Shirk means to give a share. Religiously, it means believing or accepting that Allah has a partner or equal in His essence, attributes, judgement, divinity, worship or property.

Allah (swt) says:

Verily, Allah does not forgive those who associate partners with Him. As for the rest, He forgives whom He wills. Whoever associates shirk with Allah has surely gone astray in a far error.[259]

The most important thing that every person who aims to gain Allah’s pleasure should avoid is shirk. As it is clearly mentioned in the verse, Allah has stated that He will not forgive those who come before Him as associates. We have found it appropriate to deal with this subject in the form of question and answer, hoping that it will be useful. At the end of the topic, we will endeavour to discuss the causes and types of shirk.

Question: I know that shirk means associating partners with Allah, but doesn’t Allah forgive if it is done unknowingly?

Answer : Indeed, Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful[260] and will forgive those who repent. However, a person who dies in shirk will not be forgiven, as the verse says. It is hoped that a person who repents before death will be forgiven. The real issue here is not these, but the necessity of coming out of this state before death. This is because people are oblivious of what they have done unknowingly, and no Muslim who has a soul considers it fitting for him to be involved in shirk. In order to get out of this state of ignorance, it is necessary to be educated enough to know the types of shirk. He who does not know them will not know that he is in the mire of shirk. Such a state of heedlessness and ignorance will lead to the devil guiding him as he wishes, and even if he is told the truth, he will stubbornly live without taking it upon himself.

Question: We are people who endeavour to live Islam as we have seen from our elders. Some people find this inadequate, while others accuse us that this way of living is shirk (polytheism). We do not spend much time learning our religion, but we make it our principle to follow the path of our pious ancestors regardless of the consequences. Can you explain if there is any connection between this way of life and shirk?

Answer : Living on the religion of ancestors does not mean shirk. What is dangerous is to lead a religious life on that path without knowing whether the ancestors were involved in shirk or not. This is because an unquestioned understanding of religion will contain a previously accepted error. If you accept the actions of your elders under the name of “Religion” unknowingly or in accordance with the ego, as worship without questioning, you will be adhering to a tradition reduced to a tribe, not to an order that sustains the universe. While the book and the Prophet of the religion are the determinants of the truth, the mentality of “If my elders did it, they must have known something” will be a belief that is blindly surrendered to the ancestors.

Allah (swt) says:

“We found our forefathers on a religion and we have followed in their footsteps.”[261] Whenever it is said to them: “Follow what Allah has revealed”, they say: “Nay, we follow what we found our forefathers on (tradition).” (And what if their forefathers did not understand anything and did not find the right path?

Question: I love my son very much, but an acquaintance of ours who has a lot of Islamic knowledge told me that there must be a measure to this love, otherwise it would be classed as associating shirk with Allah. I love Allah very much and I love my son very much. I do not fully understand the situation, so I am asking you, what is the connection between love for your child and shirk?

Answer : Loving your child has nothing to do with shirk. Because Allah (swt) is the one who makes you feel the love of your child. The point to be drawn attention to is not the relation between the love of a child and shirk, but the degrees that the religion judges between the love of a child and the love of Allah (swt). This grading should be found not only in the love for the child, but in every field that adds value to life. Islam has brought a measure not only in love but also in fear, deeds and beliefs. You cannot love your child, your spouse or your possessions more than Allah. For this reason, in the science of theology, the one whom a person loves the most is considered to be his Lord. The purpose of this ranking is to make man honourable and personal. This is because man can lead a life of honour and dignity in every aspect of life only through a truth that is based on his Creator.

Allah (swt) says:

Say: Say: “If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, the wealth that you have acquired, the trade that you fear may stagnate, the houses that you like, are dearer to you than Allah, His Messenger and striving in the way of Allah, then wait until the judgement of Allah comes. Allah does not guide the transgressors.[263]

Question: They say that I have fallen into shirk because of my attachment to the sheikh of the community I belong to. I am comfortable because Allah knows my heart, but sometimes I feel uneasy about these accusations. Is there no attachment in Islam, and if there is, can you explain it?

Answer : In Islam, there is attachment to a place. That allegiance is only to Allah and His Messenger. Other organisations connected to this can be the interlocutors of Muslims, provided that they show loyalty to this loyalty. The requirement of servitude to Allah is to strengthen faith and belief. Islam comes from the root of surrender. Surrender requires worship. Worship, that is, every action taken to gain Allah’s consent, is considered in two stages: theological and practical. These are also divided into three among themselves: La ilahe illallah, iyyake nabudu, iyyake nestain, and the practical aspect is classified as worship performed with property, body, property and body. The theological aspect is the establishment of a system of life in which the deity is united, living only for the sake of Allah’s pleasure, and expecting only His help to fulfil the needs of life. The practical aspect of worship, on the other hand, refers to the financial aspect of zakat, the physical aspect of prayer and fasting, and the physical aspect of pilgrimage. If there is even a slight deviation in a person’s belief, his faith will be corrupted. His worships and deeds will not be accepted in the sight of Allah until he re-enters the circle of faith. If a person’s belief is correct and his faith is true and sound, even a little worship will be accepted as much worship in the sight of Allah. In other words, the main thing is faith. In order for one’s deeds to be recorded and to gain Allah’s consent, one’s faith must not be deviated even an iota. This is Islam. Jamaats or sects have undertaken different missions within themselves over time. For this reason, it is wrong to vilify all of them, and it is wrong to see all of them as the right path. A believer takes the good and leaves the bad. Since I do not know what your community serves, I do not want to comment on your guide or its field of service. For this reason, I have found it appropriate to make an explanation summarising Islam. If you compare this information with the place you are now affiliated with, you will have an idea about its field of service or your guide. If they convey Islam in this way and endeavour to live together, do not leave them, no matter what anyone says. But if they are killing time by praising their leaders in a fair where there are neither verses nor sunnahs, stay away from there. If your concern is to learn religion, avoid not only that place, but also any place that does not teach a life based on the Qur’an. These people aim to attain Allah’s pleasure by serving their sheikhs in an endeavour to please them. Since they are far from knowledge, they do not set a limit for themselves, and their love is unrestrained. In Islam, if there is no limit to love other than Allah, there is no limit at all. The shaykh may be a good person in the sight of Allah, but this does not mean that he deserves to be a partner in the attributes that belong to Allah alone, such as the All-Seeing (al-Basir), the All-Hearing (al-Semi), the All-Seeing (al-Qayyum), the All-Seeing (al-Basir), and the All-Hearing (al-Semi). With this behaviour, he is undoubtedly a partner in Allah’s attributes. And to justify this partnership by saying, “Why not, if Allah wills it?” is to prefer the sheikh to Allah. On the one hand, the verse will ask its addressee, “Is not Allah sufficient for His servant?”[264] On the other hand, it will be thought that everything will be possible if Allah wills, but His essence will be excluded from the vital field. Someone who has made some effort to know Allah will ask this question not as “Why not after He wills?” but as “Why should He will?”. Even to mention these people in Sufi groups is a great insult to Sufism. Do not consider them together with Sufism. Because Sufism performs the moral and manners part of Islam. A shaykh prays, and if his Lord wills, He accepts it; he wishes to see someone’s state, and if his Lord wills, He shows him his state momentarily. This is related to the state of a person with his Lord. These ideas are based on the Greek philosopher Aristotle’s belief in a distant God. People think that since the Creator is far away in their minds, this is the way to bring Him closer to them. Allah (swt) says, “I did not fit in the worlds, I fit in the heart of my believing servant”, while those who hold this belief say, “We do this to bring us closer to Allah”. All these lies are not related to the congregation or the guiding light of the congregation; they are slanders invented by a few people with sick hearts. These should be accepted as the reflection of ignorance perpetuated under the name of religion. As a matter of fact, the Holy Qur’an makes a striking statement on this subject.

Allah (swt) says the following:

Those who take for themselves some friends besides Allah say: “We serve them only that they may bring us nearer to Allah.” [265]

After our questions, let us briefly discuss the reasons for the emergence of shirk. The emergence of shirk occurs in two ways: The first is that the person does not know his Lord well; the second is that he does not use his Lord’s creation in accordance with its purpose. Disrupting the order established by Allah (swt) in the created world, which does not accept emptiness, is one of the reasons for the emergence of shirk. Whatever has been created for what purpose must serve that purpose. Things should be placed at the disposal of the one for whom they were created, and things should serve the one who placed them at his disposal. If this order is not ensured, shirk starts to come to life there. If you do not want to fall into shirk, recognise and respect the creation in accordance with the purpose for which it was created. The ignorant mentality that said to our Prophet (a.s.m.), “He brought the rule that even camels should be honoured!” has started to worship cattle, which were created to be utilised. Just as opposites attract each other, when a person takes something away from the purpose for which it was created, it comes under its gravitational field. As of that moment, he is out of Allah’s command. When it comes under the command of Allah, the object is used in accordance with the purpose of its creation. This is the benefit of obedience after belief.

After falling into shirk, man loses two of the most important things he can lose in the world at the same time. Because these two things can never be separated from each other. These are honour and faith. Neither a man of faith without honour nor a man of honour without faith is unthinkable. In the words of the verse, “You are superior if you believe.”[266] That is, “you are honoured.” The one who falls into shirk, by changing the purpose of creation, brings the being to a place beyond its purpose, and appoints himself as a superior. The deity becomes its own servant. This is the only aspect of shirk that the polytheist likes. Because a superior who makes his officers out of deities, with his staff, becomes the most respected person among the people. However, the believer knows his limit.

He treats every creature according to its purpose of creation. Thus, he saves himself from worshipping other gods and preserves his honour in the best way.

For example, idolatry is not the belief that fools worship what they have made with their own hands, as the majority believes, but the belief that they determine classes because of what they have made with their hands and declare superiority over these classes. The relationship between superiors and officers is also clear here.

When the measure of the purpose of creation is broken, a person who has entered into shirk has wronged three things. Firstly, to the object itself, since he does not use it in its intended place; secondly, to the one who was brought to replace it; and thirdly, to himself, since he will be far from Allah’s mercy in return for all these actions… We can understand this much better when we look at the beliefs living in the history of Egypt or India. In Hinduism, killing a cow, even unintentionally, is a great sin, and even the accidental killing of a cow is punishable by death. As such, it becomes quite natural to come across old, emaciated, emaciated cows on the streets. And thus, the first cruelty is realised. The second atrocity is the punishment given to the people who accidentally caused the death of the cow. Here, the slaughterer and the slaughtered have changed places. The cruelty lies in the death of man in order to bring them into existence, instead of those who must die for man to exist. Here, although it was created to serve man, the existence of the cow has come to mean the existence of man. The one who wrongs both sides has wronged himself as he will be subjected to the wrath of Allah. The third cruelty is thus realised. If you look at it from this point of view, you can realise that the result of worshipping statues, devils and humans is to be persecuted. Islam, on the other hand, has included this in worship in order not to put its interlocutors in this situation. It has been stated that it is necessary to say “ALLAHU EKBER” so that it is known to whom the greatness is given, and to be grateful for the blessings in order to benefit from their greatness. It is also informed that honour and faith can only be preserved by avoiding the prohibitions of the one who bestows the blessings. Allah (swt) knows best.

Allah (swt) says:

And We have made sacrificial camels a sign of Allah for you, and there is good in them for you. When you slaughter them with their forelegs tied, mention the name of Allah over them. When they are slaughtered, eat of them and give them to those who want them and those who do not want them. We have made them at your disposal so that you may be grateful. Neither their flesh nor their blood reaches Allah. Only piety reaches Him from you.[267]

Allah (swt) is pleased with the servant when he accepts His creation in its proper place and lives by His command, and Allah (swt) is pleased with the servant when the servant organises his life in such a way that he reduces the gods to one and acts accordingly.

Allah (swt) says:

Allah said: “This is the Day when the righteous will be benefited by their truthfulness. For them are Gardens beneath which rivers flow, in which they will abide forever. Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. This is the great salvation and happiness.”[268]

When analysed in terms of the meanings it contains, we come across such a detailed web of ugliness that it is likely to occur in every aspect of life. In obedience, prayer, intention, purpose, aim, love, saving, fear, trust, etc., it is only a matter of time before ugliness is embodied in every situation. Man should know his creator well from his own words, so that he can complete his life as his Lord wishes, without falling into the mistake of giving shares. It is hoped that Allaah (swt) will forgive the incomplete deeds of those who die in this state, that is, those who die living a life free from shirk.

Allah (swt) says:

Allah does not forgive the sin of associating partners with Him. He forgives the other sins to whom He wills. Whoever associates partners with Allah has committed a sin of slander of the greatest magnitude.[269]

As a result, let us conclude our subject here with the verses that inform us who are the people who are in shirk, their lives, enmity, cruelty, ignorance, slanderous, perverted and vile mentality, their acting with conjecture, their flimsy and inconsistent behaviour. The Holy Qur’an describes the attributes of people who are in shirk as follows:

They are enemies.

O Muhammad! You will find the Jews and those who associate partners with Allah the most bitter enemies of the believers…[270]

They are slanderers

Whoever associates partners with Allah has certainly slandered with a great sin. [271]

They are cruel

Remember when Luqman advised his son and said: “O my son, do not associate shirk with Allah. Indeed, shirk is a great wrongdoing.”[272]

They are ignorant

Have they taken gods besides Him? Say, “Bring your conclusive proof. Here is my Book and the Book of my nation and the Book of those before me. Nay, most of them do not know the truth and turn away.

They are perverts

Who is more astray than he who, besides Allah, invokes that which cannot answer until the Day of Resurrection? For those whom they invoke are ignorant of their invocations.[274]

They are despicable

Those who take the calf as a god will incur the anger of their Lord and humiliation in the life of this world. Thus do We punish the slanderers.[275]

They are flimsy

The condition of those who take friends besides Allah is like that of a spider who builds a nest for itself. Surely the weakest of houses is the spider’s nest. If only they knew.[276]

They are cowards

And We shall strike fear into the hearts of those who disbelieve, because they associate with Allah what He has not sent down any evidence about. Their destination is Hell. How evil is the abode of the wrongdoers.[277]

They have lost…

Whoever associates partners with Allah, Allah forbids him Paradise, and his abode is the Fire, and the wrongdoers have no helpers.[278]

They act on the assumption…

If you obey the majority of those on the earth, they will lead you astray from the Way of Allah. They follow only conjecture, they only speculate.[279]

[259] Surat al-Nisa, Verse 116

[260] Forgiving, forgiving, forgiving

[261] Surat al-Zuhruf, Verse 23

[262] Surat al-Baqarah, Verse 170

[263] Surat al-Töwbah, Verse 24

[264] Surat al-Zumar, Verse 36

[265] Surat al-Zumar, Verse 3

[266] Do not relax, do not grieve, you are superior if you believe, Verse 139 of Al-i Imran

[Surat al-Hajj, verses 36-37

[268] Surat al-Ma’ida, Verse 119

[269] Surat al-Nisa, Verse 48

[270] Surat al-Ma’ida, Verse 82

[271] Surat al-Nisa, Verse 8

[272] Surat al-Lokman, Verse 13

[273] Surat al-Anbiya, Verse 24

[274] Surah Ankebut, Verse 5

[275] Surat al-Araf, Verse 52

[276] Surah Ankebut, Verse 41

[277] Surah Al-Imran, Verse 151

[278] Surat al-Ma’ida, Verse 72

[279] Surat al-An’am, Verse 116