❖ Introduction: The Doorway to Polytheism
One of the gravest threats to pure Islamic monotheism (Tawheed) is ignorance—a spiritual ailment that opens wide the gates of Shirk (polytheism). As knowledge leads to recognition and worship of Allah alone, ignorance, conversely, paves the way to worshipping other than Him.◈ Evidence from the Qur'an and Hadith
The historical roots of shirk due to ignorance are evident in the case of the people of Prophet Nūḥ (عليه السلام):Narrated by Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنه):
“These were the names of righteous men from the people of Nūḥ. When they died, Shayṭān inspired their people to erect statues at their gathering places and to name them after those men. Initially, they did not worship them. But when that generation died and knowledge was forgotten, the statues were worshipped.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Tafsīr, 4920]
This shows that when knowledge was lost, shirk began.
◈ Modern Manifestations of Ancient Shirk
Despite modern advancements, shirk continues under new names and forms, deeply rooted in folk practices, saint worship, and grave veneration. The following are contemporary examples:- Chūnā Bābā: A mentally ill man posthumously venerated as a saint. His grave is adorned, and people offer vows and supplications there.
- Shrines of "Pīr Mallah": A site named after a shrub where a so-called saint used to remove his shoes like entering iḥrām. Now it hosts an annual "ʿUrs" (festival), complete with offerings.
- Pīr justifications: Some claim that acts like fornication or intoxication by a "Pīr" are hidden spiritual secrets beyond lay understanding—clear signs of blind following (taqlīd-e-aʿmā).
Scholarly Reflections
“Even today, many ignorant people begin to worship deceased saints, imagining them to be 'fulfillers of needs' (Qāḍī al-Ḥājāt).”
Ḥakīm Fayḍ ʿĀlam Ṣiddīqī:
He shared an incident where a devout disciple dismissed clear immoral acts by his "Pīr" as spiritual secrets, showing the extent of misguided devotion born of ignorance.
Justice ʿUthmān ʿAlī Shāh:
Claimed that people believed throwing his grandfather into the river could cause rain, leading to ongoing grave rituals involving water.
◈ Conclusion: The Veil of Ignorance
The persistence of shirk in Muslim communities, masked as love or reverence for saints, originates from the lack of authentic knowledge. When deprived of the Qur’an and Sunnah’s guidance, even Muslims fall into the practices of idolaters, making graves their qiblah, and saints their intercessors."Verily, between them is a barrier they cannot transgress."
(الرحمن: 20)
Note: This article is extracted and translated from the book "Shirk ke Chaur Darwāze" authored by Abū Ḥamzah ʿAbd al-Khāliq Ṣiddīqī and Ḥāfiẓ Maḥmūd al-Khuḍrī.