One of the most important things Muslims must know and pay attention
to is the issue of Shirk )Associating partners with Allaah in
worship(, its seriousness and its different types, so that our Tawheed
)belief in the Oneness of Allaah( and our Islam may be complete, and
our faith may be sound.
The word Shirk in Arabic means taking a partner, i.e., regarding
someone as the partner of another. It is used in Arabic when one
wishes to express that he regards two people as equal in status; or
that two people are involved in it.
In terms of Sharee'ha or Islamic terminology, Shirk means ascribing a
partner or rival to Allaah in Lordship )Ruboobiyyah(, worship
)Uloohiyyah( or in His Names and Attributes.
A rival is a peer or counterpart. Hence Allaah forbids setting up
rivals with Him and He condemns those who take them )rivals( as gods
instead of or besides Allaah in many verses of the Quran. Allaah Says
)what means(:"Then do not set up rivals to Allaah )in worship( while
you know )that He Alone has the right to be worshipped(."]Quran 2:222[
And )what means(:"And they set up rivals to Allaah, to mislead
)people( from His path! Say )O Muhammad, to the polytheists(: 'Enjoy
)your brief life(! But certainly, your destination is the
Fire!'"]Quran 14:30[
Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam said: "Whoever dies
claiming that Allaah has a rival, will enter Hell." ]Al-Bukhaari[
The types of Shirk:
The texts of the Quran and Sunnah )narrations of the Prophets
sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam( indicate that Shirk sometimes puts a
person beyond the pale of Islam and sometimes does not. Hence, the
scholars divided Shirk into two types: major Shirk and minor Shirk.
Following is a brief description of each type:
1 – Major Shirk
This means ascribing to someone other than Allaah something that
belongs only to Allaah, such as Lordship )Ruboobiyyah(, Worship
)Uloohiyyah( and the Divine Names or Attributes )Al-Asmaa'
Was-Sifaat(.
This kind of Shirk may sometimes be outwardly, such as the Shirk of
those who worship idols and graves, or the dead or even living people.
Other times, it may be hidden, such as those who put their trust in
other than Allaah, or the Shirk of the hypocrites. For even though
their )hypocrites'( Shirk puts them beyond the pale of Islam and means
that they will abide forever in Hell, it is a hidden Shirk, because
they make an outward display of Islam and conceal their disbelief and
Shirk, so they are inwardly Polytheists but not outwardly.
Shirk in the form of beliefs, such as:
- The belief that there is someone else who creates, gives life and
death, reigns or controls the affairs of the universe along with
Allaah.
- The belief that there is someone else who must be obeyed absolutely
besides Allaah.
- Associating others with Allaah in love and veneration, by loving a
created being as loving Allaah. This is the kind of Shirk that Allaah
does not forgive, and it is the Shirk about which Allaah Says )what
means(:
"And of mankind are some who take )for worship( others besides Allaah
as rivals. They love them as they love Allaah."]Quran 2:165[
- The belief that there are those who know the Unseen that only Allaah
Knows. This is very common among some of the deviant sects.
- The belief that there is someone who bestows mercy in a manner that
is befitting only for Allaah, so he shows mercy as Allaah does and
forgives sins and overlooks the bad deeds of his 'worshippers'.
Shirk in the form of words:
Such as those who supplicate to someone other than Allaah, or seek his
help or seek refuge with him with regard to matters over which no one
has control except Allaah, whether the person called upon is a
Prophet, a Wali )righteous person(, an angel or a jinn, or some other
created being. This is a kind of major Shirk which puts one beyond the
pale of Islam.
Also, those who make fun of religion or who liken Allaah to His
creation, or say that there is another creator, provider or controller
besides Allaah are included in this type of Shirk. All of these fall
under major Shirk and are grave sins that are not forgiven.
Shirk in the form of actions:
Such as one who sacrifices, prays or prostrates to something other
than Allaah, or who promulgates laws to replace the rulings of Allaah
and makes such laws the reference which people are obliged to refer to
for judgement; or one who supports the disbelievers and helps them
against the believers, and other acts that go against the basic
meaning of faith and put the one who does them beyond the pale of
Islam.
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