Many people know, that praying to someone other than to Allah is shirk. So they think praying, fasting, performing hajj to anybody or to anythingy beside Allah ta’ala is shirk. But they are not aware, that being judged, seeking judgment by someone beside Allah falls into the same category and is shirk too.
Shirk in Arabic means taking a partner, i.e., regarding someone as the partner of another. It is said [in Arabic]: ashraka baynahuma (he joined them together) when he regarded them as two of equal status; or ashraka fi amrihi ghayrahu (he introduced another into his affair) when he made two people involved in it.
In terms of sharee’ah or Islamic terminology, shirk means ascribing a partner or rival to Allah ta’ala in Lordship, worship or in His names and attributes. ash-Shirk is the opposite of at-Tawhid.
The origin of the Shirk which is made Haraam (prohibited) is having belief that Allah Ta’ala has a partner in Ilahiyyah (divinity). It is the severest Shirk and it was the Shirk of the Jahiliyyah. Believing that Allah Ta’ala has a partner in His acts, follows this in degree (i.e. severest of Shirk). It is the statement of those who say that there exists something other than Allah Ta’ala which creates and invents an act; even if they do not believe that it is an Ilah.
If a man verifies the meaning of the term Ilah and learns that it means the Ma’bud (the one who is worshiped) to which Ibadah (worship) is directed and to be aware of the reality of Ibadah will clearly see that; the one who directs any type of Ibadah to other than Allah Ta’ala is worshiping it – (therefore) appoints it to be an Ilah for himself. Whether this person refrains to call it as Ma’bud or Ilah and names the act that he commits as having one as Shafa’ah (intermediary), Tawassul (means), seeking refuge etc., (the Hukm is the same).
The Mushrik is a Mushrik whether he wants (to have this attribute) or not. As the usurer is called an usurer whether he wants (to have this attribute) or not; or as the drunken even if he calls Khamr (alcohol) as something else, it is still alcohol. It is stated in the Hadith that which was narrated from Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam:
| “A people of my Ummah will drink wine, calling it by other than its real name.” (Abu Dawud, Hadith no: 3688-3689; Ibnu Majah, Hadith no: 3384) |
As the change in the name does not change the reality of the Musamma (thing that named) it will also not lift its Hukm. As the Bedouin’s wrongfully named Baatil (falsehood) business (stealing etc.,) as Haqq or the oppressor called the things that they devoured men’s substance, that does not change its reality.
There are three types of shirk:
1- ash-Shirk al-Akbar (Major Shirk)
This means ascribing to someone other than Allah something that which belongs only to Allah, such as Lordship (ruboobiyyah), divinity (uloohiyyah) and the divine names and attributes (al-asma’ wa’l-sifaat).
This kind of 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 gods besides Allah, 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 Allah.
Or the belief that there is someone else who must be obeyed absolutely besides Allah, so they follow him in regarding as permissible or forbidden whatever he wants, even if that goes against the deen of the Messengers.
Or they may associate others with Allah in love and veneration, by loving a created being as they love Allah. This is the kind of shirk that Allah does not forgive, and it is the shirk of which Allah ta’ala says:
| “And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allah as rivals (to Allah). They love them as they love Allah.” [al-Baqarah 2:165] |
Or the belief that there are those who know the Unseen as well as Allah. It is also shirk to believe that there is someone who bestows mercy in a manner that is befitting only for Allah, so he shows mercy as Allah 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’a or pray to someone other than Allah, or seek his help or seek refuge with him with regard to matters over which no one has control except Allah, 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 liken Allah to His creation, or say that there is another creator, provider, or controller besides Allah. All of these are major shirk and a grave sin that is not forgiven.
Shirk may sometimes take the form of actions:
Such as one who sacrifices, prays, or prostrates to something other than Allah, or who promulgates laws to replace the rulings of Allah and makes that the law to which people are obliged to refer for judgment.
The evidence for ash-Shirk al-Akbar is the statement of Allah Ta’ala:
| “Lo! Allah pardoneth not that partners should be ascribed unto Him. He pardoneth all save that to whom He will. Whoso ascribeth partners unto Allah hath wandered far astray.” (an-Nisa 4/116) |
And the statement of Allah Ta’ala:
| “Lo! whoso ascribeth partners unto Allah, for him Allah hath forbidden Paradise. His abode is the Fire. For evil-doers there will be no helpers.” (al-Ma’idah 5/72) |
ash-Shirk al-Akbar has four types:
The first type is Shirk ad Du’a (invocation, supplication, or praying to other deities besides Allah)
And the evidence for this is the statement of Allah Ta’ala:
| “And when they mount upon the ships they pray to Allah, making their faith pure for Him only, but when He bringeth them safe to land, behold! They ascribe partners (unto Him).” (al-Ankabut 29/65) |
The second type is Shirk al-Niyyah (intentions) w’al Iraadah (purpose) wa’l Qasd (determination), (directed towards other than Allah)
The evidence is the statement of Allah Ta’ala:
| “Whoso desireth the life of the world and its pomp, We shall repay them their deeds herein, and therein they will not be wronged. Those are they for whom is naught in the Hereafter save the Fire. (All) that they contrive here is vain and (all) that they are wont to do is fruitless.” (Huud 11/15-16) |
The third type is Shirk at-Ta’at (rendering obedience to any authority against the Order of Allah)
The evidence for this is the statement of Allah Ta’ala:
| “They have taken as lords beside Allah their rabbis and their monks and Isa (the Messiah) son of Maryam (Mary), when they were bidden to worship only One God. There is no God save Him. Be He glorified from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)!” (at-Tawbah 9/31) |
| Imam Ahmad, Tirmidhi, and Ibn Jarir at-Tabari recorded a Hadith via several chains of narration, from Adiyy ibn Hatim (radiyallahu anh), who became a Christian during the time of Jahiliyyah. When the call of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) reached his area, Adiyy ibn Hatim (radiyallahu anh) ran away to ash-Sham, and his sister and several of his people were captured. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) freed his sister and gave her gifts. So she went to her brother and encouraged him to become Muslim and to go to Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Adiyy ibn Hatim (radiyalalhu anh), who was one of the chiefs of his people (the tribe of Tai) and whose father, Hatim at-Ta’i, was known for his generosity, went to al-Madinah. When the people announced his arrival, Adiyy ibn Hatim (radiyallahu anh) went to Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) wearing a silver cross around his neck. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) recited this Ayah; “They took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah.” (at-Tawbah 9/31) Adiyy ibn Hatim (radiyallahu anh) commented; I said: They did not worship them. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Yes they did. They (i.e., Rabbis and Monks) prohibited the allowed for them (Christians and Jews) and allowed the prohibited, and they obeyed them. This is how they worshiped them. (…) They took their Rabbis and their Monks to be their lords besides Allah (…) that the Christians and Jews obeyed their monks and rabbis in whatever they allowed or prohibited for them…” This Hadith related by Tirmidhi (Tafsir #9) Tabari, (14/210 #61631-61634) as Hasan with Shahawid (witnesses). Suyuti attribute it to Ibn Sa’d, Abd ibn Humayd, Ibn Mundhir, Ibn Abu Hatim, Tabarani, Abu’sh Shayh, Ibn Marduwayh and Bayhaki. (Durr’ul Manthur, 3/230) |
The fourth type is Shirk al-Mahabbah (showing the love which is due to Allah Alone, to others than Him)
The evidence for this is the statement of Allah Ta’ala:
| “And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allah as rivals (to Allah). They love them as they love Allah. But those who believe, love Allah more (than anything else). If only those who do wrong could see when they will see the torment, that all power belongs to Allah and that Allah is Severe in punishment.” (al-Baqarah 2/165) |
2- Shirk al-Asghar which is ar-Riya (the Minor Shirk, acts performed to show off)
| Mahmoud ibn Labeed said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The thing that I fear most for you is minor shirk.” They said: “O Messenger of Allaah, what is minor shirk?” He said: “Showing off, for Allah will say on the Day when people are recompensed for their actions: ‘Go to those for whom you were showing off with your deeds in the world, and see what reward you find with them.’” (al-Musnad 27742; al-Baghawi Sharh as-Sunnah 4135) |
Minor shirk also includes everything that may lead to major shirk, or which is described in the texts as being shirk, but does not reach the extent of being major shirk.
This is usually of two types:
1 – Being emotionally attached to some means which have no basis and for which Allah has not given permission, such as hanging up “hands”, turquoise beads etc. on the grounds that they offer protection or that they ward off the evil eye. But Allah has not made them the means of such protection, either according to sharee’ah or according to the laws of the universe. If someone believes, that these things can protect with Allah’s help, this is minor shirk. But if someone believes, that these things are able to protect themselves, this is major shirk.
2 – Venerating some people or things in a way that does not go so far as ascribing lordship to them, such as swearing by something other than Allah, or saying, “Were it not for Allah and So and so,” etc.
Minor shirk may sometimes take the form of outward actions, such as wearing talismans, strings, amulets, and the like, and other words and deeds. And sometimes it may be hidden, like a little bit of showing off.
It may also take the form of beliefs:
Such as the belief that something may be a cause of bringing benefit or warding off harm, when Allah has not made it so; or believing that there is barakah (blessing) in a thing, when Allah has not made it so.
It sometimes takes the form of words:
Such as when they said, “We have been given rain by such and such a star,” without believing that the stars could independently cause rain to fall; or swearing by something other than Allah, without believing in venerating the thing sworn by or regarding it as equal with Allah; or saying, “Whatever Allah wills and you will,” and so on.
It sometimes takes the form of actions:
Such as hanging up amulets or wearing a talisman or string to dispel or ward off calamity, because everyone who attributes powers to a thing when Allah has not made it so either according to sharee’ah or according to the laws of the universe, has associated something with Allah. This also applies to one who touches a thing seeking its barakah (blessing), when Allah has not created any barakah in it, such as kissing the doors of the mosques, touching their thresholds, seeking healing from their dust, and other such actions.
3- Shirk al-Khafi (the Inconspicuous Shirk)
The third type of Shirk is Shirk al-Khafi (the Inconspicuous Shirk).
This type implies being inwardly dissatisfied with the inevitable condition that has been ordained for one by Allah; conscientiously lamenting that had you done or not done such and such or had you approached such and such you would have had a better status, etc.
The evidence for this is the statement of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam:
| “Shirk in my Ummah is much more hidden than the pace of an ant crawling upon a black stone. Shirk is very hidden. It enters the heart very silently and very few are saved from it. Upon hearing this, Abu Bakr Siddiq asked (radiyallahu anh): How can one be saved from it? Rasulullah (sallallah alayhi wa sallam) said: Should I not show you such a Du’a (supplication) that if you recite it, you will be free from minor and major Shirk. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (radiyallahu anh) requested him to do so. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) instructed him to say: O Allah, I seek protection in You from that I ascribe partners to You knowingly and I seek forgiveness from You for those things which I do not know.” (Hakim; Bukhari, Adab al-Mufrad, #716) |
According to some scholars, minor shirk and hidden shirk is one type of shirk.
Their evidence is this hadeeth:
| The Messenger of Allah, salliAllahu alayhi wa sallam, said “Should I not inform you of that which I fear for you even more than the dangers of Dajjal? It is the hidden Shirk; a person stands to pray, and he beautifies his prayer because he sees the people looking at him.” (Sunan Ibn Majah Vol 2, 3389) |