Types of major shirk

 Types of major shirk 

Shirk may sometimes take the form of beliefs 

Such as the belief that there is someone else who creates, gives life and death, reigns or controls the affairs of the universe along with Allah. 

Or the belief that there is someone else who must be obeyed absolutely besides Allah, so they follow him in regarding as permissible or forbidden whatever he wants, even if that goes against the religion of the Messengers. 

Or they may associate others with Allah in love and veneration, by loving a created being as they love Allah. This is the kind of shirk that Allah does not forgive, and it is the shirk of which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allah as rivals(to Allah). They love them as they love Allah” [al-Baqarah 2:165] 

Or the belief that there are those who know the Unseen as well as Allah. This is very common among some of the deviant sects such as the Rafidis (Shi’ah), extreme Sufis, and Batinis (esoteric sects) in general. The Rafidis believe that their imams have knowledge of the unseen, and the Batinis and Sufis believe similar things about their awliya (“saints”), and so on. It is also shirk to believe that there is someone who bestows mercy in a manner that is befitting only for Allah, so he shows mercy as Allah does and forgives sins and overlooks the bad deeds of his worshippers.  

Shirk may sometimes take the form of words

Such as those who make du’a or pray to someone other than Allah, or seek his help or seek refuge with him with regard to matters over which no one has control except Allah, whether the person called upon is a prophet, a wali (“saint”), an angel or a jinn, or some other created being. This is a kind of major shirk which puts one beyond the pale of Islam. 

Or such as those who make fun of religion or who liken Allah to His creation, or say that there is another creator, provider or controller besides Allah. All of these are major shirk and a grave sin that is not forgiven. 

Shirk may sometimes take the form of actions 

Such as one who sacrifices, prays or prostrates to something other than Allah, or who promulgates laws to replace the rulings of Allah and makes that the law to which people are obliged to refer for judgement; or one who supports the kafirs and helps them against the believers, and other acts that go against the basic meaning of faith and put the one who does them beyond the pale of Islam.