The Religion of Assumptions: A Revelation of Surah Al-Kahf 18:102 Concerning the People of the End Times

Part 3 - Kafaru (كَفَرُوا)

The word كَفَرُوا in Surah Al-Kahf 18:102 means:

“to intentionally cover or conceal something so that it is no longer visible.”

If we consistently reflect upon the Qur’an, we will encounter the words كافِر (kāfir), كُفْر (kufr) and كَفَرُوا (kafarū).

I will explain these three terms so that we can clearly see how they are related, yet not identical in function.

Kāfir (كافِر)

The word kāfir means “one who covers” or “one who conceals the truth.”
It does not necessarily mean someone who is atheist or who denies the existence of God entirely.

If we look at how this word is used elsewhere, we find it in Surah Al-Hadid 57:20. In that verse, it refers to a farmer who covers seeds in the soil.

In that context, Allah calls the farmer a “kāfir” not because he lacks faith, but because he covers something.

When used in matters of belief, kāfir refers to someone who conceals the truth which they already know.

So, a kāfir is not always someone ignorant of God. It may be someone who knows the truth, but hides it due to pride, laziness, or self-interest. As long as a person covers the truth, that person is described as kāfir.

Kufr (كُفْر)

The word kufr refers to the act performed by the kāfir.
If kāfir is the doer, kufr is the action.

That action is the act of covering or rejecting the truth. It is the opposite of recognition and gratitude. It is also the opposite of faith.

This is why we find in the Qur’an that kufr is sometimes used not only for disbelief but also for ingratitude, as in the verse:

“If you are grateful, I will surely increase you. But if you are ungrateful (kufr), My punishment is severe.”
Surah Ibrahim 14:7

So in this context, kufr means not only denying God, but also rejecting, ignoring, or hiding the truth after it has reached a person.

Kafarū (كَفَرُوا)

This is the word we are focusing on.

Kafarū is not a noun but a verb, meaning:
“they have disbelieved” or “they have covered the truth.”

This form indicates an action that has occurred, but not necessarily permanently. Meaning, they may have rejected the truth at some point, yet may return to faith or fall back into disbelief again.

In Surah Al-Kahf 18:102, kafarū describes people who have rejected the truth and continue to repeat that rejection over time.

It does not mean they are eternally disbelievers. It refers to those who have committed acts of covering the truth which they knew, not those who were ignorant.

In other words, kafarū is the verb of kufr, while kāfir is the one performing the act. They intentionally replace Allah’s revelation with the assumptions of their own reasoning.

The Connection of “كَفَرُوا” Across Verses 18:100–102

We need to revisit the sequence to see the relationship:

In Al-Kahf 18:100:

وَعَرَضْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَرْضًا
“We will display Hell openly before the disbelievers.”

Allah describes the visible consequences that will occur in the Barzakh.
There, they will witness the result of their actions in the world.
Their actions were the hidden act of covering truth while they lived.

In Al-Kahf 18:101:

الَّذِينَ كَانَتْ أَعْيُنُهُمْ فِي غِطَاءٍ عَنْ ذِكْرِي وَكَانُوا لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَمْعًا
Allah explains the inner reason behind their blindness and deafness to the remembrance of Allah.

Then in Al-Kahf 18:102:

أَفَحَسِبَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا...
Allah describes their intellectual and spiritual profile.
They live based on assumptions, not revelation.

It is not we who label them as disbelievers.
Allah Himself declares their state.

The word كَفَرُوا here refers to the same group in verse 18:100, but now with a different focus — not on their status, and not on their motive, but on the mechanism of their disbelief.

They disbelieved not because they were ignorant, but because they assumed (حَسِبُوا) that their reason could determine truth.

Do you see?

This is the highest form of kufr:

When the human intellect becomes the god that determines reality.

This is the peak of inner rejection of Tawhid, where one sees the signs of truth, but replaces revelation with personal reasoning — believing they are still upon guidance.

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