A Semantic Analysis of "Takfir" (Expiating One's Guilts) in the Holy Quran with Emphasis on Associations and Substitutions

The Quranic words cannot be dissociated from one another, and their precise meaning is properly understood from the elaborate system of the relations among them. Using a semantic- linguistic approach, the present study seeks to explain the term "Takfir". First, while studying the literal and idiomatic meanings of "Takfir"and its derivations, it deals with the concepts of association and substitution related to this word in order to reach a conclusion about the constituents of the meaning components of "Takfir", and then, it examines the shades of meaning of "Takfir". The outcome of studying the concepts that associate with and substitute for "Takfir" suggests that there is a significant relationship between the two concepts of Ghofran (forgiveness) and "Takfir". Therefore, Ghofran can be considered as a substitute for "Takfir". Faith, righteous deeds, repentance, piety, jihad and emigration can be among the constituents of each of Takfir and Ghofran. Also, in addition to the concept of Ghofran, the concepts of reform, removing, giving pardon and effacing fall in the same semantic domain of “Takfir”.