What is Major Shirk?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Shirk (polytheism) is the opposite of Tawheed (monotheism) and it is classified into two main categories: major Shirk and minor Shirk.

First, major Shirk is classified into three categories, which are contrary to the three categories of Tawheed. They are:

1. Shirk in Ruboobiyyah (Lordship) and it has two types: Shirk by negation, which is the worst type of Shirk, like the Shirk of Fir‘awn (Pharaoh) when he said (what means): {What is the Lord of the worlds?} [Quran 26:23] This also includes the Shirk of the philosophers who advocate the idea of the pre-eternity of the universe (meaning that the universe had no beginning which basically contradicts the fact that Allaah initiated the creation of the world which was until then non-existent) and that the universe has always existed and has never been and will never be nonexistent. It also includes the Shirk of pantheists who adopt the same beliefs as atheists but mix them with some of the Muslims’ beliefs. In addition, this type of Shirk includes those who deny something of the Names or Attributes of Allaah The Almighty like the extremists from among the Jahmiyyah and Qaraamitah sects.

The second type of Shirk in Ruboobiyyah is Shirk by association. It refers to the act of associating others with Allaah The Almighty without denying any of His Names or Attributes and without denying His lordship. It is like the Shirk of the Christians who believe in the Trinity and the Magians who attribute good events to light and bad events to darkness. This also includes the Shirk of those who believe in the stars as the power that controls the universe, and the Shirk of the Sabians. This type of Shirk also includes those who claim that the souls of the deceased righteous believers can affect the affairs of this world, fulfill needs, remove calamities and help whoever one calls on them.

2. The second category of major Shirk is Shirk in Al-Asmaa’ was Sifaat (the Names and Attributes of Allaah). It has two types, one of them is drawing a resemblance between the Creator and the creation, such as when a person says that the Hand of Allaah is like his, or that the Hearing of Allaah is like his or that His Istiwaa’ (rising) is like his, and this type is known as the Shirk of Mushabbihah (those who liken Allaah to his creation). The other type is when false gods are given names derived from the Names of Allaah The Almighty who Says (what means): {And to Allaah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them. And leave [the company of] those who practice deviation concerning His names. They will be recompensed for what they have been doing.} [Quran 7:180]

Ibn ‘Abbaas mentioned that the polytheists derived the names of their gods from the Names and Attributes of Allaah The Almighty.

3. The third category is Shirk in Worship and it is divided into three sub-categories:

The first is Shirk in the rites of sacrifice and rituals, like when one offers his supplication, vows and sacrifices to anyone other than Allaah The Almighty and when he appeals to others for help. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {If you invoke them, they do not hear your supplication; and if they heard, they would not respond to you. And on the Day of Resurrection they will deny your association. And none can inform you like [one] Acquainted [with all matters].} [Quran 35:14]

According to the scholars’ consensus, whoever takes an intermediary between himself and Allaah The Almighty, and directs his supplications to this intermediary and asks him to intercede on his behalf is to be identified as a disbeliever.

The second sub-category is Shirk in submission, when one submits to the rulings that are stipulated by those who are not authorized by Allaah The Almighty, that state the lawful and the unlawful. Allaah The Exalted Says (what means): {They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allaah, and [also] the Messiah, the son of Mary. And they were not commanded except to worship one God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him.} [Quran 9:31]

In a Hadeeth on the authority of ‘Adiyy ibn Haatim he narrated that he once came to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, wearing a golden cross. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, ordered him to take it off and ‘Adiyy took it off and threw it. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, then recited Soorah Baraa’ah (Chapter 9) until he reached the verse (which means): {They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allaah} [Quran 9:31] ‘Adiyy commented that they did not worship them. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, told him that their scholars and monks would make lawful what Allaah The Almighty had made unlawful and vice versa and they used to obey them and that was how they worshipped them. [At-Tirmithi, Al-Bayhaqi and At-Tabaraani. Al-Albaani: Hasan (Sound)]

Moreover, Allaah The Almighty Says about those who imitate polytheists in considering dead animals as lawful food (what means): {And if you were to obey them, indeed, you would be associators [of others with Him].} [Quran 6:121]

The third sub-category is Shirk of love, for Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allaah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allaah. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allaah.} [Quran 2:165]

The second main category of Shirk is minor Shirk, which refers to everything that has been prohibited in Sharee‘ah because it may lead to major Shirk. It is called Shirk because it is liable to lead to major Shirk, like for instance swearing by something or someone other than Allaah The Almighty. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, prohibited this and called it Shirk and confirmed that the one who swears by anything other than Allaah The Almighty has become a polytheist. [At-Tirmithi, Abu Daawood and Al-Haakim]

Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim mentioned some of the types of minor Shirk like when one pretends to be pious for the sake of winning people’s appreciation, swears by someone other than Allaah The Almighty, associates a creature’s will with the will of Allaah or raises his voice while reciting the Quran in order to be heard and praised.

In a Hadeeth on the authority of Mahmood ibn Labeed the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, mentioned that what he feared most for Muslims was minor Shirk, meaning ostentation. [Ahmad]

However, if someone originally and totally performs the acts of worship only to show-off, meaning he prays, fasts, remembers Allaah The Almighty and recites the Quran solely to impress others and win their praise, then he is committing major Shirk.

Minor Shirk does not result in apostasy, however, it is graver than adultery and drinking alcohol, but it still does not reach the same level of major Shirk.

Allaah Knows best.