Section 2: Shirk (Polytheism): Definition and Types

[A] Definition: Shirk means to set up a partner with Allah in His Rububiyyah and Uluhiyyah. Most times Shirk occurs in Uluhiyyah, by one invoking others along with Allah, or directing any of the forms of worship to others (besides Allah), such as sacrifice, oaths, fear, hope, and love. Shirk (polytheism) is the gravest sin and this is for several reasons:

1. It is a likening of the creature to the Creator in things, which are peculiar to Allah. Whoever associates anyone with Allah in worship has likened him to Allah. This is the greatest of injustice. Allah - the Most High - said: “... Verily! Joining others in worship with Allah is a great Dhulm Dhulm (wrong) means to place something in other than its rightful place. Whoever worships other than Allah, has placed worship in other than its rightful place and directed it to other than its rightful owner. That indeed is the greatest wrong.
2. Allah has informed that He does not forgive whoever does not repent from it (i.e Shirk). Allah - the Most High - said: “Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him in worship. ” (Qur’an 4: 48)
3. Allah informed that He has made Paradise forbidden to the polytheist and that he shall abide in the fire of Hell forever. Allah said: “...Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the Dhalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers) there are no helpers. ’’(Qur’an 5: 72)
4. Polytheism destroys all deeds. Allah - the Most High - said: “...But if they had joined in worship others with Allah, all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them. ” (Qur’an 6: 88) And He also said: “And indeed it has been revealed to you [O Muhammad Ml- As it was to those (Allah’s Messengers) before you: 'If you join others in worship with Allah, (then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be amongst the losers. ” (Qur’an 39: 65)
5. The blood and wealth of the polytheist are permissible (i.e. they are not in­ violable like the blood and wealth of the Muslims). Allah - the Most High - said: "... 77»e/i At/// /Ae Mushrikun (polytheists) wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and prepare for them each and The Prophet said: “/ Aave Aeen ordered to combat (mankind) until they say: ‘La ilaha illallah ’ (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). When they say so, they have safe-guarded from me, their blood and wealth, except for its right (i.e. the right of Islam such as killing the adulterer, taking the poor due from peoples ’ wealth etc).”
6. Polytheism is the greatest of the major sins. “The Prophet said: ‘Should I not inform you of the greatest o f the major sins?’ We (the Companions) said: ‘Certainly, O Messenger of Allah j&?’ He said: ‘Associatingpartners with Allah and disregard to parents... 4 Ibn Qayyim, said5: “Allah the glorified informed that the intent of creation and command, is that He be known with His Names and Attributes, and that He Alone be worshipped without association. Also, that mankind should stand with fairness, which is justice, by which the heavens and the earth were established, as Allah - the Most High - has said: 4 Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim 5 Al-Jawab At-Kdfl pg. 159 oRRi “Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance (justice) that mankind may keep So He, the glorified, informed that He sent His Messengers and revealed His Books in order that mankind may keep up fairness, which is justice. The greatest of fairness is Tawhid; it is the peak ofjustice and its foundation, while Shirk is Dhulm (wrong) as Allah has said: "... Verily! Joining others in worship with Allah is a great Dhulm So, Shirk is the worst wrong and Tawhid is the fairest justice. Whatever is most contradictory of this objective (intent for creation) is the gravest of the " “Since polytheism itself negates this objective, it is the gravest of the major sins. Allah has forbidden Paradise for every polytheist and made lawful his blood, wealth and family, to the people of Tawhid, and permitted that they be taken as slaves because they abandoned servitude to Him. Allah has refused to accept the deeds of the polytheist, or to accept intercession on his behalf, or respond to any of his invocations in the Hereafter, or accept his hope. The polytheist is the most ignorant person about Allah haven set up partners with Him from amongst His creatures. This is the peak of ignorance just as it is the peak o f wrong, though the polytheist has in reality not wronged Allah, he has rather wronged his own soul.'
7. Polytheism is diminution and blemish, and Allah has absolved Himself of both. Whoever associates partners with Allah, has affirmed what Allah negated from Himself. This certainly is the limit of opposition to Allah - the Most High, and the limit of obstinacy and dissension. [B] Classes of Shirk (polytheism): Shirk is of two categories:

1. Major Shirk: which takes one out of the fold of Islam and makes him abide in the Fire forever if he dies without repenting, having directed any of the forms of worship to other than Allah, such as invoking others besides Allah, seeking closeness, sacrificing and making oath to others, like graves, jinns and devils, besides Allah, or fearing that the dead, the jinns or devils, could harm him or make him ill, or he has hope in other than Allah regarding things, which none has capability over except Allah, such as fulfillment of needs and rescue from calamity. These things are common around tombs built over the graves of pious people. Allah - the Most High - said: “And they worship besides Allah things that hurt them not, nor profit them, and they say: ‘These are our intercessor with Allah. ‘Do you inform Allah of that which He knows not in the heavens and on the earth? Glorified and Exalted be He above all that which they associate as partners with Him!” (Qur’an 10:18)
2. Lesser Shirk: which does not take one out of the fold of Islam but blemishes ones Tawhid. It is a means which leads to Major Shirk and is of two types: (i) Manifest Shirk: This is manifest upon the tongue and the limbs. They are utterances and actions: Utterances: Such as swearing by other than Allah. The Prophet said: ‘Whoever swears by other than Allah has disbelieved or committed Shirk (association of partners with Allah).'6 Also, that one should say: ‘Whatever Allah wishes and what you wish.' When a man said to the Prophet "Whatever Allah wishes and what you wish." He H said: "Have you made me a partner to Allah? Rather say: ‘Whatever Allah Alone Also, that one should say: ‘Had it not been for Allah and So-and-so.' The correct thing is to say: 'Whatever Allah wishes then what you wish,' and ‘Had it not been for Allah then you.' This is because the word 'then' implies an order, which indicates succession. So, you make the wish of the slave dependent upon the wish of Allah, as Allah has said: “And you will not, unless (it be) that Allah wills, - the Lord of the ‘AlamTn (mankind, jinns and all that exists). ” (Qur’an 81: 29) As for the conjunction ‘and’, it is general and indicates association (of two or more things); it does not indicate any order or succession. Other examples are as saying: 'I wouldn't have had this if not for Allah and you,' and ‘this is from the favor of Allah and you.' Actions: Examples include wearing of rings and strings in order to remove afflictions or to prevent harm, the wearing of Talismans for fear of the evil eye and so on. When he believes that these are means of removing afflictions or preventing them, this is lesser Shirk because Allah has not made these things means. However, if he believes that these things prevent and remove affliction in and of themselves, then this is major Shirk as he has placed reliance in other than Allah. b Reported by at-Tirmidhi and he graded it Hasan. al-Hakim graded it Sahlh 1 Reported by an-Nasa’I (ii) Hidden Shirk: This is polytheism in intentions and aims, such as showing-off, the desire to be known and so on. For example, one performs a deed that is a means of closeness to Allah, seeking praises from people therewith; he perfects his prayer or gives in charity in order that he be praised and extolled, or he audibly utters words of remembrance and embellishes his voice in the recitation of the Qur’an, in order that people hear him and praise and extol him. When showing-off mixes with a deed, it destroys it. Allah - the Most High - said: " f 50 whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as partner in the worship of his The Prophet said: “What I fear most for you is lesser Shirk." They (the Companions) asked: “What is lesser Shirk?" He <£ said: Also, part of hidden Shirk is to perform a deed for the sake of worldly benefits, such as the one who performs pilgrimage, or makes the call to prayer, or leads people in prayers for the sake of money. Or he learns the knowledge of the Shari 'ah, or undertakes Jihad for the sake of wealth. The Prophet SI said: ‘Ruined is the slave of Dinar9, Ruined is the slave of Dirham'0, ruined is the slave offood, ruined is the slave of clothing, if he is given, he is pleased, but if not, he is displeased.’1 1 8 Reported by Ahmad, at-Tabarani and al-Baghaw! in Sharh-us-Sunnah 9 The Dinar is a gold coin, a currency of the Arabs at the time of the Prophet.(TN) 10 The Dirham is a silver coin, a currency of the Arabs at the time of the Prophet.(TN) Imam Ibn Qayyim said: “As for Shirk in aims and intentions, this is a shoreless sea, and few are those who escape therefrom. Whoever intends by his deeds other than the Face of Allah and intends other than closeness to Allah and seeking His reward, he has associated partners with Allah in his intention and aims. Sincerity is to make ones deeds, utterance, aims and intentions solely for Allah. This is the pure Monotheistic path of Ibrahim, to which Allah commanded all His slaves. He does not accept other than it. This is the reality of Islam as Allah - the Most High - said: “And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be of the Losers.” It is the path of Ibrahim i&B; whoever turns away therefrom is the It can be summarized from the above that there are differences between Major Shirk and Lesser Shirk:

1. Major Shirk removes one from the fold Islam while. Lesser Shirk does not remove one from the fold Islam, however it diminishes ones Tawhid
2. Major Shirk makes one abide in the Fire (of Hell) forever while Lesser Shirk does not make one abide in the Fire forever, even if he enters it. 11 Reported by al-Bukhan 12 Al-Jawab At-Kafi, pg. 115 most foolish imbecile. ”12
3. Major Shirk destroys all of one’s deeds while Lesser Shirk does not destroy all of one’s deeds; showing-off and acting for the sake of worldly benefit only destroys the deed with which they intermingle.
4. Major Shirk makes a person’s blood and wealth lawful while Lesser Shirk does not make one’s blood and wealth lawful.