THE CONCEPT OF SHIRK

The Concept of Shirk according to

Ahl al-
al-Sunnah wa al-
al-Jama’ah

1
 Opposites: Tawhid & Shirk

‫ھوإفراد المعبود بالعبادة مع اعتقاد وحدته و التصديق بھا ذاتا و صفاتا و أفعاال‬
Tawhid is the singular worship (’ibadah) of Allah the Most High, with total and complete
belief and affirmation in the uniqueness and perfection of His Essence, Attributes and
Actions.

[Al-Imam al-Bajuri, Hashiyah ala Jawharah al-Tawhid pg 38]

‫ اإلشراك ھو إثبات الشريك في األلوھية بمعنى وجوب الوجود كما المجوس‬:‫نقول‬

‫أو بمعنى استحقاق العبادة كما لعبدة األصنام‬
“We say that commiting shirk is the establishing of a partner in the divinity of Allah
(azza wa jall) by considering a thing to be necessary in its existence like the Majus
(fire-worshippers) or by considering it to be worthy of worship like the idol-
worshippers.”

[Al-Allamah S’ad al-Din al-Taftazani, Sharh Al-Aqaid Al-Nasafiyyah pg 55]

Shirk (Associating partners with Allah)

‫ش ْي ًئا‬ ْ ‫َ َو َال ُت‬J ‫اع ُبدُوا‬
َ ‫ش ِر ُكوا ِب ِه‬ ْ ‫َو‬
:‫ وھو المراد بقوله تعالى‬،‫ وھو الشرك األعظم وھو شرك الجاھلية‬،‫ في ألوھيته‬N ‫أصله اعتقاد شريك‬
‫ تعالى في‬N ‫ ويليه في الرتبة اعتقاد شريك‬. (‫ ال يغفر أن يشرك به ويغفر ما دون ذلك لمن يشاء‬J ‫)إن‬
‫ تعالى يستقل بإحداث فعل وإيجاده وإن لم يعتقد كونه إلھا‬J‫ إن موجودا ما غير‬:‫ وھو قول من قال‬،‫الفعل‬

And worship Allah and do not ascribe any partner to Him

[Surah al-Nisa, verse 36]

“In essence it is the belief that there is a partner to Allah in His divinity. And it is the greatest of
Shirk and it is the shirk of the people of the Jahiliyyah (period of ignorance before Islam). And it is
intended by Allah (The Most High) in His statement: “Indeed Allah does not forgive that partners be
ascribed with Him and He forgives all that is below it, to whomever He wills”, and following it in
degree is the belief that there is a partner to Allah in divine action: and it is the statement of the
one who says ‘Indeed something in existence other than Allah (Most High) acts independently in
the performance of an act and its creation’, even if he does not consider it to be a deity.

[Al-Imam al-Mufassir al-Qurtubi, Tafsir al-Qurtubi 5:181]

2
 An Overview of Shirk
It is therefore shirk:

To consider anyone/anything other than Allah as necessary in existence and uncreated

To consider anyone/anything worthy of worship other than Allah
To consider anyone/anything as having the divine attributes of Allah
To consider anyone/anything as acting independently of Allah

The punishment of Shirk is eternal punishment in Hell-fire:

‫ضالال َبعِيدًا‬ َ ْ‫ِ َف َقد‬N‫ش ِر ْك ِبا‬

َ َّ ‫ضل‬ ْ ‫شا ُء َومَنْ ُي‬ ْ ‫َ ال َي ْغ ِف ُر أَنْ ُي‬J َّ‫إِن‬
َ ‫ش َر َك ِب ِه َو َي ْغفِ ُر َما دُونَ َذلِ َك لِمَنْ َي‬
[‫النساء‬ ‫]سورة‬

Indeed Allah does not forgive that partners be ascribed with Him - and He forgives all that is
below it, to whomever He wills

[Surah al-Nisa verse 116]

The Accuser & The Accused

‫ ” »إن ما أتخوف عليكم رجل‬:‫ عليه وسلم‬J ‫ صلى‬J ‫عن حذيفة بن اليمان قال رسول‬
‫ فانسلخ منه‬J ‫قرأ القرآن حتى إذا رئيت بھجته عليه وكان ردئا لإلسالم غيره إلى ما شاء‬
‫ أيھما‬J ‫ونبذه وراء ظھره وسعى على جاره بالسيف ورماه بالشرك« قال قلت يا نبي‬
“«‫ »بل الرامي‬:‫أولى بالشرك المرمي أم الرامي قال‬

Sayiduna Hudhaifa ibn al Yaman (radiyAllahu anhu) said that the Prophet (salAllahu
alayhi wa sallam) said: “Verily, I fear for you about a man who will read the Qur'an until
its light will be seen upon him and he will come to personify Islam, then he will change it
to whatever Allah wills. Then he will become detached from it and he will throw it behind
his back and will attack his neighbor with the sword accusing him of Shirk.” I asked the
Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) - which of the two will be more deserving of
shirk? – The accused or the accuser. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam)
replied – “Indeed the accuser.”

[Narrated by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, hadith 81 and Al-Hafidh al-Haythami in Majma’ Al
Zawaid, where he declared its chain to be “Hasan”, Al-Hafidh Ibn Kathir declared the
Chain as “Jayyid (strong)” in his Tafsir al-Quran al-Azhim, 2/266]

3
 Tendencies of the Khawarij

‫ »إنھم انطلقوا إلى آيات نزلت في‬:‫ وقال‬،J ‫ يراھم شرار خلق‬،‫وكان ابن عمر‬
«‫ فجعلوھا على المؤمنين‬،‫الكفار‬

And Sayiduna ibn ‘Umar (radiyAllahu anhu) used to consider them (the Khawarij) the
most evil of Allah’s creation and he said: “They set themselves upon the verses
revealed concerning the disbelievers and applied them to the believers”.

[al-Imam al Bukhari, Sahih al-Bukhari 9:16]

The Khawarij were a deviant group who separated from the Muslims at the time of the
Sahabah, declared the Sahabah as disbelievers and fought and killed them. This trait of
the Khawarij mentioned by Sayiduna ibn ‘Umar (radiyAllahu anhu) is sadly ever present
in our reality today.

The Neo-Khawarij
‫ كما وقع في زماننا في أتباع عبدالوھاب‬،‫فيكفي فيھم اعتقادھم كفر من خرجوا عليه‬
‫ لكنھم‬،‫الذين خرجوا من نجد وتغلبوا على الحرمين وكانوا ينتحلون مذھب الحنابلة‬
‫ واستباحوا بذلك قتل‬،‫اعتقدوا أنھم ھم المسلمون وأن من خالف اعتقادھم مشركون‬
‫أھل السنة وقتل علمائھم‬

So it is sufficient (in calling a group khawarij) their belief that that those they
are revolting against are disbelievers, like what befell in our time with the
followers of Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahabb who came out from Najd and
overcame the two holy sanctuaries and outwardly claimed to follow the
Hanbali School but they believed that they were the only Muslims and
whoever opposed them were disbelievers and they made permissible
the killing of Ahl al-Sunnah and its Ulama.

[Al- Sayid al-Imam ibn ‘Abidin al-Shami, Radd al-Muhtar , 4/262]

4
 Istighatha in the light of the Qur’an

َ ِ‫اس َتغا َث ُه ا َّلذِي مِنْ ش‬

‫يع ِت ِه َع َلى ا َّلذِي مِنْ َعد ُِّو ِه‬ ْ ‫َف‬
And his (Sayiduna Musa’s alayhi al-Salam) countryman sought his help
(fastaghatha-hu) against his enemy

[Surah al-Qasas Verse 15]

‫ فاستنصره‬:‫اس َتغا َث ُه أي‬

ْ ‫َف‬
(Fastaghatha-hu) i.e.: He sought his help (fastansara-hu)

[Al-Hafidh ibn al-Jawzi, Zad al-Masir fi ‘ilm al-Tafsir 3:378]

Istighatha is the asking of help from another. It is not shirk to seek help from creation,
whilst fully recognising that creation is simply a means and completely dependent
on Allah and that in reality it is the help of Allah that is being sought.

Istighatha in the light of the Sunnah

:‫ عليه وسلم‬J ‫ قال النبي صلى‬:‫ قال‬،‫ عنه‬J ‫ بن عمر رضي‬J ‫عن عبد‬
‫ فبينا ھم كذلك‬،‫ حتى يبلغ العرق نصف األذن‬،‫»إن الشمس تدنو يوم القيامة‬
«‫ عليه وسلم فيشفع‬J ‫ ثم بمحمد صلى‬،‫ ثم بموسى‬،‫استغاثوا بآدم‬

“Truly the sun shall draw so near on the Day of Judgement that the
sweat shall reach to the mid-ear, whereupon they shall ask help
(istaghathu) from Sayyiduna Adam (alayhi al-salam) then from
Sayyiduna Musa (alayhi salam) then from Sayyiduna Muhammad
(salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) and he will intercede.”

[Sahih Al-Bukhari, hadith 1475]

5
 Istighatha is not Shirk
‫ فإذا ھي بالملك عند موضع زمزم‬،‫ قد أسمعت إن كان عندك غواث‬:‫فقالت‬
“So she (our mother Hajar alayha al-salam) said: “Indeed you have made me hear, if
there is (ghawathun) help with you (then help me), whereupon an angel appeared at
the spot of the (spring) of Zamzam.”

[Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith 3364]

Seeking help with the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) is only a means of imploring
Allah for the sake of his rank and honour with Allah. The one doing the asking seeks
from the one asked that he assign him aid (ghawth) from that which he has been given
by Allah. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) is the intermediary means between the
one asking for help and the One asked in reality - Allah.

In reality help is strictly from Allah in terms of its creation, while the help from the
Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) is strictly in respect to its acquisition from Allah.

Tawassul in the light of the Qur’an

َ ‫يا أَ ُّي َھا ا َّلذِينَ آ َم ُنوا ا َّت ُقوا‬

َ ‫ َوا ْب َت ُغوا إِ َل ْي ِه ا ْل َوسِ ي َل َة َوجا ِھدُوا فِي‬J
َ‫س ِبيلِ ِه َل َع َّل ُك ْم ُت ْف ِل ُحون‬
O you who believe! Fear Allah, and seek the means towards Him (al-wasilah) , and strive in His
cause, in the hope of attaining success.
[Surah Al-Ma’ida 5:35]
‫ تعالى‬J ‫ كل ما يتقرب به إلى‬:‫الوسيلة‬
Al-Wasilah is everything by which a means of closeness is sought to Allah (The Most High)

[Al-Imam al-Baidawi, Tafsir al-Baidawi 3/139]

‫ ھي التي يتوصل بھا إلى تحصيل المقصود‬:‫الوسيلة‬

Al-Wasilah is that by which a means of approach is sought in the attainment of a desired end.

[Al-Imam ibn Kathir, Tafsir ibn Kathir 3/103]

6
 Tawassul in the Sunnah
:‫ فقال‬-‫ عليه وسلم‬J ‫صلى‬- ‫ أن رجال ضرير البصر أتى النبي‬,‫عن عثمان بن حنيف‬
‫ وإن شئت دعوت‬،‫ "إن شئت أخرت ذاك فھو أعظم ألجرك‬:‫ فقال‬.‫ أن يعافيني‬J ‫ادع‬
‫ "اللھم إني‬:‫ فأمره أن يتوضأ ويصلي ركعتين ويدعو بھذا الدعاء‬.‫ ادعه‬:‫ فقال‬."J
‫ إني‬،‫ يا محمد‬،‫ نبي الرحمة‬-‫ عليه وسلم‬J ‫صلى‬- ‫أسألك وأتوجه إليك بنبيك محمد‬
‫في‬
ّ ‫ اللھم فشفعه‬،‫توجھت بك إلى ربي في حاجتي ھذه فتقضى‬

On the authority of ‘Uthman ibn Hunayf (radiyAllahu anhu) that a blind man came to the
Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) and said: Pray for me that Allah restores my sight.
He said: “If you wish you can be patient and it is of greater reward for you and if you wish I
can pray to Allah. So he said pray to Allah. So the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam)
commanded him to make ablution and pray two units of prayer and supplicate with this
supplication: “O Allah I am asking you and turning to you with your Prophet Muhammad,
the Prophet of Mercy. O Muhammad (Ya Muhammad) I am turning with you to my Lord
regarding my need so that He will fulfill my need. O Allah allow him to intercede with you
for me.”

[Sahih ibn Khuzaymah hadith 1219, Musnad Ahmad hadith 17240, al-Tirmidhi hadith
3578, Ibn Majah hadith 1385, Al-Nasa’i hadith 10494, Al-Hakim hadith 1180]

Authenticity of the Hadith

‫ھذا حديث حسن صحيح‬: ‫قال االمام الترمذي‬

Al-Imam al-Tirmidhi said: This hadith is fair authentic.

‫ ھذا حديث صحيح اإلسناد‬:‫وقال االمام الحاكم‬

Al-Imam al-Hakim said: This is a hadith with an authentic chain.

Al-Imam al-Tirmidhi narrated this hadith in:

‫كتاب الدعوات‬
The Book of supplications

7
 After the passing of the Prophet (salAllahu
alayhi wa sallam)
‫ عنه في‬J ‫ عنه أن رجال كان يختلف إلى عثمان بن عفان رضي‬J ‫عن عثمان بن حنيف رضي‬
‫ فقال له‬،‫ فلقي ابن حنيف فشكا ذلك إليه‬،‫حاجته وكان عثمان ال يلتفت إليه وال ينظر في حاجته‬
‫ " اللھم إني‬:‫ فصل فيه ركعتين وقل‬،‫ ثم ائت المسجد‬،‫ ائت الميضأة فتوضأ‬:‫عثمان بن حنيف‬
‫ يا محمد إني أتوجه بك‬:‫ عليه وآله وسلم نبي الرحمة‬J ‫أسألك وأتوجه إليك بنبينا محمد صلى‬
“‫إلى ربك فيقضي لي حاجتي وتذكر حاجتك‬
On the authority of ‘Uthman ibn Hunayf (radiyAllahu anhu) that a man used to go back
and forth to Sayiduna Uthman (radiyAllahu anhu) concerning a need of his and
Sayiduna Uthman (radiyAllahu anhu) did not turn to him nor consider his need. So he
met Sayiduna ‘Uthman ibn Hunayf (radiyAllahu anhu) and complained to him of that,
so he said to him go to the place of ablution and peform wudhu then go to the masjid
and pray two units of prayer and say: “O Allah I am asking you and turning to you
through our Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam), the Prophet of
mercy, O Muhammad! I am turning with you to your Lord that He will fulfill my need.
And mention your need.”

[Al-Imam al-Tabarani, Mu’jam al-Kabir hadith 831, Mu’jam al-Saghir hadith 508,
Al-Imam al-Bayhaqi, Dala’il al-Nubuwwah, 6/168]

Authenticity of the Hadith

‫ الحديث صحيح‬:‫قال االمام الطبراني‬

Al-Imam al-Tabarani said : The hadith is authentic

This hadith shows the permissibility of calling upon the Prophet

(salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) using the vocative particle “Ya”, after
his passing from this worldly life.

It also shows that the sahabah understood that it was perfectly

permissible to take the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) as a
Wasilah (intermediary means ) when asking Allah (subhanahu wa
t’ala) to fulfill one’s needs even after his passing from this worldly
domain.

Neither of these were considered by the sahabah to be Shirk.

8
 Tawassul & the Sahabah
‫عن مالك الدار وكان خازن عمر قال أصاب الناس قحط في زمن عمر بن الخطاب فجاء‬
‫ استسق ألمتك فإنھم قد‬J ‫ عليه وسلم فقال يا رسول‬J ‫رجل إلى قبر النبي صلى‬
،‫ عليه وسلم في المنام فقال ائت عمر فأقرئه السالم‬J ‫ صلى‬J ‫ھلكوا فأتاه رسول‬
‫ فبكى‬،‫ فأخبره‬،‫ فأتى الرجل عمر‬.‫عليك الكيس الكيس‬:‫ وقل له‬.‫وأخبره أنكم مسقون‬
‫ يا رب ما آلو إال ما عجزت عنه‬:‫عمر ثم قال‬

On the authority of Malik al-Dar, who was Sayiduna Umar’s treasurer, that a
drought befell the people at the time of Sayiduna Umar’s (caliphate). So a man
came to the grave of the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) and said:
O Messenger of Allah ask for rain for your community, for verily they have
perished. So the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) appeared to him in a
dream and told him: Go to Umar and give him my greeting and tell him that you
will be given rain. Tell him: you must be clever , you must be clever. The man
went and told Umar (radiyAllahu anhu) so Umar(radiyAllahu anhu) cried and
said: O my Lord I spare no effort except what escapes my power!

[al-Imam al-Bayhaqi, Dala’il al-Nubuwwah 7/47, Musannaf ibn Abi Shaybah 12/31-32]

Authenticity of the Hadith

Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar narrated this hadith in Fath ul Bari, (2/629-630) saying:

‫وروى بن أبي شيبة بإسناد صحيح‬

and ibn abi Shaybah narrated with an authentic chain

Al-Hafidh Ibn Kathir narrated it in Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah [7/92] from al-Bayhaqi

stating after it:

‫وھذا إسناد صحيح‬

And this chain of transmission is authentic

Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar (rahmatAllah alayhi) in Fath ul-Bari mentioned that it is narrated that
the man who came to the grave of theProphet (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) was the
Sahabi Bilal ibn al-Harith Al Muzani (radhiyAllahu anhu).

9
 Accusing the Sahabah of Shirk
One of the foremost proponents of the Najdiyyah movement ‘Abdul ‘Aziz bin
Abdullah ibn Baz stated in his editorial-notes on Fath al-Bari :

‫ما فعله ھذا الرجل منكر و وسيلة إلى الشرك بل قد جعله بعض أھل العلم من‬
‫أنواع الشرك‬

What this man did is denied (munkar) and an avenue to polytheism!

(wasilah ila al-shirk), indeed some of the people of knowledge considered it
from the types of shirk.

[‘Abd al-Aziz Abdullah ibn Baz, Fath al-Bari tahqiq ibn Baz pg 704]

This was the act of the Sahabi Sayiduna Bilal ibn al Harith Al Muzani
(radhiyAllahu anhu) with the approval of Sayiduna ‘Umar bin al- Khattab
(radiyAllahu anhu) and the rest of the Sahabah (ridwanAllah alayhim ajma’in)

Tabarruk in light of the Qur’an

‫يرا‬ ِ ْ‫ْاذ َھ ُبوا ِب َقمِيصِ ي ھ ََذا َفأ َ ْل ُقوهُ َع َلى َو ْج ِه أَ ِبي َيأ‬
ً ِ‫ت َبص‬

ْ ‫اء ا ْل َبشِ ي ُر أَ ْل َقاهُ َع َلى َو ْج ِھ ِه َف‬

ً ِ‫ار َت َّد َبص‬
‫يرا‬ َ ‫َف َل َّما أَنْ َج‬

Take along this shirt of mine and lay it on my father’s face, his vision will be restored

[Surah Yusuf Verse 93]

Then when the bearer of glad tidings came, he laid the shirt on his face he therefore
immediately regained his eyesight

[Surah Yusuf Verse 96]

‫ ثبوت الخير اإللھي في الشيء‬:‫ال َب َر َك ُة‬

Al-Barakah : The existence of a divine goodness in a certain thing

[Al-Imam al-Raghib al-Asfahani, Al-Mufradat 1/119]

10
 Tabarruk and the Sahabah
‫ أرسلني أھلي إلى أم سلمة زوج‬:‫ قال‬،‫ بن موھب‬J ‫عن عثمان بن عبد‬
‫ وقبض إسرائيل ثالث أصابع‬- ‫ عليه وسلم بقدح من ماء‬J ‫النبي صلى‬
‫ وكان إذا أصاب‬،‫ عليه وسلم‬J ‫ فيه شعر من شعر النبي صلى‬- ‫من قصة‬
‫اإلنسان عين أو شيء بعث إليھا مخضبه‬

‘Uthman ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Mawhab said: “My family sent me to Sayidatuna
Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) with a cup of
water. (Sayidatuna Umm Salamah brought out a silver bottle which contained
one of the hairs of the Prophet salAllahu alayhi wa sallam), and it used to be that
if anyone came under the evil eye or ill health they used to send her a cup of
water.”

[Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith 5446]

Tabarruk and the Sahabah

‫ وكان النبي صلى‬،‫ فلما قبضت قبضتھا‬،‫ ھذه كانت عند عائشة حتى قبضت‬:‫فقالت‬
‫ فنحن نغسلھا للمرضى يستشفى بھا‬،‫ عليه وسلم يلبسھا‬J

Sayidatuna Asma’ bint Abi Bakr (radiyAllahu anha) said: “This (the cloak of the Prophet
(salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) was kept with Sayidatuna A’isha (radiyAllahu anha) until
she passed away. When she passed away, it came under my possession. The
Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) used to wear it, so we wash it for the sick and
they are healed by it”

[Sahih Muslim, hadith 3855]

‫وفي ھذا الحديث دليل على استحباب التبرك بآثار الصالحين وثيابھم‬

“And in this hadith is an evidence for the desirability of seeking blessings through
the relics of the righteous and their clothes.”

[Al-Imam al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim 14/44]

11
 Tabarruk is not Shirk

‫ سأل أباه‬J ‫ وقد ثبت أن عبد‬،‫ أين المتنطع المنكر على أحمد‬:‫قلت‬
‫ ويمس الحجرة‬-‫ عليه وسلم‬J ‫صلى‬- ‫عمن يلمس رمانة منبر النبي‬
‫ وإياكم من رأي الخوارج‬J ‫ أعاذنا‬.‫ ال أرى بذلك بأسا‬:‫ فقال‬،‫النبوية‬
.‫ومن البدع‬
I say: Where is the obstinate critic of Imam Ahmad now? It is also authentically
established that ‘AbdAllah asked his father about those who touch the pommel of
the Prophet’s (salAllahu alayhi wa sallam) pulpit and touch the wall of the Prophet
(salAllahu alayhi wa sallam’s) room and he said: I do not see any harm in it.
May Allah protect us and you from the opinion of the khawarij and from
innovations.”

[Al-Hafidh al-Dhahabi, Siyar A’lam al-Nubala 9:457]

Summary of key points:

In summary:
Istighatha, Tawassul and Tabarruk as practised by Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah are all
sanctioned by the Qur’an & Sunnah.

We should accustom ourselves to the evidences pertaining to these.

We should not be confused by the whisperings and false accusations of shirk from
those who have not understood the true meanings of Tawhid & Shirk.

We should seek knowledge in order to protect ourselves from corrupt thoughts and
doctrines opposing the way of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah.

May Allah (subhanahu wa t’ala) show us the Truth as Truth and grant us the ability to
follow it and show us the falsehood as falsehood and grant us the ability to avoid it.
Ameen.

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