Shirk: The spoiler of faith

The proper belief in Allah, the Angels, the Messengers, the Books, the Last Day and the Preordainment (the good and bad) ushers one into Islam. But Shirk, which is associating partner with Allah in worship, can also usher a Muslim out of the faith. Shirk in worshipping Allah is to worship a creature be it […]

The proper belief in Allah, the Angels, the Messengers, the Books, the Last Day and the Preordainment (the good and bad) ushers one into Islam. But Shirk, which is associating partner with Allah in worship, can also usher a Muslim out of the faith.
Shirk in worshipping Allah is to worship a creature be it a prophet, an animal, a river, a mountain, a tree and so on, along with Allah.
As Muslims it is Allah alone that we should direct our inner and outer worships to. If we worship Him with other thing, we have associated partner with Him and it is the biggest of sins, which will not be forgiven on the Day of Resurrection. In other words, its doer will abide in the Fire forever.
Allah says in Surah Nisa verse 48: Verily, Allah will not forgive that a partner be associated with Him but He will forgive what is lesser than that for whosoever He wishes.
He also says in Surah Maidah verse 72: Whosoever associate partner with Allah (in worship), Allah has indeed made the Paradise forbidden for him and his abode is the Fire.
Prophet Muhammad (saw) also said in an hadeth reported by imams Bukhary and Muslim: Do you know what is the right of Allah on His slaves and the right of Allah’s slaves on Him? The right of Allah on His slaves is for them to worship Him and not to associate anything along with Him in His worship. And the right of Allah’s slaves on Him is for Him not to punish anyone who does not associate partner with Him.
Because worship Islam entails so many things, Shirk may also appear in many facets. Like slaughtering (a sacrificial animal) for other than Allah, taking oath for other than Allah, prostrating for other than Allah, seeking help from other than Allah in matters in which only Allah can do like bestowing of child, rain etc.
It is Shrik to supplicate to the pious people, the living and the dead, and it is also Shirk to seek help from those in the graves.
Shaykh Fawzan al-Fawzan said in Sharhu Nawaqidul-Islam: “Shrik is the most dangerous of things that expel a Muslim from Islam. It is to worship other than Allah in any way out of the various ways of worships: supplication, slaughtering (a sacrificial animal), taking of oath, seeking of help in matters which only Allah can do, calling on the dead, seeking help from the graves. All these are being practised today by so many people who claim they are Muslims; they build mausoleums and they go around in worship and they also slaughter for the occupants and they seek nearness to it. They claim the occupant of mausoleums draw them closer to Allah.
Why don’t you get closer to Allah with things ordained by Him and His Prophet, why do you want to get closer to Him through the dead?
Draw closer to Allah with things He has ordained for Allah is so close to His slaves and He hears His slaves.”