Surah Al-Kafirun
الكافرون
Surah Al-Kafirun is a 6-verse Meccan surah in which the Prophet ﷺ is told to declare plainly that he will not worship what the idolaters worship, ending with "You have your way, and I have my way."
- Meaning
- The Disbelievers
- Surah
- 109 of 114
- Verses
- 6
- Revealed in
- Mecca
- Found in
- Juz 30
What Surah Al-Kafirun is about
Surah Al-Kafirun, "The Disbelievers", is a short declaration the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is told to make. Verse 1 addresses the disbelievers directly. Verses 2 to 5 then set out, in parallel and repeated statements, that he does not worship what they worship and they do not worship what he worships, both now and going forward.
Commentators report that leaders of Quraysh proposed a compromise: the Prophet ﷺ would worship their gods for a time, and they would worship Allah for a time. The surah is understood as the answer, a firm refusal to mix worship.
Verse 6 closes with "You have your way, and I have my way." It draws a clear line in matters of worship while leaving each side responsible for its own path. The surah is not a call to hostility; it is a calm statement that worship cannot be traded or shared, even in exchange for peace.
Main themes
No compromise in worship
The repeated statements in verses 2 to 5 rule out sharing or alternating worship. The repetition leaves no room for misunderstanding.
Verses 1–5Each to their own way
The final verse separates the two religions clearly. Many Muslims also read it as a basis for living alongside others without forcing belief.
Verse 6
Verses to know
لَآ أَعۡبُدُ مَا تَعۡبُدُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَلَآ أَنتُمۡ عَٰبِدُونَ مَآ أَعۡبُدُ ﴿٣﴾
2I do not worship what you worship. 3Nor do you worship what I worship.
The core of the surah's declaration, repeated in slightly varied form in verses 4 and 5 for emphasis.
لَكُمۡ دِينُكُمۡ وَلِيَ دِينِ ﴿٦﴾
You have your way, and I have my way.”
One of the best-known verses in the Quran, often quoted in discussions about religious difference and freedom of belief.
When Surah Al-Kafirun is recited
Sahih Muslim reports that the Prophet ﷺ recited Al-Kafirun and Al-Ikhlas (112) in the two units of the Sunnah prayer before Fajr, and in the two units after the circumambulation (tawaf) of the Kaaba. It is also reported in Sunan Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi and an-Nasa'i that he recited it in the Witr prayer. A narration in Sunan Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi describes it as freedom from shirk and recommends reciting it before sleep.
Surah Al-Kafirun in Arabic and English
All 6 verses, with the Arabic, a transliteration to help you read it aloud, and the English translation by Talal Itani.
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
- 1
قُلۡ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ
Qul ya ayyuha alkafiroona
Say, “O disbelievers.
- 2
لَآ أَعۡبُدُ مَا تَعۡبُدُونَ
La aAAbudu ma taAAbudoona
I do not worship what you worship.
- 3
وَلَآ أَنتُمۡ عَٰبِدُونَ مَآ أَعۡبُدُ
Wala antum AAabidoona ma aAAbudu
Nor do you worship what I worship.
- 4
وَلَآ أَنَا۠ عَابِدࣱ مَّا عَبَدتُّمۡ
Wala ana AAabidun ma AAabadtum
Nor do I serve what you serve.
- 5
وَلَآ أَنتُمۡ عَٰبِدُونَ مَآ أَعۡبُدُ
Wala antum AAabidoona ma aAAbudu
Nor do you serve what I serve.
- 6
لَكُمۡ دِينُكُمۡ وَلِيَ دِينِ
Lakum deenukum waliya deeni
You have your way, and I have my way.”
Surah Al-Kafirun PDF
The whole surah on printable pages: Arabic, transliteration and English side by side. Free to download, print and share.
Questions about Surah Al-Kafirun
Why was Surah Al-Kafirun revealed?
Commentators report that leaders of Quraysh offered a deal in which the Prophet ﷺ would worship their idols for a period and they would worship Allah for a period. The surah was revealed as a clear refusal.
When is Surah Al-Kafirun recited?
The Prophet ﷺ recited it in the two Sunnah units before Fajr and after tawaf, according to Sahih Muslim, and also in Witr. Reports in Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi also mention reciting it before sleep.
How many verses are in Surah Al-Kafirun?
Surah Al-Kafirun has 6 verses. It is the 109th surah and a Meccan surah.
Does Surah Al-Kafirun equal a quarter of the Quran?
Some narrations, including ones in Sunan at-Tirmidhi, say so. Several of their chains have been criticized, though some scholars, such as al-Albani, accepted the statement because of its supporting chains. It is less firmly established than the narration about Al-Ikhlas equaling a third of the Quran, which is in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.