| Does the Quran Force Jews and Christians to | | | | is most holy to the Lord' (Exod. 30: 10. |
| Submit to Islam? By Gabriel Sawma The Quran | | | | NRSV. Biblia Hebraica). The term 'kfr' is |
| states the following: INNA ALLADHIINA KAFARU | | | | used to describe the 'sin offering' as is |
| SWAA ON ALAYHIM ANDHARTAHUM AM LAM TUNDHIRHUM | | | | shown in the following Biblical passage: |
| LA YUMINOON, (Quran 2: 7). Muslim | | | | 'These are the ordinances for the altar, on |
| commentators render the following | | | | the day when it is erected for burnt |
| interpretation: 'God hath set a seal on their | | | | offerings upon it and for dashing blood |
| hearts and on their hearing, and on their | | | | against it…a bull for (kfr) sin |
| eyes is a veil; great is the penalty they | | | | offering' (Ezekiel 43: 19. NRSV. Biblia |
| incur. As those who reject the faith, it is | | | | Hebraica). 'kfr' is used to mean 'cover over, |
| the same to them whether thou warn them or do | | | | pacify, propitiate' as indicated in the Book |
| not warn them, they will not believe' | | | | of Genesis: 'Let me cover over his face by |
| (translated by Abdullah Yusuf Ali). The | | | | the present ) so that he does not see the |
| translator renders the following | | | | offense, i.e. pacify him' (Gen. 32: 21). In |
| interpretation: 'Kafara, kufr, kafir, are | | | | the New Testament, the "kfr" (i.e. ransom) is |
| derivative forms of the word, imply a | | | | no longer associated with the temple |
| deliberate rejection of Faith as opposed to a | | | | sacrifices, still less with payments of |
| mistaken idea of God or faith, which is not | | | | money, or incense, or even with prayers. It |
| inconsistent with an earnest desire to see | | | | is the life of Jesus and his death by |
| the truth. Where there is such desire, the | | | | crucifixion, with the actual shedding of |
| grace and mercy of God gives guidance. But | | | | blood that makes the ransom "kfr" possible. |
| that guidance is not efficacious when it is | | | | The New Testament declares that in Christ and |
| deliberately rejected, and the possibility of | | | | his death is all that man needs in order for |
| rejection follows from the grant of free | | | | his sins to be forgiven, and his life is |
| will. The consequence of the rejection is | | | | "kfr" (i.e. ransomed). There is no indication |
| that the spiritual faculties become dead to | | | | in the Aramaic language of the Bible that the |
| impervious to better influence. The roots | | | | word 'kfr' means 'infidel' or 'those who did |
| kafara has many shades of meaning: (1) to | | | | not accept Islam'. Misinterpretation of the |
| deny God's goodness, to be ungrateful. (2) To | | | | Quran led Muslim commentators to render an |
| reject Faith, deny His revelation. (3)To | | | | erroneous definition to the Aramaic word |
| blaspheme, to ascribe some limitation or | | | | "kfr". It is important to keep in mind that |
| attribute to God, which is derogatory to His | | | | the early copies of the Quran did not have |
| nature. In a translation, one shade or | | | | the vowel signs necessary for vocalization. |
| another must be put forward according to the | | | | When the vowel signs were introduced at a |
| context, but all are implied'. (See Abdullah | | | | later time, Aramaic 'kfr' changed to |
| Yusuf Commetary on the Glorious Qur'an, | | | | 'kafaru'. The Quranic word 'sawaa' has been |
| numbers 30 and 93). The Quranic word | | | | interpreted erroneously as 'whether'. Aramaic |
| 'kafara', which is interpreted in modern days | | | | 'shwh' means 'to agree with' (Isa. 16: 6). |
| as 'infidel', does not necessarily mean 'to | | | | The shift from /sh/ to /s/ and vice versa is |
| reject faith'. Aramaic 'kfr' means 'the price | | | | interchangeable in the Semitic languages as |
| of life, ransom'. Akkadian "kaparu" means | | | | for example 'sham[s]' (sun) and 'sham[sh]a'; |
| 'wipe off, redemption, ransom'. In the book | | | | 'M[es]ih' and 'M[sh]iha' (Messiah) etc. The |
| of Exodus we read the following: 'If a ransom | | | | Quranic word 'andhartuhum' has been |
| is imposed on the owner' (Exod. 21: 30. | | | | interpreted as 'you warn them'. Syriac (a |
| NRSV). Paying ransom for life was a form of | | | | dialect of Aramaic) 'etnadrat' means 'you |
| taxes. It was a natural obligation on | | | | give a notice, make a vow' (Syriac Peshito, |
| individuals to buy protection for their | | | | Gen. 31: 13). Aramaic 'ndr' means 'vow' |
| lives. During the time of Moses, God imposed | | | | (Psalms 132). In Aramaic, letter /d/ is also |
| a ransom on each Israelite, the Bible reads: | | | | spirant /dh/ like 'there'. When the Arabic |
| 'The Lord spoke to Moses: When you take a | | | | vowel signs, which developed later, were |
| census of the Israelites to register them, at | | | | added, Aramaic 'ndr' change to 'nadhara' or |
| registration all of them shall give a (kfr) | | | | 'andhara'. The Quran is saying: 'those who |
| ransom for their lives to the Lord, so that | | | | used sin offering for ransom agree (Jews and |
| no plague may come upon them for being | | | | Christians), whether you give them a notice |
| registered' (Exod. 30: 11. NRSV. Biblia | | | | or not, are not going to believe (i.e. in the |
| Hebraica). 'kfr' also means 'ransom for sin | | | | Quran). In Syriac, the verse is pronounced as |
| offering' as stated in the Biblia Hebraica: | | | | following: 'holen kafore, showe 'layhoon, |
| 'Throughout your generations he shall perform | | | | etnadrat lhun ao lo atnadrat lhun lo mhaymne |
| the atonement for it once a year with the | | | | enun'. Gabriel Sawma, P. O. |
| blood of the atoning 'kfr' sin offering. It | | | | |