IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL
THIRD FRIDAY SERMON OF RAMADAN DATE: 21/9/1446 AH (21/3/2025)
TOPIC: THE DANGER OF ASSOCIATING PARTNERS WITH ALLAH (SHIRK)
The First Sermon
All praise is due to Allah; we praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our souls and the misdeeds of our actions. Whomever Allah guides, none can mislead; and whomever He allows to go astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, with no partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, his family, his companions, and those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment.
To proceed…
The best advice one can give oneself is to fear Allah, the Almighty. So, fear Allah, O Muslims, as He should be feared. Hold firmly to the unbreakable bond, avoid sins and minor transgressions, and strive for a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, where no one will thirst, suffer heat, hunger, or nakedness. Whoever fears Allah, He will provide him with an escape and sustain him from where he does not expect. Indeed, the final outcome belongs to the righteous.
O people!
Know—may Allah have mercy on you—that the most obligatory duty upon every Muslim, male and female, is to know and uphold Tawheed (the Oneness of Allah) and to recognize and avoid Shirk (associating partners with Allah). A person’s Tawheed is not complete unless he understands Shirk and disassociates from it.
The path to salvation from Shirk, O servants of Allah, lies in understanding its dangers, knowing its reality, identifying its causes and means, and avoiding them entirely. Allah, the Exalted, says:
﴿فَاجْتَنِبُوا الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الْأَوْثَانِ وَاجْتَنِبُوا قَوْلَ الزُّورِ حُنَفَاءَ لِلَّهِ غَيْرَ مُشْرِكِينَ بِهِ ۚ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَتَخْطَفُهُ الطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِي بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ﴾
“So shun the impurity of idols and shun false speech. Being upright for Allah, not associating anything with Him. And whoever associates others with Allah—it is as though he had fallen from the sky and was snatched by the birds, or the wind carried him down into a distant place.” (Surah Al-Hajj 22:30-31)
Hudhayfah ibn Al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
كَانَ النَّاسُ يَسْأَلُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنِ الْخَيْرِ، وَكُنْتُ أَسْأَلُهُ عَنِ الشَّرِّ مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يُدْرِكَنِي
“People used to ask the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about good, but I used to ask him about evil for fear that it might overtake me.” (Agreed upon – Bukhari & Muslim)
O servants of Allah! Allah has made our success in entering Paradise and our salvation from Hell conditional on dying free from Shirk. In Sahih Muslim, a man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked:
يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا الْمُوجِبَتَانِ؟ مَنْ مَاتَ لَا يُشْرِكُ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ، وَمَنْ مَاتَ يُشْرِكُ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا دَخَلَ النَّارَ
“O Messenger of Allah, what are the two matters that determine one’s fate?” The Prophet (ﷺ) replied: “Whoever dies without associating anything with Allah will enter Paradise, and whoever dies while associating anything with Allah will enter Hell.” (Sahih Muslim)
And in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
جَاءَنِي جِبْرِيلُ فَقَالَ: مَنْ مَاتَ مِنْ أُمَّتِكَ لَا يُشْرِكُ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ. قُلْتُ: وَإِنْ زَنَى وَإِنْ سَرَقَ؟ قَالَ: وَإِنْ زَنَى وَإِنْ سَرَقَ
“Jibreel came to me and said: ‘Whoever from your Ummah dies without associating anything with Allah will enter Paradise.’ I asked, ‘Even if he committed adultery and theft?’ He said, ‘Even if he committed adultery and theft.'” (Agreed upon – Bukhari & Muslim)
O Muslims! The greatest right of Allah upon His servants is “that they worship Him and do not associate anything with Him.” And out of His grace and mercy, His right upon them is that He will not punish those who do not associate anything with Him.
Thus, Shirk (associating partners with Allah) is the gravest injustice, the greatest sin, and the most severe of all major sins. It was asked:
يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ: أَيُّ الذَّنْبِ أَعْظَمُ؟ قَالَ: أَنْ تَجْعَلَ لِلَّهِ نِدًّا وَهُوَ خَلَقَكَ
“O Messenger of Allah, what is the greatest sin?” The Prophet (ﷺ) replied: “That you set up a rival to Allah while He is the One who created you.” (Agreed upon – Bukhari & Muslim)
This is because Shirk diverts the exclusive right of Allah—who created creation for this very purpose—to others. It equates weak, helpless creatures with the Almighty Creator.
Luqman, the righteous man, advised his son:
﴿ يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴾
“O my son, do not associate partners with Allah. Indeed, associating others with Him is a great injustice.” (Surah Luqman 31:13)
On the Day of Judgment, the polytheists will say to those they used to worship:
﴿ تَاللَّهِ إِنْ كُنَّا لَفِي ضَلالٍ مُبِينٍ إِذْ نُسَوِّيكُمْ بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَمَا أَضَلَّنَا إِلَّا الْمُجْرِمُونَ ﴾
“By Allah, we were certainly in clear error when we equated you with the Lord of the worlds. And none led us astray except the wicked ones.” (Surah Ash-Shu’ara 26:97-99)
Because Shirk diminishes the Majesty of the Sovereign Lord,Allah has decreed that it will not be forgiven if a person dies without repenting from it.
Allah, the Almighty, says: ﴿ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ ﴾
“Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating others with Him, but He forgives anything less than that for whom He wills.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:48)
And He also says:
﴿ إِنَّهُ مَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنْصَارٍ ﴾
“Indeed, whoever associates others with Allah—Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and his abode will be the Fire. And there will be no helpers for the wrongdoers.” (Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:72)
Shirk and its practitioners are impure, as Allah says: ﴿ إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ ﴾
“Indeed, the polytheists are impure.” (Surah At-Tawbah 9:28)
And He commands: ﴿ فَاجْتَنِبُوا الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الْأَوْثَانِ ﴾
“So shun the filth of idols.” (Surah Al-Hajj 22:30)
Shirk is a grave falsehood against Allah, as He states: ﴿ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَى إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا ﴾
“And whoever associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:48)
Shirk is a great misguidance, as Allah says: ﴿ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا ﴾
“And whoever associates others with Allah has certainly gone far astray.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:116)
To illustrate the misguidance and ruin of the polytheist, Allah gives the following example:
﴿ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَتَخْطَفُهُ الطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِي بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ ﴾
“And whoever associates others with Allah—it is as though he had fallen from the sky and was snatched by the birds, or the wind carried him down into a distant place.” (Surah Al-Hajj 22:31)
Al-Bara’ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
إِنَّ الْكَافِرَ إِذَا تَوَفَّتْهُ مَلَائِكَةُ الْمَوْتِ وَصَعِدُوا بِرُوحِهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ، فَلَا تُفْتَحُ لَهُ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ بَلْ تُطْرَحُ رُوحُهُ طَرْحًا مِنْ هُنَاكَ
“When the angels of death take the soul of a disbeliever and ascend with it to the sky, the gates of heaven will not be opened for it. Instead, the soul will be thrown down from there.” (Hadith of Al-Bara’ – Bukhari & Muslim)
To emphasize the severity of Shirk, Allah revealed to His greatest and most honored messengers that if they were to commit it, all their deeds would be nullified:
﴿ وَلَقَدْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ بَلِ اللَّهَ فَاعْبُدْ وَكُنْ مِنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ ﴾
“And it was already revealed to you and to those before you: If you associate [others with Allah], your work will surely become worthless, and you will certainly be among the losers. Rather, worship Allah alone and be among the grateful.” (Surah Az-Zumar 39:65-66)
And He also says:
﴿ وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴾
“And if they had associated others with Allah, then all that they used to do would be nullified.” (Surah Al-An’am 6:88)
Thus, all the Prophets came with the command to worship Allah alone and to warn against Shirk, as Allah says:
﴿ وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَسُولًا أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ ﴾
“And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [proclaiming]: ‘Worship Allah and avoid false gods.'” (Surah An-Nahl 16:36)
And Allah said to His Prophet:
(قُلْ إِنَّما أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ وَلا أُشْرِكَ بِهِ إِلَيْهِ أَدْعُوا وَإِلَيْهِ مَآبِ)
“Say, ‘I have only been commanded to worship Allah and not associate anything with Him. To Him I invite, and to Him is my return.” (Surah Ar-Ra’d: 36)
And He commanded him to disavow their polytheism: (قُلْ إِنَّما هُوَ إِلهٌ واحِدٌ وَإِنَّنِي بَرِيءٌ مِمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ)
“Say, ‘He is only One God, and indeed, I am free of what you associate with Him.“ (Surah Al-An’am: 19)
And He said:
(قُلْ إِنَّما أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يُوحى إِلَيَّ أَنَّما إِلهُكُمْ إِلهٌ واحِدٌ فَاسْتَقِيمُوا إِلَيْهِ وَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ وَوَيْلٌ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ)
“Say, ‘I am only a man like you, to whom it has been revealed that your God is only One God. So take the straight path to Him and seek His forgiveness. And woe to the polytheists!”(Surah Fussilat: 6)
The heavens with their celestial bodies and order, the towering mountains with their grandeur, and the earth with all that is in it almost collapse and their structure is shaken due to associating partners with the Almighty Allah:
(تَكادُ السَّماواتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْهُ وَتَنْشَقُّ الْأَرْضُ وَتَخِرُّ الْجِبالُ هَدًّا (90) أَنْ دَعَوْا لِلرَّحْمنِ وَلَدًا (91) وَما يَنْبَغِي لِلرَّحْمنِ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا (92) إِنْ كُلُّ مَنْ فِي السَّماواتِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِلَّا آتِي الرَّحْمنِ عَبْدًا)
“The heavens almost rupture therefrom, and the earth splits open, and the mountains collapse in devastation, because they attribute to the Most Merciful a son. And it is not appropriate for the Most Merciful that He should take a son. There is no one in the heavens and the earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant.” (Surah Maryam: 90-93)
O servants of Allah! Fear shirk (polytheism) for yourselves and your children, for even Ibrahim, the leader of the monotheists, feared it and supplicated to his Lord:
(وَاجْنُبْنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَنْ نَعْبُدَ الْأَصْنَامَ)
“And keep me and my sons away from worshiping idols.”(Surah Ibrahim: 35)
Who can feel safe from falling into polytheism after Ibrahim? Even the leader of the messengers, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), feared it for his ummah and his companions. He said:
(أخوف ما أخاف عليكم الشرك الأصغر فسئل عنه فقال: الرياء، يقول الله تعالى يوم القيامة إذ جازى الناس بأعمالهم: اذهبوا إلى الذين كنتم تراءون في الدنيا فانظروا هل تجدون عندهم جزاء)
“The thing I fear most for you is minor shirk.” He was asked, “What is minor shirk?” He replied, “Showing off (riyaa’). Allah will say on the Day of Judgment when He recompenses people for their deeds: ‘Go to those for whom you used to show off in the world and see if you can find any reward with them.” (Hasan Hadith, reported by Ahmad)
He even feared it for us more than he feared the tribulation of the Dajjal. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
(أَلَا أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِمَا هُوَ أَخْوَفُ عَلَيْكُمْ عِنْدِي مِنَ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ؟» قَالَ: قُلْنَا: بَلَى، فَقَالَ: «الشِّرْكُ الْخَفِيُّ، أَنْ يَقُومَ الرَّجُلُ يُصَلِّي، فَيُزَيِّنُ صَلَاتَهُ، لِمَا يَرَى مِنْ نَظَرِ رَجُلٍ)
“Shall I not tell you what I fear for you more than the Dajjal?” They said, “Yes.” He said, “Hidden shirk: When a man stands to pray and beautifies his prayer because he sees another man watching him.” (Reported by Ahmad and Ibn Majah with a Hasan chain)
One of the frightening aspects of shirk is that it is extremely subtle. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
(الشرك في هذه الأمة أخفى من دبيب النمل على الصفا)
“Shirk in this ummah is more hidden than the creeping of an ant on a smooth rock.” (Authentic Hadith, reported by Abu Ya’la)
Among the means of erasing and removing it is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught Abu Bakr As-Siddiq to say three times every day:
(اللهم إني أعوذ بك أن أشرك بك شيئاً وأنا أعلمه وأستغفرك لما لا أعلم)
“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from associating anything with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for what I do not know.” (Hasan Hadith)
O servants of Allah! Is there any excuse left for those who fall into shirk after these profound warnings from Allah in His glorious Book, which no falsehood can approach from before it or behind it—a revelation from the Most Wise, the Most Praiseworthy?
So beware of shirk and fear it. Seek refuge in Allah from it, for He is the best refuge.
May Allah bless me and you.
The Second Sermon
All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon His trustworthy Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family and all his companions.
O Muslims! In these difficult times that our brothers and sisters in Palestine are going through, we find ourselves witnessing a horrific Israeli crime. Israel’s bombing of Gaza after violating the ceasefire agreement on its very first day has led to the killing of about five hundred people. And it continues its aggression since the beginning of this week, while the deaf and blind world looks on in silence.
This crime must not pass without us raising our voices in both supplication and outrage. So let us sincerely supplicate for the people of Palestine in general and for Gaza in particular, that Allah alleviates their suffering and grants them relief from every hardship.
However, supplication alone is not enough. Let us extend humanitarian aid, spread awareness about what is happening in Palestine, and exert economic, political, and social pressure—each according to his capacity and ability—to put an end to this aggression.
O Muslims! We must stand by our brothers and sisters in Palestine during these difficult times and demonstrate our human solidarity with them, for indeed. Indeed, the believers are but brothers.
Supplication:
O Allah! Support our brothers and sisters in Palestine, grant them a mighty victory in Gaza, and open for them a clear way forward. O Allah, remove their suffering and grant them relief from every distress. O Allah, have mercy on the martyrs, forgive them, elevate their ranks, and unite them with the righteous.“O Allah, have mercy on us, for You are the Most Merciful to us. Do not punish us, for You have power over us. Be gentle with us regarding what has been decreed, for You are capable of all things.” “O Allah, teach us what benefits us, benefit us with what You have taught us, and increase us in knowledge. Show us the truth as truth and grant us the ability to follow it, and show us falsehood as falsehood and grant us the ability to avoid it.” O Allah, bless us in Ramadan, assist us in completing it in a manner that pleases You, grant us the ability to stand in prayer on Laylatul Qadr with sincerity and devotion, and free our necks from the Hellfire, O Most Merciful of the merciful. “And admit us, by Your mercy, among Your righteous servants.”