THE SHIFT IN THE MEANING OF AL-KUFR FROM LINGUISTIC MEANING TO TERMINOLOGICAL MEANING IN THE QUR’AN: A SEMANTIC AND CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

The term al-kufr is one of the key concepts in the Qur’an that carries complex meanings and is often interpreted reductively in religious discourse. This study aims to analyze the semantic shift of the term al-kufr from its lexical meaning to its terminological meaning in the Qur’an using a semantic and contextual approach. This research employs a qualitative method by examining the etymological meaning of al-kufr in classical Arabic, followed by an analysis of the contextual use of the derivations of the root k-f-r in Qur’anic verses. The analysis focuses on morphological variations, contexts of revelation, and semantic relations among verses. The findings show that the original lexical meaning of al-kufr, which denotes “to cover” or “to conceal,” undergoes a gradual semantic shift through processes of meaning extension and abstraction. In the Qur’an, al-kufr is not limited to the rejection of divine truth, but also encompasses moral dimensions such as ingratitude and denial of divine blessings, as well as social dimensions related to behaviors that contradict principles of justice and social responsibility. This semantic shift demonstrates that al-kufr is constructed as a dynamic and contextualized terminological concept. This study concludes that the semantic shift of al-kufr is the result of a dynamic linguistic construction within the Qur’an and cannot be understood ahistorically. The findings contribute to Qur’anic semantic studies by positioning religious terms as products of the interaction between language and context, rather than as static theological definitions.