Who is considered as infidel (kafir) from the viewpoint of noble Qur'an?

Question

The word Kafir (infidel) is used many times in noble Qur'an. [Ref]

such as:

يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُطْفِئُوا نُورَ اللَّـهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَيَأْبَى اللَّـهُ إِلَّا أَن يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ

Sahih international translation:
They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah refuses except to perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it. [9:32]

Can a comprehensive definition of "infidel" be derived using Qur'anic verses? In other words, Who is infidel (kafir) in the Qur'an point of view?

Answer 1

Kafir is literally someone who buries a seed, and covers it.

In Qur'an, word Kafir is specially used for group of people among non-muslims, who have been rejected Islam after understanding it (and also group of people who took arms against Islam). Consider following ayah;

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَأَنذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنذِرْهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

Losely translated, this ayah says that it is same for "the ones who disbelieved" whether you warn them or not, they are not to believe. Notice that the word كَفَرُوا (they disbelieved) is in the past tense here. Hinting at the fact that they have already disbelieved and their disbelief is certain.

Moreover, see the following ayah;

مَّا يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَلَا الْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يُنَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَخْتَصُّ بِرَحْمَتِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ

In this ayah, Allah (c.c) talks about Kafirs among "people of the book" and polytheists. If all non-muslims were Kafirs, saying Kafirs from "people of the book" and Polytheist would make less sense. In this ayah, Allah (c.c) makes a difference between Kafirs and 2 groups of non-muslims.

So, kafirs are those people who have been made dawah for some time, they come to understand islam but decided to reject it anyways and are certain on their rejection.

Answer 2

The definition of infidel is a person who does not believe in religion or who adheres to a religion other than one's own.

The definition of Kaafir is person who is not a Muslim.

Someone is considered Kaafir if they do not believe in Islam. If they deny that there is One God and He is Allah and Mohammed is His Messenger.

Christians who believe that Isa (as) is God are kuffar:

Surely, disbelievers are those who say, “Allah is the Masīh, son of Maryam” while the Masīh had said, “O children of Isrā’īl , worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.” In fact, whoever ascribes any partner to Allah, Allah has prohibited for him the Jannah (the Paradise), and his shelter is the Fire, and there will be no supporters for the unjust. (al-Ma'idah: 72)

Christians who believe in a trinity are kuffar:

Surely, disbelievers are those who say, “Allah is the third of the three” while there is no god but One God. If they do not desist from what they say, a painful punishment shall certainly befall such disbelievers.

(al-Ma'idah: 73)