you; but God blesses whomsoever of His servants He chooses. It is not in our authority to show you a proof without God’s permission. [So, we consign this demand of yours to God] and the believers should only trust God [in such matters]. And why should we not trust God when He has guided us about these ways of ours. We shall remain steadfast in all circumstances on the hurt you are causing us and [trust God because] those who trust should trust God alone.” At this, the disbelievers said to their messengers: “We shall definitely banish you from our land or otherwise you will have to ultimately return to our way.” Then their Lord revealed to them: “We shall destroy these unjust people and after them make you inhabitants of this land. This is a glad tiding for those who fear standing before me [for accountability] and who fear my threat .” (14: 9-14)