Shirk – The Greatest Injustice

https://www.khutbah.info/shirk—the-greatest-injustice/ The greatest matter that Allāh Almighty loves for His servants and is pleased with is tawhid (divine unity) and the greatest matter that He abhors and detests for His servants is shirk (associating others with Allāh). And tawhid (divine unity) is the greatest of what Allāh Almighty commanded.  And shirk (associating others with Allāh) is the greatest of what Allāh Almighty prohibited. And the first command in the Book of Allāh is the command of tawhid (divine unity). And the first prohibition in the Book of Allāh is the prohibition against shirk (associating others with Allāh). Allāh Almighty said: Al Baqarah (2) 21: O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous  This is the first command and it is the command of tawhid (divine unity). Then in the next verse is the prohibition against shirk (associating others with Allāh) and it is the first prohibition in the Book of Allāh. Allāh Almighty said:

إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ ,نَحْمَدُهُ  ,وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ  وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ ,  وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا  ,مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ  فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ ,  وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ ,  وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ   وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ    

Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of our selves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.

 يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ – آل عمران:102 

Al Imran 102 : O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.

Oh people:

The greatest matter that Allāh Almighty loves for His servants and is pleased with is tawhid (divine unity) and the greatest matter that He abhors and detests for His servants is shirk (associating others with Allāh). And tawhid (divine unity) is the greatest of what Allāh Almighty commanded.  And shirk (associating others with Allāh) is the greatest of what Allāh Almighty prohibited. And the first command in the Book of Allāh is the command of tawhid (divine unity). And the first prohibition in the Book of Allāh is the prohibition against shirk (associating others with Allāh). Allāh Almighty said:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

Al Baqarah (2) 21: O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous 

This is the first command and it is the command of tawhid (divine unity). Then in the next verse is the prohibition against shirk (associating others with Allāh) and it is the first prohibition in the Book of Allāh. Allāh Almighty said:

الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ فِرَاشًا وَالسَّمَاءَ بِنَاءً وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ رِزْقًا لَّكُمْ ۖ فَلَا تَجْعَلُوا لِلَّهِ أَندَادًا وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

Al Baqarah (2) 22: [He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling and sent down from the sky, rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you. So do not attribute to Allāh equals while you know [that there is nothing similar to Him].

So do not attribute to Allāh equals while you know is the first prohibition in the Book of Allāh. So be conscious of Allāh Almighty and beware of shirk (associating others with Allāh), for shirk is the greatest of sins. For Allāh Almighty never ever forgives shirk (associating others with Allāh). Whoever meets Allāh with shirk (associating others with Allāh), Allāh will not forgive it for them. 

Allāh Almighty said:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَىٰ إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا

An Nisa (4) 48: Indeed, Allāh does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allāh has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.

For it is the most tremendous sin. And Allāh Almighty said in another verse:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا 

An Nisa (4) 116: Indeed, Allāh does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allāh has certainly gone far astray.

For shirk is the most severe and furthest deviation. So be conscious of Allāh, for Allāh Almighty said: 

يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ إِنَّكَ لَوْ أَتَيْتَنِي بِقُرَابِ الأَرْضِ خَطَايَا ثُمَّ لَقِيتَنِي لاَ تُشْرِكُ بِي شَيْئًا لأَتَيْتُكَ بِقُرَابِهَا مَغْفِرَةً

Oh son of Adam! If you come to me with sins nearly as great as the earth, and then you meet Me not associating any other with Me, I would come to you with forgiveness nearly as great as it. [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3540, Grade: Hasan]

But if one comes to Allāh with shirk, and we seek refuge in Allāh from that, then Allāh will not forgive it. So be conscious of Allāh Almighty and beware of shirk. For the life of this world is only once and it is not repeated and is not exchanged. 

Allāh forbids paradise to the one making shirk. Allāh Almighty said:

إِنَّهُ مَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ 

Al Maedah (5) 72: Indeed, he who associates others with Allāh – Allāh has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.

Allāh Almighty called those making shirk wrongdoers. For shirk is the greatest injustice. Allāh Almighty said: 

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ أُولَـٰئِكَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْنُ وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ

Al Anam (6) 82: They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice – those will have security, and they are [rightly] guided.

As was related in Al Bukhari (6937) and Muslim (124a): 

شَقَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَالُوا: أَيُّنَا لاَ يَظْلِمُ نَفْسَهُ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «لَيْسَ هُوَ كَمَا تَظُنُّونَ، إِنَّمَا هُوَ كَمَا قَالَ لُقْمَانُ لابْنِهِ  

This verse was difficult for the companions of the Messenger of Allāh , and they said, which of us does not wrong themselves? Then the Messenger of Allāh  said, it is not as you think. Indeed it like Luqman said to his son:

يَا بُنَيَّ لاَ تُشْرِكْ بِالله إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ

Luqman (31) 13: O my son, do not associate [anything] with Allāh. Indeed, association [with Him] is great injustice.

So shirk is the greatest injustice. Oh son of Adam, Allāh Almighty created you, and provides you blessings and does good for you and then you worship other than Him and are attached to other than Him and supplicate other than Him and fear other than Him and love other than Him and have hope in other than Him while He is the Sovereign in whose Hand is the dominion, supreme is His authority, glorified is His Majesty, Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him. So what injustice is greater than the injustice of shirk? Indeed shirk is great injustice. So be conscious of Allāh and beware of shirk for Allāh has forbidden paradise for the one making it. 

أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ  لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ  إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

I say what you have heard and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgives from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Second Khutbah

الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ,  وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ  , وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاْ إِلَهَ إِلَّاْ اَللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاْشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ

All praise is to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.

Oh Muslims:

A Muslim must have great fear over falling into shirk. This fear should be greater than their fear of any other matter. For the Prophet ﷺ said:

يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ، لَلشِّرْكُ فِيكُمْ أَخْفَى مِنْ دَبِيبِ النَّمْلِ، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ‏:‏ وَهَلِ الشِّرْكُ إِلاَّ مَنْ جَعَلَ مَعَ اللهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ‏، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ، لَلشِّرْكُ أَخْفَى مِنْ دَبِيبِ النَّمْلِ، أَلاَ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى شَيْءٍ إِذَا قُلْتَهُ ذَهَبَ عَنْكَ قَلِيلُهُ وَكَثِيرُهُ‏، قَالَ‏:‏ قُلِ‏:

O Abu Bakr, shirk (associating others with Allāh) among you (the Muslim community) is more discrete  than the movement of ants. Then Abu Bakr said, is there a kind of shirk besides worshipping other deities with Allāh? Then the Prophet  said, by Him in Whose Hand is my soul, shirk is more discreet than the movement of ants. Shall I not tell you something to say that will eliminate it from you, whether it is a little or a lot? He said: say: 

اللّهُـمَّ إِنّـي أَعـوذُبِكَ أَنْ أُشْـرِكَ بِكَ وَأَنا أَعْـلَمْ

O Allāh, I seek refuge in You lest I associate anything with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for what I know not. [Sahih Adab Al Mufrid 551, Grade: Sahih]

So let us protect ourselves from the greatest sin of shirk by beseeching Allah to safeguard us from shirk and let us have great fear of shirk so that we are cautious and alert from falling into it. 

O Allāh, we seek refuge in You lest that we associate anything with You knowingly, and we seek Your forgiveness for what we know not. Indeed Allāh is All Hearing, Near, Answering. 

هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى نَبِيِّكُم كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِذلِكَ رَبُّكُمْ , فَقَالَ

I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا

Al Ahzaab (33) 56: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ

O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed.  For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ بِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لَنا خَيْرًا

O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good

 عِبَادَ اللّهِ  إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ  يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

Servants of Allah. Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded. 

اُذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ واشْكُرُوهُ يَزِدْكُمْ واسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لكُمْ واتّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا   وَأَقِمِ الصّلَاة

Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favors – He will increase you therein.  And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.  

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