What is hidden shirk, what is the difference between it and minor shirk, and how can one be rid of it?
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The questioner : What is hidden shirk? What is the difference between it and minor shirk? And how can a Muslim be rid of it?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. Shirk: major shirk, minor shirk, and hidden shirk.
As for major shirk, it is like when a person directs some of worship to other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Among the acts of worship is supplication. So if a person supplicates to other than Allah, such as supplicating to a Prophet, a close friend of Allah, an angel from the angels, or supplicating to the sun or the moon to bring benefit or ward off harm, he is one who associates partners with Allah in major shirk. Likewise, if he prostrates to an idol, or to the sun, or to the moon, or to the occupant of a grave, or the like of that, then that is major shirk that takes one out of the religion, and I seek refuge in Allah:[Al-Ma'idah 5:72].
This is in the apparent actions. Likewise, if he believes in his heart that someone shares with Allah the Exalted in His creation, or is capable of what no one is capable of except Allah the Exalted, then he is one who associates partners with Allah in major shirk.
As for minor shirk, it is what is less than major shirk, such as: swearing by other than Allah without believing that the thing sworn by deserves of greatness what Allah the Exalted deserves. So he swears by other than Allah the Exalted to honor it, meaning the thing sworn by, but he believes that it is less than Allah the Exalted in honor. This is minor shirk, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Riyad as-Salihin 1711 And it is forbidden whether he swears by the Prophet, or by Jibril, or by other than them from the creation, for it is forbidden for him, and by it he becomes one who associates partners with Allah in minor shirk.
As for hidden shirk, it is what pertains to the heart where no one is aware of it except Allah. It is either major or minor. If he associates with Allah in his heart someone, believing that he is equal to Allah the Exalted in rights and in actions, he is one who associates partners with Allah in major shirk, even if his shirk does not appear to people. It is hidden shirk from people, but it is major between him and Allah the Exalted. And if there is showing off in his heart in a worship he worships Allah with, then he is one who associates partners with Allah in hidden shirk because of its concealment from people, but it is minor because showing off does not take a person out of Islam.
The questioner : How can a Muslim be rid of it?
The Shaykh : Being rid of minor or major shirk is by returning to Allah the Exalted and adhering to His commands in action, and adhering to avoiding His prohibitions. By this uprightness, Allah the Exalted protects him from shirk.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. Shirk: major shirk, minor shirk, and hidden shirk.
As for major shirk, it is like when a person directs some of worship to other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Among the acts of worship is supplication. So if a person supplicates to other than Allah, such as supplicating to a Prophet, a close friend of Allah, an angel from the angels, or supplicating to the sun or the moon to bring benefit or ward off harm, he is one who associates partners with Allah in major shirk. Likewise, if he prostrates to an idol, or to the sun, or to the moon, or to the occupant of a grave, or the like of that, then that is major shirk that takes one out of the religion, and I seek refuge in Allah:
Indeed, he who associates others with Allah - Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.
إِنَّهُ مَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍThis is in the apparent actions. Likewise, if he believes in his heart that someone shares with Allah the Exalted in His creation, or is capable of what no one is capable of except Allah the Exalted, then he is one who associates partners with Allah in major shirk.
As for minor shirk, it is what is less than major shirk, such as: swearing by other than Allah without believing that the thing sworn by deserves of greatness what Allah the Exalted deserves. So he swears by other than Allah the Exalted to honor it, meaning the thing sworn by, but he believes that it is less than Allah the Exalted in honor. This is minor shirk, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
He who swears by anyone or anything other than Allah, has indeed committed an act of Kufr or Shirk
من حلف بغير الله فقد كفر أو أشركAs for hidden shirk, it is what pertains to the heart where no one is aware of it except Allah. It is either major or minor. If he associates with Allah in his heart someone, believing that he is equal to Allah the Exalted in rights and in actions, he is one who associates partners with Allah in major shirk, even if his shirk does not appear to people. It is hidden shirk from people, but it is major between him and Allah the Exalted. And if there is showing off in his heart in a worship he worships Allah with, then he is one who associates partners with Allah in hidden shirk because of its concealment from people, but it is minor because showing off does not take a person out of Islam.
The questioner : How can a Muslim be rid of it?
The Shaykh : Being rid of minor or major shirk is by returning to Allah the Exalted and adhering to His commands in action, and adhering to avoiding His prohibitions. By this uprightness, Allah the Exalted protects him from shirk.