The fundamental and most important belief of Islam is Tawheed, that is, the affirmation of the Oneness of Allah ﷻ.
All the Prophets (عليهم السلام) were sent for the propagation and protection of this very belief, and this is the guarantee of success for mankind.
On the contrary, if a person associates anyone with Allah ﷻ, he commits the gravest sin—Shirk.
The word Shirk is derived from the Arabic language, which means “to associate” or “to regard someone as equal to another.”
In Islamic terminology, Shirk refers to associating others with Allah ﷻ in His worship, attributes, or powers.
In other words, to consider anyone besides Allah ﷻ as the fulfiller of needs or remover of difficulties, even though the one whom man calls upon as an object of worship is himself in need of protection.
Allah ﷻ says:
وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْ قِطْمِيرٍ
Those whom you invoke besides Him do not possess even the skin of a date stone.
(Surah Fatir 35:13)
In the Noble Qur’an and the Prophetic Ahadith, Shirk has been severely condemned. If a person dies in this state without repentance, it is an unforgivable sin.
Allah ﷻ says:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ
Indeed, Allah does not forgive that a partner be associated with Him, but He forgives whatever is less than that for whomsoever He wills.
(Surah An-Nisa 4:48)
In another place, He says:
وَلَا يُشْرِكُ فِي حُكْمِهِ أَحَدًا
And He (Allah ﷻ) does not share His command with anyone.
(Surah Al-Kahf 18:26)
Types of Shirk
The scholars have mentioned two fundamental types of Shirk:
1. Shirk Akbar (Major Shirk)
This is the type of Shirk that expels a person from Islam and makes him eternally deserving of Hellfire.
Allah ﷻ says:
مَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ
Indeed, whoever associates partners with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and his abode will be the Hellfire.
Examples of Shirk Akbar (Major Shirk)
▪ Shirk in Worship
Worshiping anyone besides Allah ﷻ (such as performing sujood, tawaf, or offering sacrifice to others).
Allah ﷻ says:
وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِهِۦ شَيْـًۭٔا
Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him.
(Surah An-Nisa 4:36)
▪ Shirk in Supplication (Dua)
Seeking unseen help from anyone other than Allah ﷻ, believing that they can hear one’s plea.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
إِذَا سَأَلْتَ فَاسْأَلِ اللَّهَ، وَإِذَا اسْتَعَنْتَ فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ
When you ask, then ask only from Allah, and when you seek help, then seek help only from Allah.
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 2516)
▪ Shirk in Sovereignty (Hakimiyyah)
Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ have laid down complete principles of life through the Qur’an and the Ahadith—covering justice, economy, society, and governance.
It is the exclusive right of Allah ﷻ to legislate. It is not permissible for a believer to consider man-made laws, based on human intellect and desires, as more complete or superior to the Divine Law.
For example, if someone believes that the laws revealed by Allah ﷻ—such as the prohibition of interest, the rules of inheritance, or the prescribed punishments for adultery and theft—are no longer applicable in modern times, or regards Islamic punishments for zina, theft, or murder as unjust while considering Western or secular laws superior, then this constitutes Shirk fi’l-Hakimiyyah (associating others with Allah in legislation).
Allah ﷻ says:
وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ
And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, then it is they who are the disbelievers.
(Surah Al-Maidah 5:44)
Shirk Asghar (Minor Shirk)
This is the type of Shirk that does not expel a person from Islam, but it destroys his deeds.
Examples of Shirk Asghar
▪ Showing Off (Riya)
Performing acts of worship for the sake of display, such as offering prayer or giving charity to please people.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إِنَّ أَخْوَفَ مَا أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمُ الشِّرْكَ الْأَصْغَرُ، قَالُوا وَمَا الشِّرْكُ الْأَصْغَرُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: الرِّيَاءُ
The thing I fear most for you is minor shirk.
The Companions (رضي الله عنهم) asked: O Messenger of Allah, what is minor shirk?
He ﷺ replied: Showing off (Riya).
(Musnad Ahmad)
Shirk in Oaths
In the noble Ahadith, it has been clearly prohibited to swear an oath by anyone other than Allah ﷻ.
The Prophet ﷺ declared this act to be Shirk.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَنْ حَلَفَ بِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ أَوْ أَشْرَكَ
Whoever swears by other than Allah has committed disbelief or shirk.
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Sunan Abi Dawud)
Prohibition of Swearing by Parents
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
أَلَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَنْهَاكُمْ أَنْ تَحْلِفُوا بِآبَائِكُمْ، فَمَنْ كَانَ حَالِفًا فَلْيَحْلِفْ بِاللَّهِ، أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ
Behold! Allah forbids you from swearing by your forefathers. Whoever wants to swear, let him swear by Allah, or else remain silent.
He ﷺ also said:
لَا تَحْلِفُوا بِآبَائِكُمْ، وَلَا بِأُمَّهَاتِكُمْ، وَلَا بِالْأَنْدَادِ، وَلَا تَحْلِفُوا إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ، وَلَا تَحْلِفُوا بِاللَّهِ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ صَادِقُونَ
Do not swear by your fathers, nor by your mothers, nor by rivals (false deities). Swear only by Allah, and do not swear by Allah except while speaking the truth.
Here, the term “أنداد” (partners set up with Allah) includes everything sanctified besides Allah, such as the Ka‘bah itself, when taken as an oath.
Note: Just as swearing by parents is prohibited, swearing by one’s children also falls under the same ruling.
Correction of One Who Swore by the Ka‘bah
It is narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) that he heard a man saying:
وَالْكَعْبَةِ (By the Ka‘bah!)
Ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) said to him:
لَا تَحْلِفْ بِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ، فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ يَقُولُ: مَنْ حَلَفَ بِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ أَوْ أَشْرَكَ
Do not swear by anyone other than Allah, for I heard the Prophet ﷺ say: Whoever swears by other than Allah has committed disbelief or shirk.
Permissibility of Swearing by the Lord of the Ka‘bah
Although it is forbidden to swear by the Ka‘bah itself, it is permissible to swear by the Lord of the Ka‘bah, since in that case the oath is taken in the name of Allah ﷻ, not in the name of any creation.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
وَرَبِّ الْكَعْبَةِ إِنَّهُ لَحَقٌّ
By the Lord of the Ka‘bah, indeed it is the truth.
Superstition and Bad Omens
Considering something unlucky, or believing that it brings benefit or harm, falls under Shirk.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
الطِّيَرَةُ شِرْكٌ
Taking bad omens is shirk.
Believing in Soothsayers and Fortune-Tellers
To believe in the words of astrologers or soothsayers is an act of disbelief (kufr).
The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَنْ أَتَى عَرَّافًا أَوْ كَاهِنًا فَصَدَّقَهُ بِمَا يَقُولُ، فَقَدْ كَفَرَ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ
Whoever goes to a fortune-teller or a soothsayer and believes what he says, has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad ﷺ.
Un-Islamic Amulets, Charms, and Incantations
Practices such as un-Islamic charms (taweez), incantations (ruqyah not in accordance with Shari‘ah), and love-spells (tawlah, black magic tricks) are considered Shirk.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إِنَّ الرُّقَى وَالتَّمَائِمَ وَالتِّوَلَةَ شِرْكٌ
Indeed, (un-Islamic) incantations, amulets, and love-spells are shirk.
Causes of Shirk
- Ignorance:
Due to lack of knowledge of the fundamental teachings of Islam, people fall into Shirk. - Blind Imitation:
Following ancestors or societal traditions blindly, just as the polytheists of Makkah used to do. - Love of the World:
Some people engage in acts of shirk for the sake of worldly benefits. - Whisperings of Shaytan:
Shaytan lures mankind toward shirk through evil whisperings.
Allah ﷻ says:
إِنَّهُ مَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا
Indeed, whoever associates partners with Allah has certainly gone far astray.
(Surah An-Nisa 4:116)
Harms of Shirk
- All Good Deeds Are Nullified
Allah ﷻ says:
لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
If you commit shirk, surely all your deeds will be nullified, and you will certainly be among the losers.
(Surah Az-Zumar 39:65)
- Deprivation of Allah’s Mercy
The one who commits shirk is deprived of Allah’s mercy and incurs His curse. - Eternal Punishment in the Hereafter
The one who dies upon shirk will remain in Hellfire forever.
Ways to Avoid Shirk
- Learning the Knowledge of Tawheed:
It is essential to understand the reality of Tawheed by studying the Qur’an, the Ahadith, and learning from the scholars. - Keeping the Company of Righteous People:
One should accompany those who are firmly established upon the belief of Tawheed. - Avoiding Innovations and Superstitions:
One must stay away from all customs and practices that may lead to shirk. - Constantly Praying to Allah for Protection:
One should always supplicate to Allah ﷻ for protection from shirk.
The Prophet ﷺ himself used to pray before Allah ﷻ for protection from shirk.
Conclusion
Shirk is the gravest sin and an unforgivable crime in the sight of Allah ﷻ.
We must remain steadfast upon pure Tawheed, avoid every form of shirk, and spend our lives according to the pleasure of Allah ﷻ.
May Allah ﷻ protect us from shirk and keep us firm upon faith until our last breath.
Ameen.