Which is more severe: one who worships other than Allah and does not worship Allah, or one who worships Allah and others?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Now, this issue, the first issue: is it more severe for one who worships other than Allah and does not worship Allah, or for one who worships other than Allah along with Allah?
The Shaykh : The first is more severe, meaning the one who worships other than Allah and does not worship Allah is more severe.
The questioner : How is that?
The Shaykh : Because this worship may involve denying the existence of Allah.
The questioner : But what if he says he worships other than Allah and does not worship Allah, while believing in the existence of Allah?
The Shaykh : Yes. A person might say that worshipping other than Allah along with Allah is more severe, because this makes a rival equal to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). In any case, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You have made a rival equal to Allah, while you are His creation."
The Shaykh : The first is more severe, meaning the one who worships other than Allah and does not worship Allah is more severe.
The questioner : How is that?
The Shaykh : Because this worship may involve denying the existence of Allah.
The questioner : But what if he says he worships other than Allah and does not worship Allah, while believing in the existence of Allah?
The Shaykh : Yes. A person might say that worshipping other than Allah along with Allah is more severe, because this makes a rival equal to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). In any case, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You have made a rival equal to Allah, while you are His creation."
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، 4506 - 4600 أيهما أشد من عبد دون الله ولم يعبد الله أو من عبد الله وغيره؟ ابن عثيمين — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.