8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

There is no doubt that shirk is considered the first danger to humanity that changed is natural disposition. Mankind was as a single nation upon Tawheed until the cursed devil deceived them and adorned for them shirk after which each nation introduced its own rituals through which they claim they are worshipping Allah. These rituals are nothing but whimsical imaginations based on shirk. The Prophets were sent each concentrating in their invitation of their peoples to Islam on eradicating shirk and spreading Oneness of worship of Allah the All Glorious until Allah sealed the Prophets with Muhammad PBUH who came with pure monotheism. He purged the true belief from the claws of shirk and superstitions fled in defeat from the bright light of Tawheed. For this reason the first command in the Quran is Tawheed understood to be prohibition of shirk. Allah the All Exalted said:

[البقرة:٢١]

((

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ

))

O ye people! Adore your Guardian-Lord, who created you [2:21]

This is due to the danger of shirk; because it renders actions void and causes the enactor confusion and loss. The wisdom behind Allah’s pardoning major sins except for shirk is because it is the vilest slander of Allah the All Exalted having no equals in all acts of evil. It is not fitting to praise anything other than Allah as He alone merits praise. This idol does not enjoy the quality of pardoning sins which is an attribute of the perfection of Allah the All Glorious all exalted He be above what they prescribe.

8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

If shirk finds its way into any form of worship, it renders it void and not acceptable. We can hope for forgiveness for all sins except shirk. Allah the All Exalted says:

[الزمر:٦٥]

((

وَلَقَدْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

))

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)". [39:65]

This is due to the danger of shirk; because it renders actions void and causes the enactor confusion and loss. The wisdom behind Allah’s pardoning major sins except for shirk is because it is the vilest slander of Allah the All Exalted having no equals in all acts of evil. It is not fitting to praise anything other than Allah as He alone merits praise. This idol does not enjoy the quality of pardoning sins which is an attribute of the perfection of Allah the All Glorious all exalted He be above what they prescribe.

8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ

))

وقال الله تعالى

[النساء:١١٦]

((

ضَلَّ ضَلالاً بَعِيداً

Allah forgiveth not (The sin of) joining other gods with Him; but He forgiveth whom He pleaseth other sins than this: one who joins other gods with Allah, Hath strayed far, far away (from the right). [4:116]

((

إِنَّهُ مَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنْصَارٍ

))

وقال تعالى

[المائدة:٧٢]

Whoever joins other gods with Allah, Allah will forbid him the garden, and the Fire will be his abode. There will for the wrong-doers be no one to help. [5:72]

8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

What further explains the dangers of shirk to mankind if he does not avoid it he ends up a disbeliever even if he was the most pious person praying in the early mornings and fasting his days. Allah the All Exalted said in the case of the Prophets:

[الأنعام:٨٨]

((

وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

))

If they were to join other gods with Him, all that they did would be vain for them. [6:88]

All his worship becomes like that of a person who performs worship but is yet to cleanse himself from sexual impurities, or like he who fasts in extreme temperatures yet fornicates during the days of obligatory fasting.

For this reason shirk is considered the most oppressive acts and the first sin in the disobedience of Allah. For this reason the Prophet PBUH feared it for his Ummah and said regarding it:

رواه الإمام مسلم

((

من لقي الله لا يشرك به شيئاً دخل الجنة، ومن لقيه يشرك به شيئاً دخل النار

))

((Whosoever meets Allah and has not committed shirk enters heaven, and whosoever meets Him and has committed shirk enters the Hellfire.)) Reported by Imam Muslim.

8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

Therefore shirk is indeed dangerous annulling Tawheed and entering the committer to eternal Hellfire, may Allah protect us.

When we contemplate the many verses discussing shirk we notice that it is commonly used to refer to admonishment and to fear shirk with all its types and manifestations. Regarding this Allah the All Exalted says:

[النساء:٤٨]

((

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَى إِثْماً عَظِيماً

))

Allah forgiveth not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgiveth anything else, to whom He pleaseth; to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin Most heinous indeed. [4:48]

This verse even if its usage of shirk intends its major form that egresses a person out of religion - as is the opinion of the majority of scholars, except that the verse frightens us from shirk with all its types, for this reason among them are those among the scholars who opine that even minor shirk is not forgiven by virtue of this verse. Among the verses that caution us from shirk and explain its dangers are the words of Allah the All Exalted:

8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

[الأنعام:٢٢]

((

وَيَوْمَ نَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعاً ثُمَّ نَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا أَيْنَ شُرَكَاؤُكُمُ الَّذِينَ كُنْتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ

))

One day shall We gather them all together: We shall say to those who ascribed partners (to Us): "Where are the partners whom ye (invented and) talked about?" [6:22]

((

وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَتَخْطَفُهُ الطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِي بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ

))

وقوله تعالى

[الحج:٣١]

If anyone assigns partners to Allah, is as if he had fallen from heaven and been snatched up by birds, or the wind had swooped (like a bird on its prey) and thrown him into a far- distant place. [22:31]

8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

((

))

وقوله تعالى

[المائدة:٧٢]

"Whoever joins other gods with Allah, Allah will forbid him the garden, and the Fire will be his abode. There will for the wrong-doers be no one to help. [5:72]

Sine Tawheed is the greatest constituent of Iman and is the conviction entailed in the weighty testimony: “There is no God save Allah”, then shirk in comparison becomes the greatest constituent of disbelief. It is a conviction testified to by the heart that annuls the dictates of the testimony of Tawheed by ascribing partners to Allah and denying what the Tawheed entails. Shirk is then the most serious offence and the greatest of sins. Allah the All Exalted says:

[لقمان:١٣]

((

إِنَّ الشِّرك لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ

))

For false worship is indeed the highest wrong-doing." [31:13]

8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

The Messenger of Allah PBUH said:

((

ألا أنبئُكم بأكبر الكبائر؟ قلنا: بلى يا رسول الله. قال: الإشراك بالله، وعقوق الوالدين

))

الحديث رواه البخاري ومسلم

((Should I not inform you of the greatest of sins? We replied: Yes oh Messenger of Allah. He said: To ascribe partners to Allah and to be ungrateful to parents)) Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

For this reason, the punishment merited from committing shirk is also the greatest as Allah says:

[النساء:٤٨]

((

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءٌُ

))

Allah forgiveth not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgiveth anything else, to whom He pleaseth [4:48]

8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

Therefore, shirk is the greatest sin in the disobedience of Allah the All Exalted, in response Allah the All Glorious and Exalted informs us that He does not forgive it and there is none more astray than he who commits it meriting eternal hellfire and forbidden from seeing the Face of the Forgiver. None will help him or befriend him and none will intercede on his behalf. If he worships Allah the All Exalted steadfastly day and night then commits shirk even for a minute, dying in that state futile his deeds by virtue of that single moment in wherein he committed shirk even if being a Prophet or Messenger. Allah said to His finest creations PBUT after praising them:

[الأنعام:٨٨]

((

ذَلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

))

This is the guidance of Allah. He giveth that guidance to whom He pleaseth, of His worshippers. If they were to join other gods with Him, all that they did would be vain for them. [6:88]

8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

And He said to Muhammad the seal of the Prophets PBUH:

[الزمر:٦٥]

((

))

8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

Anas ® said:

قال الله تعالى: يا ابن آدم إنك ما دعوتني ورجوتني غفرت لك

))

سمعت رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يقول

لك ما كان منك ولا أبالي. يا ابن آدم لو بلغت ذنوبك عنان السماء ثم استغفرتني غفرت لك. يا ابن آدم لو

((	لقيتني بقراب الأرض خطايا ثم لقيتني لا تشرك بي شيئاً لأتيتك بقرابها مغفرة

رواه الترمذي وقال حديث حسن صحيح

I heard the Messenger of Allah PBUH say: ((Allah the All Exalted said: Oh Children of Adam whosoever supplicates to me and expects from me is forgiven by me without a care. Oh Children of Adam if your sins reach the mantel of the heavens and you were to seek my forgiveness I would forgive you. Oh children of Adam if you were to meet Me with the expanse of the earth in sins and when meeting Me have not ascribed partners to Me I would give you the expanse of the earth in forgiveness.)) Reported by al-Tirmidhi who considered it as good and authentic.

8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

The purpose is to explain that shirk is the greatest prohibition prohibited by Allah just as Tawheed is the greatest command of Allah. For this reason the first invitation of all the Messengers is the invitation to Tawheed and the prohibition of shirk. He did not command anything before the command of Tawheed and did not prohibit anything before the prohibition of shirk. Allah the All Exalted did not mention Tawheed along with anything else except that it is mentioned first similarly He did not mention shirk along with anything else except making it the first thing mentioned as in the verse from surah al-Nisa’:

وَاعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئاً وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَاناً وَبِذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْجَارِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى

))

((	الْقُرْبَى وَالْجَارِ الْجُنُبِ وَالصَّاحِبِ بِالْجَنْبِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُحِبُّ مَنْ كَانَ مُخْتَالاً فَخُوراً

[النساء:٣٦]

Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him; and do good- to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbours who are near, neighbours who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (ye meet), and what your right hands possess: For Allah loveth not the arrogant, the vainglorious [4:36]

8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

He initiated those commands and prohibitions with Tawheed and prohibition of shirk and an explanation of its dangers concluding it with it as well.

Since shirk is of this level of danger, it becomes incumbent upon the knowledgeable to warn people and to frighten people from committing it. Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahaab-may Allah show him mercy-dedicated a chapter for this purpose in his book ‘al-Tawheed that is the right of Allah upon His servants’ the title of the chapter is ‘Chapter on fearing shirk’. Therein he lists the evidences from Quran and Sunnah of which we have mentioned a few previously.

Sheikh Sulayman ibn Abd Allah Aal al-Sheikh -may Allah show him mercy-said: “By this it is clear that shirk is the greatest sin because Allah the All Exalted informs us that he does not forgive it, i.e.: except through sincere repentance. Other things exist under the will of Allah if He so willed He forgives without repentance and if He so willed He may choose to punish him. For this reason it is incumbent on a servant to fear this sin the greatest of fears. It is like this because it is the vilest slander and most oppressive oppression as it entails imperfection of the Lord of the Worlds and to dedicate what is purely His to others and suggests the justice of others. Allah the All Exalted says:

8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

[الأنعام:١]

((

ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ يَعْدِلُونَ

))

Yet those who reject Faith hold (others) as equal, with their Guardian-Lord. [6:1]

Since shirk enjoys the level of danger earlier described its ruling is eternal hellfire if he dies and has not repented and that in this world his blood, wealth and honour are lawful. Since the matter is as such and that is its ruling, dangers and consequences, it harms are severe and its results are dire, this is explained by the following:

a) Shirk causes the enactor to be in a state of spiritual impurity greater than physical impurity

Allah the All Exalted in His Book has branded shirk, fornication, and the practices of the people of Lot as vile impurities unlike other sins even if they are inclusive. What has been mentioned in Quran is:

[التوبة:٢٨]

((

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ

))

O ye who believe! Truly the Pagans are unclean [9:28]

8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

And what has been said regarding Lot and his people:

((

وَلُوطاً آتَيْنَاهُ حُكْماً وَعِلْماً وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْقَرْيَةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تَعْمَلُ الْخَبَائِثَ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمَ سَوْءٍ فَاسِقِينَ

))

[الأنبياء:٧٤]

And to Lut, too, We gave Judgment and Knowledge, and We saved him from the town which practised abominations: truly they were a people given to Evil, a rebellious people. [21:74]

The people of Lot said:

[النمل:٥٦]

((

أَخْرِجُوا آلَ لُوطٍ مِنْ قَرْيَتِكُمْ إِنَّهُمْ أُنَاسٌ يَتَطَهَّرُونَ

))

"Drive out the followers of Lut from your city: these are indeed men who want to be clean and pure!" [27:56][27:56]

8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

The affirmed along with their shirk and disbelief that they are the vilest impure people and that Lot and his family are pure from such impurities as they refrained from such impure acts. Allah the All Exalted says regarding fornication:

[النور:٢٦]

((

الْخَبِيثَاتُ لِلْخَبِيثِينَ وَالْخَبِيثُونَ لِلْخَبِيثَاتِ

))

Women impure are for men impure, and men impure for women impure. [24:26]

8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

The impurity of shirk is an internal self impurity consequently meriting Allah’s considering it impurity. This is with the letter jeem of the term (النجاسة) is in the upper case denoting inherent impurity whereas the usage of
(المشركون نجِس) in the lower case indicates something being made impure (i.e. external impurity). For example if a garment is spoilt by urine or alcohol it is (نَّجِس) in the lower case i.e. dirty. The most impure impurity is shirk just as it is also the most oppressive form of oppression. The term (النَّجَس) ‘impure’ linguistically and technically mean: something that is filthy and merits distancing from, it is not handled or smelt nor is should it be looked at not to mention mixed and worn due to it filthiness. The natures of the pure of heart reject it. The purpose is to demonstrate that shirk is the most oppressive form of oppression, and vilest filth and most abominable enormity and as such is most detested by Allah the All Exalted who severely hates it attaching to it the most serious penalty in this world and the next unlike the penalty of any other sin. He informs us that He does not forgive it and that those who commit it are impure. Their sacrifices are forbidden, to marry them is forbidden and it is obligatory to cut all ties between them and the believers. No penalty of punishment is as severe as that dealt to those who commit shirk.

8.4 The Harms and Dangers of Shirk

b) It necessitates imperfection of the Lord All Glorious All Exalted

Shirk necessitates the imperfection of the Lord All Glorious All Exalted. Imperfection is necessary of it regardless if it is willed or not willed by the polytheist. You will not find a polytheist except that he believes imperfection of Allah the All Exalted regardless if he claims to be venerating Allah. Similarly you will not find an innovator except that he is belittling the Messenger PBUH even if he claims to be honouring by it.

c) It is cause for destruction

Sheikh Hafiz al-Hakami -may Allah show him mercy-says: “It is made clear to you the enormity of the sin of shirk and that it is the vilest sin and greatest oppression, the enormous enormity and that there is nothing as destructive as it. The people of Noah were not destroyed by the deluge not the people of ‘Aad by the severe wind, nor Thamood by the storm, nor the inhabitants of Madyan by the severe punishment except due to shirk and idol worship. Likewise is the case of later nations with various kinds of punishment. The lot of the monotheists is not excused from hell except through Tawheed whilst others have not been awarded eternal hellfire except due to shirk.”