janathi
14-11-05, 08:51 PM
Assalamualykum WRWB
Categories of Major Shirk
Major shirk can be divided into four categories:
The first category of major shirk is “associating in supplication”, which involves directing one’s supplications to other than Allah as a means of gaining provisions or being cured from a sickness or obtaining help during a crisis or for any other purpose.
The second category of major shirk is “association in the intention”, that is, performing deeds that may be good in themselves but which are done for the sake of this worldly life and not for the sake of Allah.
The third category of major shirk is “association in loving Allah”. That is to love someone or something else more than or as much as one loves Allah.
The fourth category of major shirk is “association in obedience” which is to obey people when they make unlawful things lawful, and to believe that it is permissible to follow those who make such legislations.
Here we discuss the third category of major shirk is “association in loving Allah”.
That is to love someone or something else more than or as much as one loves Allah. Allah says:
“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.” (Qur’an 2:165)
There are people who recognize Allah as the Creator, the Owner and the Sustainer of the universe, and yet love others more than Him. Some people love money more than they love Allah and for this reason, they do not pay zakat or they gain their money from unlawful sources. They are the slaves of Dirhams and Dinars, or in today’s terminology, the slaves of Dollars.
The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, said: “He who became the slave of the Dinar or the Dirham will perish and be destroyed.” (This is part of a hadith related by Al-Bukhari).
Some people love their desires more than they love Allah. Consequently, they would follow their desires even when they lead to disobeying Allah: “Do you see the one who is taking as his lord his own desires?” (Qur’an 25:43).
Therefore, loving Allah and His Messenger more than anything is a precondition for tasting the sweetness of faith. It has been narrated in an authentic hadith that the Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, said: “There are three qualities whosoever has them will taste the sweetness of Iman: loving Allah and His Messenger above all else, loving someone solely for the sake of Allah, and hating to return to disbelief after Allah has rescued him from it, as much as he would hate being thrown into Hellfire.” (Related by Al-Bukhari).
Allah has put two criteria to test whether one’s love for Him is more than the love of anything else:
(1) The first is the following of the Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam.
Allah says: “Say (Muhammad), if you do love Allah, follow me, Allah will love you (in return) and forgive your sins” (Qur’an 3:31).
Thus, following the Sunnah in all aspects of our lives is absolutely essential.
(2) The second criterion to know if one’s love of Allah is more than anything else is through struggling for the sake of Allah (jihad)
Allah says: “Say: If it be that 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, are dearer to you than Allah or His Messenger, or the jihad for Allah’s sake; then wait until Allah brings about his decision; and Allah does not guide the rebellious,” (Qur’an 9:24).
Four Kinds of Love
Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said regarding this matter:
There are four kinds of love, which we must differentiate between, and those who go astray do so because they do not make this distinction.
1. The first of them is love of Allaah, but this alone is not sufficient to save a person from the punishment of Allaah and to earn him His reward. The Mushrikeen, worshippers of the cross, Jews and others all love Allaah.
2. The second is love of that which Allaah loves. This is what brings a person into Islam and out of Kufr. The most beloved of people to Allaah is the one who is most correct and most devoted in this kind of love.
3. The third kind is love for the sake of Allaah, which is one of the essentials of loving that which Allaah loves. A person's love of that which Allaah loves cannot be complete until he also loves for the sake of Allaah.
4. The fourth is love for something alongside Allaah, and this love has to do with shirk. Everyone who loves things alongside Allaah but not for the sake of Allaah has taken that thing as a rival to Allaah. This is the love of the Mushrikeen.
5. There remains a fifth kind of love which has nothing to do with our topic; this is the natural love which is a person's inclination towards that which suits his nature, such as the love of a thirsty person for water or of a hungry person for food, or the love of sleep, or of one's wife and children. There is nothing wrong with this unless it distracts a person from remembering Allaah and keeps him from loving Him.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):
"O you who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allaah" [al-Munaafiqoon 63:9]
"Men whom neither trade nor sale (business) diverts from the remembrance of Allaah" [al-Noor 24:37]
(Al-Jawaab al-Kaafi, 1/134)
And he said (may Allaah have mercy on him):
The difference between loving for the sake of Allaah and loving something alongside Allaah is one of the most important distinctions. Everyone needs to make this distinction and is indeed obliged to do so. Loving for the sake of Allaah is a sign of the perfection of faith, but loving something alongside Allaah is the essence of shirk.
The difference between them is that a person's love for the sake of Allaah is connected to his love of Allaah; if this love becomes strong in his heart, this love dictates that he will love that which Allaah loves. If he loves that which his Lord loves and he loves those who are the friends of Allaah, this is love for the sake of Allaah. So he loves His Messengers, Prophets, angels and close friends because Allaah loves them, and he hates those who hate them because Allaah hates those people.
The sign of the love and hatred for the sake of Allaah is that his hatred for the one whom Allaah hates will not turn into love merely because that person treats him kindly, does him a service or meets some need he has; and his love for those whom Allaah loves will not turn to hatred simply because that person does something that upsets or hurts him, whether it is done by mistake or deliberately, in obedience to Allaah or because the person feels that he has a duty to do it for some reason, or because the person is a wrongdoer who may yet give up his wrongdoing and repent.
The entire religion revolves around four principles: love and hatred, and stemming from them, action and abstinence.
The person whose love and hatred, action and abstinence, are all for the sake of Allaah, has perfected his faith so that when he loves, he loves for the sake of Allaah, when he hates, he hates for the sake of Allaah, when he does something, he does it for the sake of Allaah, and when he abstains from something, he abstains for the sake of Allaah.
If one lacks in these four categories, he is lacking in faith and commitment to religion.
This is in contrast to the love of things alongside Allaah, which is of two types.
1. The first is when the love opposes the principles of Tawheed and takes one out of the folds of Islaam
Having love of the Mushrikeen (unbelievers) for their idols and gods. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allaah as rivals (to Allaah). They love them as they love Allaah" [al-Baqarah 2:165]
These Mushrikeen love their idols and gods alongside Allaah as they love Allaah. This love and devotion is accompanied by fear, hope, worship and supplication. This love is pure Shirk which Allaah does not forgive.
To perfect ones Emaan a person must regard these idols as enemies and hate them intensely, and hate the people who worship and indulge them.
This is the message with which Allaah sent all His Messengers and revealed all His Books. He created Hell for the people of shirk who love these rivals, and He created Paradise for those who strive against them and take them as enemies for His sake and to earn His Pleasure. Anybody who worships anything from the vicinity of the Throne to the lowest depths of the earth and takes a god and a supporter besides Allaah and associates another beings in worship with Him, will be disowned by the object of his worship when he is most in need of it .
2. The second kind is love for the things which Allaah has made attractive to people
Such as women, children, gold, silver, branded beautiful horses, cattle and well-tilled land. People love them with a kind of desire, like the love of the hungry person for food and the thirsty person for water.
This love is of three kinds:
1. If a person loves them for the sake of Allaah and as a means of obeying Allaah, he will be rewarded for that; it will be counted as a part of love for the sake of Allaah and a means of reaching Him, and he will still find enjoyment in them. This is how the best of creation was, to whom women and perfume were made dear in this world, and his love for them helped him to love Allaah more and to convey His Message and fulfil His commands.
2. If a person loves them because they suit his nature and his own desires, but he does not give them preference over that which Allaah loves and is pleased with, and he gets them because of his natural inclination, then they come under the heading of things which are permissible, and he will not be punished for that, but his love of Allaah and for the sake of Allaah will be lacking somewhat.
3. To love these things to a point where one is consumed with having to have them and sole purpose in life is to get these things and gives priority to that over that which Allaah loves and is pleased with, then he is wronging himself and following his own desires.
The first is the love of al-Saabiqoon (those who are foremost in Islam); the second is the love of al-muqtasidoon (those who are average) and the third is the love of al-zaalimoon (the wrongdoers).
Al-Rooh by Ibn al-Qayyim, 1/254.
May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.
Shirk In Fear
This means that there is fear from a person from other than Allah in that some harm will happen by that other's will and might. This goes against what Allah (azza wajal) has stated:
"..Therefore fear not men but fear Me.." (5:44)
“It is only Shaitân (Satan) that suggests to you the fear of his Auliyâ' [supporters and friends (polytheists, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh and in His Messenger, Muhammad SAW)], so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are (true) believers.” (3:175)
"Then, fear Me much" (16:51)
FOUR KINDS OF FEAR:
(1) The first kind of fear is fear from other than Allah in that which only Allah (azza wajal) can inflict upon the person such as illness, and poverty.
For instance, if one believes he will be killed by mere will and not by other physical means. Some more examples are, believing that a dead person can put a curse on you to get fired, stop your paychecks from coming, or to stop you from entering jannah or can place you in hell.
This is ibadah of fear, and it is also called secret fear because there is no reason for someone to fear the even remote chance that a dead person can prevent one from receiving his paycheck. It is something that is not apparent such as knife held against someone's chest. This is what the mushrikeen believed of their statues, non living objects able to bring upon them some sort of infliction.
This constitutes major shirk because these capabilities are reserved for Allah alone.
Sulayman bin Muhammad bin abdelWahab noted than example of this in Kitab at Tawheed. He said during his time someone had borrowed and dealt in business with the people of an area in the Arabian peninsula. This man became bankrupt and was unable to pay back what he had borrowed. The townsmen ran after him and he consequently went to a grave and said "I will call and get this sacred person in this grave to harm and curse you." Thus the people left him alone thinking of the harm that dead person will bring to them.
[i](2) To fear Allah so much that you will disobey Allah or not obey Him.
This second kind of fear is to fear performing jihad or to ordain the good and forbid the evil without valid reason except the fear of people. This is haram. Allah (azza wajal) revealed :
"It is only the devil who would make (men) fear others. Fear them not; fear Me, if you are true believers." (3:175)
In the Musnad of Imam Ahmad there is a hadith where Allah (azza wajal) will ask someone on the day of judgment "Why did you not ordain the good and forbid the evil?" He will say "Oh Allah I feared people." Allah (azza wajal) will say "You should of feared me."
[i](3) The third fear is fear of the punishment of Allah (azza wajal) – this fear uis good unless you let it go beyond the boundaries.
"But for him who fears the standing before his Lord there are two gardens." (55:46)
"They (are those who) fulfill (their) vows, and they fear a Day whose evil will be wide-spreading." (76:7)
Ibn Taymiyyah said this fear is praised unless someone goes beyond bounds in it then that will lead to him to abandon the mercy of Allah (azza wajal).
(4) The fourth kind of fear is natural fear – example: fearing snakes, lions, being tortured etc.
This is something that Allah (azza wajal) equipped us with. It may be called the "flight-or-fight" response where we react to certain very apparent fears in front of us. For instance, it is natural to have a fear of a lion in the same room, a fear of a snake in a forest you are walking in, a fear of an oppressor who might torture you, or even a fear of your employer not giving you your paycheck.
All of these constitute the fear of Musa (alayhi salam) that prompted him to leave the town of the Pharaoh after he killed a man from the tribe of the Pharaoh.
"And there came a man running, from the farthest end of the city. He said: "O Műsa (Moses)! Verily, the chiefs are taking counsel together about you, to kill you, so escape. Truly, I am to you of those who give sincere advice. So he escaped from there, looking about in a state of fear. He said: "My Lord! Save me from the people who are Zâliműn (polytheists and wrong-doers)!" (28:20-21)
What must be noted here is that although it is not a shirk form of fear here, the more ones Iman is stronger the more fearful he is of Allah (azza wajal), while the least he is fearful of other creations even if certain circumstances may be brought upon with that creation's means.
Shirk In Hope
This pertains to shirk in having hope in other than Allah in that which only Allah (azza wajal) can facilitate.
For example, those who have hope in the dead by calling on the dead to do good for them or to refrain them from doing bad to the them. This applies to someone who is not around as well. For example, to call on one's sheikh who is ten thousand miles away to aid him in his problem, "Oh sheikh so and so, please facilitate food for my son's waleemah!"
On the other hand, if there is hope in something that is physically apparent this is not shirk.
The hope of Ibadah has conditions, of them are: to be low, to be humble and to have humility in that one you have hope in. This can also be referred to as secret hope, such as hoping for victory against one's enemies or hope to have a blessed life. Likewise when one hopes that a mechanic fixes one's car or that one is given a loan, these are not shirk.
Love (Hub), Hope (Rajaa), and Fear (Khoof)
All of these three are contained in Surah al-Fatihah…
This ayah indicates that we should place our love of Allah in praises and gratitude for His dominion is all of His creations:
"All the praises and thanks be to Allâh, the Lord of the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists)." (1:2)
This ayah tells us to place our hope in Allah for His beneficence is unmatched and His mercy is endless:
"The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful." (1:3)
We fear Allah as that inevitable day when our books will be taken into account and it is only from Allah that we will be judged:
"The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection). (1:4)
Shirk In Love
Anyone who asks other than Allah (azza wajal) that which only Allah can give is mushrik (unbeliever), and Allah called this shirk.
"And when they embark on a ship, they invoke Allâh, making their Faith pure for Him only, but when He brings them safely to land, behold, they give a share of their worship to others." (29:65)
Allah talks about mushrikeen:
"And the mosques are for Allâh (Alone), so invoke not anyone along with Allâh." (72:18)
"And invoke not besides Allâh, any that will neither profit you, nor hurt you, but if (in case) you did so, you shall certainly be one of the Zâliműn (polytheists and wrong-doers)." (10:106)
"And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmîr (the thin membrane over the datestone)." (35:13)
Allah called it kufur.
"And whoever invokes (or worships), besides Allâh, any other ilâh (god), of whom he has no proof, then his reckoning is only with his Lord. Surely! Al-Kâfirűn (the disbelievers in Allâh and in the Oneness of Allâh, polytheists, pagans, idolaters, etc.) will not be successful." (23:117)
Allah called them liars and kafiroon.
"Surely, the religion (i.e. the worship and the obedience) is for Allâh only. And those who take Auliyâ' (protectors and helpers) besides Him (say): "We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allâh." Verily, Allâh will judge between them concerning that wherein they differ. Truly, Allâh guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever." (39:3)
Allah (azza wajal) has shown us that the one a person chooses to call upon besides Allah cannot help that person in anything. The people who commit shirk have nothing, not even a thin skin that surrounds the date seed.
This kind of shirk has become popular and the mushrikeen of the past and present fall into the same trap.
Today, it is common to find by grave yards people uttering words such as "Oh so and so, give me such and such." They ask for shifa’a (intercession) or they ask for aid in uplifting their misery.
Whoever does this is has carried out an act of disbelief and has committed the most greatest sin of shirk akbar.
Some common dua'a of those who commit shirk in their dua'a is saying "Madad, madad Ya Hussein", Ya ibn Alwan, Ya Nafseesah, Ya Abdelkader Jailany. Ya Dasooky, Ya badawy, etc. Meaning, "more strength and power oh Hussein" and so on.
If one calls on a living person to do something within his human capabilities it is permissible. For instance, asking a close friend to fix a car, or for a loan, or to be rescued from some apparent mishap, these are all acceptable. They are acceptable because the person who can help the other is alive, is capable of helping and the means of being helped and helping is apparent.
May Allah (swt) keep us away from commiting shirk Insha'allah!
Ameen
Wa'salaam
Categories of Major Shirk
Major shirk can be divided into four categories:
The first category of major shirk is “associating in supplication”, which involves directing one’s supplications to other than Allah as a means of gaining provisions or being cured from a sickness or obtaining help during a crisis or for any other purpose.
The second category of major shirk is “association in the intention”, that is, performing deeds that may be good in themselves but which are done for the sake of this worldly life and not for the sake of Allah.
The third category of major shirk is “association in loving Allah”. That is to love someone or something else more than or as much as one loves Allah.
The fourth category of major shirk is “association in obedience” which is to obey people when they make unlawful things lawful, and to believe that it is permissible to follow those who make such legislations.
Here we discuss the third category of major shirk is “association in loving Allah”.
That is to love someone or something else more than or as much as one loves Allah. Allah says:
“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.” (Qur’an 2:165)
There are people who recognize Allah as the Creator, the Owner and the Sustainer of the universe, and yet love others more than Him. Some people love money more than they love Allah and for this reason, they do not pay zakat or they gain their money from unlawful sources. They are the slaves of Dirhams and Dinars, or in today’s terminology, the slaves of Dollars.
The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, said: “He who became the slave of the Dinar or the Dirham will perish and be destroyed.” (This is part of a hadith related by Al-Bukhari).
Some people love their desires more than they love Allah. Consequently, they would follow their desires even when they lead to disobeying Allah: “Do you see the one who is taking as his lord his own desires?” (Qur’an 25:43).
Therefore, loving Allah and His Messenger more than anything is a precondition for tasting the sweetness of faith. It has been narrated in an authentic hadith that the Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, said: “There are three qualities whosoever has them will taste the sweetness of Iman: loving Allah and His Messenger above all else, loving someone solely for the sake of Allah, and hating to return to disbelief after Allah has rescued him from it, as much as he would hate being thrown into Hellfire.” (Related by Al-Bukhari).
Allah has put two criteria to test whether one’s love for Him is more than the love of anything else:
(1) The first is the following of the Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam.
Allah says: “Say (Muhammad), if you do love Allah, follow me, Allah will love you (in return) and forgive your sins” (Qur’an 3:31).
Thus, following the Sunnah in all aspects of our lives is absolutely essential.
(2) The second criterion to know if one’s love of Allah is more than anything else is through struggling for the sake of Allah (jihad)
Allah says: “Say: If it be that 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, are dearer to you than Allah or His Messenger, or the jihad for Allah’s sake; then wait until Allah brings about his decision; and Allah does not guide the rebellious,” (Qur’an 9:24).
Four Kinds of Love
Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said regarding this matter:
There are four kinds of love, which we must differentiate between, and those who go astray do so because they do not make this distinction.
1. The first of them is love of Allaah, but this alone is not sufficient to save a person from the punishment of Allaah and to earn him His reward. The Mushrikeen, worshippers of the cross, Jews and others all love Allaah.
2. The second is love of that which Allaah loves. This is what brings a person into Islam and out of Kufr. The most beloved of people to Allaah is the one who is most correct and most devoted in this kind of love.
3. The third kind is love for the sake of Allaah, which is one of the essentials of loving that which Allaah loves. A person's love of that which Allaah loves cannot be complete until he also loves for the sake of Allaah.
4. The fourth is love for something alongside Allaah, and this love has to do with shirk. Everyone who loves things alongside Allaah but not for the sake of Allaah has taken that thing as a rival to Allaah. This is the love of the Mushrikeen.
5. There remains a fifth kind of love which has nothing to do with our topic; this is the natural love which is a person's inclination towards that which suits his nature, such as the love of a thirsty person for water or of a hungry person for food, or the love of sleep, or of one's wife and children. There is nothing wrong with this unless it distracts a person from remembering Allaah and keeps him from loving Him.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):
"O you who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allaah" [al-Munaafiqoon 63:9]
"Men whom neither trade nor sale (business) diverts from the remembrance of Allaah" [al-Noor 24:37]
(Al-Jawaab al-Kaafi, 1/134)
And he said (may Allaah have mercy on him):
The difference between loving for the sake of Allaah and loving something alongside Allaah is one of the most important distinctions. Everyone needs to make this distinction and is indeed obliged to do so. Loving for the sake of Allaah is a sign of the perfection of faith, but loving something alongside Allaah is the essence of shirk.
The difference between them is that a person's love for the sake of Allaah is connected to his love of Allaah; if this love becomes strong in his heart, this love dictates that he will love that which Allaah loves. If he loves that which his Lord loves and he loves those who are the friends of Allaah, this is love for the sake of Allaah. So he loves His Messengers, Prophets, angels and close friends because Allaah loves them, and he hates those who hate them because Allaah hates those people.
The sign of the love and hatred for the sake of Allaah is that his hatred for the one whom Allaah hates will not turn into love merely because that person treats him kindly, does him a service or meets some need he has; and his love for those whom Allaah loves will not turn to hatred simply because that person does something that upsets or hurts him, whether it is done by mistake or deliberately, in obedience to Allaah or because the person feels that he has a duty to do it for some reason, or because the person is a wrongdoer who may yet give up his wrongdoing and repent.
The entire religion revolves around four principles: love and hatred, and stemming from them, action and abstinence.
The person whose love and hatred, action and abstinence, are all for the sake of Allaah, has perfected his faith so that when he loves, he loves for the sake of Allaah, when he hates, he hates for the sake of Allaah, when he does something, he does it for the sake of Allaah, and when he abstains from something, he abstains for the sake of Allaah.
If one lacks in these four categories, he is lacking in faith and commitment to religion.
This is in contrast to the love of things alongside Allaah, which is of two types.
1. The first is when the love opposes the principles of Tawheed and takes one out of the folds of Islaam
Having love of the Mushrikeen (unbelievers) for their idols and gods. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allaah as rivals (to Allaah). They love them as they love Allaah" [al-Baqarah 2:165]
These Mushrikeen love their idols and gods alongside Allaah as they love Allaah. This love and devotion is accompanied by fear, hope, worship and supplication. This love is pure Shirk which Allaah does not forgive.
To perfect ones Emaan a person must regard these idols as enemies and hate them intensely, and hate the people who worship and indulge them.
This is the message with which Allaah sent all His Messengers and revealed all His Books. He created Hell for the people of shirk who love these rivals, and He created Paradise for those who strive against them and take them as enemies for His sake and to earn His Pleasure. Anybody who worships anything from the vicinity of the Throne to the lowest depths of the earth and takes a god and a supporter besides Allaah and associates another beings in worship with Him, will be disowned by the object of his worship when he is most in need of it .
2. The second kind is love for the things which Allaah has made attractive to people
Such as women, children, gold, silver, branded beautiful horses, cattle and well-tilled land. People love them with a kind of desire, like the love of the hungry person for food and the thirsty person for water.
This love is of three kinds:
1. If a person loves them for the sake of Allaah and as a means of obeying Allaah, he will be rewarded for that; it will be counted as a part of love for the sake of Allaah and a means of reaching Him, and he will still find enjoyment in them. This is how the best of creation was, to whom women and perfume were made dear in this world, and his love for them helped him to love Allaah more and to convey His Message and fulfil His commands.
2. If a person loves them because they suit his nature and his own desires, but he does not give them preference over that which Allaah loves and is pleased with, and he gets them because of his natural inclination, then they come under the heading of things which are permissible, and he will not be punished for that, but his love of Allaah and for the sake of Allaah will be lacking somewhat.
3. To love these things to a point where one is consumed with having to have them and sole purpose in life is to get these things and gives priority to that over that which Allaah loves and is pleased with, then he is wronging himself and following his own desires.
The first is the love of al-Saabiqoon (those who are foremost in Islam); the second is the love of al-muqtasidoon (those who are average) and the third is the love of al-zaalimoon (the wrongdoers).
Al-Rooh by Ibn al-Qayyim, 1/254.
May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.
Shirk In Fear
This means that there is fear from a person from other than Allah in that some harm will happen by that other's will and might. This goes against what Allah (azza wajal) has stated:
"..Therefore fear not men but fear Me.." (5:44)
“It is only Shaitân (Satan) that suggests to you the fear of his Auliyâ' [supporters and friends (polytheists, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh and in His Messenger, Muhammad SAW)], so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are (true) believers.” (3:175)
"Then, fear Me much" (16:51)
FOUR KINDS OF FEAR:
(1) The first kind of fear is fear from other than Allah in that which only Allah (azza wajal) can inflict upon the person such as illness, and poverty.
For instance, if one believes he will be killed by mere will and not by other physical means. Some more examples are, believing that a dead person can put a curse on you to get fired, stop your paychecks from coming, or to stop you from entering jannah or can place you in hell.
This is ibadah of fear, and it is also called secret fear because there is no reason for someone to fear the even remote chance that a dead person can prevent one from receiving his paycheck. It is something that is not apparent such as knife held against someone's chest. This is what the mushrikeen believed of their statues, non living objects able to bring upon them some sort of infliction.
This constitutes major shirk because these capabilities are reserved for Allah alone.
Sulayman bin Muhammad bin abdelWahab noted than example of this in Kitab at Tawheed. He said during his time someone had borrowed and dealt in business with the people of an area in the Arabian peninsula. This man became bankrupt and was unable to pay back what he had borrowed. The townsmen ran after him and he consequently went to a grave and said "I will call and get this sacred person in this grave to harm and curse you." Thus the people left him alone thinking of the harm that dead person will bring to them.
[i](2) To fear Allah so much that you will disobey Allah or not obey Him.
This second kind of fear is to fear performing jihad or to ordain the good and forbid the evil without valid reason except the fear of people. This is haram. Allah (azza wajal) revealed :
"It is only the devil who would make (men) fear others. Fear them not; fear Me, if you are true believers." (3:175)
In the Musnad of Imam Ahmad there is a hadith where Allah (azza wajal) will ask someone on the day of judgment "Why did you not ordain the good and forbid the evil?" He will say "Oh Allah I feared people." Allah (azza wajal) will say "You should of feared me."
[i](3) The third fear is fear of the punishment of Allah (azza wajal) – this fear uis good unless you let it go beyond the boundaries.
"But for him who fears the standing before his Lord there are two gardens." (55:46)
"They (are those who) fulfill (their) vows, and they fear a Day whose evil will be wide-spreading." (76:7)
Ibn Taymiyyah said this fear is praised unless someone goes beyond bounds in it then that will lead to him to abandon the mercy of Allah (azza wajal).
(4) The fourth kind of fear is natural fear – example: fearing snakes, lions, being tortured etc.
This is something that Allah (azza wajal) equipped us with. It may be called the "flight-or-fight" response where we react to certain very apparent fears in front of us. For instance, it is natural to have a fear of a lion in the same room, a fear of a snake in a forest you are walking in, a fear of an oppressor who might torture you, or even a fear of your employer not giving you your paycheck.
All of these constitute the fear of Musa (alayhi salam) that prompted him to leave the town of the Pharaoh after he killed a man from the tribe of the Pharaoh.
"And there came a man running, from the farthest end of the city. He said: "O Műsa (Moses)! Verily, the chiefs are taking counsel together about you, to kill you, so escape. Truly, I am to you of those who give sincere advice. So he escaped from there, looking about in a state of fear. He said: "My Lord! Save me from the people who are Zâliműn (polytheists and wrong-doers)!" (28:20-21)
What must be noted here is that although it is not a shirk form of fear here, the more ones Iman is stronger the more fearful he is of Allah (azza wajal), while the least he is fearful of other creations even if certain circumstances may be brought upon with that creation's means.
Shirk In Hope
This pertains to shirk in having hope in other than Allah in that which only Allah (azza wajal) can facilitate.
For example, those who have hope in the dead by calling on the dead to do good for them or to refrain them from doing bad to the them. This applies to someone who is not around as well. For example, to call on one's sheikh who is ten thousand miles away to aid him in his problem, "Oh sheikh so and so, please facilitate food for my son's waleemah!"
On the other hand, if there is hope in something that is physically apparent this is not shirk.
The hope of Ibadah has conditions, of them are: to be low, to be humble and to have humility in that one you have hope in. This can also be referred to as secret hope, such as hoping for victory against one's enemies or hope to have a blessed life. Likewise when one hopes that a mechanic fixes one's car or that one is given a loan, these are not shirk.
Love (Hub), Hope (Rajaa), and Fear (Khoof)
All of these three are contained in Surah al-Fatihah…
This ayah indicates that we should place our love of Allah in praises and gratitude for His dominion is all of His creations:
"All the praises and thanks be to Allâh, the Lord of the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists)." (1:2)
This ayah tells us to place our hope in Allah for His beneficence is unmatched and His mercy is endless:
"The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful." (1:3)
We fear Allah as that inevitable day when our books will be taken into account and it is only from Allah that we will be judged:
"The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection). (1:4)
Shirk In Love
Anyone who asks other than Allah (azza wajal) that which only Allah can give is mushrik (unbeliever), and Allah called this shirk.
"And when they embark on a ship, they invoke Allâh, making their Faith pure for Him only, but when He brings them safely to land, behold, they give a share of their worship to others." (29:65)
Allah talks about mushrikeen:
"And the mosques are for Allâh (Alone), so invoke not anyone along with Allâh." (72:18)
"And invoke not besides Allâh, any that will neither profit you, nor hurt you, but if (in case) you did so, you shall certainly be one of the Zâliműn (polytheists and wrong-doers)." (10:106)
"And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmîr (the thin membrane over the datestone)." (35:13)
Allah called it kufur.
"And whoever invokes (or worships), besides Allâh, any other ilâh (god), of whom he has no proof, then his reckoning is only with his Lord. Surely! Al-Kâfirűn (the disbelievers in Allâh and in the Oneness of Allâh, polytheists, pagans, idolaters, etc.) will not be successful." (23:117)
Allah called them liars and kafiroon.
"Surely, the religion (i.e. the worship and the obedience) is for Allâh only. And those who take Auliyâ' (protectors and helpers) besides Him (say): "We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allâh." Verily, Allâh will judge between them concerning that wherein they differ. Truly, Allâh guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever." (39:3)
Allah (azza wajal) has shown us that the one a person chooses to call upon besides Allah cannot help that person in anything. The people who commit shirk have nothing, not even a thin skin that surrounds the date seed.
This kind of shirk has become popular and the mushrikeen of the past and present fall into the same trap.
Today, it is common to find by grave yards people uttering words such as "Oh so and so, give me such and such." They ask for shifa’a (intercession) or they ask for aid in uplifting their misery.
Whoever does this is has carried out an act of disbelief and has committed the most greatest sin of shirk akbar.
Some common dua'a of those who commit shirk in their dua'a is saying "Madad, madad Ya Hussein", Ya ibn Alwan, Ya Nafseesah, Ya Abdelkader Jailany. Ya Dasooky, Ya badawy, etc. Meaning, "more strength and power oh Hussein" and so on.
If one calls on a living person to do something within his human capabilities it is permissible. For instance, asking a close friend to fix a car, or for a loan, or to be rescued from some apparent mishap, these are all acceptable. They are acceptable because the person who can help the other is alive, is capable of helping and the means of being helped and helping is apparent.
May Allah (swt) keep us away from commiting shirk Insha'allah!
Ameen
Wa'salaam