Understanding the Concept of Shirk in Islam

• The Qur’ān and Sunnah have defined shirk.
• Sūrah al-Baqarah 2:22 as: “So do not make, along with Allāh,
partners (andād) while you know (that He is the true Creator).”
• Shirk is defined as taking a partner alongside Allāh.
• Ibn Mas‘ūd (raḍyAllāhu ‘anhu) asked the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi
wa sallam), “What is the greatest sin?” He replied: “To take
alongside Allāh a partner (nidd) even though it was He that created
you.”
• In General Term: An easier way to understand shirk is: Shirk means giving
the rights of Allāh to other than Allāh. Anything that is a right of Allāh and
belongs to Allāh, if you give it to other than Allāh, you have committed
shirk. Once we have defined shirk to be giving the rights of Allāh to other
than Him, we understand that it is broader than just prostrating to an idol.
Any time any right of Allāh is given to other than Allāh, shirk has occurred.
Shirk

 Acts of worship will not be accepted by Allāh unless tawḥīd is perfected.
 Likewise, the only way that any person will save himself from the Fire of
Hell is by avoiding shirk and dying upon tawḥīd; if he is not even aware of
the essence of shirk, then how can he avoid it?
 The primary incentive to avoid shirk is to appreciate its dangers.
 Shirk is of many different types and categories. It is only through a critical
study of these categories that a person can ensure that he is free of all
types of shirk.
Importance of Knowing Shirk

• Shirk is the only unforgivable sin in the sight of Allāh.
Sūrah Al-Nisā’ v. 48: Allāh says that He will never forgive the sin of shirk but will
forgive the sin lesser than that. This is a reference to those who have died without
repenting from shirk.
This means that a person who commits shirk will never enter Jannah.
• Shirk prohibits a person from entering Paradise, and obligates a
permanent abode in Hell.
Sūrah Al-Mā’idah v. 72: “Whoever commits shirk with Allāh, Allāh has made
Jannah ḥarām for him and his abode will be the Fire of Hell.” This means that no
matter what good you have done, Allāh will not accept it.
• Shirk is so evil that it destroys all of a person’s good deeds.
Sūrah Al-Zumar v. 65: “I have revealed to you and to those before you, if you
commit shirk, all of your good deeds will be nullified.” The ‘you’ refers to the
Prophet(ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam), and Allāh is speaking in the first person
directly to Rasūlullāh, which shows the importance of this verse because it is rare
in the Qurʾān.
Dangers of Shirk

• If a person dies in a state of shirk, it is prohibited for his Muslim
friends and relatives to seek forgiveness for him.
When the uncle of the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) died, he said, “I am
going to continue to ask forgiveness for you until Allāh forbids me to do so.” Sūrah
Al- Tawbah v. 113. Allāh says, “It is not appropriate for the Prophet and for those
who believe that they seek forgiveness for the people who do shirk even if they be
close relatives.”
• Allāh has described those who commit shirk as being najas, or filthy.
Shirk is so evil that Allāh has described those who commit it with the term najas.
This is a spiritual najas. Allāh says in Sūrah Al-Tawbah v. 28: “Those who commit
shirk are najas.”
Dangers of Shirk

• Allāh says in Sūrah Nūḥ v.23: “The people of Nūḥ said, ‘We will never
give up our gods Wadd, Suwā‘ā, Yagūth or Ya‘ūq.’”
Ibn ʾAbbāscommented and gave a tafsīr and a summary is as follows:
Between Ādam and Nūḥ were ten generations upon tawḥīd. For ten generations,
people did not even know what idolatry and shirk was. The Prophet Nūḥ lived for a
period of time we do not know, and he gave da‘wah for 950 years. We believe that
early man lived for longer periods of time because the earth needed to be
populated. People lived longer and had more children.
Origin of Shirk

1. Shirk in Rubūbiyyah
a. Shirk by Denial: Denying that creation has a Creator.
a. Total Denial : This is atheism.
b. Partial denial:
b. Shirk by Affirmation:
a. Total Affirmation: Jupiter, Zeus, Brahma, Krishna.
b. Partial Affirmation: Quraysh, Jesus Christ
Categories of Shirk

1. Shirk in Asmā’ wa’l-Ṣifāt
a. Deification: Comparing creation to Allāh
b. Anthropomorphism: Comparing Allāh to creation
2. Shirk in Ulūhiyyah : This is to direct an act of worship to other an Allāh.
a. Major:
a. Theoretical:
b. Practical: Action Based
b. Minor:
a. Minor Shirk in Worship :: Riya :: Show off in prayer
b. Minor Shirk in Tongue :: Only can swear by Allah but not extreme
c. Minor Shirk of Limbs :: Amulets, charms.
Categories of Shirk

• Tawakkul
Allāh tells us in over 50 verses that we must have tawakkul in Him.
Sūrah Al-Mā’idah v. 23: “Put your tawakkul in Allāh if you truly have īmān.”
Sūrah Yūnus v. 84: “And Moses said, ‘O my people, if you have believed in Allāh, then rely
upon Him, if you should be Muslims.’”
A bedouin said, “Oh Messenger of Allāh, when I go to sleep at night, if I don’t tie my camel, it
will go away. Should I tie my camel up or should I leave it untied and put my tawakkul in
Allāh?” The Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “Tie your camel and trust in Allāh.”
This is the reality of our religion: we do both together.
True tawakkul necessitates actions. Tawakkul is something that exists in the heart and is not
manifested in the body. True tawakkul means that you do what you can but your heart is
attached is to Allāh.
• Sabr
Patience is also a manifestation of worship, and we must be patient for the sake of Allāh.
Patience for the sake of Allāh is an integral part of Īmān. Over 70 verses in the Qurʾāntalk
about patience.
Sūrah Al-‘Imrān v. 200: “Oh you who believe, be patient and advise others to be patient.”
Manifestations of ‘Ibādah

• Dua
Du‘ā is one of the greatest acts of worship. It is the essence of worship.
There are over 500 verses in the Qurʾānin which Allāh says, “Do not make du‘ā to other
than Allāh.” “Whoever makes du‘ā to other than Allāh will be of the losers.”
“And invoke not besides Allāh, any that will neither profit you, nor hurt you, but if you did
so, you shall certainly be one of the ẓālimīn.” - Sūrah Yūnus 10:106
• Isti‘ādhah
Isti‘ādhah means seeking spiritual refuge in other than Allāh.
The Qurʾāntells us that when an evil thought comes to you, then seek refuge in Allāh who
Hears and Knows. Sūrah Fuṣṣilat v. 36 “And if there comes to you from Satan an evil
suggestion, then seek refuge in Allāh. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.”
• Seeking Help (Isti‘ānah and Istighāthah)
Istighāthah means help against an enemy

• Vowing (Nadhr)
A nadhr is a religious promise that one is allowed to make with Allāh. It is not recommended
in and of itself, but if done, must be in Allāh’s name.
Shahih Bukhārī: The Prophet (saw) said, “A nadhr (vow) only extracts from the miserly
person and doesn’t change the qadr of Allāh.”
• Sacrifice (Udhiyah)
This means sacrificing an animal. In our religion, an animal must be sacrificed using the
Name of Allāh.
• Tawāf
Tawāf is only done around the Ka‘bah. To do ṭawāf around another icon or structure
intending to please that being is major shirk.
• Prostration
Sajdah is an action of worship that is done to Allāh (SW).
Sūrah Fussilat v. 37: “Do not prostrate to the sun or to the moon, but rather prostrate to
Allāh (SW) who created them if you truly worship Him.”

Tabarruk, Talisman, Omens etc.

• Definition of Barakah
Linguistically: Barakah has two meanings:
1. To remain and linger. To remain in one place and stay on.
2. To nurture and generate.
• Islamically: It refers to the presence of divine blessings in an object
and increasing those blessings.
Defination of Tabarruk

• Some things which are blessed with barakah
– 1. The Qur’ān
– 2. All prophets, especially the Prophet (saw)
– 3. Angels
– 4. Pious people
• Some places which are blessed
– 1. The Ka‘bah, the city of Makkah and surrounding holy sites.
– 2. Prophet’s Masjid and the city of Madinah
– 3. Masjid al-Aqṣa specifically, and Shām in general
– 4. All Masājid (the most beloved places to Allāh…)
• Some timings which are blessed
– 1. The month of Ramaḍān, specifically Laylat al-Qadr.
– 2. The ten days of Dhul-Ḥijjah
– 3. The Sacred Months (Dhul Qa‘dah, Dhul Ḥijjah, Muḥarram and Rajab)
– 4. Friday (the best day that the sun rises). Friday is the holiest day of the week.
– 5. Last third of the night.
– 6. Early morning (especially for obtaining worldly blessings…).
Blessing

• Factors that bring barakah
– Ikhlas
– Mentioning Allāh’s name at the beginning of any act.
– Following the proper sunnahs.
• Tabarruk with the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) after his death
– Allowed
• Every Muslim agrees that you are allowed and should get barakah from the Prophet
(saw) by following him, believing in him, and studying who he was. The main factor
that you get barakah from him is by believing in him and acting upon his Sunnah and
reading about his life and times.
– Prohibited
• i. Traveling with the intention to visit his grave.
• ii. Seeking blessings by kissing/touching the grave.
• iii. Asking the Prophet to make du‘ā to Allāh.
• iv. Seeking the exact places that the Prophet (saw) prayed in ‘accidentally’ (vs.
intentionally).
• v. Seeking blessings by doing ‘sunnah’ or ‘bid‘ah’ acts on the day of his birth.
• Tabarruk with ‘saints’
Blessing

• These evidences show that unchecked tabarruk can lead to serious problems.
• 1. Ḥadīth of Abu Wāqid al-Laythi: In another ḥadīth, we learn the dangers of excessive / improper
barakah: Abu Wāqid al-Laythi was a new Muslim and the next day he joined the army of the Prophet (saw).
They passed by a tree that was used to hang the weapons of the jāhiliyy army before they would go to
battle for good luck. They would then take the weapons and go into battle. Abu Wāqid said, “O Messenger
of Allāh, why don’t you make for us a tree that can give us blessings?” The Prophet (saw)
said, “SubhānAllāh, wallāhi you have asked me exactly what the children of Isrā’īl asked Mūsa when they
crossed over the Red Sea and passed by a nation worshipping an idol when they said, ‘O Mūsa, make for us
a god like they have.’ You have asked me to build a false god.” Abu Wāqid did not ask for an idol, but what
he asked for was a ‘good luck charm’ and a source of barakah. The Prophet (saw) equated that with asking
for another god. You are making the object the source of power and blessings instead of Allāh. What Abu
Wāqid was asking for is in itself shirk. If a person seeks blessings from an icon or an object or a saint
thinking that the grave or saint has the power to bless, then that person has made a god besides Allāh.
• In contrast, if a person is asking for blessings from an object he think Allāh has blessed, then this is bid‘ah
and not shirk.
• 2. Basis of the two idols; al-Lāt and al-’Uzza: Al-Lāt and al-’Uzza were the main idols of Arabia. Al-Lāt
was the main idol of Tā’if and was the rival of the idols of Makkah. It was a huge structure. What is Al-Lāt?
In a hadīth in sahih Bukhārī, Ibn ʾAbbāssaid that “Al-Lāt was a man who used to feed the pilgrims soup, so
when he died, the people built a monument over his grave and that monument eventually became Al-Lāt.”
Al-Lāt was in fact a holy, righteous man who was lifted above his level. The basis of shirk is to take a good
person and place him higher than he deserves. These people sought blessings from the grave of Al-Lāt. Al-
Lāt became the biggest idol in that region. To this day, the number one problem of shirk in the ummah
revolves around the grave of the righteous.
Tabarruk with ‘saints’

• Talismans:
– The extention of barakah is to carry around an object or a talisman that you
think will give you blessings and is a ‘good luck charm’ or an icon that will
protect you from evil or your lucky stone or lucky ring. A talisman is an object.
An omen is something that you see around you. The concept is the same.
– Talismans and omens are used either to derive barakah or to deny barakah, i.e.
good luck or bad luck. In Islām, there is no such thing as luck. Everything that
happens is from Allāh and nothing is random. To ascribe any supernatural
power to other than Allāh or to believe that any object in and of itself can
cause harm or good is pure shirk.
• Omens:
– The Qurʾānand Sunnah clearly dissociate from omens. The reason they are
considered to be impermissible is the same as that for talismans. You are
reading in the power of good luck or bad luck in things that are completely
meaningless. Who cares if a black cat crosses your path? To believe that
something is going to happen to you is a sign of paganism and backwardness
and has nothing to do with the religion of Islām.
Talismans & Omens

• Fake Magic:
– When we talk about sihr, we are not talking about the magic that you see on
tv. It is not pulling rabbits out of a hat. This is just an illusion and trickery and
deceit. You can find out how they are doing these tricks. This type of magic is
very childish but is not called sihr.
• Real Magic:
– Real sihr involves the jinn. If you understand what and who the jinn are, then you will understand
what magic is, and once you understand this, then you have nothing to fear from it because you
realize it that it is completely natural and only seems supernatural from our limited minds. Only Allāh
has Power. Lā hawlā wa lā quwwata illā billāh. The jinn are a creature-like animal that Allāh has
created.
– how can man control the jinn? The jinn can hide from you, but you can’t hide from it. The magician is
always the subservient. Go back to psychology and the inferiority complex. The jinn wants to be the
boss. By giving the magician commands, the jinn becomes the boss. They make the magician do the
most ridiculous things. The actions of worship that the jinn requires of man are actions of humiliation
for man. It will tell man to do things that are so demeaning and humiliating. Much of what the
magician does involves najas and his body. Every magician gets involved with najas. This shows that
literally the magician sells his soul to the devil. In reality, the magician is the servant of the jinn. When
the magician worships the jinn, the jinn has accomplished two things: 1) ego boost and 2) he has
caused the man to fall into shirk.
Magic and Astrology

– This leads to a crucial point: you cannot have siḥr without shirk. The two are necessarily
linked together. Every single sāhir is a mushrik. All madh-habs of sihr are shirk. Every
single sāhir has to practice shirk to get the jinn to do what it wants; therefore, shirk and
sihr go hand in hand.
– Therefore, it is harām to even study magic.
– Sūrah Al-Baqarah v. 102 tells us the origins of siḥr. Allāh says, “Sulaymān did not commit
kufr, it was the shayātīn who committed kufr and were teaching mankind sihr.” The
shayātīn committed kufr by teaching mankind sihr. Simply teaching magic is kufr.
• Types of Magic:
– 1. Summon jinn to attack or even kill other people, or take over their bodies.
– 2. Summon jinn to break marriages, prevent or hinder intercourse
– 3. Blow on knots with incantations
– 4. Those whom others go to with the pretext of lifting magic spells, but who use magic
instead—fight magic with magic.
– 5. Those whom the jinn whisper to, while pretending to see the future; any type of
fortune-tellers.
– 6. Look at the stars attempting to predict the future.
Magic and Astrology

Astronomy :
– Physical science, which maps the movement of the stars. This is a legitimate branch of
science
Astrology :
– Paranormal, metaphysical craft, which pretends to predict the future. Zodiac signs come
under this category.
– Astrology is the attempt to predict the future. It is a branch of magic because it attempts
to predict the future. The Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said in a hadīth in Abu
Dāwūd: “Whoever learns a branch of astrology has learned a branch of magic. The more
you increase, *meaning astrology+ the more you shall increase *meaning magic+.”
Astrology vs. Astronomy

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:
Those who go to fortunetellers fall into three categories:
– 1 – The one who goes to a fortuneteller and asks him things without believing in what he says.
This is haraam, and the punishment of the one who does that is that his prayers are not
accepted for forty days, as it is narrated in Saheeh Muslim (2230), that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever goes to a fortuneteller and asks him about
something, his prayer will not be accepted for forty days.”
– 2 – When a person goes to a fortuneteller and asks him about something and believes what he
says. This is disbelief in Allaah (kufr), because he is believing the fortuneteller’s claim to have
knowledge of the unseen, and believing a human’s being claim to have knowledge of the
unseen constitutes disbelief in the verse in which Allaah says : “Say: None in the heavens and
the earth knows the Ghayb (Unseen) except Allaah” *al-Naml 27:65].
– Hence it says in the saheeh hadeeth: “Whoever goes to a fortuneteller and believes what he
says has disbelieved in that which was revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him).”
– 3 – When he goes to a fortuneteller and asks him questions so that he can explain to the
people what he is really doing, which is deceiving people and leading them astray. There is
nothing wrong with this. The evidence for that is the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) went to Ibn Sayyaad. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) though of something to himself. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) asked him what he was thinking of and he said, “Al-dukh” meaning al-dukhaan
(smoke). End quote. Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/184
Astrology vs. Astronomy

• State of any being worshipped besides Allāh
– Allāh (SW) describes them as being created themselves:
• “...And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even
a Qitmīr. If you invoke (or call upon) them, they hear not your call, and if
they were to hear, they could not grant it to you. And on the Day of
Resurrection, they will disown your worshipping them. And none can
inform you like Him Who is the All-Knower.” - Sūrah Fātir 35:13-14
• True Worshippers of Allāh
• “Those whom they call upon *like ‘Īsa, angels, etc.] desire (for themselves)
a means of access to their Lord, as to which of them shall be the nearest,
and they hope for His Mercy and fear His Torment. Verily, the Torment of
your Lord is something to be afraid of!” - Sūrah al-Isrā’ 17:57
• Description of the Prophet Muḥammad (saw)
• Say: ‘I possess no power of benefit or hurt to myself except as Allāh wills. If
I had the knowledge of the ghayb, I should have secured for myself an
abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a
warner, and a bringer of glad tidings unto people who believe.’” - Sūrah al-
A‘rāf 7:187-188
Exalting the Status of Saints

• Intercession - Asking an intermediary to plead one’s request in front of another.
• Worldly Shafa’ah:(Allowed with Condition)
– Sahih International: Whoever intercedes for a good cause will have a reward
therefrom; and whoever intercedes for an evil cause will have a burden
therefrom. And ever is Allah, over all things, a Keeper. [Surah An-Nisa 4 : 85]
– Example :: Someone intercedes for you when apply for job
• Religious:
– Sahih International: Say, "To Allah belongs [the right to allow] intercession
entirely. To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Then to
Him you will be returned." [Surah az-Zumar 39 :: 44]
• For any intercession to be accepted by Allāh
• 1. Allāh must allow the intercessor permission to intercede.
– Allāh must allow the intercessor to intercede.
• 2. Allāh must be pleased with the person on whose behalf intercession is
sought.
– Allāh must be pleased with person asking someone to do shafā‘ah.
Intercession: Its Meaning & Types

• - General for all creation (as long as previous two conditions are met):
• 1. Raise their ranks in Paradise
– The most common type of shafā‘ah which will be given to every single Muslim
is to raise the ranks of loved ones up to their level in Jannah. “Them and their
children…” Ḥadīth: “A person is with whom he loves.”
• 2. Saved from Fire of Hell before entering it
– This is given to many people but not everyone. This is the quota of the shahīd
and the Hāfiẓ and others. This is an honor. Many will get it, but not everyone. It
is a prestige; therefore, it is a badge of honor that Allāh will bless millions of
people with. They will be given a quota to save some people, and it is up to
Allāh to accept.
• 3. Removed from Fire after having entered it, before their time is completed
– Someone may deserve to go to Jahannam, and somebody in Jannah asks Allāh
to forgive him, and Allāh forgives him for a Wisdom known to Him. Allāh gives
this to whomever He chooses.
Types of Religious Intercession

• Specific for Prophet
– 1. Intercession to start the Reckoning on the Day of Judgment
– 2. Intercession on behalf of his entire ummah to enter Paradise
– 3. Intercession to open the gates of Paradise
• Best Way to Receive Intercession
– Abu Hurayrah (ra) asked the Prophet (saw), “Oh Messenger of Allāh, who has
the right to receive your shafā‘ah the most?” The Prophet (saw) said, “The one
who says lā ilāha illa Allāh sincerely from his heart.” *sahih Muslim] This means
that the person perfects tawhīd.
Intercession

• Definition:
– The word wasilah only occurs once in the Qurʾānand comes from wasala,
which means ‘to bring you closer.’ Wasilah is a means that brings you closer to
the end result.
• Linguistic: That which brings you closer to another object
• In Islāmic Sciences:
– General - each & every good deed that brings you closer to Allāh
– Specific - ways to increase the chance of du‘a being accepted
Tawassul

• 1. With Allāh’s Names and Attributes:
• Sūrah Al-‘Arāf v. 180: “To Me belong the Most Beautiful Names so make du‘ā using those
Names.”
• 2. With one’s state, past and present (Du‘ā of Zakariyyah):
• Using our own pitiful state is another wasilah. Sūrah Maryam v. 4: Zakariyyah said, “Oh my
Lord, my bones have grown feeble and weak and my hair is sprouting white, have pity on me. I
need a child.”
• In Sūrah Al-Qasas v. 24: Mūsa in the valley of Midian said, “Oh Allāh, I am a faqīr to You.” This is
tawassul through your state. You are allowed to do this.
• 3. With one’s good deeds
• The Qurʾānsays in more than 5 verses: Rabbanā innanā āmannā faghfirlanā. “Oh Allāh we have
believed, therefore forgive us.”
• Ḥadīth in Sahih Bukhārī: The three people who were trapped in a cave by a rock each used one
good deed to open the rock. The first described his honesty, the second described his goodness
to his parents, and the third described his chastity.
• This is another reason to continue to do good deeds. “Oh Allāh if I did this *…+ for Your
Sake, please give me this and this.”
• 4. With the du‘ā of a living person:
• It is permissible to ask people to make du‘ā for you. Abu Hurayrah (ra) asked the Prophet (saw)
to make du‘ā that his mother become a Muslim.
Types of Tawassul

• Obligatory:
– 1. By following his Sunnah
– 2. By loving him
– 3. By defending his honor
• Innovation: By asking Allāh through his status, body or honor.
Tawassul through the Prophet

• 1. The Prophet (saw) prohibited mosques over graves.
• 2. Forbade burying the dead inside mosques
• 3. Forbade worshipping Allāh at places where shirk occurs or has occurred
• 4. Forbade worshipping Allāh at times when shirk occurs
• 5. Forbade exaggeration in general
• 6. Forbade the Muslims from excessively praising him
• 7. Forbade the Companions to stand up in his presence
• 8. Forbade image-making
• 9. Forbade undertaking a religious journey except to the three places that Islām has
made sacred.
• 11. Forbade the Muslims from imitating the disbelievers
• 12. Commanded to level all raised graves
• 13. Reminded Muslims regarding the true purpose of visiting graves
• 14. Forbade certain phrases which lead to shirk
• 15. Prohibited making an oath or swearing by any created object
Protection of Tawhīd

• First Argument
– We don’t commit shirk with Allāh; rather, we testify that He is the Rabb, the Lord, etc.
And we believe that Muaammad (saw) is His prophet and messenger. But we also realize
that we are sinful people, so we go through these saints and prophets because Allāh
loves them, and will grant their requests.
• Second Argument
– These verses were revealed concerning Idol-worshippers. Are you comparing this
saint, or the Prophet (saw) with these idols?
• Third Argument
– The mushrikūn actually worshipped these objects, intended to please them. As for me, I
only go through them to reach Allāh, and I use them as intercessors.
• Fourth Argument
– These people whom you are using as an example did not testify to lā ilāha illa Allāh or
believe in the Qur’ān, the Prophet or the Day of Judgment. How can you make Muslims
who perform these acts that you criticize equivalent to the pagans of old?
– This is used by the shaykhs of the tarīqas to refute our understandings. They claim that
there is a huge difference between Abu Jahl and them and that Abu Jahl opposed the
religion and never said lā ilāha illa Allāh. They say that we are Kharijites and extremists.
Arguments to Justify Shirk

• Pray to Allāh at a grave :: Sunnah / bid‘ah / tabarruk
• Travel to a grave. :: bid‘ah
• Asking the shaykh to ask Allāh (i.e. by the status / rank of the shaykh)
• This is tawassul in Arabic. This type of tawassul is bid‘ah. (It cannot be shirk
because it is asking Allāh).
• Asking the shaykh to ask Allāh
– i) At the grave :: bid‘ah
– ii) Away from the grave.
• Ask the shaykh for your need.
Common Types of Deviations that Occur

• Shirk in ulūhiyyah can be divided into 2 categories: major shirk (shirk
akbar) and minor shirk (shirk asghar). Only ulūhiyyah is divided into major
and minor, and every other type of shirk is major. Who divided shirk into
two categories? This derivation is referenced in the Sunnah.
• The Prophet (saw) said, “The thing that I fear the most for you is minor
shirk.” *sahih Bukhārī]
– When he (saw) said this, it clearly indicates that there is something
called major shirk. He (saw) was asked what minor shirk is, and he said,
“It is to show off one’s deeds.”
Minor Shirk: Definition and Examples

• The differences between major and minor shirk
– 1. Major shirk expels a person from Islām.
• Major shirk makes a person a non-Muslim. Minor shirk does not
expel you from Islām, and minor shirk is committed by Muslims.
Therefore, with this difference in mind, the rest of the differences
follow.
– 2. Major shirk necessitates a person’s eternal punishment in the Fire of
Hell
– 3. Major shirk nullifies all of a person’s good deeds.
• Minor shirk only nullifies the one deed that you did it with. If
someone prayed and wanted to show of his prayer, then that
prayer is null and void. If a person worshipped an idol, all fasting,
prayer, charity and other good deeds are nullified.
– 4. Major shirk makes it permissible for a Muslim State to take the life
and property of its practitioner.

• Minor shirk can occur in the heart, tongue, and the limbs
– Minor shirk in acts of worship pertaining to the heart
• 1. Riyā’: worshipping Allāh, based upon the sunnah, but to impress people.
– The Prophet (saw) said, “What I fear the most for my ummah is riyā’.”
• 2. Performing a good deed purely for a worldly benefit
• 3. Relying on the cause instead of the Creator of the cause
• 4. Making something which Allāh has not made a cause into a
cause (while believing that Allāh is the Rabb)
– Minor shirk in statements of the tongue
• 1. Swearing by other than Allāh while believing that Allāh is the Rabb.
• 2. Equating Allāh with the creation using the conjunctive ‘and’.
• 3. Naming created objects with names that go against pure tawhīd
– Minor shirk in actions of the limbs
• 1. Amulets and charms
• 2. Certain types of riyā’

• Some of the summarize the improper perceptions of tawhīd.
– Philosophers
– Extreme Sūfīs :: Note: Moderate sūfīs do not believe this.
– Mu’tazilah
– Jabariyyah
– Ashā‘irah & Māturidiyyah
Incorrect Perceptions of Tawhīd

Understanding the Concept of Shirk in Islam

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Understanding the Concept of Shirk in Islam