Islam is a monotheistic religion for it is about belief in the oneness of Allah (God). The central concept in Islam is the belief that Allah is the only God, the sole Creator and Sustainer of the universe, and that there is no deity or god other than Him. This belief in the oneness of God is known as Tawhid, which is the foundation of Islamic theology and spirituality.
This monotheistic is tangent to all forms of beliefs and worship where partners are associating with Allah in power sharing or even someone at par with Allah. This act in Islam is called Shirk " شرك " an Arabic word meaning "the deification or worship of anyone or anything besides One True God." Shirk is polytheism, the outright negation of monotheism. It is for this reason, shirk is the most disliked thing by the Almighty Allah, despite He being the Most Merciful and immensely Forgiving. For this reason, It is considered as the greatest sin in Islam and is explicitly condemned in the Qur'an and Hadith.
“Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.” Surah An-Nisa (4:48)
Please read exegesis / tafsir of 112th verse of Qur'an wherein Allah tells that He alone is to be worshiped and He alone is the Master of the entire universe: Sürah 112. Al Ikhlas (The Declaration of [God's] Oneness) And also the attribute of Allah: Al Ahad - The One and Only
Shirk may take different forms, which must be avoided by all believers. Shirk may take following forms, as given below:
- Shirk in Worship (Ritualistic Shirk): This involves directing acts of worship (such as prayer, supplication, fasting, or sacrifice) to someone or something other than Allah, like idols, saints, or any other being considered to have divine power.
- Shirk in Belief: This refers to attributing divine qualities, such as creation, omnipotence, or knowledge, to someone or something other than Allah, such as believing that a human being, angel, or other entity shares Allah’s attributes.
- Shirk in Lordship (Rububiyyah): This involves attributing Allah's sovereign control over creation, sustenance, or the universe to someone else. For example, believing that a person or object has control over the natural world or life events in a way that only Allah does.
- Shirk in Names and Attributes (Asma wa Sifat): This involves assigning Allah’s unique names or attributes (such as "the Most Merciful" or "the All-Knowing") to anyone other than Him.
Why is Shirk so Important to Avoid in Islam?
Shirk is regarded as the most severe offense in Islam, and its consequences are dire both in this life and the Hereafter. Here are the key reasons why Muslims are urged to avoid shirk:
- Violates the Concept of Tawhid (Monotheism): Tawhid, or the oneness of Allah, is the core of the Islamic faith. Shirk undermines this fundamental principle by introducing multiple powers or deities and thereby distorting the understanding of Allah’s singular sovereignty.
- The Greatest Sin in Islam: Shirk is considered the ultimate form of injustice (zulm), as it assigns divine qualities to something other than Allah. Allah has stated in the Qur'an that He will forgive all sins, except for shirk, if a person dies without repentance.
- Consequences in the Afterlife: One of the most serious consequences of shirk is that Allah does not forgive it if a person dies without repenting. Those who commit shirk and do not repent are warned of eternal punishment in Hell.
- Disconnection from Allah's Mercy: Committing shirk is seen as a barrier between a person and the mercy of Allah. It breaks the relationship of pure worship that should exist between the believer and their Creator.
Committing shirk not only endangers a person’s soul but also disrespects Allah’s sovereignty and mercy. Muslims are urged to uphold pure monotheism, placing their trust and worship solely in Allah, who is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Avoiding shirk is essential to maintaining the integrity of one’s faith and ensuring a successful Hereafter.
We have already published a number of posts covering aspects of Shirk. Through this reference page, we are providing links to already published posts hereinunder for the information of our readers to know more about shirk and will keep adding more posts on shirk as and when published:
- Selected Verses from Quran: The Sin of Shirk - Associating Partners with God
- An eye opener verse from Qur'an for those who commit Shirk by turning to deities other than Allah
- Is it Right to Ask the Dead by visiting their graves for Help?
- Who will be among the worst creatures on the Day of Resurrection (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)
- Allah alone is the Deliverer - Yet you associate others with Allah in His divinity
- What is the Reality of Shirk - the sin of idolatry or polytheism (Scholars' Viewpoint)
In time, we shall add more posts as this severely detested act of worship by Allah abounds in many verses of Qur'an and teachings of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
For more Selected Subjects, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects.
For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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