First: Major Shirk (Shirk al-Akbar)
Which Allah does not forgive. Allah says:
“this is the guidance of Allah with which he guides whosoever he wills of his slaves. But if they had joined in worship others with Allah, all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them” (Al-Anam:88)
“it is not for the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the oneness of Allah), to maintain the masjid of Allah (i.e. To pray and worship Allah therein, to look after the cleanliness and the building, etc), while they witness against their own selves disbelief. The works of such are in vain and in hell they shall abide” (at-Tawbah:17)
The one who associates others with Allah and dies on this shirk will not be forgiven and jannah (paradise) is forbidden to him, as Allah, the Most Mighty and Honoured says:
” Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but he forgives except that anything else to whom he pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin” (An-Nisan:48)
“verily, whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship with Allah, then Allah has forbidden paradise for him, and the fire will be his abode. And for the zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers) there will be no helpers” (Al-Maidah:72)
Asking the dead or idols for help, slaughtering for them and making vows to them are examples of major shirk.
Second: Minor Shirk (Shirk Al-Asghar)
which is stated In the Quran and Sunnah but is not the same as Major Shirk. Riya (showing off), and swearing by other than Allah are examples of Minor Shirk. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:
“of which I fear for you the most is Minor Shirk.” When he was asked what it was, he said, “Riya”
and he (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) also said:
“he who swears by other than Allah commits minor shirk”
This kind of shirk does not necessarily lead to disbelief from islam or an eternal stay in hell. It negates however the completeness of faith.
Third: Hidden Shirk
The prophet (sallalahu alayhi wasallam) said:
“Shall I not inform you of which I fear more for you than I fear of the Anti-Christ? They said, ‘yes, o messenger of Allah’, and he said, “the hidden Shirk, where one beautifies the way of praying only because another one is looking at him”
Alternatively Shirk could be divided into two kinds, Major and Minor. In this case the hidden shirk encompasses both the Major and Minor kinds depending upon the act committed. It is Major if it is the same as the Shirk of the hypocrites who hiss their false beliefs while showing off islam out of fear. It is Minor if it is the same as Riya (showing off).
[Source: Important Lessons for the Muslim Ummah, by Skaykh Abdul-Aziz bin Abdullah bin Baz]
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ISLAM NOTTINGHAM 