Attributing to Allah without knowledge is greater than shirk
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What does Ibn al-Qayyim’s statement imply: Is attributing to Allah without knowledge greater than shirk? Does this fall under minor shirk?
It falls under major shirk; because Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) holds that Allah’s saying: [Al-A'raf: 33] he sees that this is a matter of starting with the easiest, then the easier, and the lightest, then the lighter. This is because attributing to Allah without knowledge has a great danger; it misleads people. Have you not seen the imams of the people of innovation? If this imam were a mushrik, his harm would be upon himself, and he would die and it would be over. But if he is a mubtadi' who attributes to Allah what he does not know, nations are misled by him. For this reason, attributing to Allah without knowledge is greater than shirk from this perspective.
The questioner: Is his fatwa greater than shirk?The Shaykh: Yes, indeed; because it entails lying about Allah and misleading the servants of Allah. And the issue of kufr requires detailed explanation.
It falls under major shirk; because Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) holds that Allah’s saying:
Say, "My Lord has only forbidden immoralities - what is apparent of them and what is concealed - and sin, and oppression without right, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allah that which you do not know."
قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَنْ تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَاناً وَأَنْ تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لا تَعْلَمُونَThe questioner: Is his fatwa greater than shirk?The Shaykh: Yes, indeed; because it entails lying about Allah and misleading the servants of Allah. And the issue of kufr requires detailed explanation.