Download Chapter 2 Types of shirk - Al

CHAPTER 2 –
THE TYPES OF SHIRK
Shirk literally means partnership, sharing or
association. In Islam it refers to assigning
partners to Allah in whatever form it may take.
Some mention of Shirk has already been made in
the previous section, we will go into more detail
in this section.
Allah says:
ُُ ‫ش ء‬
َ َ‫ُون ََل ِِ َك ِِ ََن ي‬
َ ُ ََ ‫ٱَّلل ََل يَ ۡغ ِف ُر أَن يُ ۡش َر َك بِ ِهۦ َويَ ۡغ ِف ُر‬
َ َّ ‫ِإ َّن‬
“Surely Allah will not forgive the association of
partners (shirk) with Him, but He forgives
(sins) less then that of whomever He wishes.”
[Surah An-Nisaa 4:48]
The sin of Shirk denies the very purpose of man’s
creation and to Allah it is a grave and unforgivable
sin.
The following is an analysis of Shirk in
accordance to the 3 broad categories of
Tawheed.
1.Shirk in Ruboobeeyah
This category of Shirk refers to:
(I) Shirk by Association
Belief that others share Allah’s Lordship
over creation as His equal/near equal
(II) Shirk by Negation
Belief that there exists no Lord over
creation at all (generally, philosophers and
their man-made philosophy fall under this
category)
(I) Shirk by Association
Beliefs which fall under this sub category are ones
in which a main God over creation is recognised.
However, this dominion is shared by other lesser
gods, spirits, mortals, heavenly bodies or earthy
objects.
These belief systems are commonly referred as
either monotheistic (having one God) or
polytheistic (having more than one God).
According to Islam, all these systems are
polytheistic.
Aspects of Hinduism, Christianity, Zoroastrians,
Yoruba religion and Zulu religion all have Shirk in
Ruboobeeyah taking place. Even in Islam Shirk in
Ruboobeeyah is manifested in some Muslim’s beliefs.
• Hinduism – Brahman is seen as the Supreme Being.
Other gods are Brahma (the personified creator of
the universe), Vishnu the (preserver god) and Shiva
(the destroyer) who form a trinity.
Thus, Shirk in Ruboobeeyah is expressed in
Hinduism by the delegation of God’s creative,
destructive and preservative powers to other gods.
• Christianity – Christian belief states that one
God reveals himself in three persons of Father,
Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Spirit), also forming
a trinity.
Thus, Shirk in Ruboobeeyah is expressed in
Christianity by the belief that Jesus and the Holy
Spirit are God’s partners in all His dominion.
• Islam – Among some Muslims, Shirk in
Ruboobeeyah is in their belief that souls of saints
and other righteous humans can affect affairs of
this world, even after their death. It is believed
their souls can fulfil ones needs, remove
calamities and aid whoever calls them.
Common among some Sufis (Muslim mystics)
is the belief in “Rijaal al-Ghayb” (“men of
the unseen world”) chief of whom occupies
the station called “Qutub” from which their
affairs of this world is governed.
(II) Shirk by Negation
This sub category represents the various
philosophies and ideologies which deny the existence
of God either explicitly or implicitly.
In some cases, God’s non-existence is stated
(Atheism), while in other cases His existence is
claimed, but the way in which He is conceived
actually denies His existence, He is found in
everything (Pantheism).
There are a few ancient religious “systems” in which
God does not exist, such as in Buddhism and Jainism.
• Buddhism – God’s existence is denied. Buddha is
seen as one of the Avatars (incarnations of God).
• Jainism – God’s existence is also denied.
Liberated souls achieve something of this status,
having immorality and omniscience. Divine
treatment is given to the liberated ones, building
temples and venerating their images.
Another ancient example is pharaoh of Prophet Moses’
(as) time. Who claimed he was the only true lord of
all creation. Allah quotes him in the Quran as saying to
his people “He proclaimed,‘I am your Lord,
the Most High’.” (An Naaziaat 79:24).
Many Sufis like Ibn Arabee claim that only Allah
exists (All is Allah and Allah is all).
They deny the separate existence of Allah and
thereby in fact deny His existence. This idea was also
expressed in the 17th century by the Dutch Jewish
philosopher, Baruch Spinoza, who claimed that God is
the total of all parts of the universe including man.
2. Shirk in al-Asmaa was-Sifaat
This category of Shirk refers to:
(I) Shirk by Humanisation (giving Allah the
attributes of His creation
(II) Shirk by Deification (giving created being
Allah’s names and attributes)
(I) Shirk by Humanisation
In this aspect, Allah is given the form and qualities
of humans and animals.
Due to man’s superiority over animals, the human
form is more commonly used by idolaters to
represent God in creation.
Consequently, the image of the Creator is often
painted, moulded or carved in the shape of human
beings, possessing the physical features of those
who worship them.
For example, some people worship countless idols in
the likeness of Asian men and consider them
manifestations of God in creation.
Another example of this type of Shirk is the
modern day Christian belief that Prophet Jesus (as)
was God incarnate, that the Creator became His
creation.
(II) Shirk by Deification
This category relates to cases where created
beings/things are given or claim Allah’s names or His
attributes.
For example, it was the practice of the ancient Arabs to
worship idols whose names were derived from the names
of Allah. Their main 3 idols were: al-Laat (taken from
Allah’s name al-Elaah), al-Uzza (taken from al-Azzeez)
and al-Manaat (taken from al-Mannan).
During the Prophet Muhammed’s (pbuh) era there was a
false prophet in a region of Arabia called Yamaaamah,
who took the name Rahmaan which only belongs to Allah.
Among the Shi’ite sects is the Nusayreeyah of
Syria, who believe that the Prophet
Muhammed’s (pbuh) cousin and son-in-law Ali ibn
Abee Talib, was a manifestation of Allah and
gave him many of Allah’s qualities.
Among them is also the Ismai’ilis also known as
Agha Khanis who consider their leader Agha
Khan to be God incarnate.
3. Shirk in al-Ebaadah
In this category of Shirk, acts of worship are
directed to other than God and the reward
for worship is sought from the creation
instead of the Creator.
This category of Shirk refers to:
(I) Ash-Shirk Al-Akbar (Major Shirk)
(II) Ash-Shrik Al-Asghar (Minor Shirk)
(I) Ash-Shirk Al-Akbar (Major Shirk)
This form of Shirk occurs when any act of worship is
directed to other than Allah. It represents the most
obvious form of idolatry which the prophets were
specifically sent by Allah to call the masses of mankind
away from.
Allah says:
َّ ْ‫ٱََۡنِبُو‬
ۡ ‫سوَلً أ َ ِن‬
ۡ ‫ٱَّلل َو‬
َۖ‫و‬
َ ُ‫ٱَِّ غٰغ‬
ُ ‫َوَِقَ ُۡ بَعَ ۡثنَ فِى ڪ ُِل أ ُ ََّ ٍ۬ة َّر‬
َ َّ ْ‫ٱعبُُ ُو‬
“Surely We have sent to every nation a messenger
saying, worship Allah, and avoid Taaghoot (false gods)
[Surah an-Nahl 16:36]
Taaghoot actually means anything which is
worshipped along with Allah or instead of Allah. For
example, love is a form of worship which, in its
perfection, should only be directed to Allah. In
Islam, the love of Allah is expressed by total
obedience to Him.
It is not the type of love which man naturally feels
towards creation (i.e. parents, children, food etc).
To direct that type of love towards Allah is to
lower Him to the level of His Creation which is
Shirk in al-Asmaa was-Sifaat. Love which is worship
is total surrender of one’s will to God.
Allah told the Prophet (pbuh) to tell the believers:
َ ‫قُ ۡل ِإن ُكنَ ُ ۡم َ ُ ِحب‬
َّ ‫ٱَّلل فَٱَ َّ ِبعُونِى يُ ۡح ِب ۡب ُك ُم‬
ُ‫ٱَّلل‬
َ َّ ‫ُّون‬
“Say: If you love Allah, follow me and Allah will
love you”
[Surah al-Imran 3:31]
The Prophet (pbuh) also said:
“None of you is a true believer until I become more
beloved to him then his child, his father and the
whole of mankind”
[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
Allah says:
َ َ ‫سو َل فَقَ ُۡ أ‬
ۖ‫ٱَّلل‬
ُ ‫ٱِر‬
َّ ‫ََّن يُ َِّ ِع‬
َ َّ
َ َّ ‫ع‬
“Whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed
Allah”
[Surah an-Nisaa 4:80]
ۖ‫سو َل‬
ُ ‫ٱِر‬
َّ ‫ٱَّلل َو‬
َ َّ ْ‫قُ ۡل أ َ َِّيعُو‬
“Say: Obey Allah and obey the Prophet”
[Surah al-Imran 3:32]
If man allows love of anything or anyone to come
between himself and Allah, then he has worshipped
that thing. In this way, money/desires can become
one’s god.
Allah says:
ُ‫َ ََ ِن ٱَ َّ َخََ ِإَِ غٰ َههُ ۥ َه َو غٮه‬
َ ‫أ َ َر َُ ۡي‬
“Have you not seen the one who takes his desires
as his god?”
[Surah al-Furqaan 25:43]
Major Shirk represents the greatest act of rebellion
against the Lord of the Universe, and is thus the
ultimate sin. It is a sin so great that it virtually
cancels out all good a person may do and guarantees
its perpetrator eternal abode in Hell.
(II) Ash-Shrik Al-Asghar (Minor Shrik)
Mahmood ibn Lubayd reported, “Allah’s messenger
(pbuh) said: “The thing that I fear for you the most
is ash-Shirk al-Asghar (minor shirk)”. The
companions asked “Oh! Messenger of Allah, what is
minor Shirk?” He replied “ar-Riyaa (showing off),
for verily Allah will say on the Day of Resurrection
when people are receiving their rewards, “Go to
those for whom you were showing off in the
material world and see if you can find any reward
from them”.
[Ahmad]
Ar-Riyaa
Riyaa is the practice of performing any of the various
forms of worship in order to be seen and praised by
people. This sin destroys all the benefits that lie in
righteous deeds and brings in the one who commits it a
serious punishment.
The chance of committing Riyaa is great because it is
so hidden. It only involves the simple act of changing
one’s intention.
Thus, great care has to be taken to ensure that one’s
intentions begin pure and remain pure whenever
righteous deeds are being done. In order to ensure
this, the saying of Allah’s name is enjoined in Islam
before all acts of importance.
The Prophet (pbuh) also provided protection against
the inevitable acts of Shirk by teaching certain
specific prayers which may be said anytime. Abu
Moosaa said, “One day Allah’s messenger delivered a
sermon saying ‘O people, fear Shirk for it is more
hidden than the creeping of an ant.’ Those whom
Allah wished asked, ‘And how do we avoid it when it is
more hidden than the creeping of an ant, O
Messenger of Allah?’” He replied, ‘Say:
“Allahumma Innaa na’oodhu bika an nushrika bika
shay ‘an na’lamuh, wa nastaghfiruka limaa laa na’
lamuh.”
(“O Allah, we seek refuge in you from knowingly
committing shirk with you and we ask your
forgiveness for what we do not know about.”
[Ahmad]