Lesson 10: Greater shirk

Question 1

Linguistic meaning of Shirk

Answer 1

• To associate
• The word أشرك is to take a شريك-partner (to make one a partner with the other)

such as- أشركه في أمري Make him a partner in this matter of mine

Question 2

Something to keep in mind about definitions (just adding this nothing important)

Answer 2

Definitions are originally placed to help you understand; give a good picture of the matter at hand.

Later on, people tried to make every definition comprehensive (such that it gathered every single thing on the topic) and exclusive

So it’s open to criticism.

Question 3

Technical definition(s) of Shirk

Answer 3

صرف شيئ من عبادة بغير الله

Diverting something from worship to other than Allah

However, this has issues

• It’s not comprehensive, as there’s other types of shirk-his lordship,his names and attributes, those who believe more than 1 creator

yet this is generally sufficient.

اتخاذ الشريك أو الند مع الله جل وعلا في الربوبية أو في العبادة أو في الأسماء والصفات

Taking a partner or rival in Allah سبحانه و تعالى in his lordship, or his worship or his names and attributes

This is a good definition, as it gathers the categories of Tawheed so it’s comprehensive.

أن يُصرف لغير الله ما هو محق حقّ لله سبحانه وتعالى وحده في الربوبية والعبادة والأسماء والصفات

To divert to others what is the exclusive right of Allah, Glory be to Him, alone in His Lordship, worship, and names and attributes

Bear in mind, when the scholars talk about صرف العبادة لغير الله- worshipping other than Allah, this is said by way of majority example, not that there is no other kind of shirk, but that this is the majority and core of shirk (shirk in worship)

Question 4

The beginning of Shirk with the children of Adam

Answer 4

Nuh - 71:23
وَقَالُواْ لَا تَذَرُنَّ ءَالِهَتَكُمۡ وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَلَا سُوَاعًا وَلَا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسۡرًا

English - Sahih International
And said, ‘Never leave your gods and never leave Wadd or Suwa’ or Yaghuth and Ya’uq and Nasr.

أنَّ رجلًا قال : يا رسولَ اللهِ أنبيًّا كان آدمُ ؟ قال : نعم ، مُكلَّمٌ . قال : كم كان بينه وبين نوحٍ ؟ قال : عشرةُ قرونٍ

A man said oh Rasulullah ﷺ, was Adam a prophet? He said yes, he was one spoken to. The man asked how long was between Adam and Nuh? He said 10 generations.

-Ibn Hibban and al Hakim (authentic according to the conditions of imam Muslim, and imam dhahabi and ibn kathir agreed)

shirk came from-ghluww to the salihin (pious)

Question 5

Hadith with regards to not exaggerating about the messenger ﷺ

Answer 5

• حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، قَالَ زَعَمَ الزُّهْرِيُّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنْ عُمَرَ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَا تُطْرُونِي كَمَا أَطْرَتْ النَّصَارَى عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ‏.It was narrated from Umar that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Do not praise me as the Christians praised ‘Eesa bin Maryam عليه السلام. I am no more than the slave of Allah and His Messenger.

Question 6

Ayah on how shirk is never forgiven and what is meant by it

Answer 6

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغۡفِرُ أَن يُشۡرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغۡفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰٓ إِثۡمًا عَظِيمًا

Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.

• This may even include minor shirk as we will learn together as the ayah is general
• This ayah is referring to dying upon shirk, and the evidence for this is numerous such as:

Az-Zumar - 39:53

• Arabic
  **قُلۡ يَٰعِبَادِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسۡرَفُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُواْ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًاۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
  **
  Say, “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah . Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”
• And that many of the companions accepted Islam after being upon shirk

Al-Ma’idah - 5:72
Arabic
**لَقَدۡ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَۖ وَقَالَ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ يَٰبَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّكُمْۖ إِنَّهُۥ مَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ وَمَأۡوَىٰهُ ٱلنَّارُۖ وَمَا لِلظَّٰلِمِينَ مِنۡ أَنصَارٍ
** They have certainly disbelieved who say, “ Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary” while the Messiah has said, “O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.” Indeed, he who associates others with Allah - Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.

Question 7

Dua of Ibrahim that shows fear of Shirk

Answer 7

وَإِذۡ قَالَ إِبۡرَٰهِيمُ رَبِّ ٱجۡعَلۡ هَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدَ ءَامِنًا وَٱجۡنُبۡنِى وَبَنِىَّ أَن نَّعۡبُدَ ٱلۡأَصۡنَامَ

English - Sahih International
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham said, “My Lord, make this city [Makkah] secure and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols.

Question 8

What is shirk divided into and explain it for the worst type

Answer 8

1. شرك الأكبر

This is what we mentioned earlier: أن يُصرف لغير الله ما هو محق حقّ لله سبحانه وتعالى وحده في الربوبية والعبادة والأسماء والصفات

• The ruling upon it is the one who commits it leaves Islam-apostasy and is ruled as an apostate (murtadd)
• There is a process for this-it has conditions and impediments such as the one who is compelled, or confused, ignorant-a new Muslim etc
• Despite the above, there is not going to be lots of excuses, as in the end worshipping ﷲ is معلوم من الدين بالضرورة- known in the religion by necessity, one can’t say I didn’t know I had to worship ﷲ (as a Muslim), but there is a difference between a general and specific ruling.
  2. شرك الأصغر