What is Shirk?

'Shirk' is an Arab word used in the Quran which means to ascribe partners to God. According to the Quran subservience to anything except God is to ascribe partners to Him.

In chapter 31 verse 13
Luqman advises his son: '...do not set up any idol beside, God; ldol worship is a gross offence.

While God can forgive all sins, associations of partners with him is the one sin He will not forgive:

'God never forgives the idolization of anything besides Him, and He forgives lesser offences for whomever He wills. Anyone who sets up any idol besides Him has forged a gross blasphemy.' AI-Nisa 4.48.

The Quran explains itself clearly.
All that is present in the universe is inferior to man in rank . 'He has subjugated for you everything under the heavens and on earth, all from Him. These are signsfor people who reflect.' Al-Jaathiyah 45.13, but within themselves all human beings are equal by birth and worthy of respect. 'We honoured the children of Adam...' Bani-Israel 17.70.
 
 For a man to bow down before any o bject to God's creation is his own absement. It makes no difference to God whether man prostrates down before Him or before someone else; but surely it brings about the degradation of one who bows down before an object or person equal or inferior to himself.
 
Shirk can be defined as:
To believe that anybody else can posses the the powers which God has specifically kept for Himself.

To believe in subservience to any force other than God and to bow down before such person and force.

Obedience to guidance laws contrary to the laws laid down in the Quran -God's final message to mankind.

The natural obedience to one God is unity of communities; the coordinating functioning of social organisation of believers. Thus the division of the community into sects is shirk because the final authority in the affairs of each sect is a particular human leader and not God.

One God, and one final code of life laid down by Him and given for the guidance of mankind. One united community obedient to these laws and a coordinated functioning of this community is Unity. Anything contradicting it is Shirk.

'What is Shirk' is an adapted from 'Conspiracies against The Quran' by Sayed Abdul Wadud.