Summary

We can possibly summarise the primary factors inherent in this lesson into the following points:

• In this lesson you have come to know that the popular opinion on the earliest appearance of shirk
  was in the people of Noah PBUH. The children of Adam were of one religion of their father PBUH
  for approximately 20 centuries as is mentioned by Ibn Abbas ® said: “Between Noah and Adam
  elapsed 20 centuries all of which was spent upon the law of truth after which they (mankind) differed.
  Allah then sent the Prophets as admonishers and heralds of glad tidings.” Then shirk spread.
  The early children of Israel worshipped the calf and the last of them worshipped Uzayr. The Christians
  worshipped the Messiah PBUH whilst the Magians worshipped fire whilst a group worshipped water.
  All nations worshipped what the devil makes appealing to them according to the capability of their intellects.

• You are aware that the trifle of the devil with the polytheists in idol worship has many causes as the
  devil trifled with each nation according to the degree of their intellect. A group he invited to idol worship
  by means of venerating the dead crafting idols in their appearance as took place in the case of the
  people of Noah PBUH. Among the causes for idol worship: extremism in creation awarding them a
  status above that which they deserve to the extent that they are awarded forms of divinity in likeness
  to Allah the All Exalted. This is the form of anthromorphism that takes place in nations considered false
  by Allah. Among the causes of shirk is the spread of the opinions of the philosophers who distance people
  from revelation and divine law to corrupt and false opinions.

Summary

• You know the ruling of shirk and that it annuls Tawheed and merits eternal hellfire and exclusion from
  heaven if in its major form as it is the most enormous enormity. Felicity is not achieved except by
  abstaining from it. It is the duty of the servant to avoid if and fear it with the greatest of fears and to
  endeavour to remain free from it as he would flee from the lion. He is to be cautious of its means and
  causes and is to ask Allah the All Exalted to pardon him and forgive him as the Prophets and purest
  of creation did along with the wise among men. Whosoever ascribes partners to Allah making equals
  to Him supplicating it, fearing it, expecting from it, loving it as they love Allah and dedicating to it forms
  of worship he is a disbeliever whose blood, wealth and honour are lawful. This shirk is the contradicts
  worship and renders it void, it makes all deeds ineffectual and is manifest oppression and the vilest
  form of slandering Allah the All Exalted.

• It may have been made clear to you that the dangers of shirk are concealed in the fact that they annul
  deeds and cause the enactor confusion, doubt and loss. The wisdom behind Allah the All Exalted
  forgiving enormities and not shirk is because it is the vilest slander against Allah the All Exalted.
  There is no evil, sin, imperfection like it. It is not fitting to praise one except Allah. Shirk is the most
  oppressive oppression and forgiveness which is an attribute of Allah’s perfection is not given to
  polytheists. 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