Third Series –Al – Shirk (Polytheism

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Third Series –Al – Shirk (Polytheism)

Polytheism (Shirk) is the greatest misfortune that can befall a human being from his self doings, and it is what defines a person’s identity, his life and future identity and that of his offspring; it also defines the social identity and that of the State ruling, and dictates the destiny of all of them as has been the case for many people/nations historically. The concept of Shirk has been exposed nowadays to various types of distortions and falsification through corrupt scholars and teachers in schools, until they caused everyone to fall and end up in Shirk, and left most of them polytheists without even knowing. They have emphasized the image of Shirk to portray merely the worshiping of statues (which have not existed in the lands of Muslims ever since the coming of Messenger Muhammed pbuh) or that of touching the Messenger or his companions’ (sahaba) graves, or seeking intercession from the Messenger or the companions (sahaba) or others during prayer.

Much focus had been directed towards that understanding, (for the interest/need being served), upon which the real concept of Shirk had become neglected, but what has been more important than all this, is that the purpose, behind that distortion to the meaning of Shirk, is much greater than that, as we had mentioned previously. Nothing has compared to Shirk in the number of times it had been covered, explained, and warned from within the Quran, all to prevent people from falling into it and loosing their dunya (this life) and akhirah (afterlife).

The reason behind the distortion of its meaning has been to make people’s following of commands from rulers and sultans other than Allah a natural and normal practice that does not take them out of their millah (religion) and does not touch their aqidah (the Islamic belief system), all that to make way for accepting to follow commands and prohibitions from other than Allah and working for and being of service to them. Hence, the creation of hypnotized societies that follow the commands and prohibitions of the kafir ruler without Allah and without seeing any wrong with that; furthermore complying with their rulings and with all of their economic, social, political and security systems, and directing their efforts toward applying and servicing these not seeing anything wrong with that. By that have individuals and societies engaged in Shirk in a damning, humiliating and offensive manner, and so we ended up with polytheist societies and polytheist individuals, most of whom don’t even know it and think that their prayers in mosques or at home will suffice for achieving goodness in their deen (religion), and their work and their acceptance in front of Allah swt.

Shirk, unlike Kufr, is something a Muslim can easily fall in to, and that by simply violating the terms of the two Shahadas and what these call for, which is the absolute following of Allah’s commands and prohibitions, those that have appeared both in the Holy Quran and in the Sunnah (teachings and activities of Messenger Muhammed pbuh). So we find a simple soldier working in one of the security units following orders of spying on Muslims, or capturing Muslims who do not possess Iqamas(residence permits), or invading homes of the safe guarded, and thereby violating the commands of Allah swt and following the commands of other than Allah swt, in this case the rulers; hence has included with Allah another commander, and that is the Shirk in its preciseness.

Similarly you find ministers, and scholars of rulers, and managers and heads of different government units in the passport department, or department of visa controls, department of civil status, or even teachers at schools or faculty at universities, or workers at the chambers of commerce and industry or at the customs authority or others, violating the commands of Allah swt, and following those of other than Allah from rulers, thereby including with Allah another commander, which again is the Shirk in its preciseness; they engage in this without seeing anything wrong in it and without hesitation; and then they turn towards mosques to pray with the rest of the Muslims praying or even leading the jama’ah(group of Muslims) during prayer.

Allah swt said in the meaning of surrat Al Tawbah verse 3

And an announcement from God and His Messenger (Apostle), to the people (assembled) on the day of the Great Pilgrimage,- that Allah and His Messenger (Apostle) dissolve (treaty) obligations with the disbelievers (Mushrikeen). If then, ye repent, it were best for you; but if ye turn away, know ye that ye cannot unable (or prevent) Allah. And proclaim a grievous penalty to those who reject Faith (Al-kafreen).