What Is Shirk In Islam?

14.09.2023 Grady A. Lowry 0 Comments

What does shirk mean in Islam?

The term shirk in Islam is used to refer to idolatry or polytheism, which means deification, or worship of deity, gods, or anything other than Allāh.

What is an example of shirk in Islam?

Shirk al-ʿibādah (‘shirk of worship’) is manifested in the belief in the powers of created things—e.g., the reverencing of saints, kissing holy stones, and praying at the grave of a holy man.

What are the 3 types of shirk in Islam?

By on 12:22 am August 27, 2020 “Shirk” basically is “Polytheism”, i.e., the worship of others along with Allah. It also implies attributing divine attributes to any other besides Allah. It is the belief that the source of power, harm, or blessing is from others besides Allah. The word ‘Shirk’ comes from the Arabic root (S-R-K) with the general meaning “to share”.

In Islam, whoever dies as a polytheist, there is no chance of his salvation, although Allah (S.W.T) may forgive those who have committed any other sin. ‘Mushrik’ (Polytheist) is the opposite of ‘Muwahhid’ (Monotheist). Tawhid is the primary pillar of faith. It has various aspects in the same way Shirk consists of different types.

In a theological context, one commits shirk by associating some lesser being with Allah. Most Muslims know that shirk – associating partners with Allah –is the greatest sin one can commit. There are numerous verses in the Quran that attest to this. What is less well understood is that there are different forms of shirk.

Idol-worship is only one form. Shirk is widely practised, even among Muslims, without many being aware of it. We need to identify these forms at both the individual and social levels. Types of Shirk There are three types of Shirk: 1. The Major shirks (Ash-Shirk al-Akbar) 2. Minor shirks (Ash-Shirk al-Asghar) and 3.

Inconspicuous Shirk (Ash-Shirk al-Khafi). Major Shirks: The major and serious polytheistic form has four aspects: i. Shirk-ad-Du’a (the invocation): This aspect implies invoking or praying to other (deities) besides Allah. Almighty Allah says: “And when they embark on ships they invoke Allah, making their faith pure for him only, but when he brings them safely to land, behold, they give a share to their worship to others (29:65).” ii.

Shirk-ad-Niyyahwal-iradahwal-Qasd: This aspect implies intentions and determination in acts of worship or religious deeds not for the sake of Allah but directed towards other deities. iii. Shirk-ad-Ta’ah: This aspect implies rendering obedience to any authority against the order of Allah. Almighty Allah says, “They (Jews & Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides (Allah) by obeying them in things which they made lawfully or unlawfully according to their desires without being ordered by Allah and they also took their lord (Messiah) son of (Maryam) while they were commanded (in the Torah & Gospel) to worship none but one (Allah).” Al-Kufr: ‘Kufr’ is disbelief in any of the articles of faith in Islam, which are belief in Allah, His angels, His messengers, His revealed book, The day of resurrection, and Al-Qaeda Qadar (what Allah has ordained).

There are two aspects of disbelief. The major aspect, Al-Kufr al-Akbar, excludes one completely from the fold of Islam. Minor Shirks The minor shirks include acts performed to simply show off, or acts done to gain praise and fame. Almighty Allah says: “Say (O Mohammad), I am only a man like you, it has been revealed to me that your Allah is one Allah, so whosoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord let him do righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord.

V:18:110)” Shirk al-Khafi or Inconspicuous Shirk This type implies being inwardly dissatisfied with the inevitable condition that has been ordained for one by Allah, lamenting that had you done or not done such and such, or had you approached such and such, you would have been in a better status, etc.

Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) said: “Ash-Shirk al-Khafi in the Muslim nation is more inconspicuous than the creeping of the black ant on a black rock in the pitch darkness of the night”. This inconspicuous shirk is expiated by saying thrice the following sentences everyday: “O Allah, I take your refuge from that I should ascribe anything in the partner in your worship, being conscious of that, and I beg your pardon for that sin which I am not aware.” The writer is a research scholar in Education.

Is shirk the worst sin in Islam?

Ithm – Some scholars believe the basic meaning of ithm to be an unlawful deed that is committed intentionally. This contrasts to dhanb in that dhanb can be both intentional and unintentional. However, this definition is somewhat nebulous and the best description of the word is based on the contextual situations.

In the Quran, ithm is found quite frequently in legislative descriptions.
For example, falsely accusing your own wife in order to gain money is constituted as an ithm ( Quran 4:24-20 ).
However, ithm is also used in connection with haram, or committing an unlawful deed, a taboo, such as consuming food or drink that is forbidden by God: They will ask thee about wine and gambling,

Say, ‘In both of them there is great sin (ithm) and also some uses for men, but their sin is greater than their usefulness.’ Ithm is also associated with what is considered the worst sin of all, shirk, Shirk signifies associating partners with God. The Quran states that: He who associates with God has surely forged a great sin ( ithm ).

Why is shirk so bad in Islam?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Shirk ( Arabic : شرك širk lit. association) in Islam is the sin of idolatry or polytheism (i.e., the deification or worship of anyone or anything besides God ). Islam teaches that God does not share his divine attributes with anyone.

Why should Muslims avoid shirk?

Betrayal – At the root of shirk and its evil is betrayal. It involves betraying one’s purpose in life and betraying one’s Benefactor, given that the person was endowed with the gift of existence and all of the blessings of life and yet refuses to show love and gratitude to that Benefactor.

In fact, the word for disbelief in Islam, kufr, can also be used to refer to ingratitude. Indeed an argument can be made that betrayal is the root of all sin and the worst of all crimes. For instance, the worst crime in the eyes of the state is treason, betrayal of the nation. This is why the harshest punishments are reserved for the crime of treason.

The rationale is that the state had provided the citizen with protection, public resources, and dwelling in exchange for loyalty. By choosing to conspire against the state, one has betrayed the entire state. Furthermore, the major sins and crimes people recognize can be reduced to a common theme: betrayal.

Adultery, the worst crime in a romantic relationship, is a betrayal of marital trust.
The generic social contract that allows human beings to coexist within a society is betrayed by murder and theft.
We find the Sunnah reflects these concepts when the Prophet ﷺ was asked about the greatest evils human beings can commit.

ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd said, “I asked Prophet Muhammad ﷺ which crime is the greatest according to Allah ﷻ. He ﷺ replied, ‘That you make a rival alongside Allah ﷻ while He created you.’ I said that is definitely a great sin then asked what is next. He ﷺ said, ‘That you kill your own child fearing that he will share your food with you.’ I said what is next? He ﷺ said, ‘That you commit adultery with your neighbor’s wife.'” Reflecting on this anecdote, we notice that each crime mentioned is described in its most egregious form.

Shirk is a betrayal of the One who created you, infanticide is the ultimate betrayal of the parental duty of providing, and the worst form of adultery is betraying the trust of one’s own neighbor.
The concept of betrayal is also part of Ibn al-Qayyim’s explanation of why shirk is the greatest evil, And for this reason, shirk is the most despised thing to Him (Allah) because it diminishes one’s love (for Allah) and transfers it to whoever he associated with Him (Allah).

For this reason Allah does not forgive shirk And no doubt this is the greatest crime a lover can commit toward his beloved. This is a profound point that Ibn al-Qayyim raises. When we recognize our entire life is based on this one relationship we have with our Creator, then the acts that threaten this relationship are the worst that a person can commit in this world.

The most destructive action that a spouse can commit is acquiring a secret lover. Any number of actions can terminate a romantic relationship, from divorce to abuse, but the most devastating of them is an affair. To Allah belongs the highest example, but similarly when one betrays their tawḥīd and elevates an idol to the position of God, Lord, or Divine, they have committed the greatest act of betrayal in the most important relationship of their lives.

The degree of betrayal is determined by (1) the degree of benevolence granted to a person and (2) the degree of trust given to a person.

Which sin is unforgivable in Islam?

Seven deadly sins in Islam By Yasmein Mohammad Salim Religion is a unified system of belief, values and practices. Hence, it sets the ground rules for what can/cannot be done by its followers. There are certain guidelines in Islam for Muslims to do good and avoid sins and heresy.

Shirk is ascribing partners with Allah, and is indeed the greatest of all sins. It is stated in the Noble Qur’an: “Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him, but He forgives anything else, to whom He pleases. To set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin most heinous indeed” (Qur’an 4:48).
Committing witchcraft is also a kind of shirk, because it involves worshipping the jinn as well as seeking their help to misguide people. The black magic that is used harms people and creates illusions by the means of jinn. The Prophet (pbuh) warned about fortune-tellers and said, “Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and asks him about something, his prayers will not be accepted for forty days”.
Murder or killing a soul whom Allah (swt) has forbidden us to kill is a great sin. Allah (swt) stats in the Noble Qur’an: “We ordained therein for them: “Life for life, eye for eye, nose for nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds, equal for equal.” But if any one remits the retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for him. And if anyone fails to judge by (the light of) what Allah has revealed, they are (no better than) wrong-doers”. (Qur’an 5:45)
Devouring an Orphan’s wealth is a not permissible as an orphan is weak and needs care, and a real believer must handle an orphan’s wealth properly and develop it rather than waste it uselessly.
Consuming Riba (Usury or interest) is as explained by the Oxford dictionary, the action or practice of lending money at unreasonably high rates of interest. This should not be mistaken with trading as “Allah has permitted trade and forbidden Riba” (Qur’an 2:275). Trading is permissible because it helps a poor man and any person who collects money and invests with it, but regarding Riba, the rich usually manipulate the poor and the poor end up becoming more miserable.
Turning your back to your enemy and fleeing the battlefield is another sin. This is a sin as this act may affect the troops of believers and they may end up losing the battle and it is a form of treachery. “O you who believe, when you meet those who disbelieve marching to war, then turn not your backs to them. And whoever shall turn his back to them on that day- unless he turns aside for the sake of fighting or withdraws to a company then he, indeed, becomes deserving of Allah’s wrath and his abode is hell; and an evil destination shall it be.” (Qur’an 8:15-16)
Lastly, slandering chaste women is by blaming and throwing false accusation on them. This also a sin if done against men. Allah (SWT) says: “Verily, those who accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers – are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter, and for them will be a great torment” (Qur’an 24:23).

Specifying the seven deadly sins hence, is among the means of discipline people. Being virtuous and not committing any of these sins may be difficult and even impossible as we are all fallible human-beings and we are bound to make mistakes. Nevertheless, we should always strengthen our faith and pray for Allah (SWT) for His guidance to keep us away from sins, big and small as much as possible.

Courtesy of the TIES Center: The TIES Center is the social and educational hub for English Speaking Muslims in Kuwait and aims at empower Kuwait’s expats through social and educational services that promote a positive and productive role in society, and to facilitate opportunities for intra- and interfaith interactions that promote social solidarity. For more information, you can contact TIES at Tel:25231015/6; Hotline:94079777; e-mail:,

: Seven deadly sins in Islam

Does Allah forgive all sins?

Tawba and the benevolence of Allah – Sincere tawba is always accepted by Allah. Allah says: Verily, He is One Who forgives (accepts repentance), the Most Merciful. — Quran, Sura 2 (Al-Baqara), ayah 37 In numerous verses of the Quran, Allah describes Himself as being extremely generous, merciful, and forgiving towards His creations.

In verse 22 of sura Al-Hashr, for example, He assures: “He is Allah besides Whom there is no God; the Knower of the unseen and the seen; He is the Beneficent, the Merciful”. The use of the verse “In the name of Allah, the Benevolent, the Merciful” at the beginning of every sura (except one) further testifies to this fact.

According to the Quran and Hadith, Allah’s overarching mercy permits even the gravest sins to be pardoned by Him, provided the wrongdoer intends a sincere tawba, Shirk is an unforgivable sin if one dies without repenting from it: Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating others with Him in worship, but forgives anything else of whoever He wills.

And whoever associates others with Allah has indeed committed a grave sin.
Quran, Sura 4 (An-Nisa), ayah 48 As such, becoming hopeless of the mercy of Allah is prohibited.
The Quran declares: Say: “O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

— Quran, Sura 39 (Az-Zumar), ayah 53 Again, God says to the believers in a Hadith Qudsi : “O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me, and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you.

How to avoid shirk in Islam?

Means of eliminating Shirk All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Him, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger. To eliminate Shirk, you have to observe certain matters. would say that anyone who had not known the Jaahiliyyah (lit., times of ignorance, i.e., pre-Islamic era), would not know Islam. Second, one should pursue the path of gaining in-depth knowledge of the religion, be keen on maintaining a sincere intention and worship Allaah The Almighty,

He or she must offset any attribute of Shirk with that of Tawheed so as to eliminate it; for instance, one should counter ostentation with sincerity, devoting one’s intention to Allaah The Almighty and keeping good deeds hidden, as much as possible. Similarly, a person must counteract any corruption in intent with reform.

In addition, if you are able to do so, you should study the sound Islamic creed and be keen on rectifying the actions of the heart and body. Reading books that refine the morals also helps one to do that. Third, the individual must oppose Shirk and all that it entails, and dissociate oneself from polytheists, avoiding mixing with them and not joining them in committing any violations of the Sharee’ah (Islamic jurisprudence).

For example, whoever wants to achieve Tawheed should avoid extremist Sufis when they exaggerate the status of the righteous people. Moreover, one is to shun all kinds of polytheists and polytheism, in general. Fourth, one should be loyal to Muslims who are staunch in their Tawheed, unite with them, keep their company and support them against the polytheists.

Indeed, one’s love for believers and hatred towards disbelievers is the criterion for knowing the person’s faithfulness. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that anyone who loves, hates, gives and withholds for the sake of Allaah The Almighty has perfected his faith.

Fifth, be on constant guard against committing polytheistic acts and supplicate to Allaah The Almighty frequently for protection from that as well, as the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would do.
He ordered us to avoid Shirk and taught us an invocation to safeguard ourselves from it: ” Allaahuma inna na‘oothu bika an nushrika bika shay’an na‘lamuh, wa nastaghfiruka li maa laa na‘lamuh”, meaning, O Allaah, we seek refuge with You from associating anything with You in worship knowingly; and we seek Your Forgiveness for what we know not.

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Allaah Knows best. : Means of eliminating Shirk

Is shirk a Wahhabism?

Beliefs – Adherents to the Wahhabi movement identify as Sunni Muslims. The primary Wahhabi doctrine is affirmation of the uniqueness and unity of God ( Tawhid ), and opposition to shirk (violation of tawhid – “the one unforgivable sin”, according to Ibn Abd Al-Wahhab).

They call for adherence to the beliefs and practices of the Salaf al-Salih (exemplary early Muslims).
They strongly oppose what they consider to be heterodox doctrines, particularly those held by the Sufi and Shiite traditions, such as beliefs and practices associated with the veneration of Prophets and saints,

Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab associated such practices with the culture of Taqlid (imitation to established customs) adored by pagan-cults of the Jahiliyya period. The movement emphasized reliance on the literal meaning of the Quran and hadith, rejecting rationalistic theology ( kalam ). Muwahhidun (Wahhabi) movement is highly influenced by the doctrines of the classical Hanbali theologian Ibn Taymiyya (d.1328 C.E/ 728 A.H) The movement is heavily influenced by the works of thirteenth-century Hanbali theologian Ibn Taymiyya who rejected Kalam theology; and his disciple Ibn Qayyim who elaborated Ibn Taymiyya’s ideals.

Ibn Taymiyya’s priority of ethics and worship over metaphysics, in particular, is readily accepted by Wahhäbis.
Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab was a dedicated reader and student of Ibn Taymiyya’s works, such as Al-Aqidah Al-Wasitiyya, Al-Siyasa Al-Shar’iyya, Minhaj al-Sunna and his various treatises attacking the cult of saints and certain forms of Sufism.

Expressing great respect and admiration for Ibn Taymiyya; Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab wrote: “I know of no one, who stands ahead of Ibn Taymiyya, after the Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal in the science of interpretation and the hadith”

What is shirk and how do Muslims avoid it?

C) Shirk through Favours – When one is limited in vision and, in the interpretation of each phenomenon, concentrates on its natural causes in a manner which ignores the will of Allah, one falls into this kind of shirk (Polytheism). Concerning “And most of them do not believe in Allah without associating others (with Him),” 4 Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) and Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “It is attributing partners unto Him in favours which are given to man.” Concerning the same ayat, Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a.s.) again said: “It is about him who says: ‘If such and such were not there, I or my family would have perished or afflicted by misfortune as you see, he considers a partner for Allah who provides for him and protects him.” The Imam (a.s.) was asked about phrases like this: ” Had not Allah conferred me of His favour through such and such, I or my family would have perished, etc.” He (a.s.) said: “There is no blemish in an expression like this.” Imam ‘Ali al-Rida (a.s.) said: “That is a kind of shirk (polytheism) which is less than disbelief.”

What is shirk in simple words?

To avoid work, duties, or responsibilities, especially if they are difficult or unpleasant : If you shirk your responsibilities/duties now, the situation will be much harder to deal with next month. I will not shirk from my obligations. Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples. to avoid doing something.

Are songs Haram in Islam?

Varieties of opinion – There is a fairly wide difference of opinion over what exceptions can be made to the prohibition on music. Examples of what is allowed include: vocals but not instruments; vocals but only if the audience is of the same gender; vocals and drums, or vocals and traditional one sided drum and tambourine, but no other instruments; any kind of music provided it is not passionate, sexually suggestive, or has lyrics in violation of Islam.

Some Muslims believe musical instruments are haram and only vocals are allowed, but the performer must be of the same gender as the audience.
Acapella music (whatever the audience) has led to a rich tradition of devotional singing in Islam. In support of singing being halal, the jurist Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi says, “No sound hadith is available concerning the prohibition of singing”, while Ibn Hazm says, “All that is reported on this subject is false and fabricated.”
There are some Muslims who believe drums are permissible, but no other instruments.
Zakir Naik, maintains musical instruments are haram except for two—the daf (a traditional one sided drum ) and tambourine, which are also mentioned in Hadith.
- An exception in the prohibition of music can be made for women playing the Daf, at celebrations and festivals, according to a minority group of Sunni Islam and another a group of Shiites, This exception comes from a well-known hadith in which two small girls were singing to a woman, and the Islamic Prophet Muhammad instructed Abu Bakr to let them continue, stating, “Leave them Abu Bakr, for every nation has an Eid (i.e. festival) and this day is our Eid.”
Still other Muslims believe that all instruments are allowed, provided they are used for acceptable or halal types of music and are not sexually arousing or un-Islamic. Hence there is a long history of instrumental accompaniments to devotional songs, particularly in the Shia and Sufi traditions. Many Sufi orders use music as part of their worship.
According to the Irish Times, “a majority of Muslims” follow the view taken by modern scholars such as Yusuf al-Qaradawi that music is forbidden “only if it leads the believer into activities that are clearly defined as prohibited, such as drinking alcohol and illicit sex”.

Imam al-Ghazali, reported several hadith and came to the conclusion that music in and of itself is permitted, saying: “All these Ahadith are reported by al-Bukhari and singing and playing are not haram.” He also references a narration from Khidr, wherein a favorable opinion of music is expressed.

According to Hussein Rashid, “contemporary scholars including Shaykh al-Azhar Mahmud Shaltut, Shaykh Yusuf Qaradawi, and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini have all issued legal rulings that audio arts that do not encourage people to go against the faith are permitted.” Notable people who are regarded as having believed music is halal include Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi, Ibn al-Qaisarani, Ibn Sina, Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Rumi, Ibn Rushd, and Ibn Hazm,

Yusuf al-Qaradawi in his book “The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam”, states songs/singing is not haram unless:

the subject matter of songs is “against the teachings of Islam”, such as praising wine;
the “manner” of singing is haram, such as “being accompanied by suggestive sexual movement”;
it leads to “excessive involvement with entertainment”, such as wasting time that ought to be spent on religion;
if it “arouses one’s passions, leads him towards sin, excites the animal instincts, and dulls spirituality”;
if it is done “in conjunction with haram activities – for example, at a drinking party”.

What is shirk in love?

Question – In a discussion among Muslims, we were trying to arrive at a definition of “love” in Islam. Though we are all well aware of the love of Allah SWT and our obligation to love both Him and his Prophet(s), we wondered if there is a clear outline of love between humans (similar to the Christian “brotherly love”.NOT the romantic variety).

Some posited that “love” lies only within the family, all else is but respect/friend- ship/etc.
Others questioned whether love is limited to spouse and/or children.
Still others questioned if love can be con-ditional or not.
One idea is that “love” (as the term is commonly used) may even be an ‘innovation’ of sorts, based on fairy tales and Christian philosophy.

Many of us have looked in various sources to seek out an “answer”, but no one has found a definitive answer as of yet. Can you help? Praise be to Allah. I was very happy to hear that you and your sisters are studying Islamic issues and trying to find out about Islamic views of love.

No doubt you and your sisters understand the importance of the scholars views and referring to them in matters of dispute.
I will quote here a number of views about love, so that you will understand the matter better, in sha Allah Love may be divided into mahabbah khaassah (specific love) and mahabbah mushtarakah (general love).

Mahabbah khaassah (specific love): Specific love may be divided into types that are halaal and types that are haraam. Halaal love includes: (1) Love of Allah, which is the most important obligation, as it is the basis of Islam. By perfecting ones love of Allah, one perfects ones faith.

If ones love of Allah is lacking, then ones Tawheed is also lacking. The daleel (evidence) for this is the aayaat (interpretation of the meaning):, But those who believe, love Allah more (than anything else), Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight,

are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His Decision (torment). And Allah guides not the people who are faasiqoon (rebellious, disobedient). There are also other similar proofs in the Quraan and Sunnah.

Love of Allah may also take the form of preferring what Allah loves and wants of His slave to what the slave himself might love and want.
So he loves what Allah loves, hates what He hates, takes as friends or regards as enemies for His sake, and adheres to His laws.
There is much that may strengthen this love.

(2) Love of Allahs Messenger, which is also one of the most important duties of Islaam. Indeed, faith is not complete until a person loves the Messenger of Allah more than he loves himself, as in the ahaadeeth: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his child, his father and all the people.

Reported by Muslim, no.44).
Abdullaah ibn Hishaam said: We were with the Prophet (peace be upon him), and he was holding the hand of Umar ibn al-Khattaab.
Umar said to him: O Messenger of Allah, you are dearer to me than everything except my own self.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: No (that is not right), by the One in Whose hand is my soul, until I am dearer to you than your own self.

Umar said to him, Now, by Allah, you are dearer to me than my own self. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Now (you are right), O Umar. (Reported by al-Bukhaari, no.6632). This love is part of loving Allah and is manifested by following the Prophet (peace be upon him) and preferring his opinion over that of others.

3) Love of the Prophets and the believers.
This is obligatory because loving Allah dictates that one should love the people who obey Him, in other words the Prophets and righteous people.
The daleel (evidence) for this is the hadeeth Whoever loves for the sake of Allah (i.e., loves the people of faith for the sake of Allah).

Obedience to Allah is based on love of Allah. Faith cannot be perfected except in this way, even if one has a lot of prayer and fasting to ones credit. As Umar ibn al-Khattaab said: You have seen us at the time of the Messenger of Allah: none of us would think that he had more right to his own money than his Muslim brother.

Forbidden love: This includes love which constitutes shirk, which is when a person loves something instead of Allah or as much as Him. In such a case he has taken that thing as a rival to Allah. This is the shirk of love, and most people have taken things as rivals to Allah in love and glorification. There are also types of forbidden love which do not go to the extent of shirk, such as loving ones family, wealth, tribe, business or house, and preferring those things, in whole or in part, over doing the duties that Allah requires of him, such as hijrah (migration for His sake), jihaad, etc.

The daleel (evidence) for this is the aayah quoted above (Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight, are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His Decision (torment).) Mahabbah mushtarakah (general love): General love is of three types: (1) Natural love, such as the love of a hungry person for food, or a thirsty person for water.

This does not involve any kind of glorification, so it is permissible.
2) Love based on mercy and pity, such as the love of a father for his small child.
This also involves no kind of glorification, so there is nothing wrong with it.
3) Love based on acquaintance and friendship, such as that between those who share a common profession, or scholars in the same field, or people one meets on a daily basis (such as fellow-commuters), or people one does business with, or travelling-companions.

This type of appropriate love between people, or brotherly love, does not imply shirk or associating anyone else in ones love for Allah. For more information, see Kitaab Tayseer al-Azeez, Baab wa min al-naas man yattakhidhu min doon-Allahi andaadan. We hope that this explanation makes the matter clearer.

How do you deal with shirk?

Don’t follow the pattern – It’s all too easy to be pulled into the pattern of shirking duties much like the employee in question does. Avoid doing so by dreaming big and thinking deeper and wider. “Avoid being pulled into circles that justify shirking duties,” says Lal. ThinkStock Photos Don’t fall into the trap of complaining that things are unfair because you’re having to do more than your share of the work. “One should consider additional tasks as an opportunity that will give better exposure to grow professionally and personally,” says Archana Kumari, senior director of HR at Simplilearn. ThinkStock Photos If all else has failed, consider telling the boss, but be careful how you do so. “If you escalate the matter in a manner that is reminiscent of gossip, it can lead to corridor whispers and will make you look unprofessional and petty. Be sure to report it in a professional manner and bring up specific instances rather than being vague,” says Lean.

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What are effects of shirk?

Book 1 – 5th Edition – 1435/2014 ‘Shirk’ and its grave consequences INTRODUCTION Consequences of ‘shirk’ are very serious Those who commit ‘shirk’, all of their good deeds are rejected. If a person commits ‘shirk’, that is, he associates partners with Allaah, all his good deeds (Swalaat, Roza, Zikr, Hajj and Zakaat, etcetera) will be rejected.

On the Day of Judgment, when his deeds will be brought to account, he will see that all his good deeds have been rejected – all his good deeds will be naught and invalid and his score of good deeds will be zero in his book. This is because in the holy Qur’an, Allaah Ta’alah says: ” If they were to join other gods with Allaah, all the good deeds that they did will be vain for them.” (Surah 6 al-An’am,verse 88) In the holy Qur’an the names of twenty-five prophets are mentioned.

And in ‘surah al-An’am, verse 83 – 88 the names of eighteen prophets have been mentioned. These prophets are: Isa ibn Maryam, Yahya ibn Zakariyya, Zakariyya, Ilyas, Yunus, Dhu’l Kifl, Ayyub, Sulayman ibn Dawud, Musa ibn Imran, Harun ibn Imran, Shu’ayb, Yusuf ibn Ya’qub, Ishaq ibn Ibrahim, Isma’il ibn Ibrahim, Lut, Salih, Hud, Idris (Alaihimous salaam) After having mentioned their names Allaah Ta’alah says: “if they were to join other gods with Him, all that they did would be in vain for them”.

In this verse, Allaah Ta’alah is showing us that if it happens that the prophets commit ‘shirk’, their good deeds too will be in vain. It is important that we Muslims must have the firm conviction that none of the prophets of Allaah Ta’alah have ever committed any sins. All the prophets were honest, honourable, virtuous and in way of Truth.

They all called the people to believe in Allaah Ta’alah as the Only God. And Allaah Ta’alah has supported them all the way through by empowering them to perform miracles to show mankind that the message they were spreading was the Truth. Prophets are perfect beings and they are a perfect example to mankind.

Here Allaah Ta’alah is explaining to mankind that committing ‘shirk’ is a very grave act that destroys and ruins a person’s life in the hereafter. Therefore we should not just believe what Tom, Dick and Harry tell us and fall prey to ‘shirk’. The final result : ‘Shirk’ makes (jannat) paradise (haraam) forbidden and makes hell an eternal dwelling place for he who commits it.

Even if the person regrets or feels sad for having committed ‘shirk’ it won’t solve his problem in the hereafter. ‘Shirk’ is the most degrading act that exists

(i) ‘Shirk’ brings a person to the lowest level of disgrace when it comes to his dignity and honour. (ii) ‘Shirk’ is the root of all sins and superstitions. For instance, ‘shirk’ causes people to believe that, jinn, souls, humans, animals and other things such as rocks, trees, water, stars, sun, etcetera have certain divine powers. All these are superstitious practices that were born out of ‘shirk’ in the time of ignorance. (iii) ‘Shirk’ is an injustice. When people praise, glorify and worship the creation and other creatures instead of praising, glorifying and worshipping their Creator (who has given them life), then this act of theirs, becomes the greatest injustice towards their Creator. (iv) ‘Shirk’ brings worries, fears and nervousness because that person believes in the power, capacity and anger of other divinities (creatures) that are false gods. In fact, he is supposed to have the fear of Allaah instead of fearing these useless creatures.

What is ‘shirk’? ‘Shirk’ in the Islamic term means:

(i) Assigning the divine attributes, powers and the honour of Allaah Ta’alah to things or objects or creatures that belong to Allaah Ta’alah Himself. (ii) To worship other things or creatures apart from Allaah. (iii) To worship other creatures so as to rival in the worshipping of Allaah. (iv) To believe that the source of power that can cause good or bad is from others instead from Allaah.

The verses of the holy Qur’an clearly show that ‘shirk’ is a very grave act. First Quranic verse:- Shirk is the biggest crime that exists “Behold, Luqman said to his son admonishing him “O my son! Join not in worship (Others) with Allaah: for false worship is indeed the highest wrong-doing,” (Surah 31 Luqman, verse 13) Murder, terrorist attack (killing innocent people through terrorism), stealing, are some of the greatest crimes of man.

Many people think that these serious crimes are the most offensive ones that can be committed people. But there is one crime that is more serious than all these serious crimes put all-together. That crime is the act of committing ‘shirk’. There is no doubt that those mentioned crimes above are very serious crimes indeed but ‘shirk’ is the number one most serious crime than any of these.

‘Shirk’ is the number one crime on the top of the list of the most serious crimes. Any other crimes other than ‘shirk’ come after it. So the question we ask ourselves is, how is it possible that ‘shirk’ is the most serious crime that exists? When a person commits ‘shirk’ he commits a very grave injustice towards the One who provides for him his necessities of life (food, clothing, shelter, air, water, sun, etcetera) to sustain him.

All his life, every second of it, his Creator keeps on bestowing him with His infinite favours, bounties and blessings.
So, is it not then a great offence to commit ‘shirk’ towards Allaah Ta’alah who has blessed us so abundantly? If this is our way of thanking Him, then it is our ingratitude in its most extreme form.

How ungrateful are we? The minimum or the least that we could do to show Allaah our gratitude is to distance ourselves from all and any kind of ‘shirk’ and be His obedient servant all our life. Second Quranic verse:- Shirk is an unforgivable sin In the holy Qur’an, there are many places where Allaah says that ‘shirk’ is an unforgivable sin.

“Allaah does not forgive that partners should be set up with Him, but forgives anything else, to whom He pleases; to set up partners with Allaah is to devise a sin most heinous indeed.” (Surah 4 an-Nisaa, verse 48) Note carefully what Allaah Ta’alah is telling us here that He will forgive any other sins except ‘shirk’.

This means that all other sins are forgivable but ‘shirk’ is not! That verse itself is enough to make us think, reflect and understand what kind of sin ‘shirk’ is. If a person has committed other sins (not shirk) and has repented later, Allaah will forgive him.

If he has died without having repented, it is possible that Allaah Ta’alah will forgive him. Or Allaah Ta’alah will punish him in the hell fire and when his punishment is over, He will allow him to be admitted in Jannat(Paradise). However, a person who has committed ‘shirk’ and died without repenting, Allaah Ta’alah will never forgive him and jannat (paradise) is forbidden for him.

Third Quranic verse:- Jannat (Paradise) is forbidden for he who commits ‘shirk’ ”Whoever joins other gods with Allaah, – Allaah will forbid him the Garden, and the Fire will be his abode. There will for the wrong-doers be no one to help.” (Surah 5 Al-Maida, verse 72) In the above verse the message is clear that he has associated partners to Allaah Ta’alah ‘jannat’, that is Paradise, will be forever forbidden for him.

He will dwell in the hell fire for eternity and will never come out of it.
Fourth Quranic verse:- Those who commit ‘shirk’ nullify all their good deeds ”But it has already been revealed to you, – as it was to those before thee,- “if you were to join (gods with Allaah), truly fruitless will be your work (in life), and you will surely be among the losers” (Surah 39 Az-Zumar, verse 65) When a person commits ‘shirk’ all his good deeds go in vain.

Allaah Ta’alah wipes out all his good actions. And therefore in his book of accounts there are no good deeds at all. In other words zero good deeds for him. Allaah Ta’alah is warning us that ‘shirk’ is a dangerous and catastrophic thing. It destroys, wipes out, nullifies and cancels all the good actions (or good deeds) that a person has done in his life.

The Biggest Loser A person may have spent his entire life doing good things but because he was negligent of ‘shirk’ and did not stay away from it, this is what will happen to him on the Day of Judgment:- On the Day of Judgment, he will find out that he is the biggest loser. Irrespective of all his good deeds and sacrifices that he has put behind them, his balance of good deeds in his book will be zero and ‘jannat’ (paradise) will be forbidden for him as he will not be allowed to enter it.

He will dwell in the hellfire forever. ‘Oh regret, Oh regret’ but it will be Too Late, Too Late !!! Fifth Quranic verse: ‘Shirk’ is an injustice and an oppression “It is those who believe and confuse not their beliefs with wrong – that are (Truly) in security, for they are on (right) guidance.” (Surah 6 al-An’am verse 82) Hazrat Muhammad (sal lal laahu alaihi wa sal lam) has explained that ‘shirk’ is ‘zulm'(wrong) :- associating partners with Allaah Ta’alah.

So, those who do commit ‘shirk’, will be guided and there is security for them in ‘akhirat (life after death) and these people will be guided.
Sixth Quranic verse: Those who commit ‘shirk’ are impure “O you who believe! Truly, the Pagans are unclean” (Surah 9 at-Taubah, verse 28) The above verse describes those who commit as filthy, unclean and impure and they can only be purified through having ‘imaan'(belief in the Oneness of Allaah).

Why should ‘shirk’ be known and feared? Allaah Ta’alah created humans with Tawheed (belief in the Oneness of Allaah Ta’alah) in them. But it is only after they (humans) have been created that they became pagans (that is, they started committing ‘shirk’).

“Mankind was one religion ” (Surah 2 Al-Baqara, verse 213) Hazrat Muhammad (sal lal laahu alaihi wa sal lam) has said: ‘ Each child is born is on ‘fitra’, that is, he is naturally pre-disposed to accept Allaah as One God (this is called ‘tawheed’), but it is his parents that make him a Jew or a Christian” It is because of this that it is important for a Muslim to know what ‘shirk’ is and how it has been propagated by people when in fact at the origin mankind was created in ‘tawheed’ (belief in the oneness of Allaah).

To avoid ‘shirk’ we should learn what it is and how it manifests in people’s life. Many Muslims think that they are safe from ‘shirk’ and that they are not affected by it because they have read the ‘kalimah’ What is the kalimah? It is the Islamic creed that one reads to testify that ‘there is no god worthy of worship, except Allaah, and that the prophet Muhammad ‘sal lal laahu alaihi wa sal lam’ is His last messenger.’ Hazrat Muhammad (sal lal laahu alaihi wa sal lam) has said: “the thing that I fear most for my people is ‘shirk Al-Asghar’ (minor shirk)” Hazrat Muhammad (sal lal laahu alaihi wa sal lam) was talking to his ‘sahabas’ (sahabas were the best people after the prophets – his companions) and he was telling them that the thing he feared most for them was ‘shirk’.

So, it is very important that we strive hard to remove all traces of ‘shirk’ from our belief and actions.
Fear ‘Shirk’ “And, when Ibrahim said: “My Lord, make this city secure and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols.” ( Surah 14 Ibrahim, verse 35) Hazrat Ibrahim (Alaihis salaam), was the father of prophets, The Friend of Allaah Ta’alah and he believed in the oneness of Allaah Ta’alah, and here he was asking, supplicating and invoking Allaah Ta’alah: “Oh Allaah, protect me and my family from ‘shirk’.” A du’a (prayer of supplication) that Hazrat Muhammad (sal lal laahu alaihi wa sal lam) used to ask ‘Allaahummah inni a’ouzou bika an ushrika bika wa ana a’lam wa astaghfiruka lima la a’lam’.

‘Oh Allaah I seek refuge in You from committing ‘shirk’ (associating partners) with You and I ask You to forgive for things that I do unknowingly.’ Hazrat Muhammad (sal lal laahu alaihi wa sal lam) and the ‘sahabas’ used to ask Allaah Ta’alah to protect them from ‘shirk’.

1) ‘Shirk’ is the biggest crime that exists 2) ‘Shirk’ is a sin that Allaah Ta’alah will not forgive 3) With exception to ‘shirk’, Allaah will forgive all other sins if He wills so 4) Jannat (Paradise) is forbidden for those who commit ‘shirk’ 5) He who commits ‘shirk’, all of his good deeds are nullified 6) ‘Shirk’ is a big injustice and an oppression. 7) Those who commit ‘shirk’ are unclean. So, it is important that:

1) We need to work on our ‘imaan’ (faith in Allaah) 2) Supplicate and beg Allaah Ta’alah to protect us from ‘shirk’ 3) Stay away from all beliefs that contains ‘shirk’ or even traces of it in them 4) Stay away from all practices that involve act of ‘shirk’ or in which there are traces or signs of ‘shirk’

What did Allah said about shirk?

Shirk in the Quran: God Does not Forgive One who Does Shirk Whoever ascribes partners to Allah has indeed fabricated in great sinfulness. Indeed Allah does not forgive that any partner should be ascribed to Him, but He forgives anything besides that to whomever He wishes.

Is swearing on anyone other than Allah shirk?

Swearing By Other Than Allah, A form of Shirk By Asma bint Shameem Today’s topic is about something that we do every day, something we hear everyday, see others do everyday.and we do not think much about it. yet it is something VERY, VERY GRAVE. It is when we swear or take an oath on other than Allaah.

Swearing on ANYTHING, OR ANYONE other than Allaah, is an extremely serious matter and is considered SHIRK, even if the person swearing is telling the truth. The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Whoever swears by anything other than Allaah is guilty of kufr or shirk.” (Saheeh, narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi).

Yet, it is very common in our daily lives that we see and hear people swearing by a vast multitude of things. Some people swear by the Prophet (pbuh), Ali (RA), AbdulQadir Jilani, or some other righteous person, or even the Ka’aba or the angels.Sometimes they swear by their honesty or honor, such as in the Scouts’ promise they say: “I promise by my honor” Also we see people, especially from the Indo-Pak subcontinent swearing by “the life of their child” or “their aged mother” or “their dead mother’s grave” or their “sister’s honor”, etc.

(being greatly influenced by the Indian Film Industry)! Subhaan Allaah! Sheikh ibn Jibreen says: “.swearing by something implies veneration of it, and a created being cannot venerate another created being. This applies to swearing by the Prophets, angels, righteous people and all other created beings.

And the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Whoever swears an oath, let him swear by Allaah or else remain silent.” (Bukhaari, Muslim, others) As far as the oaths that Allaah swears by in the Quraan are concerned, “.these are oaths sworn by Allaah, and Allaah has the right to swear oaths by whatever He wills, but the created being can swear only be his Lord, may he be exalted.” (From al-Lu’lu’ al-Makeen min Fataawaa ibn Jibreen) Also the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Whoever swears by honesty is not one of us.” (Abu Dawud-Saheeh) So we have to really beware of this serious issue and not swear by anything except Allaah alone, or by one of His attributes.

And obviously only when it is the TRUTH.
Actually, it is recommended in the Sharee’ah to be cautious about swearing oaths, and not to swear except when essential.
And protect your oaths (i.e.
Do not swear much)” And if someone LIES when he is swearing, then this is even worse and a major sin.
The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Of the major sins are: Associating anything in worship with Allah, disobedience to the parents, killing without justification and taking a false oath (intentionally).”.

: Swearing By Other Than Allah, A form of Shirk

You might be interested: What Does Ie Mean?

How did shirk first appear on earth?

Early emergence of Shirk among the descendants of Adam (peace be upon him) – Allah, Most High, says, (interpretation of meaning) ” And mankind was not but one community, but they differed.” (Quran 10:19) Ibn Katheer said, “In this ayah, Allah, Exalted be He, informs us that shirk was new to humankind.

It was not in the original religion of humanity, and that people were believers and adhered to one religion, namely, Islam.” See Tafseer Ibn Katheer 4\356 The first act of shirk committed by human beings dated back to the people of Prophet Nooh (Noah).
Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “There were ten centuries between Adam and Nooh, during which people adhered to the true religion, then they differed, and therefore Allah sent the Prophets as bearers of glad tidings and warners.”Allah, Most High, says about the people of Prophet Nooh, (interpretation of meaning) ” And they said, ‘Never leave your gods and never leave Wadd or Suwaa‘ or Yaghooth and Ya‘ooq and Nasr.'” (Quran 71:23) Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said about the names stated in this ayah, “These were the names of righteous men among the people of Nooh.

When they died, Satan enticed their people to make idols of them (i.e., of the dead righteous men) in the places where they used to sit and name those idols after them. They did, but the idols were not worshipped at that point. When those people died and knowledge was lost among their people, the idols were worshipped (by the following generations).” Narrated by Al-Bukhaaree (no.4920) As for the people of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), the origin of their shirk was from the worship of celestial bodies: Planets, sun, and moon.

Both those groups, in reality, worship the jinn, since the (Jinn) devils may communicate with them and help them perform some actions, and they may mistakenly believe that they are worshipping the angels, but in fact they are worshipping the jinn, who help them out and are pleased with their shirk. Allah, Exalted be He, says, (interpretation of meaning) ” And the Day when He will gather them all and then say to the angels, “Did these use to worship you?” They will say, “Exalted are You! You,, are our benefactor not them.

Rather, they used to worship the Jinn; most of them were believers in them.” (Quran 34:41-42) See: (Qaa’idah Jaleelah Fee Al-Tawassul wa Al-Waseelah) (p.22) Ibn Katheer said, “In these ayaat, Prophet Ibrahim was debating with his people, explaining to them their error in worshipping these idols and statues.) In his first debate with his father, Prophet Ibrahim explained their error in worshipping the earthy idols, which they made in the (alleged) image of heavenly angels He then explained the error and deviation of worshipping those moving celestial bodies.” See Tafseer Ibn Katheer 3/292 Allah, Most High, says, (interpretation of meaning) ” Then who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah to mislead the people without knowledge? Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.” (Quran 6:144) In his interpretation of this ayah, Ibn Katheer said, “The first person to whom this ayah applied was ‘Amr ibn Luhayy ibn Qama‘ah; for he was the first to change the true religion revealed to the Prophets of Allah (and introduce idol-worship to the land of Arabs) ” See Tafseer Ibn Katheer 3\352 The Arab polytheists believed that their idols could bring them closer to Allah, The Almighty, and therefore took them as intermediaries between themselves and Allah, and this is similar to the shirk committed by the people of Prophet Nooh (peace be upon him).

Allah, Most High, says, (interpretation of meaning) ” And they worship other than Allah that which neither harms them nor benefits them, and they say, ‘These are our intercessors with Allah.'” (Quran 10:18) Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said, “The idol worshippers claim that these idols are their intercessors with Allah.

They associate them as partners with Him by supplicating them and seeking refuge with them and the like, believing that they are venerating and glorifying Allah, Exalted be He, by these acts, but in reality, they are undermining His unique Oneness because He is All-Knowing, and to Him alone belongs the unchallengeable command and absolute power, and accordingly He stands in no need of intercessors.” See Al-Qawl Al-Mufeed ‘ala Kitaab Al-Tawheed 1\329 As for the belief in the covert influence of some created beings for which there are no apparent or known reasons, it seems that it was introduced by the Chaldeans, who believed in the influence of celestial bodies.

This was also the essence of shirk committed by the people of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). The devils adorned the worship of those celestial bodies for them and deceived them into believing in them and erecting statues of them (idols). This practice found its way to the Arabs, who used to seek rain from the Anwaa’ (rain stars/constellations), and their practice of fortune-telling and belief in superstition were among the manifestations of their belief in the covert influence of some created beings.

Thus, it becomes clear that anthropolatry (man-worship) was the origin of shirk in humanity and then astrolatry (worship of celestial bodies), and this was the form of polytheism that the Messengers of Allah were sent to denounce and eradicate. In fact, shirk is not confined to the belief in another deity or lord equal to Allah, The Almighty.

Rather, this form of shirk was not known earlier among the children of Adam.” See: (Mahaj Ahl Al-Sunnah wa Al-Jamaa’ah wa Mahaj Al-Ashaa’irah Fee Tawheed Allah Ta’aala) by Khaalid ‘Abd Al-Lateef (1/95-98).
Ibn Taymiyyah said, “During the period between Prophet Adam and Prophet Nooh (peace be upon him), people adhered to Tawheed, following their father Adam, the father of humankind, until they invented polytheism and idolatry, which were purely man-made and earthy products that were not revealed in any heavenly book nor inspired to a Messenger by Allah, The Exalted.

These practices were rather contrived by people, acting upon the misconceptions that Satan beautified for them by employing corrupt criteria and pariah philosophy. Some of them claimed that these statues were mere talismans of the celestial bodies, astronomical cycles, and heavenly spirits (that they worshipped).

What is shirk in simple words?

What is shirk and how do Muslims avoid it?

What does mean in Islam?

Nazar (amulet) Eye-shaped amulet believed to protect against the evil eye A Turkish nazar boncuğu Nazars (charms against the ) sold in a shop in, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Note the various modifications to the simple traditional form, such as setting the nazar into butterflies or Christian imagery.

A naẓar (from ‏ ‎, meaning ‘sight’, ‘surveillance’, ‘attention’, and other related concepts) is an eye-shaped believed to protect against the, The term is also used in,,,,,,,,, and other languages. In Turkey, it is known by the name nazar boncuğu (the latter word being a derivative of boncuk, “bead” in Turkic, and the former borrowed from Arabic), in Greece is known as μάτι ().

In, it is called a cheshm nazar (: چشم نظر ) or nazar qurbāni (Persian: نظرقربانی ). In India and Pakistan, the Hindi-Urdu slogan is used to ward off the evil eye. In the Indian subcontinent, the phrase nazar lag gai is used to indicate that one has been affected by the evil eye.

It is commonly believed that the evil eye can be given in the guise of a compliment, signifying its connection to the destructive power of envy (for one’s wealth, beauty etc.).
Amulets such as the nazar are used in accordance with common sayings such as “an eye for an eye”, where another eye can be used to protect the recipient of the malefic gaze.

The evil eye causes its victim to become unwell the next day, unless a protective phrase such as “with the will of God” ( in Arabic) is recited. Among adherents of Hinduism in South Asia, when a mother observes that her child is being excessively complimented, it is common for them to attempt to neutralize the effects of the evil eye ( nazar utarna ) by “holding red chilies in one hand and circling the child’s head a few times, then burning the chilies.” It originated in and was first brought to Mediterranean countries through trade.

What is shirk in love?

Some posited that “love” lies only within the family, all else is but respect/friend- ship/etc. Others questioned whether love is limited to spouse and/or children. Still others questioned if love can be con-ditional or not. One idea is that “love” (as the term is commonly used) may even be an ‘innovation’ of sorts, based on fairy tales and Christian philosophy.

No doubt you and your sisters understand the importance of the scholars views and referring to them in matters of dispute.
I will quote here a number of views about love, so that you will understand the matter better, in sha Allah Love may be divided into mahabbah khaassah (specific love) and mahabbah mushtarakah (general love).

If ones love of Allah is lacking, then ones Tawheed is also lacking.
The daleel (evidence) for this is the aayaat (interpretation of the meaning):,
But those who believe, love Allah more (than anything else),
Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight,

Love of Allah may also take the form of preferring what Allah loves and wants of His slave to what the slave himself might love and want.
So he loves what Allah loves, hates what He hates, takes as friends or regards as enemies for His sake, and adheres to His laws.
There is much that may strengthen this love.

Reported by Muslim, no.44). Abdullaah ibn Hishaam said: We were with the Prophet (peace be upon him), and he was holding the hand of Umar ibn al-Khattaab. Umar said to him: O Messenger of Allah, you are dearer to me than everything except my own self. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: No (that is not right), by the One in Whose hand is my soul, until I am dearer to you than your own self.

3) Love of the Prophets and the believers. This is obligatory because loving Allah dictates that one should love the people who obey Him, in other words the Prophets and righteous people. The daleel (evidence) for this is the hadeeth Whoever loves for the sake of Allah (i.e., loves the people of faith for the sake of Allah).

Forbidden love: This includes love which constitutes shirk, which is when a person loves something instead of Allah or as much as Him. In such a case he has taken that thing as a rival to Allah. This is the shirk of love, and most people have taken things as rivals to Allah in love and glorification. There are also types of forbidden love which do not go to the extent of shirk, such as loving ones family, wealth, tribe, business or house, and preferring those things, in whole or in part, over doing the duties that Allah requires of him, such as hijrah (migration for His sake), jihaad, etc.

This does not involve any kind of glorification, so it is permissible.
2) Love based on mercy and pity, such as the love of a father for his small child.
This also involves no kind of glorification, so there is nothing wrong with it.
3) Love based on acquaintance and friendship, such as that between those who share a common profession, or scholars in the same field, or people one meets on a daily basis (such as fellow-commuters), or people one does business with, or travelling-companions.

Grady A. Lowry