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What is the greatest and most grievous sin in the sight of Allah? The
greatest and most grievous of sins is shirk: to associate others with Allah in those
things specific to him. Allah () said: “Indeed idolatry is great injustice.” [31:1]
When the Prophet (), was asked which sin is the greatest, he replied: “To
associate others with Allah (thus making them a rival), while it was He Who
created you.” (al-Bukhari and Muslim)
How many types of shirk are there? There are two types of shirk, the greater
shirk and the lesser shirk:
1) The greater shirk. Committing this type of shirk takes a person outside the fold of
Islam, and Allah will never forgive it 1 , as Allah has said: “Indeed Allah does not
forgive that one associates a partner with Him, and he forgives other than that
to whomever He Wills.” [4:48]
This type of shirk has four subcategories: a. shirk in worship and supplication;
b. shirk in intention, desire and goal; c. shirk in obedience, which is obeying
scholars in making unlawful what Allah has made lawful or making lawful what
He has made unlawful; d. shirk in love, to love someone as Allah should be loved.
2) The lesser shirk. Committing this type of shirk [although great] does not take
one outside the fold of Islam. The lesser shirk has two subcategories: a. noticeable
shirk, and it can be related to sayings such as swearing an oath in the name of
someone or something other than Allah, or it can be related to acts such as
believing in omens. An omen is when one predicts that certain evil will befall upon
seeing certain birds [or other objects], or hearing certain words or names, places,
and other objects. b. hidden shirk, which is light 2 showing off in one's worship.
What is the difference between greater and lesser shirk? There are several
differences between the greater and lesser forms of shirk. Among the differences is
that one who commits greater shirk is judged to be a disbeliever and will reside in
the Hellfire forever, whereas one who commits lesser shirk is not judged as a
disbeliever, and he will not reside in the Hellfire forever.
Another difference is that greater shirk renders all good deeds worthless, whereas
lesser shirk renders worthless only that particular deed in which it is committed.
There is a difference of opinion whether repentance is a condition for the
forgiveness of lesser shirk as it is for greater shirk, or whether it is similar to other
grievous sins in that Allah may forgive it if He wills without repentance.
Whichever is correct, lesser shirk remains a grave matter.
Is there any way of protecting oneself from lesser shirk before one commits
into it, and is there any way of expiating this sin if one does? Yes, to protect oneself
from showing off with his good deeds, he should do them only for Allah’s sake alone.
To protect oneself of even a little bit of showing off, one should supplicate to
Allah, as the Prophet () said: “O people avoid this shirk, for indeed it is more
inconspicuous than the footfall of an ant!”. The Companions asked, “How can
1 That is, if they die in that state. If they sincerely repent from it, however, Allah will forgive it.
2 If one does all their acts of worship purely for others, like the hypocrites, this is considered greater shirk.