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Ascribing Associates To Allah, the Most High (Shirk)

The worst major sin is Shirk. It is of two kinds:
a) To hold that Allah has an equal, whereas He has created you, and to worship another with Him, whether it be a stone, tree, sun, moon, prophet, sheikh, star, angel, or other. This is the greatest shirk mentioned by Allah, the Most High, the Almighty, says, {Allah forgiveth not (the sin of) joining other gods with Him; but He forgiveth whom He pleaseth other sins than this; one who joins other gods with Allah hath strayed far, far away (from the right).} (An-Nisa: 16)

{False worship is indeed the highest wrongdoing.} (Luqman:13)

{Whoever joins other gods with Allah, Allah will forbid him the Garden, and the Fire will be his abode.} (Al-Ma’idah:72)

The Qur’anic verses concerning this are very numerous. Certainly, whoever ascribes associates to Allah and

Totally Unacceptable Act Is Shirk

False deities have no power to harm or benefit.

Ash-Shirk ul-Akbar takes one outside the fold of Islam. The opposite of Tawhid is expressed by the Arabic term Shirk (polytheism) derived from the root Sh-r-k which conveys the notion of “sharing” or “partnerships.” The word Sharik (plural shurakaa) means “partner” or “associate.” It encompasses far more than the more blatant (obvious) forms of idolatry and denial of Allah’s Unity. The term Shirk means associating partners with Allah, and the related term mushrik is applied to someone guilty of such polytheistic association. Some examples of Shirk ad Du’a (invoking or supplicating to a false deity besides Allah are given. False deities have no power, Allah has all powers.

Say( O Mohammed to mankind) How do you worship besides Allah something which has no power either to harm or benefit you”, (Surah Al-Maidah 5/76)

And do not invoke besides Allah that which neither benefits you nor harms you, for if you did, then indeed you would be of the wrongdoers.’ (Surah Yunus 10/106)

And if Allah should touch you with adversity (hardship), there is no remover of it except Him. And if He touches you with good – then He is over all things competent. (Surah Al-Anam 6/17)

Say, “Shall we invoke instead of Allah that which neither benefits us nor harms us and be turned back on our heels after Allah has guided us?( Surah Al-Anam 6/71)

Should I take other than Him [false] deities [while], if the Most Merciful intends for me some adversity, their intercession will not avail me at all, nor can they save me? (Yasin-36/23)

Did they not see that it could not return to them any speech [i.e., response] and that it did not possess for them any harm or benefit? (Surah Ta-Ha – 20/89)

Say, “Invoke those you have claimed [as gods] besides Him, for they do not possess the [ability for] removal of adversity from you or [for its] transfer [to someone else].”(Al-Israa17/56)

Allah says “That is only Satan who frightens [you] (to fear his Awliyaa) his supporters. So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers” (Surah Al-i-Imran 3/175)

Say, “Indeed, I do not possess for you [the power of] harm or right direction.” (72/21)

But they have taken besides Him gods which create nothing, while they are created, and possess not for themselves any harm or benefit and possess not [power to cause] death or life or resurrection. (Surah Al-Furqan 25/3)

Narrated Abdullah (RA)The Prophet () said one statement and I said another. The Prophet said, “Whoever dies while still invoking anything other than Allah as a rival to Allah, will enter Hell (Fire).” And I said, “Whoever dies without invoking anything as a rival to Allah, will enter Paradise.”(Bukhari 6/24)

Difference Between Believer And Non-Believer

[6. Surah Al-An’am: Ayah 120] And abandon open and secret sin; surely they who earn sin shall be recompensed with what they earned.

[Sahih Muslim: Book 1 Kitab Al-Iman, Number 144] It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira (Radi Allah Anhu) that when the son of Adam recites the Ayat of Sajdah (prostration) and then falls down in prostration, the Satan goes into seclusion and weeps and says: Alas, and in the narration of Abu Kuraib the words are: Woe unto me, the son of Adam was commanded to prostrate, and he prostrated and Paradise was entitled to him and I was commanded to prostrate, but I refused and am doomed to Hell.

[Sahih Muslim: Book 1 Kitab Al-Iman, Number 146] It is narrated on the authority of Jabir (Radi Allah Anhu) that he heard the Apostle (may peace and blessings be upon him) saying. “Verily between man and between polytheism and unbelief is the negligence of prayer.”

[Sahih Muslim : Book 1 Kitab Al-Iman, Number 147]

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Zubair (Radi Allah Anhu) that he heard Jabir b. ‘Abdullah (Radi Allah Anhu) saying. I heard the Messenger of Allah (sal-allahu-alleihi-wasallam) observing this: “Between man and polytheism and unbelief is the abandonment of salat.”

[Sahih Muslim: Book 1 Kitab Al-Iman, Number 151] It is narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah b. Mas’ud (Radi Allah Anhu) that he observed. I asked the Messenger of Allah (sal-allahu-alleihi-wasallam) which deed was the best. He (the Holy Prophet) replied: Prayer at its appointed hour. I (again) said: Then what? He (the Holy Prophet) replied: Kindness to the parents. I (again) said: Then what? He replied: Earnest endeavor (Jihad) in the cause of Allah. And I would have not ceased asking more questions but out of regard (for his feelings).

[Sahih Muslim: Book 1 Kitab Al-Iman, Number 155] It is reported on the authority of ‘Abdullah (Radi Allah Anhu) that the Apostle of Allah (sal-allahu-alleihi-wasallam) observed: The best of’ the deeds or deed is the (observance of) prayer at its proper time and kindness to the parents.

My Lord! grant me that I should be grateful for Thy favor which Thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents and that I should do good such as Thou art pleased with, and make me enter, by Thy mercy, into Thy servants, the good ones.

The Ship That Will Never Sink

Let us board “the ship of Tawheed” at the beginning of the new year and sail safely from this world of trials and temptations to the eternal world of ultimate bliss and enjoyment. May Allah guide and assist us to achieve this goal with sincerity and we undertake this task solely for the pleasure of Allah, the Almighty.

Let us build this ship and move away from the destructive waves of polytheism and innovations by putting up the sails of ‘Kalimatus Ikhlas’. We are well aware of the story of Prophet Nuh and his ship. It was indeed the ‘ship of Tawheed’ and by the will of Allah, it reached its destination with success. To build and board this ship we all have to ask ourselves; why are we here? What is the purpose of our life? What will be our destination? The answer should be as follows: And I have not created the jinn and the men except that they should worship Me. (Qur’an, 51:56)

Here the word ‘worship’ means to single out Allah in each and every aspect of life. As for the specific meaning of worship, Sheik Al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “Worship is a comprehensive term covering whatever Allah loves and is pleased with, both words and actions, the apparent or the hidden; such as love, hope, fear, dependence, seeking refuge, having awe, prayer, fasting, zakah and other duties prescribed by Islam.”

May Allah have mercy on us to enrich our knowledge. Let us conduct a brief study of our esteemed and beloved Prophet’s (peace be upon him) life in Makkah. In the first 13 years of his prophethood, we know that he was busy expounding the essentials of monotheism and eradicating the scourge of polytheism. Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) prepared the Sahabiyat (companions) for migration. Their hearts migrated from worldly riches and they desired for the sought world of the hereafter and strove for the pleasure of Allah, The All-Glorious. This led to building strong ties with Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him). They coveted Jannah and continuously sought escape from the torments of the hellfire.

What is the first obligation and prohibition that Allah has prescribed for mankind?
The first obligation is to single out Allah in all worship, and the first prohibition is not to associate anything with Him as it is clear from many of the verses from the Noble Qur’an. “And your Lord has commanded that you shall not worship (any) but Him, and goodness to your parents. (Qur’an, 17:23) Allah has stated the prohibitions and the obligations with “none has the right to be worshipped but Allah” as is obvious from the verses below. “And worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him and be good to the parents and to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the neighbor of (your) kin and the alien neighbor, and the companion in a journey and the wayfarer and those whom your right hands possess; surely Allah does not love him who is proud, boastful. (Qur’an, 4:36)

Say, “Come I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you (remember) that you do not associate anything with Him and show kindness to your parents and do not kill your children for (fear of) poverty. We provide for you and for them and do not draw nigh to indecencies, those of them which are apparent and those which are concealed, and do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except for the requirements of justice; this He has enjoined you with that you may understand.” (Qur’an, 6:151)

What is the right of Allah upon His slaves and what is the right of the slaves upon Allah?
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “O Muadh! Do you know what Allah’s right is upon His slave ?” I said, “Allah and His Messenger know better.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “They worship Him (Allah) Alone and do not associate any partner in worship with Him (Allah). Do you know what their right upon Him is?” I replied, “Allah and His Messenger know better.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “He will not punish them (if they did so).” [Bukhari]

This shows the tremendous importance of the Tawheed (monotheism), and the wisdom behind the creation of the jinn and mankind. It is to worship Allah alone and reject all objects of worship besides Him. May Allah enable us to sail on this ship with guidance and success.

Let us set sail in “the ship of Tawheed” with our family and friends and attain security and guidance from Allah as He the Exalted says: It is those who believe in the Oneness of Allah and worship none but Him Alone and confuse not their belief with Zulm wrong i.e. by worshipping others besides Allah, for them (only) there is security and they are the guided. (Qur’an, 6:82)

It is Allah’s promise that the one who actualizes Tawheed and keeps his belief clear from the many shades of polytheism for him there will be complete security in five things; his religion, mind, health, wealth and offspring.

Not believing in Tawheed will result in a loss of security and guidance, the greatest loss a person can ever suffer. Even the Prophets were constantly reminded of Tawheed as Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “ When Musa [Moses] said: “O my Rabb, teach me something by which I can remember You and supplicate to You.” Allah answered: “say, O Musa La ilaha illallah (none has the right to be worshipped).” Musa said: “O, my Rabb, all Your slaves say this.” Allah said: “O, Musa, if the seven heavens and all of their inhabitants besides Me, and the seven earths were in a pan (of a scale) and La ilaha illallah was in (another) pan La ilaha illallah would outweigh them.” (Al-Hakim)

This means that if the sins of the slaves of Allah reached the weight of the seven heavens along with all its inhabitants besides Him, and the weight of the earth, the statement La ilaha illallah would outweigh the weight of the sins. This is the greatest virtue of Tawheed and it is only for those in whose heart it is planted firmly with a strong belief and complete faith. He should be a sincere believer and should have no doubts relating to it. He should understand its value, seek pleasure in it and love its meaning. He must also not associate anything with Him in worship and that is when his heart will be strong and pure with the statement of Tawheed. The mere uttering of it enlightens him, and gives him peace apart from washing away his sins.

The Messenger of Allah said,” Allah says: O, son of Adam! If you came to Me with sins filling the earth, then you meet Me without associating anything in worship with Me, I would come to you with its (the earth’s) full of forgiveness.” (Al-Tirmidhi)

Now, why is it that the statement of Tawheed outweighs everything except Allah, the Highest? It is because the statement with its conditions has great value and virtue that no man or Jinn can imagine. The statement singles out Allah, the Highest, in a unique way. It contains negation of worship to anyone besides Him and affirmation of worship solely for Him. The pure essence of singling out can only be obtained through negation and affirmation. To ponder upon is the fact that if Prophets were in need of reminders then how is it that we are ignorant of such a great matter and to top it all most of us don’t even strive toward learning it.

Nowadays many of ignorant Muslims claim that one who utters the Kalimatul Ikhlas will enter paradise. Merely uttering the Kalima will not lead to the peace and blessings of paradise. One has to say the Kalima wholeheartedly, observe the five pillars of Islam, adhere to the teachings of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and read the Qur’an. Only then that he will be granted bounties and favors from Allah, the Highest. However, if he says the statement of Tawheed, but does not abstain from Shirk he will not be entitled to the promise mentioned in the Hadith above.

Thus, one’s heart must be filled with Allah’s greatness, praise, glory, magnificence, honor, and love. When it is totally suffused with these attributes of Allah, The Supreme, will forgive him and make the fire forbidden for him that is without any punishment.

For indeed Allah has forbidden hell for those people who say: “There is nothing worthy of being worshipped but Allah, thereby seeking the pleasure of Allah.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

May Allah, The All-Forgiving forgive us and admit us to paradise without reckoning, so that we may also be a part of His abundant favors, blessings and mercy.

-By Farzana Qamar

Da’wah Tip: Get Over Fear Of People

Almost all early chapters of the Qur’an that were revealed in Makkah when Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had just been appointed as a messenger of Allah had short but profound verses. Despite their size, the verses had deep meanings.

One such chapter or Surah is Al-Muddaththir (74), which gives an interesting set of instructions to the overwhelmed Prophet who was lying wrapped up in his garments trembling with fear after meeting Archangel Gabriel for the first time.

For a caller to Islam, these compact, meaningful instructions carry a deep, important message as to what his or her priorities should be when conveying the message of Islam to the world.

“O you (Muhammad) enveloped in garments! Stand up and warn!”

Al-Bukhari and Muslim confirm that this short Surah was revealed when the Prophet returned to his family after seeing Angel Gabriel in his real form and size. He came home trembling and asked his family to wrap him up in garments.

Allah instructs His Prophet (peace be upon him) to stand up and warn those around him. The first lesson for the Da’ee who embarks on this noble mission is that he or she should stop fearing people. Take a stand and start warning others confidently. Low self-confidence, shyness, and fear are but obstacles in the way of Da’wah.

“And magnify your Lord!”

To proclaim the greatness of Allah is essential for the Da’ee since it reminds him or her of who he or she is doing this work for. Allah is the Greatest and He doesn’t need anyone’s worship or submission; He doesn’t even need anyone to convey His Deen to others. However, by magnifying our Creator, we acknowledge our position as utter slaves before Him and in return, we feel confident enough to deliver His message to others.

“And purify your garments!”

To convey Islam to others, one needs to appear before them at some point or the other – either by engaging in a discussion or by delivering a lecture. Also, a representative of Islam must wear garments that are thoroughly clean, as the essence of this faith lies in spiritual and physical cleanliness. Clean clothes are also a prerequisite for worship such as prayer. Sa’eed Bin Jubayr said concerning this verse, “This means to purify your heart and your intentions.’”

“And keep away from Al-Rujz (idols)!”

The meaning of the word Rujz, when prefixed by “Al”, points towards the impurity of polytheism or shirk. Ibn Abbas said, “Al-Rujz are idols, so keep away from them.” This view was supported by Mujahid, Ikrimah, Qatadah, Al-Zuhri and Ibn Zayd.

A Da’ee of Islam should be free from any kind of affinity, proximity, or sympathy – either spiritual or physical – for Shirk. Therefore, figures, faces, or idols of any form that are venerated or whose attributes are equated with those of Allah should be permanently and irreversibly abolished from the hearts and minds.

“And give not a thing in order to have more.”

The next instruction for the proactive caller towards Islam is to never seek some material benefit in return for the Da’wah. The Da’ee should do his work only for the sake of Allah and should never remind the people of his or her favors in order to amass wealth or beget other favors. The stories of the prophets in the Qur’an underscore sincerity. Even if the preaching of some Prophets won few – or no – followers, they never gave up the mission. Rather, they continued selflessly for the sake of Allah.

“And be patient for the sake of your Lord!”

Last but not least, the Da’ee must bear the inevitable opposition, antagonism, hatred, evil plotting, and downright harmful endeavors of his enemies with patience. Da’wah is a path that is thorny and difficult, dotted with tests of the caller’s sincerity towards Allah and his steadfastness in facing the obstacles that his opponents throw his way. Again, his patience must be solely for Allah’s sake, not for the sake of gaining people’s approval or pleasure.

The Qur’an is a guide and light for every being to come till the Day of Judgment. Its message and meanings are deep and worthy of reflection. Even though this Surah was revealed to our Prophet Muhammad centuries ago, the message lives on for us to ponder on and incorporate into our lives.

– By Sadaf Farooqi
Ref: Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Man Has A Free Will In Islam

Before assigning to man this vicegerency (Khilafat), Allah made it clear to him that He alone is the Lord, the Ruler, and the Deity. As such, the entire universe and all the creatures in it (including man) should submit to Him alone.

Man must not think himself totally free and must realize that this earth is not his permanent abode.

He has been created to live on it only for a probationary period and, in due course, he will return to his Lord, to be judged according to the way he has spent that period.

The only right course for man is to acknowledge Allah as the only Lord, the Sustainer, and the Deity, and to follow His guidance and His commands in all he does.

His sole objective should be to merit the approval of Allah.

If man follows a course of righteousness and godliness (which he is free to choose and follow) he will be rewarded in this world and the next: in this world he will live a life of peace and contentment, and in the Hereafter he will qualify for the heaven of eternal bliss, Al-Jannah. If he chooses to follow the course of godlessness and evil (which he is equally free to choose and follow), his life will be one of corruption and frustration in this world, and in the life to come, he will face the prospect of that abode of pain and misery which is called Hell.

After making this position clear, Allah placed man on earth and provided the very first human beings (Adam and Eve) with guidance as to how they were to live.

Thus man’s life on this earth did not start in utter darkness. From the beginning, a bright torch of light was provided so that humanity could fulfill its glorious destiny.

The very first man received revealed knowledge from Allah Himself and was told the correct way to live.

This code of life was Islam, the attitude of complete submission to Allah, the Creator of man and the whole universe. It was this religion that Adam, the first man, passed down to posterity.

But later generations gradually drifted away from the right path.

Either they lost the original teachings through negligence or they deliberately adulterated and distorted them. They associated Allah with innumerable human beings, material objects, and imaginary gods. Shirk (polytheism) became widespread. They mixed up the teachings of Allah with myths and strange philosophies and thus produced a jumble of religions and cults; and they discarded the God-given principles of personal and social morality, the Shariah.

Although man departed from the path of truth, disregarded or distorted the Shariah, or even rejected the code of Divine guidance, Allah did not destroy them or force them to take the right course. Forced morality was not in keeping with the autonomy He had given to man. Instead, God appointed certain good people from among the human society itself to guide men to the right path.

These men believed in Allah and lived a life of obedience to Him. He honored them with His revelations, giving them the knowledge of reality. Known as prophets, blessings, and peace be on all of them, they were assigned the task of spreading Allah’s message among men.

What Is Iman And Kufr?

  1. Iman is to accept every word of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) as the absolute truth and to testify whole-heartedly the reality and truth of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).
  2. One who observes the above would be called a Muslim, that is, if any of his words, actions or conditions does not reject, insult or falsify Allah Ta’ala and His Rasool (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).
  3. If you reject one aspect, which you know that to believe is part of Islam, then this is Kufr. For example, to reject Qiyamat, Angels, Jannat, Jahanum, Hisab, or not to believe that Salaah, Saum, Zakaah, or Hajj is Fardh (obligatory) would make one out of the folds of Islam.
  4. It is also Kufr not to believe that the Holy Quran is the Words of Allah Ta’ala.
  5. To insult the Holy Ka’aba, the Holy Quran, or any of the Prophets or Angels is also Kufr.
  6. To degrade any of the Sunnats (actions of the Holy Prophet sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), to make jokes of the orders of Shari’ah (Islamic law), or to reject or suspect it untrue any known and recognized aspects of Islam is also definitely Kufr.
  7. To be a Muslim you have to, together with faith and belief, also pledge your status as a Muslim.
  8. One must pledge his faith unless there is a difficulty, for example, if you cannot speak, or to speak would mean to lose your life or would lose a part of the body, then it is not necessary to pledge your faith with your tongue. However, it is always best and a means of great reward not to say anything against Islam even to save your life.