5) Shirk in Isti3anah (ask aid and help)
Isti3anah refers to asking help from Allah in general matters that takes place at a time without evident hardship. Committing shirk in this refers to asking for help in other than Allah in that which only Allah can help with. For instance, asking the help of a dead person in that which only Allah can help one with sayings like “Oh so and so (dead person) ease me of my sadness.” Or “Oh so and so angel..” or “Oh so and so Jinn..” and “Oh so and so (name of a prophet)..”
It is only from Allah (azza wajal) we make these general dua’a to.
إِيَّاكَنَعْبُدُوإِيَّاكَنَسْتَعِينُ
“You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).” (1:5)
However, if we ask the help of someone who is alive and is capable of helping us, this is not shirk. For instance, asking an employer for a raise, asking a neighbor for a loan, etc..
6) Shirk in Istigatha
Istigatha refers to seeking refuge in Allah in specific matters that take place in times of extreme hardship and difficulty. For instance, if one is drowning and another person is there next to him who can help him, he can say “Oh so and so and help me!” This is called istigatha in that person. Or if someone says “Oh Allah help me!” This is considered istigatha in Allah. Committing shirk in istigatha refers to asking other than Allah who cannot physically help in these times. For instance, one who commits this might say “Oh Badawy, help me from this fire!” when in fact Badawy is absent from the situation. One might even say “Oh Messenger of Allah! help me from drowning!”
Allah reiterates the help can only come from Allah in these situations as He says,
إِذْتَسْتَغِيثُونَرَبَّكُمْفَاسْتَجَابَلَكُمْأَنِّيمُمِدُّكُمبِأَلْفٍمِّنَالْمَلآئِكَةِمُرْدِفِينَ
“(Remember) when you sought help of your Lord and He answered you (saying): "I will help you with a thousand of the angels each behind the other (following one another) in succession." 8:9
If one asks for help in these situations from another person who is able to help them in the situation, then this is permissible. For example, the Jew asked Prophet Musa (alayhi salam) for help.
وَدَخَلَالْمَدِينَةَعَلَىحِينِغَفْلَةٍمِّنْأَهْلِهَافَوَجَدَفِيهَارَجُلَيْنِيَقْتَتِلَانِهَذَامِنشِيعَتِهِوَهَذَامِنْعَدُوِّهِفَاسْتَغَاثَهُالَّذِيمِنشِيعَتِهِعَلَىالَّذِيمِنْعَدُوِّهِفَوَكَزَهُمُوسَىفَقَضَىعَلَيْهِقَالَهَذَامِنْعَمَلِالشَّيْطَانِإِنَّهُعَدُوٌّمُّضِلٌّمُّبِينٌ
“And he entered the city at a time of unawareness of its people, and he found there two men fighting, - one of his party (his religion - from the Children of Israel), and the other of his foes. The man of his (own) party asked him for help against his foe, so Musa (Moses) struck him with his fist and killed him. He said: "This is of Shaitan's (Satan) doing, verily, he is a plain misleading enemy." 28:15
Shirk in Isti3atha
Isti3atha means to seek refuge in Allah out of fear that some hardship is approaching. This is the same as Istighatha. Shirk is committed when one seeks Isti3atha in that which only Allah can do.
بِسْمِاللهِالرَّحْمنِالرَّحِيمِقُلْأَعُوذُبِرَبِّالْفَلَقِ
"Say: "I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak,” 113:1
بِسْمِاللهِالرَّحْمنِالرَّحِيمِقُلْأَعُوذُبِرَبِّالنَّاسِ
“Say: "I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind,” 114:1
Seeking refuge only in Allah in general is the rule. However, if one seeks refuge and specifies that the other person is able to help, then it is permissible to seek refuge in someone other than Allah. This is true ONLY if that other has the capability to resolve the situation. For instance, if a man has a bad son, a person can seek refuge in the son’s father in order for the son to stop his evil behavior. As long as situations are under the person’s control, it is permissible to seek refuge in them in these matters. With this we can derive the opposite in that it is shirk to seek refuge in the dead.
8) Shirk in Ruqyah
Ruqyah is reciting the Qur’an or the Sunnah over mentally or physically sick people in order to seek a cure. Shirk is committed in Ruqyah if one seeks ruqyah in other than Allah (azza wajal)
If one does ruqyah by the names of the angels, prophets or jinns, this is considered shirk. Bida’a is committed if one believes he must recite for instance surah Yasin 70 times in order to cure the sick because the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) never did that.
If one does ruqyah by the Qur’an or Allah’s name, attributes, or ad3ieh that have no shirk in them this is permitted and at times from the Sunnah.
Ruqyah is three kinds:
a) Permissable Ruqyah
This is from the Qur’an or a dua’a that is either found in the Sunnah or the general dua’a that contains no bida’a or shirk
Ruqyah has 3 Requirements in order for it to be Permissible:
1. It must be from Qur’an or names or attributes, or d’uaa we know or dua’a we make up: ie.
بسم الله ارقيك من كل شئ ي
اعيذك بكلمات الله التامات من شر ما خلق
2. It must be in the Arabic language
The prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed all of his ruqya in the Arabic language. Some evil witchcraft speak foreign and strange words that chant evil words we do not understand. Some will recite al-Fatiha first then do the encantation of tamtam in order for us to have less doubt and fear that what is actually being committed is shirk.
3) We must believe the curer is Allah (azza wajal)
Proof of this is the hadith of Abu Saeed al Khudry (radi allah anh) where a group of the sahabah were on a journey. They asked to be a guest at a certain tribe who refused them. The tribe later approached them saying their master has been bitten by a snake and they needed a cure. They asked if anyone knew medicine.
The sahabah said “You refused us as guest and ask us this now?”
The tribesman said “We will reward you if you perform medicine on him.”
A sahaby read on him Al-fatiha and the man jumped up cured.
The tribe gave them a generous gift.
They sahabah were going to divide it but the sahaby who recited told them to hold off until the prophet (sallah allahu alieh wasalam) approves of it.
When they went to the prophet (sallah allahu alieh wasalam) they told him the story and the prophet (sallah allahu alieh wasalam) ordered that they give him a portion of the gift.
The point is that it was sign of approval of both reciting Qur’an with the intention of Allah curing someone for that.
Another proof is the general verse that Allah (azza wajal) said:
وَنُنَزِّلُمِنَالْقُرْآنِمَاهُوَشِفَاءوَرَحْمَةٌلِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَوَلاَيَزِيدُالظَّالِمِينَإَلاَّخَسَارًا
“And We reveal of the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy for believers though it increase the evil-doers in naught save ruin.” 17:82
Another proof is the hadith in Muslim: “We used to recite upon our ill and we asked the prophet (sallah allahu alieh wasalam) if we can do that after Islam, he said recite to me what you recite then he said there is no problem with it unless it contains shirk.”
It was narrated by Anas and other sahabah in Sahih alBukhari that they said to their sick “Allahuma rab alnas muthib alba’s eshfy anta alshafy la shifa’ ila shifahak shifa’an la ughader sakaman”
Also, the prophet (sallah allahu alieh wasalam) said to say to the sick in duaa 7 times (Asa’l allaha rab al3arsh alatheem An yashfeeka wa uaffeeka)
b) Shirk in Ruqyah.
This is seeking cure or help in jinn or angels.
c) Shirk which is a bida’a.
This may be a result of a weak or fabricated hadith that say for example the cure for stomach ache is to recite Ayat ul Kursi 70 times under the light of moon, when there is really no hadith that says that.
9) Shirk in Riyaa’
Riyaa’ means to show off. Committing this shirk pertains to polluting one’s intentions by doing the vast majority of one’s deeds for the sake of other than Allah.
There are two categories of people who fall into this.
1. Munafiqoon (hypocrites) who became muslims for this life. They did not believe in Allah. They did their actions, praying, fasting, hajj, jihad, etc.. to show people instead of doing them for the sake of Allah. For instance, in the Battle of Uhud, they went for jihad but they did it for the sake of people. If there is plenty of riyaa it becomes shirk akbar as was done by the munafiqeen like Abdullah bin Ubayy and his role at the Battle of Uhud taking back with him 1/3rd of the army.
2. Believers who do good deeds and they want to show off with those deeds. This is shirk asghar, though in aqeedah it is shirk akbar. The prophet (sallah allahu alieh wasalam) said in musnad ahmad “Do you want me to tell you what I fear over you more than maseeh dajal?” They said, “Yes oh prophet of Allah!” He said, “The secret shirk (shirk of showing off) is when one man gets up to pray, and then extended his prayer to impress others.”
مَنكَانَيُرِيدُالْحَيَاةَالدُّنْيَاوَزِينَتَهَانُوَفِّإِلَيْهِمْأَعْمَالَهُمْفِيهَاوَهُمْفِيهَالاَيُبْخَسُونَ
“Whosoever desires the life of the world and its glitter; to them We shall pay in full (the wages of) their deeds therein, and they will have no diminution therein. “ 11:15
مَنكَانَيُرِيدُحَرْثَالْآخِرَةِنَزِدْلَهُفِيحَرْثِهِوَمَنكَانَيُرِيدُحَرْثَالدُّنْيَانُؤتِهِمِنْهَاوَمَالَهُفِيالْآخِرَةِمِننَّصِيبٍ
"Whosoever desires (with his deeds) the reward of the Hereafter, We give him increase in his reward, and whosoever desires the reward of this world (with his deeds), We give him thereof (what is written for him), and he has no portion in the Hereafter. “ 42:20
If a Muslim does Hajj for money, he studies to get money, migrates for dunya or women, or guards his prayer because he is an employee of the masjid, this is shirk asghar and takes away the reward of the deed that he did.
مَنكَانَيُرِيدُالْحَيَاةَالدُّنْيَاوَزِينَتَهَانُوَفِّإِلَيْهِمْأَعْمَالَهُمْفِيهَاوَهُمْفِيهَالاَيُبْخَسُونَ
"Whosoever desires the life of the world and its glitter; to them We shall pay in full (the wages of) their deeds therein, and they will have no diminution therein. “ 11:15
There are some who do deeds for Allah’s sake then does other deeds for worldly gain. He does ordain the deed for Allah (azza wajal) and does hajj for Allah (azza wajal) at first, but does a 2nd hajj for wordly gain. Allah makes no mention about these deeds, the scholars say they are rewarded according to which intention is heavier in their hearts.
10) Shirk in Barakah
Tabaruk is to believe in barakah and having hope in it. Committing shirk in barakah pertains to one believing that objects have barakah in itself, objects such as trees, rocks, or graves. This is what mushrikoon during the prophet’s time did.
If one believes that trees have barakah in itself, this is shirk akbar. If one believes that graves have barakah in itself, this is shirk akbar. And so on..
But, if one believes that a grave is a reason for them to get barakah from Allah, not that the grave in itself has barakah, this is shirk asghar.
One can say “BarakAllahu feek” to a Saeed for organizing a class and this is not shirk in barakah because it is out of Saeed’s barakah that the class is taking place online or in a classroom. But if one says “It is because of Saeed’s barakah that there is snow outside” then this is shirk in barakah because Saeed does not produce the snow nor can he do anything for snow to fall from the sky.
Proof: The prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was in battle when he did not want to leave a neckless of Aisha that was lost. He sent everyone looking for it, but no one found it.
The time of prayer came and there was no water, so Allah revealed to them how to do tayamum. They did tayamum and prayed. They still could not find it until they decided to leave. They found it under the camel.
Abad bin Bisher said to Aisha and the family of Abu Bakr “This is not the first time we get something good from your barakah after something bad happens. We were delayed because of you and our water ran out. Now, look we have tayamum.” (Bukhari & Muslim)
This story has many unique things to it:
1. Those who the prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sent looking did not make tayamum or water, so it applies today to someone who is in hospital and cannot get either one.
2. That prophet did not know ghaib like some sects claim or why he sent people.
Abu Waked alLaithy narrates that in Hunayn they were new Muslims having left the ways of shirk. They passed by a tree and saw some mushrikeen worshipping a tree called Anwar. Abu Waked and others asked the prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) “Oh Prophet! Make us one like them!” The prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) became angry and told us that was what Bani Israil told Musa (alayhi salam), and Musa told them “inkm koum tajhaloon” (We want a tree like them to get barakah from them. The Sahabah did not commit shirk, as understandably they were new to Islam and it was asked out of ignorance.
11) Shirk in Nather
Nather refers to giving a vow to Allah. Meaning, to be close to him and to hope good from him stating “Oh Allah if this happens, I will do this and this for you.”
If nather is to be done, nather should only be for worshipping Allah.
وَمَاأَنفَقْتُممِّننَّفَقَةٍأَوْنَذَرْتُممِّننَّذْرٍفَإِنَّاللّهَيَعْلَمُهُوَمَالِلظَّالِمِينَمِنْأَنصَارٍ
“And whatever you spend for spendings (e.g., in Sadaqah - charity, etc. for Allah's Cause) or whatever vow you make, be sure Allah knows it all. And for the Zalimun (wrong-doers, etc.) there are no helpers.” 2:270
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
من نذر ان يطيع الل فليطعه ومن نذر ان
يعصي الله فلا يعصيه
“Whoever makes a vow to obey Allah then He shoud obey Him, and whoever makes a vow for something which is in disobedience to Allah then let him not carry that vow out.” (Bukhari)
Committing shirk in nather refers to one making this commitment to other than Allah, seeking to be close to him and to hope good from him. For instance, those who make commitment to a grave to do things they need or to those who are dead. It is common in the middle east to say “Ya saidy badawy if my sickness gets cured I will give so and so or sacrifice for you.” This is shirk in nather.
Some scholars say Nather is makrooh because one ransoms himself with something he does not have to. While some scholars say that it is haram. The prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
اياكم والنذر فانه لا يأتي بخير ولا يستخرج به الا من البخيل
“Nather never brings any good, it is only forces the cheap person to spend out.”
People might begin to believe that nather is what rectified his situation and not Allah (azza wajal).
If one does nather, one has to fulfill the conditions one places upon himself and carry it out. The prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “If you make a commitment to obey Allah, then obey Him.”
يُوفُونَبِالنَّذْرِوَيَخَافُونَيَوْمًاكَانَشَرُّهُمُسْتَطِيرًا
" They (are those who) fulfill (their) vows, and they fear a Day whose evil will be wide-spreading.” 76:7
13) Shirk adh-Thabh
Thabh means to sacrifice in order to be closer to Allah (azza wajal). Shirk in thabh pertains to sacrifice to other than Allah (azza wajal).
قُلْإِنَّصَلاَتِيوَنُسُكِيوَمَحْيَايَوَمَمَاتِيلِلّهِرَبِّالْعَالَمِينَ
“Say (O Muhammad): "Verily, my Salat (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).” 6:162
فَصَلِّلِرَبِّكَوَانْحَرْ
“Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only).” 108:2
The prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “May Allah curse the one who sacrificed for other than Allah.”
14) Shirk in Tawbah
Tawbah means to repent to Allah. Shirk in tawbah means to repent to other than Allah (azza wajal) in that which is only concerning Allah (azza wajal). Meaning, one repents to other than Allah (azza wajal) and asks forgiveness to that which only belongs to Allah (azza wajal). Christians do this during “confession.” There are Sufis known for doing this as well. They approach their mureed, confess their sins even those completely unrelated to the mureed, and the mureed supposedly forgives them. But we know forgiveness is only from Allah in these matters. The shia’a have also been known to do this where the people get a document
from their Imam stating they will enter jannah.
وَالَّذِينَإِذَافَعَلُواْفَاحِشَةًأَوْظَلَمُواْأَنْفُسَهُمْذَكَرُواْاللّهَفَاسْتَغْفَرُواْلِذُنُوبِهِمْوَمَنيَغْفِرُالذُّنُوبَإِلاَّاللّهُوَلَمْيُصِرُّواْعَلَىمَافَعَلُواْوَهُمْيَعْلَمُونَ
“And those who, when they have committed Fahishah (illegal sexual intercourse etc.) or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins; - and none can forgive sins but Allah - And do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know.” 3:135
In musnad Ahmad there was prisoner who was brought to prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). He said: “Oh Allah I repent to you and not to Muhammad.” The prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “He knows who to give the right to.”
وَمَايَذْكُرُونَإِلَّاأَنيَشَاءاللَّهُهُوَأَهْلُالتَّقْوَىوَأَهْلُالْمَغْفِرَةِ
“And they will not receive admonition unless Allah wills; He (Allah) is the One, deserving that mankind should be afraid of, and should be dutiful to Him, and should not take any Ilah (God) along with Him, and He is the One Who forgives (sins).”74:56
يَاأَيُّهَاالَّذِينَآمَنُواتُوبُواإِلَىاللَّهِتَوْبَةًنَّصُوحًاعَسَىرَبُّكُمْأَنيُكَفِّرَعَنكُمْسَيِّئَاتِكُمْوَيُدْخِلَكُمْجَنَّاتٍتَجْرِيمِنتَحْتِهَاالْأَنْهَارُيَوْمَلَايُخْزِياللَّهُالنَّبِيَّوَالَّذِينَآمَنُوامَعَهُنُورُهُمْيَسْعَىبَيْنَأَيْدِيهِمْوَبِأَيْمَانِهِمْيَقُولُونَرَبَّنَاأَتْمِمْلَنَانُورَنَاوَاغْفِرْلَنَاإِنَّكَعَلَىكُلِّشَيْءٍقَدِيرٌ
“O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will remit from you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise) the Day that Allah will not disgrace the Prophet (Muhammad ) and those who believe with him, their Light will run forward before them and with (their Records Books of deeds) in their right hands they will say: "Our Lord! Keep perfect our Light for us [and do not put it off till we cross over the Sirat (a slippery bridge over the Hell) safely] and grant us forgiveness. Verily, You are Able to do all things ." 66:8
If one asks another for forgiveness because he has committed an offense against the other, this is correct. One may even say “Oh Allah please forgive me. Oh so and so please forgive me.” This is acceptable. This was the case when Aisha (ra) brought in pictures and the prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) became angry and took it out. She said “atoob ila allah wa ila rasool allah” “Oh Allah I repent to you and I repent to the prophet of Allah. (because she made him angry)”