Examine What Shirk Means in Islam

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Examine What Shirk Means in Islam.

Tawheed in Islam is very important as it means that believing in one lord and no one else. It is attributing oneness to Allah and describing him as being one and unique as he has no partner in his essence and attributes. However if one doesn’t believe in this then he is going against Tawheed and will be classed as not a true Muslim. Believing that Allah is one with no partner or associate in his lordship is known as Tawheed ruboobiyyah. If any disagrees with this statement then they are going against Allah’s word which are written in the Quran as he states “Say he is Allah, the One and only”. This verse clearly shows that Allah is one as he has written it him in the Quran for Muslims, no one should join partners with him nor should they believe in anyone besides him, this is known as shirk.  Shirk in linguistic meaning is associating partnership, sharing with someone or associating something with someone however in Islam it refers to associating partners with Allah.

There are two type of shirk which are:

  1. Shirk Akbar – Major Shirk
  2. Shirk Asgar – Minor Shirk

Major shirk in Islam means when an individual ascribe partners with Allah such as saying that he has a son or a family. This can be with his Lordship, divinity or his names and attribute. Allah has told the Muslims in the Quran that he does not forgive anyone who ascribes partners with him in any way, as he states “Verily! Allah forgives not setting up partners with Him, but He forgives whom He wills sins other than that, and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.” (2:48). Shirk is classed as worst sin in Islam. Shirk can be also loving someone as they should be loving Allah, and fearing as they should be fearing Allah, or relying upon him, calling upon him, dreading him, hoping in him and having awe of him, trusting in him, or obeying him in disobedience to Allah, or following him in what displeases Allah etc. This type of shirk may sometimes believe that someone else apart from Allah created this universe, maybe gives life and death or having a belief that someone else should be worshipped besides Allah. Whoever believes that then his final abode will be in hellfire as it is stated clearly in the Quran by Allah’s words, “Verily, whosoever sets up partners with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode.” (5: 72). Even the Prophet of Allah mentioned in a Hadith that Shirk is never forgiven as he says “The greatest sins are polytheism etc” (Muslim).

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The second type of Shirk in Islam is the minor shirk which is everything that will lead an individual to major shirk such as adorning something or believing in fortune telling. Minor shirk has been described by Prophet Muhammad as “Shirk in the Muslim nation is more inconspicuous than the creeping of the black ant on a black rock in the pitch darkness of the night.” This saying of Prophet explains to the Muslims in a metaphorical way that minor shirk is what will lead the Muslims to major shirk unknowingly. Prophet also said that he feared minor shirk more ...

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