V1:102- Explanation of the categories of Shirk
- 3 years ago
102- Explanation of the categories of Shirk
Q: Would your Eminence explain to me the types of Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) and whether swearing by other than Allah is a form of Shirk that takes the Muslim out of Islam?
A: There are two types of Shirk: major and minor. Major Shirk means dedication of a part of worship or an entire act of worship to other than Allah (Exalted be He), such as calling upon the dead, seeking refuge in them, or vowing to them or to the Jinn, the angels or to others. The dead come under the category of absent beings; therefore, calling upon them is a kind of major Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship that takes the Muslim out of Islam). This is typical of what Quraysh and other Arabs used to do with their idols and statues. The same ruling applies to a Muslim who denies any of Ma`lum minad-din biddarurah (well-established and known Islamic principles), whether the thing denied is an obligation or a prohibition. Anyone who denies any of them is a Kafir (disbeliever) or a Mushrik (one who associates others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) guilty of major Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship that takes the Muslim out of Islam), such as saying that offering Salah, paying Zakah, or fasting during Ramadan is not obligatory on Muslims who are Mukallaf (meeting the conditions to be held legally accountable for their actions). Anyone who makes any such claims is a Kafir and a Mushrik who is guilty of major Shirk. The same applies to declaring a matter lawful that has been prohibited by Allah (Exalted be He) and consensually agreed upon by Muslims, such as saying Zina (sexual intercourse outside marriage), drinking Khamr (intoxicant), filial ingratitude, Sihr (witchcraft) and the like are Halal (lawful). Such claims render the person guilty of Kufr or major Shirk. The rule is that anyone who dedicates any form or part of an act of worship to other than Allah (Exalted be He), such as idols, trees, dead. Jinn or other unseen beings is a Mushrik who is guilty of major Shirk. It is the same case for anyone who denies any matter that Allah (Exalted be He) made obligatory or or declared unlawful, classed under Ma`lum minad-din biddarurah that all Muslims unanimously agree on. The same applies to anyone who commits an act whose gravity nullifies their faith in Islam; such a person is a Mushrik who is guilty of major Shirk as we previously mentioned. Minor Shirk has also types, such as swearing by other than Allah (Exalted be He), swearing by the Prophet (ﷺ), by the sake of honesty, or by a person. These are all considered minor Shirk. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Anyone who swears by other than Allah has committed Shirk.' Riya' (doing good deeds for show) is also considered minor Shirk, such as reciting the Qur`an or giving alms with the intention to show off. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The thing I fear most for you is minor Shirk.' They asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, what is minor Shirk?' He (ﷺ) said, 'Riya.' Moreover, saying "what Allah wills and so and so wills" or "if it were not for Allah and so and so" or "it is from Allah and so and so" is considered minor Shirk. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Do not say, 'What Allah wills and so and so wills.' Rather say, 'What Allah wills, and then so and so wills.' When a man said, "O Messenger of Allah, what Allah wills and what you will," the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Are you making of me an equal to Allah? It is what Allah Alone wills. Minor Shirk may become major Shirk if it is thought that the thing worn by shares power with Allah (Exalted be He) in disposing of the universe and has a will that can hinder Allah's Will or Ability or can harm or do good without the Will of Allah or thinks it is worthy to be worshipped and worthy to be sought for refuge besides or instead of Allah. This belief is tantamount to major Shirk. But, if the person just swears by other than Allah (Exalted be He) without any associated belief - but only a slip of the tongue to show respect for a person who is admired or deemed worthy to be sworn by, such as a prophet or a righteous person, or swearing by the life of one's father or mother - scholars see that doing so is only minor Shirk, not major.
[Vol. 1, Page No. 274-275]
Q: Would your Eminence explain to me the types of Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) and whether swearing by other than Allah is a form of Shirk that takes the Muslim out of Islam?
A: There are two types of Shirk: major and minor. Major Shirk means dedication of a part of worship or an entire act of worship to other than Allah (Exalted be He), such as calling upon the dead, seeking refuge in them, or vowing to them or to the Jinn, the angels or to others. The dead come under the category of absent beings; therefore, calling upon them is a kind of major Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship that takes the Muslim out of Islam). This is typical of what Quraysh and other Arabs used to do with their idols and statues. The same ruling applies to a Muslim who denies any of Ma`lum minad-din biddarurah (well-established and known Islamic principles), whether the thing denied is an obligation or a prohibition. Anyone who denies any of them is a Kafir (disbeliever) or a Mushrik (one who associates others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) guilty of major Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship that takes the Muslim out of Islam), such as saying that offering Salah, paying Zakah, or fasting during Ramadan is not obligatory on Muslims who are Mukallaf (meeting the conditions to be held legally accountable for their actions). Anyone who makes any such claims is a Kafir and a Mushrik who is guilty of major Shirk. The same applies to declaring a matter lawful that has been prohibited by Allah (Exalted be He) and consensually agreed upon by Muslims, such as saying Zina (sexual intercourse outside marriage), drinking Khamr (intoxicant), filial ingratitude, Sihr (witchcraft) and the like are Halal (lawful). Such claims render the person guilty of Kufr or major Shirk. The rule is that anyone who dedicates any form or part of an act of worship to other than Allah (Exalted be He), such as idols, trees, dead. Jinn or other unseen beings is a Mushrik who is guilty of major Shirk. It is the same case for anyone who denies any matter that Allah (Exalted be He) made obligatory or or declared unlawful, classed under Ma`lum minad-din biddarurah that all Muslims unanimously agree on. The same applies to anyone who commits an act whose gravity nullifies their faith in Islam; such a person is a Mushrik who is guilty of major Shirk as we previously mentioned. Minor Shirk has also types, such as swearing by other than Allah (Exalted be He), swearing by the Prophet (ﷺ), by the sake of honesty, or by a person. These are all considered minor Shirk. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Anyone who swears by other than Allah has committed Shirk.' Riya' (doing good deeds for show) is also considered minor Shirk, such as reciting the Qur`an or giving alms with the intention to show off. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The thing I fear most for you is minor Shirk.' They asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, what is minor Shirk?' He (ﷺ) said, 'Riya.' Moreover, saying "what Allah wills and so and so wills" or "if it were not for Allah and so and so" or "it is from Allah and so and so" is considered minor Shirk. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Do not say, 'What Allah wills and so and so wills.' Rather say, 'What Allah wills, and then so and so wills.' When a man said, "O Messenger of Allah, what Allah wills and what you will," the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Are you making of me an equal to Allah? It is what Allah Alone wills. Minor Shirk may become major Shirk if it is thought that the thing worn by shares power with Allah (Exalted be He) in disposing of the universe and has a will that can hinder Allah's Will or Ability or can harm or do good without the Will of Allah or thinks it is worthy to be worshipped and worthy to be sought for refuge besides or instead of Allah. This belief is tantamount to major Shirk. But, if the person just swears by other than Allah (Exalted be He) without any associated belief - but only a slip of the tongue to show respect for a person who is admired or deemed worthy to be sworn by, such as a prophet or a righteous person, or swearing by the life of one's father or mother - scholars see that doing so is only minor Shirk, not major.
[Vol. 1, Page No. 274-275]