Shrik (polytheism) is a major sin considered in islam , in simple words, no one can be a muslim until unless he is pure from shrik. So being shrik free is the fundamental criteria for being a muslim.
The simple definition of shirk is considering someone equivalent to Allah in any aspect, whether considering someone equivalent in oneness of God or in his attributes.
There hasn't been any catergerisation of shrik by prophet Muhammad ﷺ but the ulmas( scholar's) have categorised shrik in many types like, as far as grade of shrik is concerned then shrik has been divided into two types
1) bigger shrik (كبيره)
2) smaller shrik (صغيرة)
And other scholars have categorised shrik into many types by as far as attributes of Allah is concerned
Like 1) shrik of ibadah: Asking help from other than Allah by considering them primary helpers (i.e.they have their own power of helping) or doing worship of other than Allah.
2) shirk of knowledge: believing someone has knowledge of the unseen of its own.
And many more......
I hope till now you may have got a clear view of shrik, now there is a term ( gair Allah) other than Allah which plays the main role between non shrik man(non mushrik) and man with committing shrik(mushrik).
Gair Allah (other than Allah ) are all things whether people, or other things other than Allah but there are some personalities or things whom Allah gives affinity to himself. Let me explain this in following examples
i) kabba isn't Allah but we have to prostrate in the direction of kabba during prayers (salah) because Allah has given affinity kabba himself and kabba will not be considered gair Allah.
ii) prostration (sajda ) is only for Allah but Allah ordered his angles to prostrate adam and all angles did except Iblis because all angels were aware with this thought that adam isn’t gair allah because It is Allah who is giving his affinity (nisbat) to adam and iblis failed to understand this concept and so many muslims nowadays are facing same issue they aren’t Able to understand the affinity (nisbat)
ii)nimaz(salah) is proper tawheed but our salah isn’t complete until unless we don’t send salutations to the beloved ones of Allah in tashahud, in broad concept of shrik all beloved ones of Allah are gair Allah but Allah has given them his affinity ( nisbat) then they aren’t considered gair Allah anymore otherwise Allah would have never ordered us to send salutations to gair Allah in salah.
so in broad concept anyone or anything other than Allah is gair Allah and following them or obeying them can lead us to shrik but THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN GIVEN AFFINITY ( nisbat) TO HIMSELF BY ALLAH AREN'T CONCERNED GAIR ALLAH (OTHER THAN ALLAH) WHEN WE DEEPLY THINK ON SHRIK BECAUSE WHATEVER THEY ARE, WHATEVER THEY SAY IS FROM ALLAH LIKE PROPHETS Muhammad ﷺs MESSENGE IS ALLAH'S MESSENGE ETC. Otherwise Allah would have never ordered angles to prostrate adam, or us to remeber and send salutations to his beloved one's which in broad term of shrik are( gair Allah ) in salah (prayers) so All those people who have been given affinity to himself by Allah aren't gair Allah because whatever they are , they are because of Allah and whatever they have they have from Allah.
Whether we ask other than Allah like children's do ask from their parents, poor ask from rich etc no one here is doing shrik because children's, poor people don't ask them by considering that they have their own, they ask them by considering secondary providers i.e power of help given by Allah. Now there is a point people say they are mediators i.e.Allah can't give us directly he uses them(parents, children's) as mediators but when we ask those things from people which we should ask directly from Allah like people ask children's, jobs, cars or any other thing from beloved one's of Allah? This is the matter which has confused a lot of Muslims and has divided the Muslims. As far as my knowledge is concerned, those who ask things from beloved ones of Allah, which should be asked from Allah only, those people have belief that Allah has given them ( to beloved ones of Allah) and they doesn't give of their own but Allah has given that much of much and without the concent or willingness of Allah they (beloved ones) can't give, and when they (people who ask from them ) call them in gaib( from far away or after the physical death of beloved ones of Allah) their (people who ask) believs that the beloved ones are listening because of the willingness of Allah or in simple words Allah is making them to hear. So this is their belief and no one can prove this as shrik, this may be invalid belief in someone's point of view but no-one can prove this shrik because those who ask from ( beloved ones of Allah ) believe beloved ones of Allah's gives with the willingness of Allah and by the power given by Allah and listen when Allah makes them to hear , so those people (who ask from beloved ones) make them (beloved ones) dependent of Allah not equivalent to Allah, so no one in this world can prove this shrik....
The main intention behind this article is we should avoid accusing muslims as mushriks because first of All it is not possible for a muslim simultaneously to do the both thing i.e believing in kalima and committing shrik , because when we have to make non muslims a muslim first thing what we do is we make them believer of kalima.
And there is also a hadith in sahi muslim and bukhari which is Allah's prophet Muhammad ﷺ said Narrated 'Uqba bin 'Amir:
One day the Prophet went out and offered the funeral prayers of the martyrs of Uhud and then went up the pulpit and said, "I will pave the way for you as your predecessor and will be a witness on you. By Allah! I see my Fount (Kauthar) just now and I have been given the keys of all the treasures of the earth (or the keys of the earth). By Allah! I am not afraid that you will worship others along with Allah after my death, but I am afraid that you will fight with one another for the worldly things (Bukhari 6426 & Sahi muslim: book 30, number 5689}
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