" Verily,
Allah forgives not that partners be set up with Him
[in worship] but He forgives other than that to whom
He pleases; and whoever sets up partners with Allah
[in worship], he has indeed invented an enormous
wrong" (Qur'an 4:48)
Shirk
is the most dangerous of all sins, the wickedest and the
most severely punished because of the dishonour and
denigration of the Rabb, Almighty, All-powerful,
and the likening of Allah (swt ) to His creation which
it entails. Allah (swt ) informs us in this verse that
He will not forgive the one who commits Shirk and
dies as a Mushrik, but as for the one who dies
believing in the Oneness of Allah (swt ), although he
may have committed some sins, Allah (swt ) has promised
him forgiveness in accordance with His Will. Then He
explains why the mushrik will not be forgiven,
saying that by his association of partners with Allah (swt
), he has rejected Him and belied Him and committed a
sin the like of which there is no other.
Benefits
Derived From This Verse
1. That
whoever dies being guilty of Shirk Akbar, will
assuredly go to the Fire.
2.
Whoever dies believing in the Oneness of Allah, although
he may have committed major sins, may be forgiven if
Allah, Most Glorified, Most High Wills.
3. In the
verse is a reply to the khawarij, who charged
those guilty of major sins with disbelief, and to the mu'tazilah,
who believed that those guilty of major sins would spend
eternity in the Fire.
4.
Confirmation of the Divine Will which is one of His
Attributes.
Relevance
of This Verse to the Subject of
Tawheed
That it
proves that Allah Will not forgive those who are guilty
of Shirk and this should be a warning to all.
..ooOOoo..
Allah (swt
), says:
" And
[remember] when Ibrahim said: "My Rabb!
Make this city one of peace and security, and keep me
and my sons away from worshipping idols" (Qur'an
13:35)
Allah (swt
), Most Glorified, Most High, informs us that Ibrahim
(as ) supplicated Allah (swt ) to make Makkah a place of
safety and stability, because fear and chaos prevent
people from performing their religious rituals. Then he
followed this with another request to his Rabb:
That He preserve him and his family from idol worship,
for he knew the danger of that and he knew how easily
people can be seduced by it.
Benefits
Derived From This Verse
1. The
virtue of Makkah over other cities.
2.
Ibrahim's prayer for the security and stability of
Makkah.
3.
Evidence of the benefit of supplication.
4. That
the original religion of all the Messengers is one:
Belief in the Oneness of Allah.
5. The
desirability of one's supplicating on behalf of his
family.
6. The
forbiddance of worshipping idols.
Relevance
of This Verse to the Subject of
Tawheed
That it
proves that Ibrahim, with his strong faith, fears for
himself and his family that they may be affected by Shirk;
thus, the obligation upon us to fear Shirk is
that much greater.
..ooOOoo..
It is
reported that the Prophet (saas ) said: "Of the
things which I fear for my Ummah, the thing which
I fear most is minor Shirk. Then he was asked
about minor Shirk, and he said: "It is ar-riyaa."
The
Prophet (saas ) informs us in this Hadith that he fears
for us, and that what he fears most for us is minor Shirk.
This shows how kind-hearted and compassionate the
Prophet (saas ) was towards his Ummah, and how
concerned he was for their good: He knew the dangers of
minor Shirk, how it can strongly manifest itself
in the community, polluting the pure monotheism of the
Muslims, especially since it can afflict them without
them even knowing it. This is why the Prophet (saas )
warned them to beware of it.
Benefits
Derived From This Hadith
1. The
care and concern shown by the Messenger of Allah (saas )
for his Ummah.
2. The
division of Shirk into two categories: Major and
minor.
3. That riyaa`
is considered Shirk.
4. The
obligation of asking the people of knowledge about
matters which confuse them.
Relevance
of This Hadith to the Subject of
Tawheed
That the
Hadith proves that Allah's Messenger (saas ) feared for
his Companions that they might unwittingly fall into
minor Shirk; this, in spite of their strong faith
and understanding of Islam and Tawheed.
Therefore, we, with our comparatively weak faith and
little knowledge, are even more obligated to fear both
major and minor Shirk.
..ooOOoo..
It is
reported on the authority of Ibn Mas'ood (ra ) that the
Messenger of Allah (saas ) said:
"Whoever
died while supplicating another deity besides Allah (swt
), will enter the Fire."
(Narrated
by Bukhari)
The
Prophet (saas ) informs us in this Hadith that whoever
adulterated that which should be purely for Allah (swt )
(i.e. worship), by worshipping others besides Him, and
died in this state, will have his abode in the
Hell-fire.
Benefits
Derived From This Hadith
1.
Whoever died as a Mushrik will enter the Fire -
If it was major Shirk, he will abide therein
forever, but if it was minor Shirk, then Allah (swt
) will punish him as much as He wishes, then he will be
allowed to leave the Fire.
2. That a
person will be judged upon his last act in this world.
Relevance
of This Hadith to the Subject of
Tawheed
That the
Hadith proves that whoever died calling upon a deity
other than Allah (swt ), will enter the Hell-fire,
therefore it is incumbent upon us to fear Shirk.
..ooOOoo..
It is
reported by Muslim, on the authority of Jabir (ra ),
that Allah's Messenger (saas ) said:
"Whoever
meets Allah (swt ), without associating partners with
Him, will enter Paradise; and whoever meets Him as one
who associated anything with Him, will enter the Fire.
The
Prophet (saas ) informs us in this Hadith that whoever
died without associating partners with Allah (swt ) -
either in Rabbship or worship or in His Divine Names and
Attributes is promised an abode in Paradise, while
whoever died as a Mushrik, will abide in the
Hell-fire.
Benefits
Derived From This Hadith
1.
Confirmation of the existence of Paradise and Hell.
2. That a
person will be judged upon his last act in this world.
3.
Whoever died believing in the Oneness of Allah (swt ),
will not dwell forever in the Hell-fire, but will find
his eternal abode in Paradise.
4.
Whoever died as a Mushrik must dwell eternally in
the Hell-fire.
Relevance
of the Hadith to the Subject of Tawheed
That the
Hadith proves that whoever died as a Mushrik will
enter the Fire, and the knowledge of this obliges us to
fear Shirk in all its manifestations.