The Greatest Losers

In order to understand shirk we have to look at the other side of the coin which is Tawheed (Absolute Oneness of Allah Azzawajal). Whatever negates this tawheed will be shirk.

The most apparent and clearest meaning of shirk is ‘to attribute a partner with Allah Azzawajal’. This means giving Allah Azzawajal’s right to anyone or anything other than Allah Azzawajal and He is most deserving of His rights over humans than humans themselves. In essence shirk takes place whenever a right that solely belongs to Allah Azzawajal is given to any other object, whether a living being or an inanimate object.

“So do not make along with Allah, partners while you know [that He is the creator]” (Surah Al Baqarah: Ayah 22)

“Verily Allah forgives not [the sin of] setting up partners [in worship] with Him, but He forgives whom He wills, sins other than that, and whoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, has indeed strayed far away.” (Surah An Nisa: Ayah 48)

In this verse Allah Azzawajal vows that He will never forgive anyone who dies while associating anyone or anything with Himself, His names or His attributes.

This vow is applicable to the one who says 'Jesus is Lord' (placing Isa 'alayhissalaam alongside Allah Azzawajal as Lord) or the one who says people and parliaments are the legislators of laws (Allah Azzawajal is Al-Haakim -  the One who legislates) or the one who bows down in submission before a grave or another false deity (all worship is for Allah Azzawajal alone).

“Verily, whosoever sets up partners [in worship] with Allah, then Allah has forbidden paradise to him, and the fire will be his abode…” (Surah Al Ma’idah: Ayah 72)

SHIRK IS:

· The worship of any ‘god’, human or object besides or alongside Allah Azzawajal (by means of sujood, prayer, du’aa, seeking assistance, seeking forgiveness)

· Ascribing sons, daughters, wives or any other ‘family members’ to Allah Azzawajal (As christians, jews and hindus do)

· Attributing any characteristics of Allah Azzawajal’s creation to Him (eg. Allah rested after creating the heavens and earth)

· Attributing any of Allah Azzawajal’s revealed attributes to any of His creation (eg. claiming knowledge of the unseen OR legislating over what Allah Azzawajal has decreed as halaal into haraam or haraam into halaal)

· Obedience to anyone or anything while there is disobedience to Allah Azzawajal (Obeying laws of other systems whilst ignoring the Shari’ah)

· Believing that there exists no Creator (worship of the desires)

“Whoever disbelieves in taaghut (false deities) and believes in Allah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break” (Surah Al Baqarah: Ayah 256)

The first and most important part of being a Muslim is to reject the taaghut (anything that is obeyed, worshipped, followed or submitted to other than Allah Azzawajal). No person can ever claim to be a Muslim without rejecting thetaaghut. The taaghut is the one who exceeds the limits of Allah Azzawajal by ascribing to himself any of the rights of Allah thus setting himself up as a partner with Allah Azzawajal.

He/she might be approached about future events, legislation or judgement based upon a law other than that of Allah Azzawajal or even for a fatwa that makes what Allah Azzawajal states as halaal into haraam or vice versa. Some examples of tawagheet (pl. for taaghut) currently are: shaytaan, the United Nations, all the present rulers in the world, democracy, secularism, liberalism, dalai lama, the pope, krishna, buddha most musicians, actors and sportspeople.

“You do not worship besides Him but only names which you have named [forged] – you and your fathers – for which Allah has sent down no authority. The Hukm (judgement, legislation, legalisation, ruling) is for none but Allah. He has commanded that you worship none but Him; that is the [true]  straight religion, but most men know not.” (Surah Yusuf: Ayah 40)

Most Muslims display utter disgust at any haraam act and rightfully so. Yet, while knowing our objective in life is to worship Allah Azzawajal alone, we show support for and condone a law other than Allah Azzawajal’s shariah! We aid in haraam legislation and state that there is no better solution than democracy, even urging voting for the taaghut from the mimbars!

Simultaneously we remain absolutely silent on implementing and establishing the law of Allah Azzawajal, the Divine choice of guidance for all mankind! This right to legislate belongs only to Allah Azzawajal and such an undertaking on our part is regarded as an act of ibadah (worship)!

O you who believe!

Who are you aiming to worship?

Do you know what worship means according to Shari'ah of Allah Azzawajal as opposed to what we think worship is or what we would like it to be? 

O Muslims! Beware of shirk in all its forms! For it can guarantee you an abode in the Fire if you die unrepentant and rightfully so, as it contradicts the right of Allah Azzawajal which is to be worshipped alone.

Do you know the various forms in which shirk is manifested?

Indeed ignorance is one of the pathways to shirk!

Where do you stand?

Many people recognize Allah Azzawajal as the Creator, Owner and Sustainer of the universe, yet love others more than Him. Some do not pay zakaah or earn from haram sources – loving money more than Allah Azzawajal, slaves to the dollar.

Some would disobey Allah Azzawajal in following their desires – loving their desires more than Allah Azzawajal. One cannot claim to love Allah, yet discard or downplay the Sunnah of Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam (Surah Aal Imraan: Ayah 31).

O Muslims! Weigh your lifestyles according to what comes first in your life – Love of Allah Azzawajal, following Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam and striving in Allah’s cause

OR

"your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives or your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline or the houses in which you delight?" (Surah Taubah: Ayah 24). To love these things is natural, yet if you love them or anything else more or equal to your love for Allah Azzawajal then that person/object becomes a partner which you worship along with Allah Azzawajal. 

“There are men who take others besides Allah as equal with Him. They love them as much as they should love Allah. But the believers have more love for Allah.” (Surah Al Baqarah: Ayah 165)

‘Adi ibn Hatim radiallaahu 'anhu heard Rasulullah sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam reciting, “They take their priests to be their lords besides Allah,” (Surah Taubah: Ayah 31). He said to Rasulullah sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam: “But they did not worship them (their priests)!” Rasulullah sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam said: “Didn’t those priests make lawful some of the things that Allah has made unlawful and didn’t they make unlawful some of the things that Allah has made lawful? And didn’t the people follow them in that respect?” He replied: “Yes”. Rasulullah sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam said: “That is how they worshipped them.” (Musnad Ahmad)

Today in many communities there are people who get close to and even fall into shirk, especially the shirk prevalent in our time - the shirk of obedience! Following and obedience in Islam is an act of ibadah.

O Muslim! Do you follow those who change the haraam into halaal and vice versa? (eg. mut’ah prostitution, alcohol sales, riba bank loans, saint worship, discarding of hijab, belief in taweez, forbidding jihad and similar) 
“….and if you obey them, then you would indeed be Mushrikoon (polytheists)” (Surah Al An’aam: Ayah 121)

Does your obedience lie upon what Allah says ‘totally’ or ‘partially and selectively’ leaving room for obeying what opposes the commands and prohibition of Allah Azzawajal? Many foolish people will rush to apply the rule of Allah Azzawajal if it coincides with their own desires. But if it does not, they ‘shop’ around for a fatwa (legal ruling) that suits their desires. Eventually they will find a shaykh/moulana/aalim/imam who will give them the fatwa they desire. Unfortunately, we find such “scholars” gaining popularity.

O believers! We must reflect on the fact that Allah Azzawajal knows exactly what is open and hidden, whether they be words or deeds. 

O you who believe! How sure are you that you are not committing shirk? Take heed of the words of YOUR Creator and Sustainer: “And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him (commit shirk)” (Surah Yusuf: Ayah 106)

“Say (O Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam): ‘Shall We tell you the greatest losers in respect of their deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds.” (Surah Al Kahf: Ayahs 103-104)