INFIDEL

An 'infidel' (literally "one without faith") is an offensive English word meaning "one who doubts or rejects central tenets of a religion or has no religious beliefs", especially in reference to Christianity or Islam.^[1][2][3][4] When used in an Islamic sense it serves as a translation of the Arabic word ''kafir'' (literally "one who denies the blessings of God") referring to all non-Muslims.^[5][6]

Contents

Etymology

In Christianity

In Islam

See also

References

External links

Etymology

First used in Middle English circa 1460 (adjective, noun), from the Middle French ''infidèle'', and from Latin ''infidelis'' "unfaithful," later "unbelieving," In the 15c. meaning "a non-Christian" (especially a Saracen); later "one who does not believe in religion" (1526). Also used to translate Arabic ''kafir'', from a root meaning "to disbelieve, to deny," strictly referring to all non-Muslims but virtually synonymous with "Christian"; hence, from a Muslim or Jewish point of view, "a Christian".

In Christianity

In Roman Catholic Christianity, the term "infidel" is an ecclesiastical term referring to one who does not believe in the divinity of Jesus or one who has not been baptized. A heretic, in contrast, is an individual who believes in the divinity of Jesus, but also knowingly holds beliefs that contradict Catholic dogma, while a schismatic is an individual who does not hold beliefs contrary to Catholic dogma, but denies the authority of the Catholic Church.^[7]

In Islam

Main articles: kafir

In Islam, the Arabic word ''kafir'' ('كافر') refers to a person who inwardly or outwardly denies Allah and/or the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Because the term is considered derogatory,Bjorkman, W. "Kafir". ''Encyclopaedia of Islam''. Brill, Brill Online. Muslim scholars discourage its usage due to the Quran's command to use kind words.^[8] It is even a punishable offence to use this term against a Jew or a Christian, under Islamic law.

See also

★ Agnosticism

★ Antitheism

★ Apostasy

★ Atheism

★ Blasphemy

★ Heathen

References

1. "Infidel", The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
2. "Infidel", Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
3. "infidel." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. Answers.com 23 Jul. 2007.
4. "'Infidel' has been used by Christians and Muslims to name the people outside their religious group, the ones who do not have faith (fides in Latin)." George Weckman, "The Language of the Study of Religion: A Handbook", 2001, Xlibris Corporation ISBN 0738851051 pg. 64-65.
5. Etymology of "infidel" by the Online Etymology Dictionary
6. Etymology of "kaffir" by the Online Etymology Dictionary
7. 1910 Catholic Encyclopedia [1]
8. The scholar quotes Al-Baqarah 2: 83.

External links

★ Definition of "infidel" by the Merriam-Webster dictionary

★ Definition of "unbeliever" by the Merriam-Webster dictionary

★ Definition of "kafir" by the Merriam-Webster dictionary