Dangers of Shirk
Shirk is the only unforgivable sin in the sight of Allah.
“Surely Allah does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and forgives what is besides that to whomsoever He pleases; and whoever associates anything with Allah has indeed devised a very great sin.” (An-Nisaa’, 4:48)
“Surely Allah does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and He forgives what is besides this to whom He pleases; and whoever associates anything with Allah has wandered far astray.” (An-Nisaa’, 4:116)
Shirk prohibits a person from entering Paradise, and obligates a permanent abode in Hell.
Surely whoever associates (others) with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and his abode is Hell. (Al-Maa’idah, 5:72)
Shirk is so evil that it destroys all of a person’s good deeds.
“And certainly, it has been revealed to you and to those before you: Surely if you associate (with Allah), all your works will be nullified, and you will be with the losers.” (Az-Zumar:65)
If a person dies in a state of shirk, it is prohibited for his Muslim friends and relatives to seek forgiveness for him.
“It is not for the Prophet, and those who believe, to pray for the forgiveness of idolaters even though they may be near of kin (to them) after it has become clear that they are people of Hellfire.” (At-Tawbah, 9:113)
Allah has described those who commit shirk as being najas, or filthy.
“The idolaters are nothing but unclean.” (At-Tawbah, 9:28)
Read MoreDefinition of Shirk
The Quran and Sunnah have defined shirk,
“So do not make, along with Allah, partners (andaad) while you know (that He is the true Creator)” (2:22)
Ibn Mas’ood radiyAllahu ‘anhu asked the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam,
“What is the greatest sin?” He replied: “To take alongside Allah a partner (nidd) even though it was He that created you.”
The essence of Shirk involves giving Allah’s rights to other than Him. Therefore, to claim that a certain object or deity has the power to bless one with one’s needs is shirk. To prostrate or make du’aa to other than Allah is also shirk. The claim that any created object knows everything, or can hear any plea directed to it, is shirk. Whenever any specific right of Allah’s is given to any other object, whether that object be a living being or an inanimate object, real or imagined, shirk has occurred.
Categories of Shirk
1. Shirk in Ruboobiyyah – This includes shirk by denial or affirmation. Shirk by denial includes denying that creation has a Creator, or denying the perfect existence of Allah by denying any of His Names and Attributes. By this definition, atheism is a form of shirk, since they take the right of creating away from Allah. Shirk by affirmation would be like affirming another creator in addition to Allah.
2. Shirk in Asmaa wa as-Sifaat. This can occurs by comparing Allah to the creation, or by comparing the creation to Allah.
3. Shirk in Uloohiyyah. This is the most common type of shirk. It is also the only category in which minor shirk can occur. This will be explained in the manifestations of Tawheed.
Read MoreImportance of Knowing Shirk
Allah (swt) has clarified the path of shirk for us,
“And thus do We explain the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail, that the way of the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists, sinners), may become manifest.” (6:55)
We learn evil to avoid it, not for the sake of doing it. He who does not know good from evil will fall into it.
The study of shirk is, therefore, an essential component of studying Tawheed.
- Acts of worship will not be accepted by Allah unless tawheed is perfected.
- Likewise, the only way that any person will save himself from the Fire of Hell is by avoiding shirk and dying upon tawheed; if he is not even aware of the essence of shirk, then how can he avoid it?
- The primary incentive to avoid shirk is to appreciate its dangers.
- Shirk is of many different types and categories.
It is only through a critical study of these categories that a person can ensure that he is free of all types of shirk.
An important maxim to keep in mind while studying shirk is to know that Tawheed existed before shirk:
- The Fitrah and Meethaq
- First shirk to occur was during the time of Prophet Nooh ‘alayhis salam.
- Adam ‘alayhis salam, the first man and the father of all peoples, was a Prophet of Allah.
Use of ‘Aql (ad-Darimi)
ImÄm `UthmÄn b. Sa`Ä«d al-DÄrimÄ« states in al-Radd `AlÄ al-JahmÄ«yyah:
Some of them have said, “No, we base our view on the rational (ma`qÅ«l).”
We say: it is here that you have strayed from the right path and fallen into misguidance from which you have no escape, for reason (ma`qÅ«l) is not a monolithic entity with uniformly defined limits for all people such that it would be sufficient. If such were the case, it would be a relief for the people and we would also base our view upon it and go no further. In that case, AllÄh would not have said:
“Each sect rejoices in what it has.” [Al-Mu'minÅ«n:53]
Thus, we find that according to each group, the “rational” (ma`qÅ«l) is that which they are upon while that which opposes them they regard to be “irrational” (majhÅ«l). Consequently, O assembly of JahmÄ«s, we find your factions to be in dispute as to what is “rational”. Each faction amongst you claims that reason is with it and that is calling to it, while that which opposes it is irrational. Thus, having seen that “reason” is disputed amongst us and you and all the People of Desires, we have not been able to find a precise definition for it in all things. Consequently, we hold that the most guided way is to refer all manners of reasoning to the order of AllÄh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and to that which was considered rational by his Companions and was well-known amongst them, because it was in their midst that the revelation would descend. Hence, they are more knowledgeable of its meanings than you or us. Furthermore, they were in agreement about the fundamentals of the religion (UsÅ«l al-DÄ«n). They did not divide into factions concerning them, innovations did not appear amongst them nor desires which lead one astray from the path.
Hence, in our view, the rational is that which corresponds with their guidance and the irrational is that which opposed them. Furthermore, there is no way to know their guidance and their way except by these Ä€thÄr, and you have detached yourself from them and claim to select only some of them, so how can you be guided?
Read MoreHope
There are 2 types of spiritual hope.
1) Forgiviness of sins.
2) Acceptance of good deeds.
Both of these are unique to Allah (swt) only.
“And who forgives the sins except Allah.” (Aali-‘Imraan, 3:135)
“Those who believe and those who emigrate and strive hard in the cause of Allah, it is these who hope for Allah’s mercy; And Allah is Most Forgiving Merciful.” (Al-Baqarah, 2:218)
“And slacken not in seeking these people. If you suffer, they too suffer even as you suffer. But you hope from Allah what they hope not. And Allah is All-Knowing, Wise.” (An-Nisaa, 4:104)
“He said, ‘None despairs of his Lord’s mercy, except those who are astray?” (Al-Hijr:56)
“The greatest of all major sins are shirk, feeling safe from the plotting of Allah, giving up hope in Allah’s Mercy, and feeling despair from the help of Allah.” (Ibn Mas’ood)
“Let none of you die unless he has good expectations from Allah.” (Muslim)
Read More