Can the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ also fall into Shirk or not?
Alas, a hundred times alas! Now even in this matter there is disagreement. There are many people who are trying to convince others that no individual from the Ummah of Mustafa ﷺ can fall into shirk; rather, they are safe and protected from shirk!!!
Whereas on the other hand, it is said that just as shirk had entered the nations of previous Prophets, in exactly the same way shirk can enter the Ummah of Muhammad Mustafa ﷺ. Some people of this Ummah can fall into shirk and indeed have fallen into it; merely being a follower of the Prophet ﷺ does not guarantee protection from shirk. Now, which of the two groups is correct and which is wrong? Whose statement is true and in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah, and whose statement is false because it contradicts the Quran and Sunnah?
Solution to the Disagreement
How is the solution to this disagreement, or rather all disagreements, possible?
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَمَا اخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِيهِ مِن شَيْءٍ فَحُكْمُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ﴾
“And whatever you differ about, its judgment is with Allah.”
Also, Allah Almighty said: ﴿فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا﴾
“So if you differ in anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and best in the outcome.”
Referring to Allah and His Messenger means turning to the Quran and Hadith. It is clear that if a disagreement arises in any matter, the foremost duty of a believer is to refer to Allah and His Messenger for its resolution. The solution found there should be the foundation of faith and practice. This is an essential condition of faith in Allah and the Hereafter, and it is also the best principle to end disputes and disagreements. Any negligence, laziness, or shortcoming in this regard is essentially showing negligence and laziness in the matter of faith in Allah and the Hereafter. Keeping this Quranic principle in mind, let us see which of the two groups is speaking according to the Quran and Sunnah and is right, and whose statement is against the Quran and Sunnah and false? And let us try to find out whether it is possible for some people in the Ummah of Muhammad Mustafa ﷺ to commit shirk or not? Can some people of this Ummah fall into shirk or not?
The Holy Quran and the Association of the Ummah of Mustafa (Peace Be Upon Him) with Shirk:
First, we will present some evidences from the Holy Quran to prove that a person who professes faith and is a follower of the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) can also fall into shirk, and this is not impossible.
First Evidence:
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا مِمَّا لَمْ يُذْكَرِ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنَّهُ لَفِسْقٌ ۗ وَإِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ لَيُوحُونَ إِلَىٰ أَوْلِيَائِهِمْ لِيُجَادِلُوكُمْ ۖ وَإِنْ أَطَعْتُمُوهُمْ إِنَّكُمْ لَمُشْرِكُونَ﴾
“And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned, for indeed it is sinful. And indeed, the devils inspire their allies among men to dispute with you, and if you obey them, indeed you will be associators [with Allah].”
The well-known commentator of the second group, Maulvi Naeemuddin Muradabadi Sahib, wrote in the margin of this verse: “Because abandoning the divine command in religion and obeying the command of others, making anyone other than Allah a ruler, is shirk (associating partners with Allah).”
And the second group’s Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari Sahib wrote that
from this verse it is understood that a person who considers what Allah has forbidden as permissible becomes a “mushrik” (polytheist), «فدلت الآية على ان من استحل شيئا مما حرم الله تعالى صار به مشركا (قرطبي)»
In this blessed verse, Allah Almighty addresses the believers and forbids them from eating food upon which the name of Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, has not been mentioned or upon which the name of someone other than Allah has also been mentioned. He also states that the companions of Satan will dispute and argue with you, and their entire effort will be to make you eat such forbidden food. Then He says if you obey them and eat such food, you too will become “mushrik” (polytheist).
Here, merely obeying them proves from the Quran that one becomes a “mushrik.” Neither is it necessary to believe in the deity or object of worship, nor is it necessary to believe in eternal, ancient, personal, unlimited attributes, etc. Even now, non-Muslims and many Muslims who lack knowledge eat and feed others food upon which the name of someone other than Allah has been mentioned, and if they do not insist or argue with those who eat, then whoever obeys them is certainly a “mushrik” according to the command of Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He.
This verse addresses those who are believers and who believe in Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, and are his followers. If it were impossible for the Ummah to fall into shirk as some people think, then why would Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, say ﴿إِنَّكُمْ لَمُشْرِكُونَ﴾ “then you will become mushrik,” with an emphatic style of expression? From this blessed verse, it becomes clear that such a belief or assumption is not correct but entirely false and wrong. May Allah grant them the ability to understand and save them from the deception of Satan. (Ameen)
Second Argument:
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَأُحِلَّتْ لَكُمُ الْأَنْعَامُ إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَاجْتَنِبُوا الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الْأَوْثَانِ وَاجْتَنِبُوا قَوْلَ الزُّورِ. حُنَفَاءَ لِلَّهِ غَيْرَ مُشْرِكِينَ بِهِ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَتَخْطَفُهُ الطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِي بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ.﴾
“And cattle have been made lawful for you, except those which are recited to you (as prohibited), so avoid the filth of idols and avoid false speech, uniting in the belief of Allah’s Oneness and not associating anyone with Him. And whoever associates others with Allah, it is as if he has fallen from the sky, and a bird snatched him or the wind threw him to a distant place.”
In these blessed verses, the address is also to the believers, informing them what is lawful and what is forbidden for them. Then they are commanded to avoid falsehood and the filth of idols. “Outhan” is the plural of “Wathan,” meaning every entity worshipped besides Allah, whether it be stones, trees, or graves. They are also commanded to avoid false speech and to turn their faces wholeheartedly towards Allah from all directions.
﴿غَيْرَ مُشْرِكِينَ بِهِ﴾ “Not associating anyone with Him.”
Commanding the believers to turn towards Allah while avoiding shirk proves that even after believing, a servant can fall into shirk. If after believing, a servant were completely safe from the danger of shirk, then there would be no need to say “not associating anyone with Him” in living life. And for whoever falls into the filth of shirk, the example of falling from the sky is given. If he falls from the sky, either a bird snatches him or the wind throws him to a distant place, and his bones are shattered, and he will surely perish. Similarly, the polytheist will fall into the pit of destruction and ruin in the Hereafter.
Third Argument:
Allah Almighty says:
﴿مُنِيبِينَ إِلَيْهِ وَاتَّقُوهُ وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَلَا تَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ﴾
“Fear Allah as He should be feared, and do not die except as Muslims.”
In this verse, the believers are addressed, commanding them to have devotion to Allah, to be conscious of Him, and to establish prayer, and forbidding them from becoming polytheists. If it were impossible for a believer to commit shirk after accepting faith and if the believer were safe from the danger of shirk, then what meaning would this command have: “Do not become polytheists”?
Since even after accepting faith, a person can fall into shirk by falling into the traps of Satan, therefore Allah, Glorified and Exalted, has warned His believing servants: “Do not become polytheists.” Hence, it is completely false to think that after accepting faith, a person cannot become a polytheist.
Fourth Argument:
Allah Almighty says:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ يُبَايِعْنَكَ عَلَىٰ أَن لَّا يُشْرِكْنَ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَسْرِقْنَ وَلَا يَزْنِينَ وَلَا يَقْتُلْنَ أَوْلَادَهُنَّ وَلَا يَأْتِينَ بِبُهْتَانٍ يَفْتَرِينَهُ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِنَّ وَأَرْجُلِهِنَّ وَلَا يَعْصِينَكَ فِي مَعْرُوفٍ ۙ فَبَايِعْهُنَّ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُنَّ اللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ﴾
“O Prophet (peace be upon him)! When believing women come to you pledging that they will not associate anything with Allah, nor steal, nor commit adultery, nor kill their children, nor bring forth a slander they have invented, nor disobey you in what is right, then accept their pledge and ask forgiveness for them from Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.”
In this blessed verse, besides taking a pledge from them to avoid other major sins, there is also mention of taking a pledge that they “will not associate partners with Allah.” The Qur’an has called them “the believing women,” and then the command to take a pledge not to commit shirk proves that just as believers can commit other major sins, it is also possible for them to fall into “shirk.” «أعاذنا الله منه»
Fifth Argument:
Allah Almighty says:
﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا﴾
“Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating others with Him [shirk], but He forgives anything else of whoever He wills. And whoever associates others with Allah has certainly gone far astray.”
In this noble verse, Allah has made His law clear that He does not forgive the act of “shirk” (associating partners with Him). From other evidences in the Quran and Sunnah, it is clear that this ruling applies when a person dies in a state of shirk without repenting. Otherwise, those who attain the awareness of Tawheed (monotheism) during their lifetime, believe in it, remain steadfast upon it, and repent from shirk, Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, will bestow His grace and mercy upon them and forgive them.
Now, the matter to consider is that in this noble verse, forgiveness and pardon of all sins other than shirk is stated to be subject to Allah’s will and desire. This means that if Allah wills, He may forgive any minor or major sins of a person except shirk. But is this glad tidings of forgiveness general and for everyone? Those who, after the advent of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, did not accept his call to truth and did not become part of the Ummah of Mustafa, peace be upon him, or refused to accept his invitation, can they also be deserving of this forgiveness and pardon? Is this declaration for them as well? Are they included in this ruling?
In this regard, it is stated that, praise be to Allah, the people of Islam have no doubt, rather all Muslims who believe in the Quran and Sunnah agree that those who, after the advent of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, did not accept his call to truth and did not become part of his Ummah, will not enter Paradise; rather, they are destined for Hell. Believing in the Prophet, peace be upon him, and sincerely acknowledging his prophethood is an essential condition for entering Paradise, and the Quran has clarified the importance of faith in him and acknowledgment of it at many places. Similarly, the hadiths explicitly mention this matter; for example, we present only one hadith. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
«والذي نفس محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم بيده ! إلا يسمع بي أحد من هذه الأمة يهودي ولا نصراني ثم يموت ولم يؤمن بالذي أرسلت به إلا كان من أصحاب النار»
By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, whoever among this Ummah hears about me from a Jew or a Christian and then dies without believing in this religion, he will be among the inhabitants of Hell.
From this hadith, it is understood that Jews and Christians are already deprived of Paradise and deserving of Hell due to their denial of the truth. Now, even if they avoid shirk, the crime of rejecting the prophethood is neither trivial nor forgivable.
Considering this, it becomes clear that the glad tidings of forgiveness for sins other than shirk is for the Ummah of the Prophet, peace be upon him. It is thus evident that the Prophet’s Ummah can also commit shirk, but if they avoid shirk, then other major or minor sins may be forgiven by Allah Almighty.
In short, this verse indicates that the Ummah of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, can also fall into shirk. The notion held by some people that the Prophet’s Ummah cannot become mushrik (polytheist) is absolutely incorrect. The verses of the Quran invalidate their viewpoint.
Sixth Argument:
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُم بِاللَّهِ إِلَّا وَهُم مُّشْرِكُونَ﴾
“Most of them, although they believe in Allah, are polytheists.”
From this verse, it is understood that most people, despite believing in Allah, are polytheists. As you have read on previous pages, the polytheists believed that Allah Almighty is the Creator of the earth, the heavens, and everything within them; full ownership, control, and authority belong to Allah alone. Even the powers of their idols were granted by Allah.
Yet, despite this, they worshipped them, prayed to them, pleaded with them, offered sacrifices in their names, presented offerings, considered them as their helpers in difficulties and fulfillers of needs. Even today, many people, despite believing, fall victim to this injustice. Moreover, some clerics have convinced them that after believing, a follower of the Prophet ﷺ cannot be a polytheist and remains completely safe from polytheism. Just continue doing all these things. But Allah Almighty has clearly stated that most people, despite believing in Allah, are polytheists. Therefore, even after believing, the occurrence of polytheism is possible.
Seventh Argument:
Allah Almighty says:
﴿فَأَيُّ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ أَحَقُّ بِالْأَمْنِ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ. الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْنُ وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ.﴾
“So which of the two parties deserves the greater right to security, if you know? Those who have believed and did not mix their belief with injustice – for them is security, and they are [rightly] guided.”
This blessed verse explains that the party or group which does not mix injustice in their faith is more deserving of peace in this world and the Hereafter. What is meant by “injustice” in this verse? Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says that when this verse ﴿الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ﴾ was revealed, it was very distressing for the people of Islam; they were very troubled (wondering who among us has not done injustice after believing, so do we not deserve peace or are we not rightly guided?). They came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Who among us has not done injustice to himself?” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) explained that
«ليس ذلك إنما هو الشرك ألم تسمعوا ما قال لقمان لابنه وهو يعظه يا بني لا تشرك بالله إن الشرك لظلم عظيم»
This does not mean general injustice; it means “shirk” (associating partners with Allah). Have you not heard that when Luqman was advising his son, he said: “O my dear son! Do not associate partners with Allah; indeed, shirk is a great injustice.”
The teacher of the Book and Wisdom, the foremost interpreter of the Qur’an, the Master of the World (peace be upon him), clarified that the meaning of this verse is that those who believe and do not mix shirk in their faith after believing are deserving of peace and salvation in this world and the Hereafter, and they are the rightly guided.
From the above verse and the explanation of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), it becomes clear that some people may fall into shirk even after believing. If there were no danger of shirk among the Ummah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), as many falsely assume, then what would be the meaning of this verse? In short, all the above-mentioned verses of the Qur’an make it clear that the danger of shirk exists even in the Muslim Ummah. They too can fall into shirk just as previous nations did. May Allah, the Glorious and Exalted, protect all the believers from associating partners with Him in His essence and attributes and keep them steadfast on monotheism. (Ameen)
Many ahadith have also been narrated on this subject, but it seems appropriate first to examine the arguments of the opposing party who have built their belief on the basis that “the follower of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) cannot be a mushrik (polytheist).”
To the best of our limited knowledge, these people do not present any verse from the Qur’an in this regard. Rather, they present one or two ahadith and give a wrong interpretation. Although their belief is not proven even from the hadith. Moreover, presenting hadith in this way is against their own principles.
⋆ Principle of the Second Party Regarding Beliefs:
Before considering their argument, it is necessary to understand how the second party establishes proof regarding “belief.” Their “Mujaddid al-Millat,” Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi, writes:
“And it has been conclusively established in principle that no solitary hadith can be accepted against definitive verses, even if its chain of narration is authentic. Whoever presents an argument against the Great Quran must consider four points: First, the verse must be definitive in its indication or the hadith must be similarly mutawatir…”
Khan Sahib has stated his principle elsewhere as follows:
“And texts will always be understood in their apparent meaning; without evidence, no legal specification or interpretation is permitted, otherwise the Shariah would lose its sanctity. Not even solitary hadiths, no matter how high their status, can specify the generality of the Quran; rather, they would be nullified in its presence. Indeed, specification is a later abrogation.”
He further writes: “That relying on solitary reports against the general definitive Quranic verses is simply wrong.”
“Ahad” is the plural of “Ahad” and means singular. A solitary report linguistically refers to a hadith narrated by only one person, and technically, it is a hadith that does not fulfill the conditions of mutawatir.
Mutawatir: A hadith whose narrators in every generation are so numerous that it is habitually impossible for them to agree upon falsehood or error.
Now, consider the statements of the second party’s “Mujaddid al-Millat,” whose essence is that presenting a solitary report against the blessed verses of the Quran is simply wrong, and a solitary report cannot specify a general ruling established by the Quranic verses. Rather, such specification is impermissible and equivalent to abrogating a verse of the Quran.
Now see what argument the second party presents regarding the protection of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) Ummah from polytheism:
The second party’s first argument:
The second party cannot present any proof from the Holy Quran for their belief; however, their common people, elites, preachers, and orators are generally heard saying that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Satan is now hopeless that he will be worshiped.” Then the argument follows that if Satan is not worshiped, then where does polytheism come from? Hence, it is proven that no individual of the Muslim Ummah can be a polytheist. This hadith is found in Al-Mustadrak Al-Hakim as follows:
«عن ابن عباس أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خطب الناس فى حجة الوداع فقال: قديئس الشيطان بأن يعبد بأرضكم ولكنه رضي أن يطاع فيما سوى ذلك مما تحاقرون من أعمالكم ، فاحذروايا أيها الناس!»
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), while addressing people during the Farewell Pilgrimage, said: “Indeed, Satan is now hopeless that he will be worshiped on your land, but he is content that he will be obeyed in other matters which you consider insignificant in your deeds. So, O people! Beware…” etc.
The argument from this hadith is not correct for several reasons:
Firstly: In its chain of narration, “Ismail bin Abi Uwais” is a narrator discussed in the books of weak narrators (Gharib al-Sihah).
Secondly: This is a solitary (ahad) report, and in matters of beliefs, the Hanafi school and even the second party themselves (Barelvis) do not accept solitary reports as proof, as mentioned on previous pages.
Thirdly: Even if this narration is accepted as authentic, it does not prove that the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) followers cannot be polytheists or commit polytheism. If the argument is that “Satan is hopeless that he will be worshiped on the land of Hijaz,” then this argument is also incorrect because polytheism is not only about “worshiping Satan.” There are many other types of polytheism which are clearly explained in the Quran and Sunnah. Thus, this narration only negates one type of polytheism, not all types.
Fourthly: This narration only negates the worship of Satan on the “land of Hijaz,” not on the entire earth. Therefore, it is absolutely incorrect to argue that the entire Ummah is free from polytheism based on this narration.
Fifthly: Clear verses of the Holy Quran prove that even after embracing faith, people can fall into polytheism. Denying this through this narration is incorrect. According to Khan Sahib Barelvi: “Relying on solitary reports against the general and definitive Quranic verses is simply wrong.”
Second Argument of the Second Party:
The second argument commonly presented by those gentlemen is that it is narrated from Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir رضي الله عنه that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: «ما أخاف عليكم أن تشركوا بعدي ولكن أخاف عليكم أن تنا فسوا فيها» “I am not afraid that you will commit shirk after me, but I fear that you will compete with each other in worldly matters.”
From this authentic hadith, an attempt is made to prove that no follower of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم can commit shirk. Neither is this proven from this hadith, nor is the second party’s reasoning from it correct.
Firstly: Because this hadith is also a “khabar wahid” (single report), and their principle is that “no ahad hadith can be accepted against definitive verses (ayat qat’iyyah) even if its chain is authentic.” And from definitive verses, it is proven that some believers fall into shirk, as we have explained in some detail in the Quranic evidences, especially the first, third, fifth, and seventh arguments clearly indicate this. Therefore, according to their principle, presenting this hadith is certainly incorrect.
Secondly: This hadith addresses the Companions رضي الله عنهم and they are its specific subject.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani رحمه الله writes in the explanation of this hadith:
«وأن أصحابه لا يشركون بعده فكان كذلك» “That the companions of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم will not commit shirk after him, and so it happened.”
Meaning, this hadith pertains to the Companions رضي الله عنهم, not the general Ummah, and the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم addressed only the Companions رضي الله عنهم with this statement. The proof is that the word “Ummah” is not mentioned in this hadith, whereas in other authentic hadiths, it is explicitly mentioned that many people of the Ummah fall into shirk, and the word “Ummah” is present in those hadiths, as we will explain (Insha’Allah).
Thirdly: Even if this hadith is accepted for the general Ummah, it will not mean every individual of the Ummah, as the hadith commentators have written.
1. Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani رحمه الله says:
«قوله (ما أخاف عليكم أن تشركوا) أى على مجموعكم لأن ذلك قد وقع من البعض أعاذنا الله تعالى»
The meaning of the Prophet’s صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم statement (that I am not afraid of shirk from you) is that you will not collectively commit shirk, because shirk has occurred from some individuals among the Muslim Ummah. May Allah protect us.
2. Allama Badruddin Ayni (Hanafi) states:
«معناه على مجموعكم لأن ذلك قد وقع من البعض والعياذ بالله تعالى»
It means that there is no fear that the entire Ummah will fall into shirk, because shirk has occurred from some people. May Allah protect us.
3. Abu al-Abbas Ahmad bin Muhammad al-Qastalani writes:
«أى ما أخاف على جميعكم الإشراك بل على مجموعكم لأن ذلك قد وقع من بعض»
For details, see Monthly Al-Hadith: 28, pages 7-8
The Third Argument of the Second Party:
The third argument generally presented by the second party in support of their belief is that Sayyiduna Hudhaifah bin Al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
«إن ما أتخوف عليكم رجل قرأ القرآن حتي رئيت بهجته عليه وكان ردئا للإسلام ، غيره إلى ما شاء الله فانسلخ منه ، ونبذه ورآء ظهره ، و سعي على جاره بالسيف ورماه بالشرك قال قلت: يا نبي الله ! أيهما أولى بالشرك المرمي أو الرامي؟ قال: بل الرامي»
I fear for you the man who will recite the Qur’an, so much so that its freshness will be apparent on his face, and he will (outwardly) support Islam. Allah will change him as much as He wills, then he will leave the religion of Islam and throw the religion behind his back, strike his (Muslim) neighbor with the sword, and accuse him of shirk (polytheism). Hudhaifah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that I asked: O Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him), will the one who accuses of shirk be close to shirk, or will the one on whom shirk is accused be close to shirk? The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Rather, the one who accuses of shirk will himself be close to shirk.
This narration has a good chain of transmission, and from this hadith, the second party also tries to prove their stance that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) cannot have a polytheist follower.
It is stated! That this belief is not proven from this hadith, nor is the reasoning correct:
Firstly: This is a solitary report, which according to the principles of the second party is absolutely insufficient to establish a belief. Considering their own principles, they should not have even presented this hadith.
Secondly: In this hadith, it is stated about the mentioned man that he will falsely accuse of shirk (polytheism), and Muslims are generally aware that slander means attributing a fault to a Muslim which he does not have, and it is a general rule in Islam that if someone calls a Muslim a disbeliever or curses him without justification, then the curse or verdict of disbelief will return upon the one who said it. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
«إذا قال الرجل لأخيه: يا كافر فقد باء به أحدهما»
Whoever says to his (Muslim) brother: O disbeliever! then surely one of the two will have the judgment of disbelief returned upon him.
Similarly, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
«أيما رجل مسلم أكفر رجلا مسلما ، فإن كان كافرا وإلا كان هو الكافر»
If a Muslim calls another Muslim a disbeliever, then if he is indeed a disbeliever, well and good; otherwise, the one who calls him a disbeliever is himself a disbeliever. (Sunan Abi Dawood: 4687, and its chain is authentic)
The hadith presented by the second party also mentions such a person who falsely accuses his Muslim neighbor of shirk; from the false accusation it is clear that in reality his neighbor will be free and innocent of shirk, not involved in shirk. Therefore, the one who makes the false accusation will himself become a polytheist, and this wrong verdict will return upon him.
Fourthly: Upon reflection, it becomes clear that this hadith also proves that a person who believes in you (peace be upon him) and is your follower can also fall into shirk and become a “mushrik” (polytheist). This happens when he falsely accuses a Muslim who is free from shirk of shirk, and this false accusation and verdict of shirk will return upon him, and by becoming a victim of his own accusation and verdict, he will become a “mushrik.”
In this regard, the hadith presented by the second party itself refutes their claim and belief that the followers of the Prophet (peace be upon him) are protected from shirk and cannot commit shirk.
Fifthly: Among both parties and indeed all Muslims, this principle is established: «إن الحديث يفسر بعضه بعضا» that a hadith explains another hadith. This is why scholars do not decide on any matter by considering only one hadith but rather consider other related hadiths and after reflection and contemplation make a decision regarding an issue. This is the correct method. If this is not done, then very strange things will emerge.
Hadiths and Shirk in the Ummah:
After the arguments from the Holy Quran, now we would like to shed some light on this issue from the noble Hadiths. Certainly, for guidance and salvation, along with the Holy Quran, the noble Hadiths are also an important source, and only a person who bases his faith and actions on the Quran and Sunnah can be protected from misguidance.
First Hadith: Sayyid al-Fuqaha wal-Muhaddithin Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that one day the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was among the people when a man came to him… and asked: O Messenger of Allah! «ما الإسلام؟» What is Islam? The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) replied:
«الإسلام أن تعبد الله ولا تشرك به شيئا»
Islam is that you worship Allah and do not associate anyone with Him.
Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) says that after some questions, the man left, then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Bring that man to me. The companions (may Allah be pleased with them) ran to bring him but they did not find him. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
«هذا جبريل جاء ليعلم الناس دينهم»
That was Jibril (Gabriel) who came to teach the people their religion. (Also)
Now reflect on this noble Hadith! The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) defined Islam as: “You worship Allah and do not associate anyone with Him.” Only when a person avoids shirk (associating partners with Allah) will he enter Islam.
Second Hadith:
«عن أبى ذر أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: من قال فى دبر صلاة الفجر وهو ثان رجليه قبل أن يتكلم: لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، له الملك وله الحمد ، يحيي ويميت وهو على كل شيء قدير، عشر مرات، كتبت له عشر حسنات ، ومحي عنه عشر سئيات ورفع له عشر درجات وكان يومه ذلك كله فى حرز من كل مكروه وحرس من الشيطان ، ولم ينبغ لذنب أن يدركه فى ذلك اليوم إلا الشرك بالله»
Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
Whoever after Fajr prayer, sitting on his knees, recites ten times «لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، له الملك وله الحمد يحيى ويميت وهو على كل شيء قدير» before starting a conversation, ten good deeds will be recorded for him, ten sins will be erased, ten ranks will be elevated, and he will be protected from every hardship that day. In summary
Reflect on this Hadith! The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said that if a person utters these words ten times at the beginning of the day (after Fajr prayer), all his sins except shirk will be forgiven, even though he will say with his tongue «لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له» There is no deity except Allah, He is alone, He has no partner. He is affirming “La sharika lahu” (He has no partner), yet the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said that no sin except shirk will be counted against him. This means that even after saying «وحده لا شريك له», he can still commit shirk, and if that happens, the burden of shirk will surely fall upon him, and if he does not repent, he will be punished. However, if on that day he avoids shirk, then Allah, the Glorious and Exalted, may forgive the rest of his sins by His grace and mercy.
Now tell me! Who prays Fajr? Do Hindus, Sikhs, Jews, and Christians also pray Fajr? Do they also recite these words? No, certainly not.
Only those who accept the true invitation of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and are part of the Ummah of obedience perform Fajr prayer, and only those whom Allah, Lord of the Worlds, grants success and who know this Hadith and Sunnah recite these words. Is there still any room to say that the followers of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) cannot fall into shirk? They are completely safe from the danger of “shirk”!
Third Hadith:
«عن أبى هريرة رضى الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: تفتح أبواب الجنة يوم الإثنين ويوم الخميس، فيغفر لكل عبد لا يشرك بالله شيئا إلا رجلا كانت بينه وبين أخيه شحناء فيقال: أنظروا هذين حتى يصطلحا، أنظروا هذين حتى يصطلحا، أنظروا هذين حتى يصطلحا»
Narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: On every Monday and Thursday, the gates of Paradise are opened, and every person who does not associate anything with Allah is forgiven, except the one who has enmity with his brother. It is said: Give them respite until they reconcile, give them respite until they reconcile, give them respite until they reconcile.
In this noble Hadith, the mention of the gates of the heavens being opened every Monday and Thursday clearly indicates that this continues until the Day of Judgment, and on these days Allah, Glorious and Exalted, forgives every person who does not commit shirk.
The special mention that “whoever does not commit shirk” is forgiven shows that shirk can occur even in this Ummah. This glad tidings is for the Ummah of obedience of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), not for the Ummah of invitation like Jews, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, etc., whose clarification we have already presented under the fifth Quranic argument.
Those brothers should also reflect on this Hadith who hold grudges against their true-believing religious brothers, and then this enmity, hatred, malice, and jealousy take shape, yet they do not even think about reconciliation. Think a little about how much great mercy they miss out on two days every seven days. Similarly, count the months and years and see how many excellent opportunities they lose. May Allah, Glorious and Exalted, grant us the ability to understand and bestow upon every Muslim sincerity, love, advice, and goodwill. (Ameen)
Fourth Hadith:
«عن أنس رضى الله عنه قال سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: قال الله تبارك وتعالى … يا ابن آدم ! إنك لو أتيتني بقراب الأرض خطايا ثم لقيتنى لا تشرك بي شيئا لأ تيتك بقرابها مغفرة»
Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه says that I heard the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم say that Allah Almighty said… “O son of Adam! If you come to Me with sins as much as the earth and then meet Me without associating anything with Me, I will forgive you as much as the earth.”
Although the words “son of Adam” are general and include every human being, it becomes clear from other evidences of the Quran and Sunnah that after the mission of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, only those who believe in him, his followers, can be the addressees of this Hadith Qudsi; this glad tidings is specifically for them.
Because if a person only protects himself from “shirk” (associating partners with Allah), avoids shirk, but does not believe in the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and the Quran, and does not fulfill other conditions of faith, then he cannot be deserving of forgiveness and Paradise. This is proven from the Quran and Sunnah and is agreed upon by all Muslims.
People of other religions are deprived of Paradise anyway; in this case, the addressees of the above Hadith are only the followers of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. If they remain safe from shirk, then by Allah’s mercy, forgiveness of their sins is possible.
Fifth Hadith:
«عن عبد الله (بن مسعود) رضى الله عنه قال: لما أسري برسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم انتهي به إلى سدرة المنتهى….. فأعطى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ثلاثا ، أعطي الصلوات الخمس وأعطي خواتيم سورة البقرة وغفر لمن لم يشرك بالله من أمته شيئا- المقحمات»
Our Master Abdullah bin Masood, may Allah be pleased with him, says: When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was taken on the Mi’raj, he was taken up to Sidrat al-Muntaha. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was given three things there: five prayers were given to him, the last verses of Surah Al-Baqarah were given, and forgiveness was granted for every person from the Ummah who refrains from associating partners with Allah and major sins.
This blessed hadith mentions the great miracle of the Mi’raj of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and it explains that Allah, Glorified and Exalted, granted three gifts during it. The third thing mentioned is the great glad tidings for every follower of the Prophet, peace be upon him, that if they protect their faith from “shirk” (associating partners with Allah) and also avoid major sins, then Allah, Glorified and Exalted, will forgive them and pardon them.
Now, just as a believer can fall into major sins, similarly he can also contaminate his faith with shirk. If there was no danger of shirk within the Ummah, as some people assume, then why would the condition of being safe from shirk be set for forgiveness and pardon?
It is obvious that the danger exists within the Ummah, and that is why Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him, have warned the believers repeatedly and specifically mentioned to avoid it. Imam Nawawi, while explaining the third point of this hadith, writes: «ومعنى الكلام من مات من هذه الأمة غير مشرك بالله غفر له» The meaning of this hadith is that whoever from this Ummah dies in a state that he is not a partner-maker with Allah, then he will be forgiven.
In short! This hadith clearly proves that the danger of shirk exists in this Ummah and that this Ummah can also fall into shirk, and many people have indeed fallen into it.
Sixth Hadith:
«عن أبى واقد الليثي: أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لما خرج إلى حنين مر بشجرة للمشركين يقال لها: ذات أنواط يعلقون عليها أسلحتهم فقالوا: يا رسول الله ! اجعل لنا ذات أنواط كما لهم ذات أنواط فقال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم: سبحان الله هذا كما قال قوم موسى ﴿اجْعَل لَّنَا إِلَٰهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ آلِهَةٌ﴾ , by Him in Whose hand my soul is, you will surely follow the ways of those who were before you.»
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Waqqad Al-Laithi (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) set out towards Hunayn, he passed by a tree called Dhāt Anwāṭ, near which the polytheists used to hang their weapons (for blessing or gaining strength). Some people said: O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)! Just as these polytheists have Dhāt Anwāṭ, create a Dhāt Anwāṭ for us as well. Upon hearing this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: SubhanAllah! This is just like when the people of Musa (peace be upon him) said: “Make for us a god like their gods.”
By the One in Whose hand is my life! You will surely follow the ways of those who came before you.
And in Sahihayn, it is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
«لتتبعن سنن من كان قبلكم شبرابشبر ، وذراعا بذراع ، حتى لو سلكوا جحر ضب لسلكتموه )) قلنا: يا رسول الله ! اليهود والنصارى؟ قال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم: فمن»
You will surely follow the ways of those who came before you, like the string of a bow follows the string of another bow, and like one span follows another span. So much so that if they entered the hole of a lizard, you would also enter it. The companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked: Will you mean the Jews and Christians? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Who else?
Now reflect on these hadiths! The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) emphatically swore and stated this matter. If you ponder, it will become clear that like other prophecies, this prophecy of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is also being fulfilled exactly.
The Holy Quran informs that the Jews and Christians made their scholars and ascetics their lords.
In this Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him), there are also many who have made scholars and ascetics their lords. Similarly, Sayyida Aisha Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that Sayyida Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with them) mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about a church in the land of Abyssinia and described the pictures they saw there. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
«أولئك قوم إذا مات فيهم العبد الصالح – أو الرجل الصالح – بنوا على قبره مسجدا و صوروا فيه تلك الصور أولئك شرار الخلق عند الله»
These (Jews and Christians) are such a people that when a righteous person among them dies, they build a mosque (place of worship) over his grave and make such pictures in it. These people are the worst creatures in the sight of Allah.
Today, if one reflects on the condition of the Ummah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in this regard, no disbeliever can deny the truth and authenticity of this prophecy of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)!
Today, there are many graves over which mosques have been built, and many graves have attained the status of places of worship. People are seen standing there with hands tied in utmost humility and reverence; some are prostrating, some are engaged in circumambulation, some are offering gifts, some are slaughtering animals, some are raising their hands in supplication, and some are standing with open palms. In short, you will see many forms of worship at these graves, and anyone who knows these hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) will not deny that many people of this Ummah have exactly adopted the ways of the Jews and Christians. Just as those people, out of excessive love for the righteous, fell into the disease of shirk (polytheism), similarly many people of this Ummah are trapped in the mire of shirk.
Seventh Hadith:
«عن ثوبان قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ولا تقوم الساعة حتى تلحق قبائل من أمتي بالمشركين وحتى تعبد قبائل من أمتي الأوثان»
It is narrated in a long hadith from Sayyiduna Thawban (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: The Day of Judgment will not come until the tribes of my Ummah join with the polytheists and until the tribes of my Ummah begin to worship idols (awthan).
Awthan: plural of Wathan, which means anything that is worshipped besides Allah, whether it is an idol, a stone, a tree, a flag, a grave, or any other thing, as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said. He (peace be upon him) said:
«اللهم لا تجعل قبري وثنا ، لعن الله قوما اتخذوا (أوجعلوا) قبور أنبيائهم مساجد»
“O Allah! Do not make my grave an idol (that is worshipped). May Allah curse the people who have made the graves of their Prophets (peace be upon them) places of worship.”
Consider! Today, how the Ummah of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) is seen hovering around the graves and shrines of well-known pious people among the public, and how many trees, shrines, and retreats are considered sacred where sacrifices are offered; how many prostrations are made in front of graves, circumambulations are performed, and how many stones are considered beneficial for profit and loss— all these are manifestations of the worship of idols (awthan).
In short, in this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) foretold that many tribes of his Ummah would join with the polytheists and begin to worship “awthan,” and the worship of awthan is certainly “shirk” (polytheism).
When this happens in the Ummah, falling into shirk is also certain. Now, those who want to convince others that “this Ummah will not fall into shirk” or “there is no danger of shirk in this Ummah” are, knowingly or unknowingly, trying to imply that (may Allah forbid) the prophecy of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is not true. (We seek refuge in Allah)
At least no believer can dare to say this because he firmly believes that the authentic hadiths proven from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and every command of his is from Allah and is truth. Since the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not speak on his own in religion but conveyed Allah’s “revelation.” Allah Almighty said:
﴿مَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ . إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ.﴾
Eighth Hadith:
Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that one night I went outside and saw that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was going somewhere alone without anyone accompanying him. I thought perhaps he did not like anyone to accompany him. So I started walking behind him in the moonlight. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) turned and saw me, he said: “Who is this?” I said: “I am Abu Dharr, may Allah sacrifice me for you.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “O Abu Dharr! Come.” For some time I walked with the Prophet (peace be upon him), then he said: “Wealthy people will be bankrupt on the Day of Resurrection except the one whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it on his right and left, front and back, and uses it for good deeds” (so that person will not be bankrupt in terms of good deeds).
Then I walked with him for a little while longer, and he said to me: “Sit here.” He placed me in a field surrounded by stones and said: “Sit here until I return.” Then he went towards the rocky land until he was out of my sight. He stayed there for quite some time. Then I saw him returning and heard him say: “Even if he has stolen, even if he has committed adultery.” When the Prophet (peace be upon him) came to me, I could not contain myself and asked: “O Prophet of Allah! May Allah sacrifice me for you, with whom were you speaking on this rocky land? I did not hear anyone speaking with you.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
«ذلك جبريل عرض لي فى جانب الحرة قال: بشر أمتك أنه من مات لا يشرك بالله شيئا دخل الجنة إلخ»
“It was Jibril (Gabriel) who came to me on this rocky land. He said: Give your Ummah the glad tidings that whoever dies without associating partners with Allah will enter Paradise.”
At the beginning of the Book of Funerals, the Chief of the Muhaddithin, Imam Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates this hadith as follows: Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
«أتاني آت من ربي ، فأخبرني أو قال: بشرني- أنه من مات من أمتي لا يشرك بالله شيئا دخل الجنة إلخ»
“A visitor came to me from my Lord and informed me or said: Give glad tidings that whoever among my Ummah dies without associating partners with Allah will enter Paradise.” (From the first hadith it is clear that this visitor was Jibril (Gabriel).)
Now reflect on this hadith as well! It also states that among the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) Ummah, those who die in a state free from associating partners with Allah will enter Paradise. If, according to some people’s assumption, the Ummah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was safe from the danger of “shirk” (associating partners with Allah), then what is the meaning of giving the glad tidings that “those among your Ummah who do not commit shirk will enter Paradise”?
This glad tidings only makes sense if the danger of the deadly sin of shirk exists in this Ummah, and the glad tidings were given that whoever among you is safe from this sin will enter Paradise.
Ninth Hadith:
«عن ابن عباس رضى الله عنه … فإني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: ما من رجل مسلم يموت فيقوم على جنازته أربعون رجلا، لا يشركون بالله شيئا إلا شفعهم الله فيه»
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما that indeed I heard the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم say: Whoever dies as a Muslim and forty (40) such people attend his funeral prayer who do not associate partners with Allah, then Allah accepts the intercession of those people on behalf of the deceased.
This hadith mentions the virtue of having forty people who do not commit shirk (associating partners with Allah) attend the funeral prayer of the deceased, that Allah سبحانه وتعالی accepts their intercession, i.e., their prayer for forgiveness for the deceased.
It is well known and established that only Muslims perform the funeral prayer; Sikhs, Hindus, Magians, Buddhists, Jews, Christians, and others do not have this concept. Despite this, stating that those who perform the funeral prayer “do not commit shirk” «لا يشركون بالله» indicates that those who perform the funeral prayer can also commit shirk. In such a case, this virtue will not be attained, and since only the followers of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم perform the funeral prayer, it becomes clear that even the people of your صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم Ummah can fall into shirk. (May Allah protect us from it)
Tenth Hadith:
«عن أبى هريرة رضى الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: لكل نبي دعوة مستجابة فتعجل كل نبي دعوته وإني اختبأت دعوتي شفاعة لأمتي يوم القيامة فهي نائلة إن شاء الله من مات من أمتي لا يشرك بالله شيئا»
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
Every prophet (peace be upon him) has one accepted supplication. So all the prophets (peace be upon them) hastened to ask for that specific supplication, but I have reserved my special supplication for the Day of Judgment for the intercession of my Ummah. So my intercession will reach every person among my Ummah who does not associate anything with Allah. InshaAllah Ta’ala
In this noble hadith, where the immense compassion and love of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for his Ummah is mentioned, it is also understood that the Prophet (peace be upon him) will intercede for his sinful Ummah but those who are free from shirk and are pure monotheists, i.e., those who hold the belief in Tawheed, as also indicated by the chapter established by Allama Nawawi and in its commentary he wrote:
«أما قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فهي نائلة إن شاء الله تعالى من مات من أمتي لا يشرك بالله شيئا ففيه دلالة لمذهب أهل الحق أن كل من مات غير مشرك بالله تعالى لم يخلد فى النار»
As for the rest of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) statement that, InshaAllah this intercession will be for every person among my Ummah who dies in a state that he does not associate anything with Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, this is evidence for the doctrine of Ahl al-Haqq that every person who dies in such a state that he was not a partner-maker with Allah will not remain in Hell forever.
From this, it is also clearly proven that there will be those among the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) Ummah who commit shirk and they will be deprived of the intercession and special supplication for forgiveness of the Prophet (peace be upon him). This intercession will be for those fortunate and blessed people who have kept themselves pure and free from every kind of impurity of shirk.
Eleventh Hadith:
In a lengthy hadith narrated from Sayyid al-Muhaddithin wal-Fuqaha Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه, the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
«حتى إذا فرغ الله من القضاء بين العباد ، وأراد أن يخرج برحمته من أراد من أهل النار ، أمر الملائكة أن يخرجوا من النار من كان لا يشرك بالله شيئا . ممن أراد الله تعالى أن يرحمه ـ ممن يقول: لا إله إلا الله ، فيعرفونهم فى النار، يعرفونهم بأثر السجود . تأكل النار من ابن آدم إلا أثر السجود – حرم الله على النار أن تأكل أثر السجود ، فيخرجون من النار [و] قد امتحشوا، فيصب عليهم ماء الحياة ، فينبتون منه كما تنبت الحبة من حميل السيل»
Up to the point that (on the Day of Judgment) when Allah Almighty has judged among His servants, He will, out of His mercy, command the angels to take out of Hellfire those whom He wishes to remove (from it). They will be those who did not associate partners with Allah (those who did not commit shirk), (they will be) those upon whom Allah wishes to have mercy, who are among those who say «لا إله إلا الله». The angels will recognize them in Hellfire by the marks of their prostrations. The fire of Hell consumes everything from the body of the son of Adam except the marks of prostrations. Allah Almighty has forbidden this fire to consume the marks of prostrations. So they will be taken out of Hellfire even though they have been burned, and then the water of life will be poured upon them… etc.
Indeed, this matter is true but (in the light of the explicit texts of the Qur’an and Hadith) with the essential condition that they must be free from “shirk” (associating partners with Allah), as is clear from this hadith.
If those who recite the Kalima were saved from shirk and became shirk-proof as some people think, then what would be the purpose of Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, saying that those who do not commit shirk «لا إله إلا الله» and are among those who say it should be taken out of Hellfire, as mentioned in the above hadith? If it were as some people think, then Allah’s statement would become unnecessary, which the believers cannot even imagine. May Allah protect us from that.
The verses of the Holy Qur’an and these hadiths before you make it clear that the people of this Ummah can also fall into shirk, and many have indeed fallen into it. This is not impossible but rather quite possible.
In the light of these verses and hadiths, the claim of those who assert that the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم “Ummah” cannot commit shirk, that they are protected from shirk, is clearly false. This claim, thought, ideology, belief, opinion, religion, and sect is certainly contrary to and inconsistent with the Qur’an and Hadith. May Allah protect us from it.
