How can MuslimUmmahcome out of darkness and regain its lost status?
Every muslism asks this question that how can we achieve success at the individual level and on the state level, and what is the key to success? The answer to that is; by avoiding the shirk. Today I will tell you some amazing facts about the shirk that Allah and Muhammad SAW have taught Muhammad Qasim Ibn AbdulKarim in his dreams. First of all lets take a look at what is:
What is Shirk
Shirk means ascribing to someone other than Allah something that belongs only to Allah, such as Lordship (ruboobiyyah), divinity (uloohiyyah) and the divine names and attributes (al-asma’ wa’l-sifaat).
For example, considering any form of worship permissible for someone other than Allah; that is offering Salah or observing fast for someone other than Allah, doing sacrifice for someone other than Allah. Similarly calling someone for help other than Allah is also Shirk. For example, calling and asking for help and blessing from someone who is in the grave OR calling someone non-present (Ghayab) for help regarding something which only Allah alone has power to help with is also shirk. Also, swearing by the name of someone other than Allah is also a form of shirk because Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) said whoever has sworn by someone other than Allah has committed Kufr or Shirk. Showing off is also a form of shirk, because in this case a person does something not for the sake of Allah but to showoff to others.
The story of Prophet Ibrahim PBUH in the Quran is very encouraging and strengthens one’s faith in the Lordship of Allah SWT. As Allah says in the Surah Al-Anaam of the Quran:
“Thus did we show Ibrahim (Abraham) the kingdom of the heavens and the earth that he be one of those who have Faith with certainty
When the night covered him over with darkness he saw a star. He said: "This is my lord." But when it set, he said: "I like not those that set."
And when he saw the moon rising, he said, "This is my lord." But when it set, he said, "Unless my Lord guides me, I will surely be among the people gone astray."
And when he saw the sun rising, he said, "This is my lord; this is greater." But when it set, he said, "O my people, indeed I am free from what you associate with Allah .
Indeed, I have turned my face toward He who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those who associate others with Allah ."
[Surah Al-Anaam 6:75-79]
How was Shirk started?
A picture or an image can be a cause of Shirk, because the people started doing the Shirk due to an image or a picture or the statues. Allah says in the Quran:
“And they said, 'Never leave your gods and never leave Wadd or Suwa' or Yaghuth and Ya'uq and Nasr.” [Surah Nuh 71:23]
Ibn-Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) in his tafseer said that:
“The names (of the idols) formerly belonged to some pious men of the people of Noah, and when they died Satan inspired their people to (prepare and place idols at the places where they used to sit, and to call those idols by their names. The people did so, but the idols were not worshipped till those people (who initiated them) had died and the origin of the idols had become obscure, whereupon people began worshipping them.”
[Volume 6, Book 60, Number 442 (Online) or Hadith No. 4920]
Importance of avoiding the shirk
The very first message that Allah SWT sent to the mankind through all the Prophets was ‘LA ILAHA ILLALLH’ which means ‘There is no God but Allah’and this is called Tawheed. Tawheed in Arabic means attributing Oneness to Allah and describing Him as being One and Unique, with no partner or peer in His Essence and Attributes. The opposite of Tawheed is Shirk; which means associating partners with Allah/God and Allah will never forgive those who commit shirk. As Allah says in the Quran:
“Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.” [Surah An-Nisa 4:48]
Muhammad Qasim Ibn AbdulKarim has seen many dreams in which Allah and Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) advised him to follow the straight path and the things he should avoid. The thing which has been stressed upon most to avoid is Shirk. Muhammad Qasim emphasizes a lot on the fact that we should avoid Shirk and its forms because this is the only way we can achieve success in this world and the hereafter. And if we want to come out of darkness and ignorance then we will have to get rid of shirk and its forms, and also admonish others about this. Allah has told Qasim in many dreams that Qasim! I am only helping you because you have started to avoid shirk and its different forms. Allah has also told Qasim time and again that ‘I will forgive any sin on the day of Resurrection/Judgement but I will not forgive shirk’.
Examples of Shirk in Modern Times and How to avoid it
It is very difficult for one to identify and avoid shirk in modern times and sadly there is abundance of shirk and its forms everywhere. Even Allah told Qasim in a dream that this world was never full of shirk like this before as it is today. One of the forms of shirk is unnecessary pictures and images – images on the packs of food items and other daily use items. For example, drinks, milk, yoghurt, shampoo, and other items of use for men and women. Similarly there is shirk in the movies where false Gods and their powers are being shown or other evil acts such as magic where they show normal humans very powerful and also show them as gods. We often see the statues or mannequin in the clothes shop which is also a form of shirk.
1. If you see a picture on an advertisement board then turn your face away and do not look at it and say SubhanAllah. Meaning that whatever I saw Allah is pure from it and He has no partners.
2. If you see statues or images in a park, shop or any other place then take your eyes off them and don’t look at them
3. If you are watching a movie and a false god is being shown in it then stop watching it.
4. If you have any images or pictures in your room or on the walls of your room then take them off or remove them.
5. If your kids have toys, when they stop playing with them then put them in a place where they are not visible to your eyes
6. If there are any small pictures or statues in your house then discard them and trash them as appropriate.
7. If you have a perfume or any other beauty items, some brands also have a picture or image of a living being then please hide that image with a tape or a marker because you will have to use that product until it lasts
8. Even if you have a chewing-gum in your pocket which has an image on it then do not keep it in your pocket. OR remove the wrapper that has an image off it
9. Do not say or write about anyone that he/she is our hope rather say that Allah is the only hope.
10. Keeping pictures on the mobile phone or laptop is not a problem because they are not showing. Even on the computer keep them hidden in a folder.
11. If you have a picture of a living being on your desktop OR your profile picture on social media or anywhere else then please remove it because every time you are seeing this image unnecessarily when there is no need to see it.
12. You can make picture of you and your family with a mobile phone or digital camera but keep them hidden and only open them when needed
13. If you visit the a friend’s house and there are images in his house or his room then do not insist for them to be removed or trashed because that house is not your property and neither you are responsible for it. However if your friend wants to learn about Shirk and they themselves are willing to remove the images then its fine.
14. Similarly people keep such flower and plant pots in the gardens that have images or sometimes a fountain made out of a statue of a living being – do not keep them in your houses and if you see them in someone else’s house then do not look at them.
15. Indian movies either start with an image of a statue or false god, or within the movie they show idol worship or shirk in some form. Film is also a world as people use different terms for it such as Film World or Cine-World etc and Allah is also the Lord of this world too and even in this Film World no one can be shown or declared a partner to Allah either.
16. Sometimes we need to follow government rules where there is a use of pictures, in such situation use of pictures is permissible. Like there are images on dollar and rupee, passport and ID cards etc.
17. If someone has some health issues and there is picture on the pack of medicine then it is ok to keep that in our pocket however we shouldn’t keep any unnecessary pictures in our pocket.
18. We also need to make sure that there are no images of any living beings on our clothes that we wear, any curtains that we use in the windows, any bed sheets, towels, rugs, carpets and even the prayer mat. It is much advisable to use a prayer mat that has a very simple print or design. Sometimes if there are too many flowers or shapes on your prayer mat, they even make or look like some image of a living being so it is must to avoid such prayer mats too.
19. If you see a picture or a statue or a billboard unintentionally then turn your eyes away but even then say SubhanAllah
Dua in Hadith for protection from Shirk
With regard to minor shirk, the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned us against it, fearing that his ummah might fall into it. He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The thing I fear most for you is minor shirk.”
(Narrated by Ahmad, 23119. al-Albaani said in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (951): its isnaad is jayyid).
And he said: “Shirk among you is more subtle than the sound of the footsteps of an ant on a rock. Shall I not tell you of something which, if you do it, it will take that away from you, both minor and major forms of it. Say:
"اللَّهُمَّإِنِّيأَعُوذُبِكَأَنْأُشْرِكَبِكَوَأَنَاأَعْلَمُ،وَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَلِمَالاأَعْلَمُ
“Allaahummainnia’oodhubika an ushrikabikawaanaa’lamwastaghfiruka lima laaa’lam”
O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from associating anything with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for that of which I am unaware.
Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2876.
Today’s sad reality is that none of the leaders of the Muslim world try to avoid the shirk neither any awareness is being given about this. But if the Muslim Ummah wants to come out of the darkness and regain its lost status then the only possible way to achieve this is to abolish shirk and its forms at all the levels. Insha’Allah
May Allah guide us and give us strength to protect ourselves from all forms of shirk. Aameen
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