The Teaching
Understanding Shirk Al Akbar (Major Shirk)
One of the most important obligations is to know the meaning of shirk, 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 Islamic terminology means ascribing a partner or rival to Allaah in Lordship (ruboobiyyah), worship (uloohiyyah) or in His names and attributes (al-asma’ wa’l-sifaat).
Allah Subhanahu wa Taala forbids setting up rivals with Him and He condemns those who take false gods as rivals instead of or besides Him. As mentioned in the Noble Quran :
فَلَا تَجۡعَلُواْ لِلَّهِ أَندَادً۬ا وَأَنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ
“Then do not set up rivals unto Allaah (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshipped)” [Surah al-Baqarah 2:22]
In the hadeeth Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4497; Muslim, 92 the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) said: “Whoever dies claiming that Allaah has a rival, will enter Hell.”.
The texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah indicate that shirk and the ascribing of rivals to Allaah puts a person beyond the pale of Islam.
This means ascribing to someone other than Allaah in something that belongs only to Allaah, such as Lordship (ruboobiyyah), divinity (uloohiyyah) and the divine names and attributes (al-asma’ wa’l-sifaat).
Major shirk may sometimes be outward, such as the shirk of those who worship idols and graves, or the dead or absent. Or it may sometimes be hidden, such as those who put their trust in other besides Allaah, or the shirk and kufr 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 kufr and shirk, so they are inwardly mushriks but not outwardly.
Shirk may sometimes take 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. Or the belief that there is someone else who must be obeyed absolutely besides Allaah, so they follow him in regarding as permissible or forbidden whatever he wants, even if that goes against the religion of the Messengers. Or they may associate others with Allaah in love and veneration, by loving a created being as they love Allaah. This is the kind of shirk that Allaah does not forgive, Allah Subhanahu wa Taala says :
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَندَادً۬ا يُحِبُّونَہُمۡ كَحُبِّ ٱللَّهِۖ
“And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allaah as rivals (to Allaah). They love them as they love Allaah” [Surah al-Baqarah 2:165]
The belief that there are those who know the Unseen along with Allaah, is very common among some of the deviant sects such as the Raafidis (Shi’ah), extreme Sufis, and Baatinis (esoteric sects) in general. The Raafidis believe that their imams have knowledge of the unseen, and the Baatinis and Sufis believe similar things about their awliya’ (“saints”) and so on. It is also shirk to believe 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 may sometimes take the form of words : Such as those who make du’aa’ or pray to someone other than Allaah, or seek his help or seek refuge in him with regard to matters over which no one has control except Allaah, whether the person called upon is a Prophet, a wali (“saint”), 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. Or such as 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. All of these are major shirk and a grave sin that is not forgiven.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغۡفِرُ أَن يُشۡرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغۡفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٲلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰٓ إِثۡمًا عَظِيمًا
“Verily, allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him {In worship},but He forgives except that (anything else)to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin” [Surah An Nisaa 4:48]
Shirk may sometimes take the form of actions : Such as one who sacrifices, prays or prostrates to something other than Allaah / along with Allah, or who promulgates laws to replace the rulings of Allaah and makes that the law to which people are obliged to refer for judgement; or one who supports the kaafirs 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. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound.
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