Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

In an article on your web site, on the Internet, in reply to Question 59 you have raised certain questions. As a reader, I found the questions interesting and as such have made my observation on the same. In this article you have disclosed that you are a follower of Allah and Quran and a dawoodi only due to your birth in dawoodi family or else you would have been a Muslim - Be it as is.You have asked that " which is that Sin, for which Allah Himself has declared that He will never forgive ?As per Ayat 14 of Chapter 87 or Sajda as per Ayat 13 of Chapter 7 You have also asked " what is that sin, for which Allah has declared that paradise is 'haraam' for peaple who died in that state? As per the above answer - Ayat 13 of chapter 7 After my above referred observations, if you deem fit you may elaborate, as per  the Quran  the above subject is described in various ways. This communication may become lengthy !In the earlier era, before Ayat 30 of Chapter 2 no sin is known. Only after that the question of Sin due to Inkar or Ikrar has arisen. Therefore in short the answers to the question, that the most sinful act is that ofShirk and not offering sajda. Whom to offer Sajda  is a different issue. Who is the masjood?  Allah, Rab or Haadi ? As per Ayat 171 of chapter 2 Idol worship is not jaez

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

The Sin of Shirk

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Comment: Therefore in short the answers to the question, that the most sinful act is that of Shirk

Although I have been unable to comprehend your answers from your given aayah references, you are absolutely right the most heinous and grave sin in the sight of Allah is the concept of ‘shirk’. This sin is so heinous and so monstrous, that Allah has promised to forgive any of the sins of man, except this one sin!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 72:Whoever commits ‘shirk’ (invoking anything with Allah), Allah shall forbid for him Paradise, and Hell shall be his abode. And for such wrong doers there will be no one to help.

Allah says in the Quran: Chapter 4 Surah An-Nisa Verse 48:Shirk (associating other deities with Allah) is the only sin that Allah does not forgive, and He forgives, whomsoever He pleases, sins other than this. For whosoever associates any other partner with Allah, does indeed forge a big lie and commits the most heinous sin

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumar verse 65-66:If you commit ‘shirk’ all your works will be rendered vain and you will be among the losers. Therefore, you should worship Allah Alone, and be among His grateful servants.

All the Prophets of Allah who were ever sent warned the believers to beware of this heinous sin of ‘shirk’, which renders all the deeds of man worthless in the sight of Allah Subhanah.

Thus it becomes our duty to recognize and be aware of ‘shirk’ and all the manifestations of this horrendous and grave sin. Allow me to just give you an example of what constitutes ‘shirk’:

1.      Bowing down to anybody or anything other than Allah is shirk.

2.      Bowing down to the Syedna is shirk.

3.      Bowing down to the graves of his ancestors is shirk.

4.      Bowing down to the graves of even the Prophet (saws), Hadrat Ali (saws), Hadrat Fatema (saws), etc. is shirk.

5.      Believing that the dead people in their graves can hear and answer our duas is shirk.

6.      Believing that anybody other than Allah can do us any harm is shirk.

7.      Believing that anybody other than Allah can bring us some good is shirk.

8.      Believing that anybody other than Allah knows everything is shirk.

9.      Believing that anybody other than Allah sees everything is shirk.

10.  Believing that anybody other than Allah listens to our prayers is shirk.

11.  Believing that anybody other than Allah can help us is shirk.

12.  Believing that anybody other than Allah can guide us is shirk.

13.  Believing that anybody can influence Allah to give us health is shirk.

14.  Believing that anybody can influence Allah to give us wealth is shirk.

15.  Believing that anybody can influence Allah to give us children is shirk.

16.  Believing that anybody can influence Allah to help us is shirk.

17.  Believing that anybody has any power with Allah is shirk.

18.  Believing that anybody has any power with Allah to take us out of the fire of Hell is shirk.

19.  Believing that anybody has any power with Allah on the Day of Judgement is shirk.

20.  Believing that anybody has any power to change the decision of Allah is shirk.

21.  To worship anybody with Allah is shirk.

22.  To invoke anybody with Allah is shirk.

23.  To raise anybody to the rank of Allah is shirk.

24.  To give any of Allah’s attributes to anybody else is shirk.

25.  To believe that anybody has the power to bring about any miracles on his own is shirk.

26.  To go to somebody to take our message or supplication to Allah is shirk.

To associate other beings or things with Allah is ‘shirk’! To share any of the noble Attributes of Allah with anyone is ‘shirk’! To invoke or worship anyone or anything with Allah is ‘shirk’!

The Glorious Quran is the Book which absolutely details each and every manifestation of shirk and makes the readers aware of what exactly is this most hated of crimes in the sight of Allah. It also details on how one has to avoid all the acts of shirk, and believe and invoke and worship the Lord of the Worlds, Allah Subhanah Alone.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan