8.3 The Ruling of Shirk

We have presented to you the definition of shirk and explained its divisions, types, manifestations and that it is the first and greatest prohibition. It does us well to explain in this lesson the legal ruling concerning this dangerous shirk and to explicate its harms and dangers.

Undoubtedly shirk is the greatest sin in the disobedience of Allah and the greatest prohibition prohibited by Allah. Allah the All Exalted said:

[النساء: ٣٦]

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وَاعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئاً

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Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him. [4:36]

8.3 The Ruling of Shirk

It is the first prohibition as indicated by Allah’s words:

قُلْ تَعَالَوْا أَتْلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَلا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئاً وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَاناً وَلا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلادَكُمْ مِنْ إِمْلاقٍ نَحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ

))

نَحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ وَلا تَقْرَبُوا الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَلا تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلا بِالْحَقِّ ذَلِكُمْ

[الأنعام:١٥١]

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وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

Say: "Come, I will rehearse what Allah hath (really) prohibited you from": Join not anything as equal with Him; be good to your parents; kill not your children on a plea of want;- We provide sustenance for you and for them;- come not nigh to shameful deeds. Whether open or secret; take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom. [6:151]

8.3 The Ruling of Shirk

Whosoever commits shirk with Allah the All Exalted by equating with Allah equals supplicating it as they supplicate Allah and fearing it, expecting from it, loving it like they love Allah, or dedicating to it forms of worship. The ruling is that of a disbeliever whose blood, possessions and honour is lawful. This shirk annuls worship rendering it invalid. It corrupts all actions and is manifest oppression and is the greatest form of slandering Allah the All Exalted. For this reason Allah has attached to it punishments in this world and the next so severe it is unlike the punishment for any other sin by rendering all of their blood, family, fortune lawful and enslaving their women and families and never earning forgiveness except by means of sincere repent. Allah the All Exalted said:

[النسا:٢٨

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

))

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

8.3 The Ruling of Shirk

Whosoever meets Allah and has not committed shirk enters heaven, and whosoever meets Him having committed shirk enters the hellfire even if he was the most outwardly pious person in this world. Shirk is indeed dangerous, its ruling is evident as it annuls Tawheed meriting entrance into the hellfire eternally remaining in that depressing abode, forbidden from heaven if it is in it’s major form and felicity is not attained except through abstinence from it. It is right for a servant to fear it with the greatest fears and to endeavour avoiding it as a person flees from a lion. He should fear the means for which it is reached and its causes and ask Allah the All Exalted protection from it as was done by the Prophets and the Pure and the noblest of creation and the truly wise; this is because to dedicate any forms of worship to other than Allah is to dedicate all of it because Allah the All Glorious is above all partners and partnership. He only accepts actions that are sincerely for Him alone. Allah the All Exalted said:

فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصاً لَهُ الدِّينَ* أَلا لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ

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[الزمر:٢-٣]

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زُلْفَى إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِي مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَهْدِي مَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ كَفَّارٌ

So serve Allah, offering Him sincere devotion; Is it not to Allah that sincere devotion is due? But those who take for protectors other than Allah (say): "We only serve them in order that they may bring us nearer to Allah." Truly Allah will judge between them in that wherein they differ. But Allah guides not such as are false and ungrateful. [39:2-3]

8.3 The Ruling of Shirk

In addition to other similar verses that explicate the ruling of shirk and that it is the vilest sin in the disobedience of Allah and the greatest form of oppression:

[لقمان:١٣]

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يَا بُنَيَّ لا تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرك لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ

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"O my son! Join not in worship (others) with Allah. For false worship is indeed the highest wrong-doing." [31:13]

If it contaminates an act, speech or conviction it destroys making it useless. Similarly Allah the All Exalted does not forgive whosoever dies whilst in this state (of disbelief) and has not repented. Such a person’s life and wealth are lawful and his wives and children are susceptible to being captured. As for its ruling in the hereafter; it merits eternal hellfire may Allah protect us, this makes it vileness evident and its ruling clear.