Are Non-Muslims Infidels?

Q. A non-Muslim friend walked up to me the other day and angrily asked me why Muslims consider her to be an infidel. I was caught off-guard and didn’t know what to say. How should I have responded?

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate

Her question, “Why do Muslims consider me an infidel?” assumes that Muslims do, in fact, consider her an infidel. You should have responded by denying her assumption: “Muslims don’t consider you an infidel.” 

“Infidel” is a term of hatred that Christians used in the Middle Ages to describe non-Christians, particularly Jews and Muslims (but also other Christians whose beliefs were deemed heretical). To the Christians of the Middle Ages, if someone didn’t belong to their faith, they were criminals, like thieves or adulterers, but even worse, because thieves and adulterers committed crimes against other human beings, whereas non-Christians committed a crime against God. Non-Christians weren’t just criminals, they were also enemies--enemies of Christians and enemies of God--and therefore had to be hunted down and killed. 

Your friend was upset because she thought that your religiousness would lead you to hate her and consider her a criminal and an enemy. In her mind, this thought was probably confirmed by the crimes that fringe groups such as ISIS commit against non-Muslims in the name of Islam. New Atheists frequently cite such immoral actions as evidence that religious beliefs are dangerous and harmful, especially the religious beliefs of Muslims.

But the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) did not hate non-Muslims and he certainly did not regard them as criminals or enemies. He taught his Companions that “none of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” (Bukhari) The brotherhood that this hadith refers to is the brotherhood of humanity. The Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) taught us to love non-Muslims as our brothers in humanity.

The Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) didn’t teach that non-Muslims are criminals. Many non-Muslims are quite the opposite--they are good and moral human beings. The mission of the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was not to declare non-Muslims immoral infidels; his mission was to warn them--especially those of them who were good and moral human beings--that if they didn’t accept Islam, they would suffer forever in the Hellfire.

For example, Abu Talib (the uncle of the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)) was a good and moral human being who never became Muslim. He was a kind, generous, and noble man. He loved the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), supported him in his mission, and protected him from harm. But he never accepted Islam because he incorrectly imagined that for him to denounce the religion of his ancestors would be dishonorable. The Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) warned him, but Abu Talib didn’t heed his warning. He died without accepting Islam and went to the Hellfire.

It’s important to understand that the reason why he went to the Hellfire is not because he was a bad and immoral person. The reason why he went to the Hellfire is because he didn’t heed the warning of the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). The reason why he went to the Hellfire is because he made a bad choice. Even good and moral people can make bad choices. 

A good and moral person might, for example, not heed signs that warn him to drive slowly and instead drive dangerously down a road that winds around a mountain, skid off the road, and die. When he ignored the warnings to slow down, he made a bad choice and suffered the consequences. The fact that he made a bad choice doesn’t make him a bad and immoral person. It just means that he made a bad choice and suffered the consequences.

In the same way, Abu Talib, who was a good and moral person, did not heed the warnings of the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). When he ignored the warnings of the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), he made a bad choice and suffered the consequences. The fact that he made a bad choice didn’t make him a bad and immoral person. It just meant that he made a bad choice and suffered the consequences.

We don’t regard non-Muslims as infidels, meaning that we don’t hate them, we don’t consider them criminals, and we certainly don’t regard them as enemies. But we do believe that they are making a bad choice. And our love and concern for them, especially those of them who are good and moral human beings, even more especially those of them who are our friends, our love and concern for them should lead us to hope and pray that they will, one day, make a good choice and accept Islam. 

Help your friend make this good choice by encouraging her to understand Why Islam is True.

why islam is true (SUNDAYS 6 pm UTC)

An evidence-based inquiry into the fundamental truths of Islam. See clearly that Islam is not a cultural preference but a clear fact. Follow an experienced theologian as he guides you how to respond to common atheist arguments.

Every week, Hamza Karamali will select one of your questions to answer in this space. If you’ve any questions that you’d like to ask, please submit them here.