Clarification of Major Shirk

Question:
We ask the honorable Shaykh to clarify major shirk, may Allah protect us and you from it?

Answer:
Major shirk, as mentioned earlier, is directing some of the worship to other than Allah, such as supplicating to the dead, seeking aid from the dead, making vows to them, or supplicating to idols, angels, or jinn. This is major shirk. One says, "O owner of the grave, help me, or support me, or protect me, or I am under your protection and guardianship." Or he says to an idol, a jinn, an angel, or a prophet, after their death, all of this is major shirk. We ask Allah for well-being and safety.
Likewise, if one deems permissible what Allah has forbidden, such as saying, "Zina is lawful" or "Intoxicants are lawful," he becomes a disbeliever with major disbelief. Or if he says, "Riba is lawful," he becomes a disbeliever with major disbelief. Similarly, if he drops what Allah has made obligatory and deems it permissible to drop what Allah has made obligatory, such as saying, "Prayer is not obligatory" or "Fasting Ramadan is not obligatory for Muslims," or saying, "Zakah is not obligatory," or "Hajj is not obligatory for the one who is able," he becomes a disbeliever with major disbelief. We ask Allah for well-being.
So, whoever deems permissible what Allah has forbidden, or denies what Allah has made obligatory, from that which is known from the religion by necessity, becomes a disbeliever and an associate of partners with Allah with major shirk. Likewise, whoever directs worship, or some of it, to other than Allah, whether it is supplication, prayer, circumambulation, seeking aid, or vows to idols, to the people of graves, to jinn, to angels, or to stars, all of it is major shirk. We ask Allah for well-being.