What is shirk?
‘Shirk’ is the absolute single biggest sin in Islam, which Allah has Himself promised in the Holy Quran never to forgive if one were to die in that state! This sin is so heinous and so monstrous, that Allah has promised to forgive any of the sins of man, except this one sin!
Allah says in the Holy Quran
Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 72:Whoever commits ‘shirk’ (invoking anything with Allah), Allah shall forbid for him Paradise, and Hell shall be his abode. And for such wrong doers there will be no one to help.
Allah says in the Quran: Chapter 4 Surah An-Nisa Verse 48Shirk (associating other deities with Allah) is the only sin that Allah does not forgive, and He forgives, whomsoever He pleases, sins other than this. For whosoever associates any other partner with Allah, does indeed forge a big lie and commits the most heinous sin
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumar verse 65-66:If you commit ‘shirk’ all your works will be rendered vain and you will be among the losers. Therefore, you should worship Allah Alone, and be among His grateful servants.
Thus it becomes our duty to recognize and be aware of ‘shirk’ and all the manifestations of this horrendous and grave sin. Allow me to just give you an example of what constitutes ‘shirk’:
1. Bowing down to anybody or anything other than Allah is shirk.
2. Bowing down to the graves of any pious slaves of Allah, or one’s ancestors is shirk.
3. Bowing down to the graves of even the Prophet (saws), Hadrat Ali (saws), Hadrat Fatema (saws), etc. is shirk.
4. Believing that the dead people in their graves can hear and answer our duas is shirk.
5. Believing that anybody other than Allah can do us any harm in the unseen is shirk.
6. Believing that anybody other than Allah can bring us some good in the unseen is shirk.
7. Believing that anybody other than Allah knows everything is shirk.
8. Believing that anybody other than Allah sees everything is shirk.
9. Believing that anybody other than Allah listens to our prayers in the unseen is shirk
.10. Believing that anybody other than Allah can help us in the unseen is shirk.
11. Believing that anybody other than Allah can guide us is shirk.
12. Believing that anybody can influence Allah to give us health is shirk.
13. Believing that anybody can influence Allah to give us wealth is shirk.
14. Believing that anybody can influence Allah to give us children is shirk.
15. Believing that anybody can influence Allah to help us is shirk.
16. Believing that anybody has any power with Allah is shirk.
17. Believing that anybody has any power with Allah to take us out of the fire of Hell is shirk.
18. Believing that anybody has any power with Allah on the Day of Judgement is shirk
.19. Believing that anybody has any power to change the decision of Allah is shirk.
20. To worship anybody with Allah is shirk.
21. To invoke anybody with Allah is shirk.
22. To raise anybody to the rank of Allah is shirk.
23. To give any of Allah’s attributes to anybody else is shirk.
24. To believe that anybody has the power to bring about any miracles on his own is shirk
