Overview (Verse 106)

The Subtle Corruption of Faith
 
Yet even the believers among them allow an element of disbelief, in one form or another, to creep into their hearts. True faith requires being constantly alert so that any fleeting thought that Satan tries to sneak into our beliefs, and every worldly value in any action or attitude we take are removed straightaway. To do so is to ensure that we address all our actions to God alone. Pure faith needs a firm decision in the question of who has the supreme influence on people’s hearts and actions. This ensures that all submission is to God alone. No one else has any position that requires even partial submission.
 
“And most of them do not even believe in God without also associating partners with Him.” (Verse 106) They associate some earthly value in the way they consider events, matters and people, or give to something other than God’s will or power a role in what brings them harm or benefit. Or they may acknowledge an element of submission to a ruler or master who does not confine himself to God’s law alone; or they look up to someone other than God for the fulfilment of their hopes; or address their sacrifice in a way that seeks to win people’s admiration; or strive to ensure some benefit or dispel harm but their striving is not done purely for God’s sake; or they may allow something to creep into their worship which makes it not purely dedicated to God alone. Hence, the Prophet says: “Shirk, i.e. associating partners with God, may be more subtle than the creeping of an ant.” [Related by Abū Ya’lā on the authority of Ma’qil ibn Yasār.]
 
The Prophet’s statements give several examples of such subtle idolatry. `Abdullāh ibn `Umar quotes the Prophet as saying: “Whoever swears by something other than God commits idolatry.” [Related by al-Tirmidhī.] `Abdullāh ibn Mas`ūd reports that the Prophet says: “Charms and talismans are marks of idolatry.” [Related by Ahmad and Abū Dāwūd.] He also says: “Whoever wears a charm associates partners with God.” [Related by Ahmad.] The Prophet also relates a statement attributing it to God in a sacred ĥadīth: “I am the least in need of partners. If anyone does something, associating in it someone else with Me, I will abandon him to that partner.”
 
In another ĥadīth the Prophet is quoted as saying: “When all generations, past, present and future, are gathered before God on the Day which will undoubtedly come, an announcement will be made in the following words: ‘Whoever associated a partner with God in any action he did for God’s sake should seek its reward from someone other than God. For God is the least in need of partners.’“
 
Imām Ahmad relates that the Prophet warned: “What I fear most for you is little shirk.” When his Companions asked him to explain what he meant by little shirk, he said: “Hypocrisy. When people come with their deeds on the Day of Judgement, God says to them: ‘Go to those whom you used to flatter in your first life and seek your reward from them.’“
 
Such, then, are the subtle forms of associating partners with God. Hence constant alertness is required in order to remove any trace of it so that our faith is true and pure.
 
On the other hand, there is the clear and apparent form of associating partners with God, which means submission to a being other than God in any matter of this life. This may be in the form of submission to a law other than God’s. This is universally accepted. There is also submission to tradition, which may take the form of festivals and other occasions that people may accept without reference to God’s orders. People may submit to norms that violate God’s orders, as in the case of dress and clothing which reveals what God has ordered to remain covered. What we are talking about here goes beyond submission to a tradition or social custom which people do in flagrant disregard of God’s clear orders. That takes their behaviour from the realm of offences committed to make it a belief and a form of submission. This makes it far more serious indeed. Hence God says: “And most of them do not even believe in God without also associating partners with Him.” (Verse 106) This applies then to those Arabs whom the Prophet addressed directly and to other generations and communities throughout human life.