Definition of Kuffar (disbelievers):

 Dear brother, the surah we are going to examine today is Al-Kafirun. Allah says:

Say: "O you al-kafirun! (1)
I worship not that which you worship. (2)
Nor will you worship that which I worship. (3)
And I shall not worship that which you worship. (4)
Nor will you worship that which I worship. (5)
To you be your din, and to me mine." (6)

(Surat Al-Kafirun, 109)

 One may wonder, perhaps, about the secret behind this repetition. At first sight, it may look like a repetition, although in fact there is no such thing in the Qur'an –every single ayah has its own meaning. On examination, you will find that the small differences between the ayaat which apparently look similar imply different meanings. However, before we talk about repetition, we should define the concept of al-kafirun, and before doing so, the meaning of “Say”.
 The manager of an organization or a company issues a decision, where it is said at the beginning: “The manager of this establishment, in application of such and such disposition, decides the following…” This decision has been issued by the establishment and its manager, and often the decision comes in fact from the Prime Minister, and the manager puts into practice what comes from a higher authority. Likewise, what the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, says about the disbelievers isn't from himself; it is from Allah, the Highest Authority, the Creator.
 This is not form the prophet, it is from Allah:
 It refers to every "Say", as in:

"Say: "O you al-kafirun!"

 And in another statement of His:

"Say: He is Allah, the One and Only."

(Al-Ikhlas, 112:1)

 The last suwar (pl. of surah) of the Qur’an, which begin with "Say", emphasize that this isn't from you (Muhammad), but from Me. There is a big difference between the manager's decision and that of the Head of a state, given that the former simply draws on the decision of the latter. When we say: You must submit to the decision of the Prime Minister, the situation becomes naturally more serious. These examples are, of course, for the sake of explanation. What comes in these suwar isn't from Allah's Messenger, but form Allah the Exalted and Glorious. The mission of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is just to convey the message. Allah says:

"Say: "O Al-Kafirun!"

 What does kafir (pl. kafirun) mean? Kafara (he disbelieved) is the past tense of yakfur. One of its derivations is al-kafr (the cover) and another al-kufr (disbelief), which implies turning away. When Man is blind to the truth he is a kafir (disbeliever), and when he forgets Allah's Bounties he disbelieves in them, and when he turns his back on them and is haughty, and devotes himself to the worldly life, and turns away from Allah the Great and Almighty –he is a kafir (disbeliever).

What is Kufr?

 There are some people who disbelieve in Allah as a Creator, and they are few; and some of them disbelieve in Him as the Lord of the Worlds (al-'alamin –mankind, jinn and all that exists); they disbelieve in His Sustenance, and do not see that Allah the Exalted and Glorious supplies every creature with what it needs as regards food, drink, and air; and He provides heat, moisture, minerals, vitamins, clouds and rain –all of it as Sustenance. He created us and the weather suitable for us as well as adequate temperatures, water and air, and yet there are people who disbelieve in Allah's Sustenance; they believe that life develops at random; they believe that man works and thus gains his food in order to subsist.
 And there is yet another group who do not believe in Allah as the God and Sustainer; they do not perceive that all affairs are in His Hand; that there is no motion or immobility, no grant or denial, no elevation or humiliation, and no provision but from His Hand, the Exalted and Glorious. They just can’t see it! So, there is disbelief in the Divinity and another one in the Beautiful Names of Allah. It might be that when somebody from among such people sees or hears about disasters –floods, famine and other bad news from all over the world, he feels pessimistic, and says: "Life is nothing but hardship and misery, only the rich are happy, the poor are simply ground." This is due to disbelief in Allah's Good Names, in His Wisdom, in His Mercy and in His Justice. Disbelief is to be blind to the fact or reality that there is something awaiting me, so either I put a barrier between me and this something in order to conceal it, or I turn away from it. So, the reason of disbelief is either covering up or turning away. It is erroneous to think that the disbeliever is the one who denies the Existence of Allah the Exalted and Glorious! Such a person is an atheist –atheism is the belief that Allah does not exist, and there are people, such as for example al-Muatazila in the past, who say that it is Man who creates his own acts. But let us put atheism aside and return to our explanation of disbelief.
 Consider for example a student who studies with an excellent teacher, but he doesn't pay any attention to his lessons and is busy with silly things. He can be considered a disbeliever in his teacher although the teacher is indeed an excellent one. Allah says:

"The only reasons why their contributions are not accepted are: that they reject Allah and His Messenger; that they come to salah without earnestness; and that they offer contributions unwillingly. "

(At-Tawbah, 9:54)

This surah is conclusive:

 They disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger, although they contributed with their money and offered prayers. So, the meaning of disbelief in the narrow sense includes the idea that the disbeliever is himself an atheist, and it then expands its implication to include hypocrites. Allah says:

"Verily, the hypocrites are fasiqun (people rebellious, disobedient to Allah)."

(At-Tawbah, 9:67)

 The hypocrite offers prayers, observes sawm (fasting), performs pilgrimage and gives zakat, but he turns away from Allah and sells Allah's Signs for a small price; and he turns his back on the din, and all he is deeply concerned about is the life of this world. He has made it his only concern and objective, his only knowledge, and whoever makes the life of this world his big concern, Allah will face him with poverty (he will be constantly afraid of it), and He will disperse his family, and will not give him anything in this life but what had been preordained for him. And whoever makes the Hereafter his big concern, Allah will put richness in his heart (i.e. confidence and re-assurance) and will reunite his family, and will make the life of this world as he wishes it to be (will put it at his service). We seek refuge with Allah from disbelief and its causes.
 Kufr (disbelief) is to be distant from Allah, to turn away from Him, and it means to be busy with the fleeting life, and, finally, the kafirun (disbelievers) cannot ever be as the believers, there is no comparison between them! There are no half truths in Islam. Disbelief is disbelief and belief is belief. There is nothing in Islam that calls to walk half way through, because the unbeliever has his own way of life, his own thinking, degenerate values, his lusts and his sordid tendencies, and his selfishness. He doesn't perceive but the life of this world. It is always on his mind; he is very attached to it, and this makes him careless about morals, values and the Hereafter. All he knows is the life of this world. So, how can he be compared with a man who perceives the Hereafter in everything, and the fact is that the life of this world weighs, before Allah, less than a wing of a mosquito. And such a man sees that the real richness is in righteous deeds, and Allah's Love encompasses everything, and obedience to Him is the greatest triumph because the life of this world is transitory. Such a man sees himself in this life as a passenger or a wayfarer, he considers himself a stranger. How can the two men be compared? How can a healthy man be paired up with a sick one? The healthy one would undoubtedly get sick.
Allah the Great and Almighty prescribed conclusiveness and differentiation. This surah is about conclusiveness. "As for you, O disbeliever, we can never meet, neither in big nor in small things; we cannot cooperate because there is a great gap between our principles and aims and yours, between our means and yours, between our values and your values, and between your ambitions and our ambitions."

Being a servant to Allah is the top of human perfection:

 Allah says:

"Say: "O Al-Kafirun!"

 About the worship Allah says:

"And I (Allah) have created not the jinn and mankind, except that they should worship Me (Alone)."

(Adh-Dhariyat, 51:56)

 What does this ayah mean? It seems to be a type of an absolute meaning, but if we want to connect this surah with the reasons of its descent, we should recall that it was mentioned in some interpretations that the mushrikun came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said: "O Muhammad, why don’t we worship what you worship, and you worship what we worship; let it be mutual and semi-solution and we will share with you in everything, so if what you came with (i.e. Islam) is better that what we have, then we will share it with you; and if what we have (i.e. our worship) is better than what you have, you then take your share from it. Allah revealed in response:

"Say: "O you al-kafirun! I worship not that which you worship. Nor will you worship that which I worship. And I shall not worship that which you worship. Nor will you worship that which I worship. To you be your din, and to me mine."

(Al-Kafirun)

We should be differentiated from the disbelievers:

 If we want to grasp the instruction contained in these ayaat, according to the reason of their descent, we should mention that a meeting had been held between the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and some powerful mushrikun with a view to a truce and peaceful coexistence –as they say– we worship what you worship and you worship what we worship!
Another teaching contained in this surah is that none of us can reach the level of real faith until he has differentiated himself from the kafirun. As long as he lives with them, attends their lectures, visits their resorts, deals with them, gives them and takes from them, lets them have a share in his money, marries from them and marries to them –then he isn't a believer. The distinction is a must. He should have an independent space because his habits, values, piety and ambitions are very different. Allah says:

"Say: "O you al-kafirun! I worship not that which you worship. "

 Thus, if we want to take this surah as a direction for us, we understand that we should be different. Allah says:

"To you be your din, and to me mine."

This surah has a live instruction:

 It often happens that a man goes with his wife to a cafe where there are songs and mixed company, and wine, and the wife wears a veil! Clearly, this place isn't suitable for them, they should go to another one. Allah says:

"To you be your din, and to me mine."

 Certainly, you should not indulge in such meetings and parties. Some people were invited to a party in a famous hotel and that party cost them a lot of money, and some families did go. So, if you are not different from the disbelievers in all ways of your life, you are one of them. What about a house that stands face to face with the neighbor’s? You are a Muslim, you should screen yourself. The house of the Muslim should be different too.
 At a wedding somebody sat with his wife before fifty women. He said: They made me very embarrassed. I feared that they were examining me, and I have faults. I should not have sat on that chair because it is forbidden.
 Is that what people do nowadays with their din? Those are customs, traditions and habits for which Allah has sent down no authority. One cannot reach the rank of true faith until he has trampled down all the habits and customs that oppose the din. I have given these examples because some people think that this surah is Allah’s reply to the mushrikun in Mekka only. No, it is the Qur'an, and it will be reauthord till the end of time, which means it includes guidance which is forever alive. Allah says:

"Say: "O you al-kafirun! I worship not that which you worship."

 In short, I am going to give some more details, but now I want to point out that the core of this surah is the difference between the believers and the kafirun. They have another world, these are in a valley and those are in another valley (i.e. every group has their special ways of life). They can never meet; there is no cooperation, or approximation of points of views. Those are semi-solutions, darning. Such a thing is impossible! If you accompany a disbeliever, he sits with your wife, considering her as if she was his sister –but this is false! If you go with him on a picnic, he talks with you about people and music. If you talk with him about usury, he says: "Does it seem reasonable to you that I should not place an amount of money like this with a bank? Does it make any sense?" It is very difficult to share your life with a disbeliever, and marry your daughter to him. Allah says:

"The only reasons why their contributions are not accepted are: that they reject Allah and His Messenger; that they come to salah without earnestness; and that they offer contributions unwillingly."

(At-Tawbah, 9:54)

 Therefore, the only thing that the believer should do is to be connected to the Faithful and to deal justly with them. Allah says:

"Dawud said (immediately without listening to the opponent): "He has wronged you in demanding your ewe in addition to his ewes. And, verily, many partners oppress one another, except those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and they are few." And Dawud guessed that We have tried him and he sought Forgiveness of his Lord, and he fell down prostrate and turned (to Allah) in repentance."

(Sad, 38:24)

The meanings of repetition in this surah:

 Now, His Words:

"Say: "O you al-kafirun! I worship not that which you worship. Nor will you worship that which I worship. And I shall not worship that which you worship. Nor will you worship that which I worship. To you be your din, and to me mine."

 The first meaning is: I do not worship what you worship. I do not worship your idols. This was meant at the time of the descent of this surah, but the meaning is also general and involves everything that people worship besides Allah in all ages –they worship money.
 Narrated Abu Huraira that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

"Let the slave of dinar and dirham, of qatifa (thick soft cloth) and of khamisa (shirt; in general money and luxurious clothes) perish, for he is pleased if these things are given to him, and if not, he is displeased!"

(Al-Bukhari)

 In order that his clothes do not get creased, he doesn't offer the prayers until he comes back to his house in the evening! Let the slave of his lusts and the slave of his belly perish! It can be either the first meaning –adoration of ancient idols (Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, Yaghuth, Ya'uq and Nasr') that were worshipped besides Allah in the time of ignorance (Pre- Islamic era). And in the modern time of ignorance, in which the dinar and dirham are worshipped beside Allah, women are also worshipped beside Allah. Unrestrained or licentious men worship them; to worship them means to obey their orders.
 Narrated Abu Huraira that Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

"If your princes (leaders or chiefs) are the best of you (in virtue), and the rich are the most generous of you, and your affairs are conducted by mutual consultation, then the surface of the earth (life) is better for you than its inside (death). And if your princes are the worst of you (in wickedness), and the rich are the meanest of you, and the matters which concern you are controlled by your women, then the inside of earth is better than its surface. "

(At-Tirmidhi)

 Money is worshipped beside Allah, and women are also worshipped beside Allah in times of unrestraint and fitan (pl. of fitnah, discord, trial), and it may be that some of us take sh3er as lords besides Allah. It is enough for you to think that your fate, provision and destruction are in somebody's hand that you begin to worship unconsciously this person. Hence, Allah says:

"Say: "O you al-kafirun! I worship not that which you worship."

 It is impossible for you to worship what I worship. If you worshipped Him, you would have abandoned your lusts, but you haven’t done it! Sometimes one tries hard to convince such a person, but I say: Do not argue with him. His lusts are his god, and he will not abandon them for your sake, and consequently, he will not become righteous, so:

"Nor will you worship that which I worship."

 It is very hard for the mushirkun to abandon their desires and lusts –this is the first meaning.
 The second meaning –His Words:

"And I shall not worship that which you worship."

 What is the difference between these two verses? No difference? Some of the interpreters said: It is just repetition for emphasis and glorification. Others said there was a clear difference between them.
 Our Lord the Exalted and Glorious said first:

"And I shall not worship that which you worship."

 And then:

"Nor will you worship that which I worship."

 It means I do not worship your gods and I will not worship them, there is no possibility for me to worship them. So in the first ayah we negate the act (of worship) itself, while in the second one we negate the possibility of committing such an act. This is another meaning, or function, of the repetition.
The third meaning -His Words:

"I worship not that which you worship."

 And His Words:

"And I shall not worship that which you are worship."

 The first ma (Arabic “which”) is a relative pronoun here, but the second ma is an infinitive (with no equivalent in the English language). It means: I do not worship what you worship, and my worship is not like yours. Why and in what way? My worship is sincere, but yours involves shirk, hypocrisy, charlatanism, and so on.
 There is a fourth meaning –His Words:

"I worship not that which you worship."

 Most people, when confronted with a person who begins to practice the din sincerely, say: "Leave him, he will return to what he was on after a couple of years!" They do not know that his worship will steadily strengthen over the years. They describe this state as an emotional upheaval. They also say something like this when they notice that the person is eager to have a lawful income and seeks ilm (knowledge of the din). This is the fourth meaning.
 Now:

"I worship not that which you worship."

 If you expect me to worship your gods in the future, I can assure you now I will never worship them.
 These are the four suggested meanings of the repetition.
 Then Allah says:

"Nor will you worship that which I worship."

 As long as the disbeliever chooses to be licentious, and indulges in his lusts and desires, and persists on this way, and fights for them, and is even prepared to die for them, this man will not worship Allah, and will not obey His Orders, and will not be devoted to Him.
 Then Allah says:

"To you be your din, and to me mine."

 The differentiation should exist. Allah says:

"Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brother, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving hard and fighting in His Cause, then wait until Allah brings about His Decision (chastisement). And Allah guides not the people who are al-fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah)."

(At-Taubah, 9:24)

 And He also says:

"O you who believe! Take not as auliya' (protectors and helpers) those who take your din as a mockery and fun from among those who received the Scripture before you (Jews and Christians), nor from the disbelievers; and fear Allah if you indeed are true believers."

(Al-Ma'idah, 5:57)

There is no compromise, You must be different:

 No compromise is possible. You should be different. If one has ignorant friends (like the people of al-jahiliyya –the pre-Islamic era), he should break up with them, because it is more than probable that they will bring him over to their way of thinking. They may say to him: "You are still young; you can be religious when you get older." But they do not know that whoever reaches the age of forty, and the good in his life hasn't overcome the evil, should prepare himself for the Fire, and whoever gets used to a thing when he is young, he will continue with it until he is old, and whoever dies on (doing) something, he will be resurrected on it.
 Narrated Abu Huraira that Allah's Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

"Hasten to do (good) deeds before seven (things happen in your life): lest poverty relegates you into oblivion, or wealth induces you to oppression (and arrogance), or a disease deteriorates you, or the old age reduces you to weakness, or death that ends everything (comes), or the expected evil of ad-Dajjal (appears), or the disastrous and bitter Last Hour (is established).

(At-Tirmidhi)

 For this reason, who is sincere in seeking the truth takes heed when listening to it. Listening is one thing, but application is another thing. Listening and being a mumin are two different things. Life is something really precious. The one who listens to the truth will have a special reckoning; his knowledge will be an argument against him not for him. The way I see it is that Allah the Great and Almighty will provide for this group of people a special treatment –He will chastise them severely. Why? You knew the truth, how come then that you deviated from it? It is different from the case of someone who does evil out of ignorance. His repentance is easy. However, those who, in spite of knowing the truth, did wrong, were negligent, and disobeyed Allah the Exalted, will be more severely punished by Him.
 Hence:

"To you be your din, and to me mine."

 Do not say: "The prospect of a picnic is tempting. I cannot miss it!" But there will be mixed company, and by participating you will badly harm your belief. One of the signs of the Day of Resurrection being near is that a man can be a believer in the morning but an unbeliever in the evening. He may abandon his belief for an insignificant reason. I wish he would ponder over this surah:

"Say: "O you al-kafirun! I worship not that which you worship. Nor will you worship that which I worship. And I shall not worship that which you worship. Nor will you worship that which I worship. To you be your din, and to me mine."

(Al-Kafirun, 109)

This surah is for every time and everywhere:

 Someone told me that he was invited to a party where he was offered wine, but he refused to drink it, saying: "I fear Allah, the Lord of the Worlds", and, furthermore, he couldn’t find any lawful food except just a little. It does honor to him. The believer shouldn't mix with the mushirk, he shouldn't go to their parties, ceremonies, resorts, participate in their jokes, habits, etc. Unfortunately, Muslims are becoming more and more attached to foreign celebrations and traditions, foods and drinks. These habits suit them, even though they are all forbidden! And there is another very dangerous thing: Whoever loves the mushrik, will be raised with them (on the Day of Judgment) and he will not benefit from his good deeds, even if he has performed the salah. Nowadays people attribute misunderstanding to themselves and they praise foreigners. They say: "They are intelligent, they understand. Look at their lifestyles. They are different from ours. Look at their buildings, gardens, metros! We need fifty years to be like them." This glorification of the disbeliever makes a person to be one of them. Such a person will be raised with them on the Day of Judgment.
 When a representative of a company, on occasions, visits a place, they offer him wine, arguing that they have common interests. Where is your faith? Allah says:

"Say: "O you al-kafirun! I worship not that which you worship. Nor will you worship that which I worship. And I shall not worship that which you worship. Nor will you worship that which I worship. To you be your din, and to me mine."

(Al-Kafirun)

 The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to reauthor this surah before going to bed, he used to end his day expressing this attitude. This surah is for every time and every place. It urges splitting up. You have places which are suitable for your picnics, and there are religious talks you can attend in the evenings; and this should be your way of life, so beware of mixing this with that.