This excerpt is taken from Sheikh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah's book Al-Jawab al-Bahir fi Zuwar al-Maqabir, translated by Sheikh Ataullah Saqib.
Shirk is the Greatest Sin
In Sahihain, it is narrated from Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: I asked the Messenger of Allah what is the greatest sin? He (peace be upon him) said:
أن تجعل لله ندا وهو خلقك قلت ثم أى قال أن تقتل ولدك خشية أن يطعم معك قلت ثم أى قال أن تزاني بحليلة جارك
“To associate partners with Allah while He created you.” I asked, what is the next greatest sin after that? He said, “To kill your child for fear that he may share your food.” I asked, what is the next greatest sin after that? He said, “To commit adultery with your neighbor’s wife.”
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari, Book of Tafseer: Surah Al-Baqarah, Chapter on the verse: ‘Do you not make Allah a rival to others while you know?’) (Hadith: Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith: Chapter on the nature of Shirk (Hadith: 86))
Reference:
Allah Almighty, confirming His Noble Messenger (peace be upon him), revealed the following verses:
وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا آخَرَ وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا ﴿٦٨﴾
“Those who do not invoke any deity along with Allah, do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except by right, and do not commit adultery. Whoever does this will receive the punishment for their sins.”
Allah Almighty, confirming His Noble Messenger (peace be upon him), revealed the following verses:
وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا آخَرَ وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا ﴿٦٨﴾
“Those who do not invoke any deity along with Allah, do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except by right, and do not commit adultery. Whoever does this will receive the punishment for their sins.”
Reference: (25-Al-Furqan:68)
❀ In another place, He said:
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَندَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ اللَّهِ ۖ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّهِ
“Some people take others as equals to Allah and are devoted to them as they should be devoted to Allah, while the believers love Allah more.”
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah:165)
If someone loves a creation as they should love the Creator, or fears a servant as they should fear the true Owner, or places their hopes in humans as they should in Allah Almighty, then they are a polytheist. The Noble Messenger (peace be upon him) forbade his Ummah from the smallest to the greatest forms of shirk, to the extent that on one occasion he said:
من حلف بغير الله فقد أشرك
“Whoever swears by other than Allah has committed shirk.”
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawood, Book of Faith and Vows: Chapter on the dislike of swearing by fathers (Hadith: 3251) Sunan Tirmidhi, Book of Vows and Oaths: Chapter on the dislike of swearing by other than Allah (Hadith: 1535)
A companion said to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him):
ما شاء الله وشئت فقال أجعلتني لله ندا؟ بل ما شاء الله وحده وقال لا تقولوا ما شاء الله وشاء محمد ولكن قولوا ما شاء الله ثم شاء محمد
“Whatever Allah and you wish.” He said: “Have you made me equal to Allah? Rather say only what Allah wishes (will happen).” And he said: “Do not say ‘Whatever Allah and Muhammad wish.’ Rather say: ‘Whatever Allah wishes, then whatever Muhammad wishes.’”
Reference: Musnad Ahmad (2141), Amal al-Yawm wal-Laylah by An-Nasa’i (988, 987), Al-Adab Al-Mufrad by Bukhari (802) from Sunan Abi Dawood, Book of Manners: Chapter on not saying ‘My soul is evil’ (Hadith: 4980)
