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Faizah · **Re: A Critical Analysis of Shirk -** 06-21-2007

The Definition of Shirk:

Every single word used in the Sharee’ah has a relationship with the linguistic meaning. For example, Zakaah linguistically means ‘purification’, so we know that the Zakaah that we pay purifies our money.

Linguistically: Comes from the three letter root: Shaa Raa Kaaf, which means not be alone, or to have more than one. So that is why linguistically a partner is called ‘shareek’, and a company is called ‘Shurakaa’, because it is composed of a group of partners. So linguistically, Shaa-Raa-Kaa comes from the meaning which means ‘not be alone’, the opposite of ‘one’.

The Shar’ee (Legal) Definition: To make a partner along with Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala.

And the proofs for this definition are found in the Qur’an and Sunnah.

“…Then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth).”

[Al Baqara 2:22]

‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood radhiyAllahu ‘anhu said, ‘I asked the Prophet, “What is the greatest sin in the sight of Allah?” He said, “That you set up a rival unto Allah though He Alone Created you.”’
[Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, No.4]

Another definition is: To give the created the Rights of the Creator.

The Dangers of Shirk

There are a number of dangers of Shirk; here we will only mention a few.

Number one: It is the only sin that if a person dies upon it, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala will never forgive it. Notice the condition, ‘if he dies upon it’. Many people think that if a person commits Shirk once, then they doomed forever. Most of the Sahaaba were mushrikeen before accepting Islam, yet Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala chose them to reach the height and peak of Mankind, because they rejected that Shirk and accepted Tawheed. The only way to remove the sin of Shirk is to accept Islam, but if a person dies upon Shirk, the sin will not be forgiven. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala says;

“Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgives anything less, to whom He pleases; to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin Most heinous indeed.”

[An-Nisa 4:48]

Side Note: So Allah does not forgive Shirk, but he forgives anything less than that. However, all Kuffar and Munafiqoon are not necessarily Mushrikoon. So will Allah forgive the Kuffar who are not Mushrikeen and the Munafiqoon? However, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala said that He will forgive anything less than Shirk. Kufr is the opposite of Islam. You could be ahlul-Kitaab, or a Hindu, or you could believe in a philosophy without a god, or you could be an atheist. If you’re not a Muslim, then you’re a Kaafir. Of course, there are various levels of eemaan. But there is nothing between Islam and Kufr. Kufr is a broad category, and within Kufr there is a subcategory called Shirk. So every single Mushrik is a Kaafir, but not every Kaafir is a Mushrik. For example, cursing Allah and His Messenger is not Shirk, but it is Kufr. And within Kufr, you also have another circle called Nifaaq, so every single Munaafiq is a Kaafir. However, in this Dunya they are treated like Muslims, as we do not know what is in their hearts, so we give them the rights of Islam, but in the sight of Allah he is a Kaafir. Not every single Kaafir, though, is a Munaafiq. So once we understand this, the verse becomes clear. Allah will only forgive that which is less than Shirk, but the sin of Kufr, Nifaaq and Shirk are equivalent in that they are opposites of Islam. So Kufr and Nifaaq are included in this verse, as they are at the evil level of Shirk. If Shirk exists in your heart, you are not upon Tawheed. If Kufr exists in your heart, you are not upon Islam. If Nifaaq exists in your heart, you do not have eemaan. So all of these three concepts cannot exist in the heart of a believer. Therefore Allah mentions the most common type of Kufr and the most evil type of Kufr, because there are relative types of evil as well. For example, if a person kills one human being the penalty is death. And if a person kills 100 people the penalty is still death. Likewise, you look at it relatively; although Shirk is one of the most evil types of Kufr that does not mean that it is less evil than Shirk, and less punishable. So this is the first danger, that it is the only sin that if you die upon it, Allah will not forgive it.

Number two: The sin of Shirk causes a person to remain permanently in the Fire of Hell.

Number Three: Shirk makes it Haram for a person to enter Jannah.

“Whoever joins other gods with Allah,- Allah will forbid him the garden, and the Fire will be his abode.”

[Al-Maeda 5:72]

Number Four: When a person commits Shirk, and He dies in that state of Shirk, every single good deed that he has done will be destroyed.

“But it has already been revealed to thee - as it was to those before thee,- "If thou wert to join (gods with Allah), truly fruitless will be thy work (in life), and thou wilt surely be in the ranks of those who lose (all spiritual good)".

[Az-Zumar 39:65]

So no matter how much good a Mushrik does, it will be no good to him. All of his good deeds will be in vain. And this is without doubt one of the greatest evils of Shirk. That one act of Shirk, no matter how small, and it is not repented for, will cause a person’s entire life to be in vain.

Number Five: The life and property of a Mushrik holds no value, becomes halal, in the state of Jihad. Take note that this is only in the state of Jihad.

Allah’s Apostle SalAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said;
“I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight against the people until they testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is Allah’s Apostle, and offer their prayers perfectly and give the obligatory charity. So if they perform that, then they save their lives and property from me…”
[Bukhari, Volume1, Book 2, No.24]

This means that if they don’t say ‘Laa ilaaha illallaah’, their life and property are Halal for the Muslims. Now realise that this is only when there is an actual Jihad going on, and not in the West where there is no Jihad. Those people who say that this allowed, they are simply like the Khawaarij of old. The Prophet SalAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam lived in Makkah for 13 years, and he didn’t do these types of acts, because this is not the time and place to do them. When there is an official Islamic state, and a Khaleefah, and he calls for Jihad and the Muslim army is behind him fighting with him that is the time. But this does not apply to the women, children, and monks and worshippers in the places of worship. It only applies to the one who is fighting you.

Number six: It is not allowed for a Muslim to ask forgiveness for a Mushrik.

“It is not fitting, for the Prophet and those who believe, that they should pray for forgiveness for Pagans, even though they be of kin, after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire.”

[At-Tawba 9:113]

Notice how evil the sin of Shirk is, that you cannot even ask Allah to forgive the Mushrik once he dies in that state, even if it is your mother or father. This is why Allah’s Messenger SalAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was prohibited from asking Allahu Subhanahu wa Ta’ala forgiveness for his own parents, as occurs in the authentic hadeeth Saheeh Muslim. And the same applied to Abu Talib.

Number Seven: The Mushrikoon are described as impure. Allahu Subhanahu wa Ta’ala says;

“…Truly the Pagans are unclean…”

[At-Tawba 9:28]

He describes them with a spiritual filthiness which can only be purified through Tawheed. Notice the severity of the word ‘Najas’, a filthy, impure, dirty substance. This impurity is spiritual and not physical.

These are just some of dangers of Shirk.

	(#2 (permalink))
Faizah Min Ahlil Hadeeth Status: Offline Posts: 7,271 Reputation: 28233 Rep Power: 61 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: ~ Daar as-Sa'aadah ~ Gender: Way of Life: Muslim	Re: A Critical Analysis of Shirk - 06-21-2007 The Definition of Shirk: Every single word used in the Sharee’ah has a relationship with the linguistic meaning. For example, Zakaah linguistically means ‘purification’, so we know that the Zakaah that we pay purifies our money. Linguistically: Comes from the three letter root: Shaa Raa Kaaf, which means not be alone, or to have more than one. So that is why linguistically a partner is called ‘shareek’, and a company is called ‘Shurakaa’, because it is composed of a group of partners. So linguistically, Shaa-Raa-Kaa comes from the meaning which means ‘not be alone’, the opposite of ‘one’. The Shar’ee (Legal) Definition: To make a partner along with Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala. And the proofs for this definition are found in the Qur’an and Sunnah. “…Then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth).” [Al Baqara 2:22] ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood radhiyAllahu ‘anhu said, ‘I asked the Prophet, “What is the greatest sin in the sight of Allah?” He said, “That you set up a rival unto Allah though He Alone Created you.”’ [Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, No.4] Another definition is: To give the created the Rights of the Creator. The Dangers of Shirk There are a number of dangers of Shirk; here we will only mention a few. Number one: It is the only sin that if a person dies upon it, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala will never forgive it. Notice the condition, ‘if he dies upon it’. Many people think that if a person commits Shirk once, then they doomed forever. Most of the Sahaaba were mushrikeen before accepting Islam, yet Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala chose them to reach the height and peak of Mankind, because they rejected that Shirk and accepted Tawheed. The only way to remove the sin of Shirk is to accept Islam, but if a person dies upon Shirk, the sin will not be forgiven. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala says; “Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgives anything less, to whom He pleases; to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin Most heinous indeed.” [An-Nisa 4:48] Side Note: So Allah does not forgive Shirk, but he forgives anything less than that. However, all Kuffar and Munafiqoon are not necessarily Mushrikoon. So will Allah forgive the Kuffar who are not Mushrikeen and the Munafiqoon? However, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala said that He will forgive anything less than Shirk. Kufr is the opposite of Islam. You could be ahlul-Kitaab, or a Hindu, or you could believe in a philosophy without a god, or you could be an atheist. If you’re not a Muslim, then you’re a Kaafir. Of course, there are various levels of eemaan. But there is nothing between Islam and Kufr. Kufr is a broad category, and within Kufr there is a subcategory called Shirk. So every single Mushrik is a Kaafir, but not every Kaafir is a Mushrik. For example, cursing Allah and His Messenger is not Shirk, but it is Kufr. And within Kufr, you also have another circle called Nifaaq, so every single Munaafiq is a Kaafir. However, in this Dunya they are treated like Muslims, as we do not know what is in their hearts, so we give them the rights of Islam, but in the sight of Allah he is a Kaafir. Not every single Kaafir, though, is a Munaafiq. So once we understand this, the verse becomes clear. Allah will only forgive that which is less than Shirk, but the sin of Kufr, Nifaaq and Shirk are equivalent in that they are opposites of Islam. So Kufr and Nifaaq are included in this verse, as they are at the evil level of Shirk. If Shirk exists in your heart, you are not upon Tawheed. If Kufr exists in your heart, you are not upon Islam. If Nifaaq exists in your heart, you do not have eemaan. So all of these three concepts cannot exist in the heart of a believer. Therefore Allah mentions the most common type of Kufr and the most evil type of Kufr, because there are relative types of evil as well. For example, if a person kills one human being the penalty is death. And if a person kills 100 people the penalty is still death. Likewise, you look at it relatively; although Shirk is one of the most evil types of Kufr that does not mean that it is less evil than Shirk, and less punishable. So this is the first danger, that it is the only sin that if you die upon it, Allah will not forgive it. Number two: The sin of Shirk causes a person to remain permanently in the Fire of Hell. Number Three: Shirk makes it Haram for a person to enter Jannah. “Whoever joins other gods with Allah,- Allah will forbid him the garden, and the Fire will be his abode.” [Al-Maeda 5:72] Number Four: When a person commits Shirk, and He dies in that state of Shirk, every single good deed that he has done will be destroyed. “But it has already been revealed to thee - as it was to those before thee,- "If thou wert to join (gods with Allah), truly fruitless will be thy work (in life), and thou wilt surely be in the ranks of those who lose (all spiritual good)". [Az-Zumar 39:65] So no matter how much good a Mushrik does, it will be no good to him. All of his good deeds will be in vain. And this is without doubt one of the greatest evils of Shirk. That one act of Shirk, no matter how small, and it is not repented for, will cause a person’s entire life to be in vain. Number Five: The life and property of a Mushrik holds no value, becomes halal, in the state of Jihad. Take note that this is only in the state of Jihad. Allah’s Apostle SalAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said; “I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight against the people until they testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is Allah’s Apostle, and offer their prayers perfectly and give the obligatory charity. So if they perform that, then they save their lives and property from me…” [Bukhari, Volume1, Book 2, No.24] This means that if they don’t say ‘Laa ilaaha illallaah’, their life and property are Halal for the Muslims. Now realise that this is only when there is an actual Jihad going on, and not in the West where there is no Jihad. Those people who say that this allowed, they are simply like the Khawaarij of old. The Prophet SalAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam lived in Makkah for 13 years, and he didn’t do these types of acts, because this is not the time and place to do them. When there is an official Islamic state, and a Khaleefah, and he calls for Jihad and the Muslim army is behind him fighting with him that is the time. But this does not apply to the women, children, and monks and worshippers in the places of worship. It only applies to the one who is fighting you. Number six: It is not allowed for a Muslim to ask forgiveness for a Mushrik. “It is not fitting, for the Prophet and those who believe, that they should pray for forgiveness for Pagans, even though they be of kin, after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire.” [At-Tawba 9:113] Notice how evil the sin of Shirk is, that you cannot even ask Allah to forgive the Mushrik once he dies in that state, even if it is your mother or father. This is why Allah’s Messenger SalAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was prohibited from asking Allahu Subhanahu wa Ta’ala forgiveness for his own parents, as occurs in the authentic hadeeth Saheeh Muslim. And the same applied to Abu Talib. Number Seven: The Mushrikoon are described as impure. Allahu Subhanahu wa Ta’ala says; “…Truly the Pagans are unclean…” [At-Tawba 9:28] He describes them with a spiritual filthiness which can only be purified through Tawheed. Notice the severity of the word ‘Najas’, a filthy, impure, dirty substance. This impurity is spiritual and not physical. These are just some of dangers of Shirk.