Does the hadeeth “I am not afraid that you will worship others along with Allah after my death” mean that shirk will never occur among this ummah?

Narrated 'Uqba bin 'Amir:
Bukhari - Volume 2, book 23, number 428: Narrated'Uqba bin 'Amir: One
day the Prophet went out andoffered the funeral prayers of the martyrs
of Uhud and then went up the pulpit and said, "I will pave the way for
you as your predecessor and will be a witness on you. By Allah! I see
my Fount (Kauthar) just now and I have been given the keys of all the
treasures of the earth (or the keys of the earth). By Allah! I am not
afraid that you will worship others along with Allah after my
death,but I am afraid that you will fight with one another for the
worldly things." This hadeeth is often used by those comitting bidah
as justification for some of the acts which can be labeled as "shirk"
(such as calling out on others besides Allah, grave worshipping,
etc.). The claim is that the Ummah of the Prophet (SAW) are not at
risk of comitting shirk. What is the correct interpretation of this
hadeeth.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The hadeeth was narratedby al-Bukhaari (1344) andMuslim (2296) from
'Uqbah ibn 'Aamir, and says that the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) came out one day and prayed for the people of Uhud
as he used to pray for the dead. Then he went to theminbar and said:
"I will bethere ahead of you, and I will be your witness. By Allaah, I
can see my Cistern now. I am given the keys to the treasures of the
earth, or the keys to the earth. By Allaah, I do not fear that you
will associate others with Allaah after I am gone, but I fear that you
will compete with one another for them (the treasures of the earth)."
What is meant by his praying for them (the people of Uhud) as he used
to pray for the dead is his offering supplicationfor them with the
du'aa' that is recited in the funeral prayer. This was seven years
after they were martyred (may Allahbe pleased with them).
There is nothing in the hadeeth to say that shirk (association of
others with Allah) will not happen in this ummah; rather it may be
understood that he did not fear it for the entire ummah, based on the
factthat it has occurred among some of them, as is indicated in other
texts in which he (blessings andpeace of Allah be upon him) stated
that some of his ummah would fall intoshirk.
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on
Muslim (Sharh Muslim): In this hadeeth we see the miracles of the
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), because
what it means is a foretelling thathis ummah would be given the
treasures of the earth, which did indeed come to pass; and that they
would not all apostatise because Allah, may He be exalted, protected
them from that;and that they would compete with one another for
worldly gain. And all of that came to pass. End quote.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar al-'Asqallaani (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The words "I do not fear that you will associate others with Allah"
mean: (I do not fear that you willdo that) en masse, because that
happened with some of them – may Allah protect us. This hadeeth is one
of the miracles of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him), hencethe author narrated it under the heading of the signs of
Prophethood.
End quote from Fath al-Baari, 3/211
Secondly:
The saheeh Sunnah indicates that among this ummah will be some
whoassociate others with Allah, may He be exalted.
1.
al-Bukhaari (7116) and Muslim (2906) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may
Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) said: "The Hour will not begin until the
backsides of the women of Daws wobble (as they go) around
Dhu'l-Khalasah."
Dhu'l-Khalasah was a falsegod of Daws that they used to worship during
the Jaahiliyyah.
2.
Muslim (2907) narrated that 'Aa'ishah said: I heardthe Messenger of
Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: "Night and day
will not cease until al-Laat and al-'Uzza are worshipped.".....

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