Forms of Major Shirk

Question:
Our brother concludes his letter with a collection of questions about the shirk that Allah does not forgive. He says: Is the shirk that Allah does not forgive only in worship? Or does it extend to obedience as well? Is there shirk in obedience, or is there no shirk except in worship? Then, what is shirk? And how do we get rid of it in our actions and our dealings with one another? Also, if we obey people in what is good and in what is obedience to Allah, is this obedience shirk with Allah?—May Allah protect us from any action containing shirk—Please answer these questions. May Allah reward you with good and do you well.

Answer:
Allah has clarified shirk with Allah in His great Book. It is directing worship to other than Allah, such as calling upon the dead, seeking aid from the dead, or from angels, or jinn, or idols, or the like; or praying to them; or prostrating to them; or slaughtering for them as a means of drawing near to them, hoping for their intercession, hoping that they will support him, that they will cure his sick person, or drawing near to them.
As for when one slaughters an animal to draw near to Allah in the sacrifice, sacrificing on behalf of his father, or on behalf of his brother, or giving it in charity on his behalf, hoping for Allah’s reward, not drawing near to the deceased, but drawing near to Allah with the sacrifice, like the udhiyah, this is a means of drawing near to Allah, not for the deceased.
As for when one slaughters intending to draw near to the deceased so that the deceased will intercede for him, so that he will support him, or so that he will cure his sick person, this is worship of other than Allah.
And likewise, a vow: he says, “If you cure my sick person, O so-and-so, then I owe you such-and-such a sacrifice.” This is shirk with Allah. Or he says, “O my master so-and-so,” or “O Fatima!” or “O my master al-Badawi, support me,” or “cure my sick person,” or “O my master Abd al-Qadir!” or “O Shaykh Abd al-Qadir!” or “O Abu Dharr!” or “O Messenger of Allah!” or “O Abu Bakr al-Siddiq!” or “O Umar!” or “O Uthman! Support me or cure my sick person,” or “O Ibn Abbas!” or others among the people, or “O angels of Allah, support me,” or “O you jinn, support me,” or “O jinni so-and-so, support me,” or “cure my sick person,” or “O that idol,” or “O that tree.” All of this is shirk with Allah and worship of other than Him.
And likewise, denying what is known from the religion by necessity through the evidences of the Shari'ah.
If he denies it, he becomes a disbeliever and a mushrik, like the one who denies that Allah has made prayer obligatory. He says, “No, prayer is not obligatory.” This is disbelief, major kufr. Or he says, “Fajr is not obligatory,” or “Asr is not obligatory,” or “Dhuhr is not obligatory,” or “Maghrib is not obligatory,” or “Jumu'ah is not obligatory for people.” All of this is major kufr.
Or he says, “Zakah is not obligatory,” or “Fasting Ramadan is not obligatory for people,” or “Hajj with the ability is not obligatory.” This is major kufr. Or he says, “Zina is lawful,” or “Intoxicants are lawful.” If he is ignorant, the Shari'ah ruling is explained to him.
If he persists in saying that zina is lawful, or that intoxicants are lawful, he becomes a disbeliever with major kufr. Or he says, “Helping the mushrikin against the Muslims, being one who helps the disbelievers against his Muslim brothers so that they slaughter them, so that they torment them; this is apostasy.”
Allah the Exalted says: [Al-Ma'idah: 51], meaning taking the disbelievers as allies, supporting them against the Muslims; this is apostasy. And likewise, one who considers prostration to other than Allah and prayer to other than Allah permissible, even if he does not do it, saying, “I do not contradict it,” meaning that he prays to the angels, or prays to the jinn, or prays to the dead, or prostrates to them, even if he does not do it, he disbelieves with this belief.
And likewise, one who obeys other than Allah in shirk with Allah. If he obeys him in shirk with Allah and prostration to other than Allah, he becomes a mushrik; because it is obedience in what is shirk with Allah. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . If he obeys him in disobedience, it becomes disobedience, and if he obeys him in shirk, it becomes shirk.
If he obeys him in slaughtering for other than Allah, or prostrating to other than Allah, it becomes major shirk. And if he obeys him in killing without right, killing a person without right, or flogging without right, he becomes a disobedient wrongdoer, obeying him in injustice and disobedience.
As for obedience to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), it is obedience to Allah. [An-Nisa: 80]. Obedience to the Messenger is obligatory. You obey the Messenger in what he commanded and what he forbade. Allah said: [An-Nur: 54].
He, the Exalted, said: [al-Nisa: 80] Likewise, obedience to the scholars in what is right, and obedience to the rulers in what is right, is obedience to Allah. If the ruler orders you to pray in congregation, if he orders you to worship Allah and not associate anything with Him , if he orders you to judge by what is right and to judge by what Allah has revealed, you must obey him in that; because he is ordering obedience to Allah. If he orders you to be dutiful to your parents, you must obey him; because his obedience is obedience to Allah in this. If he forbids you from stealing, and forbids you from oppression, you must obey him; because Allah has commanded this. So, if you obey the ruler in this, you are obedient to Allah; because he ordered you to obey Allah and His Messenger. But if he says to you: "Strike your parents," no, do not obey him. If he says to you: "Drink intoxicants," no, do not obey him. If you obey him in this, you are a sinner just like him; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: .
If you obey him in shirk, you become a mushrik. If you obey him in disobedience, you become a sinner. If you obey him in obedience to Allah, you are rewarded. May Allah guide them all. Yes.

The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.