Introduction

The Prophet ? had informed that Shirk would occur among his nation. It was narrated that Aboo Sa‘eed Al-Khudree (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ? said: “You will certainly follow the ways of those who came before you span by span, and cubit by cubit (i.e., inch by inch), so much so that even if they entered a hole of lizard, you would follow them.” We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, (do you mean) the Jews and the Christians?’ He said: ‘Who else?’” [26] Narrated by Al-Bukhaaree (no. 7320) with this wording, and Muslim (no. 2669)

Allah, Most High, says about the Jews and the Christians (interpretation of meaning): Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture, who believe in superstition and false objects of worship and say about the disbelievers, "These are better guided than the believers as to the way"? Quran 4:51 In his commentary on the ayah, Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: “If those who were given a heavenly scripture believed in superstition and false objects of worship, and (it is established) that some people from this nation would inevitably follow the ways of the previous nations, this essentially mean that some Muslims shall believe in superstition and false objects of worship as well.” [27] See Al-Qawl Al-Mufeed ‘ala Kitaab Al-Tawheed 1\456
Ibn Baadees said: (Alas, many groups of people today turn to some dead people, call upon them, submissively stand before their graves with full reverence, and supplicate them, believing that they can bring them closer to Allah and therefore they take them as intermediaries between themselves and Him. They even believe that these dead people can fulfil their needs, grant their wishes, and ward off calamities ... Many people today offer animal sacrifices at the shrines to please the dead people, seek their help, or thank them for their (purported) disposal of their affairs, the benefits they (supposedly) gave them, or the harms they (allegedly) warded off ... Moreover, many people today regard certain trees and stones as holy, give them names, glorify them, dedicate animal sacrifices to them, light candles and burn sticks for them, seek blessing from them, and the like of the pre-Islamic practices of Shirk or even more heinous!” [28] See Majaalis Al-Tathkeer min Hadeeth Al-Basheer Al-Natheer (p. 95-97)
Furthermore, Hamood Al-Tuwayjiri said: (Reality attested to what has been stated in these Hadeeths; many people departed from the true religion of Allah, the veneration of shrines and graves prevailed in various parts of the world, and people took many of them as objects of worship besides Allah! In addition, more and more people have become infatuated with social communism and applied man-made laws! … Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.) [29] See Ithaaf Al-Jamaa‘ah bima Jaa’ Fee Al-Fitan wa Al-Malaahim wa Ashraat Al-Saa‘ah 2\225

The early emergence of Shirk in Lordship (Ruboobiyyah) among Muslims

Perhaps the first organized form of Shirk to emerge among Muslims was related to Al-Qadar (i.e., divine decree and predestination) at the hands of Al-Qadariyyah sect, who denied it, and accordingly committed Shirk in Lordship by denying the divine Attributes and Actions of Allah, The Almighty. The denial of Qadar implies the denial of many divine Attributes and Actions and affirming the existence of multiple creators (besides Allah).” [30] See Sharh Al-Tahaawiya by Aboo Al-‘Izz 1\322

Al-Laalakaa’ee said: (The Muslim community was unified during the era of the early Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and those who came after them from the righteous predecessors, until some unknown voices and odd opinions denying Al-Qadr arose, and this took place in the early days of the Marwanid dynasty.” [31] See Sharh Usool I‘tiqaad Ahl Al-Sunnah wa Al-Jamaa‘ah 1\15  The first person to deny Al-Qadar was a Magian (Zoroastrian) named Sisawyah, although the more spread view is that the first person to proclaim such (false) view was Ma‘bad Al-Juhanee. [32] See Majmoo‘ Al-Fataawa 7\384, Al-Khitat by Al-Maqreezi 4\189 Afterwards, Shirk by denial of the divine Names and Attributes of Allah emerged, and the first person to be known to have proclaimed such a view was Al-Ja‘d ibn Dirham.

Ibn Taymiyyah said: (The origin of this false belief - the denial of the divine Attributes – could be traced back to the disciples of the Jews, polytheists, and misguided Sabians. The first person to be known to have proclaimed such opinion in Islam, i.e., that the Istiwaa’ (rising over the Throne) of Allah is not real and rather figuratively denotes the exercise of His power upon it or the like, was Al-Ja‘d ibn Dirham, and then Jahm ibn Safwaan adopted such view and proclaimed it, and therefore this false belief of the Jahamiyyah (i.e., followers of Al-Jahm ibn Safwaan) was attributed to him. It was also said that Al-Ja‘d adopted this opinion from Abaan ibn Sam‘aan, who adopted it, in turn, from Taaloot, Labeed ibn Al-A‘sam’s nephew, and Taloot adopted it from Labeed ibn Al-A‘sam, the Jewish sorcerer, who casted a spell on the Prophet?.” [33] See Majmoo‘ Al-Fataawaa 5\20  Thus, it becomes clear that Shirk in Lordship by denying the divine Names, Attributes, and Actions of Allah was nothing, but a plot hatched by a Jewish man to undermine the sound creed of Islam. Jews themselves have deviated and gone far astray in denying the divine Attributes of Allah. He Says (interpretation of meaning): And the Jews say, "The hand of Allah is chained." Chained are their hands and cursed are they for what they say. Quran 5:64 The first person to promote the doctrine of the Raafidah was the sinister Jew: ‘Abdullah ibn Saba’.

The founder of the Mu‘tazilite school of theology was Wasil ibn ‘Attaa’, who denied the divine Attributes of Allah, under the influence of the doctrine of the Jahmiyyah. The Mu‘tazilites denied the Attributes of Allah while affirming His Most Beautiful Names. They argued that Allah is All-Hearing, but has no ability to hear, All-Seeing but has no sight, All-Knowing but has no knowledge, Merciful but has no mercy, and so on (affirming the Names of Allah while denying the attributes of perfection entailed by such names)! They also denied the fact that Allah is the Creator of people’s actions, alleged that people create their own actions, and twisted the Quranic ayaat that affirm the divine Attributes of Allah and His creation of people’s actions. Moreover, they claimed that the indication of the authentic Hadeeths stating the creation of people’s actions by Allah, The Almighty, were indecisive (doubtful or inconclusive) and thus not entailing any action, following their misguided whims and corrupt opinions. By doing so, they fell into both the Shirk of denying the divine Attributes of Allah and denying the divine Actions of Allah. Their object of worship was rather non-existent, and they resembled the Magians.
‘Abdullah ibn Sa‘eed ibn Kullaab Al-Basri was influenced by them. He modified the Mu‘tazilite doctrine and tried to bring it closer to the beliefs of Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa‘ah (Sunni mainstream Muslims) pertaining to the divine Attributes but failed to break free from all their corrupt beliefs. Afterward came Aboo Al-Hassan Al-Ash‘aree, who adopted the teachings of Al-Jubbaa’i the Mu‘tazilite, at the beginning, but retreated from the Mu‘tazilite views and held those of Ibn Kullaab instead. The Ash‘arites, who are attributed to Aboo Al-Hasan Al-Ash’aree, are thus followers of Ibn Kullaab in reality and were influenced by the Mu’tazilite beliefs with regards to the divine Attributes of Allah, as they failed to break away from the Shirk of denying the divine Attributes.

Aboo Mansoor Al-Maatureedee was one of those who was influenced by the Mu‘tazilite and Jahmite doctrines during the lifetime of the Aboo Al-Hasan Al-Ash‘aree. He was influenced by the Mu‘tazilite doctrine and wanted to break free from it as well but failed to adhere to most of the (sound) beliefs held by the early Muslim generations with regard to the divine Attributes. He could not free himself from the fetters of the denial of divine Attributes. The followers of the Maturidi, who are attributed to him to this day, were all caught up in the Shirk of denying some of the divine Attributes of Allah. This means that these Ash’arites and Maturidis were influenced by the Jahmite religious innovation of Rejection, Ta’weel (metaphorical interpretation), and Ta’teel (to negate that which is obligatory to affirm for Allah from His Names and Attributes, or to deny some of them), and thus unknowingly fell into the Shirk of Ta’teel without realizing it. Their leader in all this was Jahm ibn Safwaan who introduced such religious innovation during the era of the Taabi‘oon (followers, second generation of Muslims after the Companions) and their followers.

In the meantime, Shirk of Tashbeeh (i.e., likening Allah to His creation) also emerged and the adherents of such false beliefs were labelled as “Mushabbihah” (lit., those who liken Allah to His Creation). They were divided into two groups, the first of whom likened Allah to the creation in terms of His Essence, and the second likened His Attributes to those of the created beings. Each of the two groups was divided into various subsections. [34] See Maqaalaat Al-Islaamiyeen by Al-Ash‘aree, (1\44), Al-Farq Bayna Al-Firaq by Al-Baghdaadi (p. 214), and Al-Milal wa Al-Nihal by Al-Shahristaani (1\93) Many people were caught up in the innovation of Tashbeeh, from among the first of them is Hishaam ibn Al-Hakam Al-Raafidee, who likened Allah to man’s image, and claimed that He is as long as seven cubits by the size of His own cubit. He also argued that Allah has a bodily existence (corporeal shape) and dimensions. In the same vein, Hishaam ibn Saalim Al-Jawaaleeqee also claimed that Allah is in human form, the uppermost part of Him is hollow, and the lowest part is solid, with black hair, and a heart from which wisdom flows. [35] Al-Farq Bayna Al-Firaq by Al-Baghdaadi p. 216

The extremist Rafidites followed their example pertaining to Tashbeeh, [36] Maqaalaat Al-Islaamiyeen by Al-Ash‘aree, (1\44), Al-Farq bayna Al-Firaq by Al-Baghdaadi (48), and Al-Milal wa Al-Nihal by Al-Shahristaani (1\93) and they also influenced a group from among the Mu‘tazilites and others. [37] Al-Farq bayna Al-Firaq by Al-Baghdaadi p. 228
Shortly after the emergence of Shirk by denying the divine Attributes, Shirk by claiming the unity of the existence surfaced. It implied the denial of proper conduct of oneself with Allah in a manner that is obligatory upon His slaves, as entailed by the due actualization of Tawheed (e.g., giving up worship). The first person to proclaim such a heinous opinion was possibly Al-Hussayn ibn Mansoor Al-Hallaaj. ‘Alee Al-Qaari said: (During the reign of Al-Muqtadir Bil-Allah, the jurists of Baghdad unanimously agreed on the execution of Al-Hallaaj for his claim to divinity, his opinion regarding Hulool (i.e., incarnation of Allah in created beings or objects), and his statement: “I am The Truth and there is nothing in my cloak but Allah.” Although he outwardly adhered to Islam, they did not accept his repentance, and declared him Zindeeq (heretic), despite his disguise of righteousness. [38] See Al-Radd ‘ala Al-Qaa’leen Bi-Wihdat Al-Wujood p. 131

The views on Hulool (indwelling of Allaah in creation) and Itihaad (union of the Creator and the creation in one single existence” were first introduced by Ibn Saba’, the Jewish man and his followers. Similar views were also held by the extremist Rafidites in the past as well. [39] See Maqaalaat Al-Islaamiyeen by Al-Ash‘aree (1\32), Al-Farq bayna Al-Firaq by Al-Baghdaadi (p.11), and Al-Milal wa Al-Nihal by Al-Shahristaani (1\173) This means that these groups and sects fell into Shirk by denying the true essence of Tawheed. Some of them denied the Qadar, some denied His divine Attributes, some likened Him to His creation, some claimed Hulool, some alleged Ittihaad, and others claimed the unity of the existence, which are more horrendous forms of disbelief and Shirk, even graver than those committed by the Jews and Christians! The Jews alleged that Allah incarnated in ‘Uzayr, while the Christians claimed that He incarnated in the Christ, but these people argued that Allah incarnates in all things, even in the most ritually impure animals and the dirtiest places! Verily, Allah, The Almighty, is far Greater and Exalted than their (heinous) claims.

This was a brief overview of the doctrinal deviation towards Shirk in Lordship that occurred in the Muslim nation, and it essentially involves Shirk in Uloohiyyah by means of Ta’teel.


The early emergence of Shirk in Lordship by associating partners with Allah among Muslims

The first emergence of such form of Shirk is associated with ‘Abdullah ibn Saba’ [40] See Al-Farq bayna Al-Firaq by Al-Baghdaadi p. 223 , the Jewish man who committed Shirk in Lordship by ascribing partners to Allah, Exalted be He, with regard to His Essence, by excessively venerating ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) and claiming him to be divine. [41] See: ((Al-Bid’ wa Al-Taareekh)) by Al-Maqdisi (5/125), ((Al-Farq bayna Al-Firaq)) by Al-Baghdadi (p. 223), ((Mizaan Al-I‘tidaal)) by Al-Thahabi (2/426), ((Lisaan Al-Mizaan)) by Ibn Hajar (3/289) He was also a pioneer of Shirk in Lordship by associating partners with Allah with regard to His Attributes and Actions. He alleged that ‘Alee was granted an eternal life, all-inclusive knowledge that encompassed everything, and absolute power over all things. He also claimed that ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) brought down rain, that he will hold people accountable on the Day of Resurrection and take revenge against his enemies [42] Maqaalaat Al-Islaamiyeen by Al-Ash‘aree (1\31), Al-Farq bayna Al-Firaq by Al-Baghdaadi (214), and Al-Milal wa Al-Nihal by Al-Shahristaani (1\93) , and the like of the false beliefs that involved Shirk in Lordship by associating partners with Allah with regards to His Attributes and Actions. Thus, it can be said that the early emergence of Shirk in Lordship by associating partners with Allah in terms of His Essence is traced back to ‘Abdullah ibn Saba’, who was followed by most of the extremist Rafidites, Ismailis, ‘Ubaydiyyah (Fatimids followers of ‘Ubaydullah Al-Mahdi), Qarmatians, Nusayris (Alawites), Druze, and others, in this regard.

Al-Shahrastaani said: (The Sabians were the followers of ‘Abdullah ibn Saba’, who said to ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him), ‘You are Allah,’ and accordingly ‘Alee exiled him to Mada'in. It was claimed that he was originally a Jew and converted to Islam. Prior to his conversion, he said the same about Yoosha‘ ibn Noon (Joshua), the prophetic successor of Prophet Moosa (Moses, peace be upon him). He was also the first to propagate the view on the Imamate (succession) of ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him), giving rise to the formation of various Shiite groups that went to extremes in venerating ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him). He argued that ‘Alee is alive and did not die because of the divine part incarnated in him, and therefore it was inconceivable that he should be overcome (by death). He also alleged that he was the one who comes in (canopies of) clouds with thunder as his voice and lightning as his smile, and that he will descend to earth afterward and fill it with justice and equity, just as it had been filled with tyranny and oppression! [43] See Al-Milal wa Al-Nihal 1\174


The early emergence of Shirk in Divinity (Al-Uloohiyyah) among Muslims
It can be fairly said that Shirk in Uloohiyyah and worship originated from the way of the Shiites with all its various groups and sects. In fact, Shiitism became a haven for all those who wanted to fight Islam and Muslims. The Baatiniyyah (esoteric Shiite sects), with all its sub-sects including: the Ismailis, ‘Ubaidiyyah, Qarmatians, Nusayris, and Druze, fell under the umbrella of Shiitism, and their followers committed Shirk with regards to the Essence, Attributes, Actions of Allah, as well as Shirk in worship and proper conduct of oneself with Him. Thus, they combined all the evil practices of the pervious nations and believed in the essence of the Zoroastrianism, proclaimed their departure from Islam in its totality. In addition to them having affirmed Shirk in Lordship with regard to the Essence, Attributes, and Actions of Allah, they also worshiped the graves and the dead people buried therein (its inhabitants), and built mosques and shrines over them, reviving the evil practices of the Jews and Christians. This was how polytheistic pagan sects appeared among Muslims, crowding shrines, and abandoning mosques. The Ismailis, for instance, promoted their beliefs among people in complete secrecy, and ignorant lay Muslims found them appealing, being marked with laxness and non-compliance with religious obligations. They assigned special care and attention to venerating graves, building shrines and tombs, and keenly reciting supplications at the shrines until Satan tricked them into taking these dead righteous people (buried therein) as intercessors, and then enticed them to supplicate the dead directly and then believe that they disposed of the affairs of the worldly life! Thus, they gradually fell into misguidance over more than two centuries. [44] See Ighaathat Al-Lahfaan by Ibn Al-Qayyim (1\350), Al-Isma‘eeliyyah Al-Mu‘aasirah by Al-Juwayr p. 61

Saalih Aal Al-Shaykh said, explaining how Shirk creeped into the Muslim nation and found its way to Muslims: “This i.e., adherence to Tawheed and divine guidance lasted for long centuries until evil esoteric movements emerged, like the Ismailis and its sub-sects including: the Qarmatians, Ikhwaan Al-Safaa (Brethren of Purity), ‘Ubaydiyyah, and Druze, and the like of subsects branched off it that were mere manifestations of the same corrupt doctrine. Since its inception, the movement raised the veneration of the household of the Prophet ? as its slogan and confined the Imamate to the descendants of Ismaa‘eel ibn Ja‘far. They were famous for their sanctification (and excessive veneration) of the Prophet’s family members, and the Fatimid dynasty was a product of this esoteric movement ... To my knowledge, the Ismailis were the oldest sect that caused Muslims to degenerate into adopting the pre-Islamic false beliefs about spirits and graves, especially Ikhwaan Al-Safaa, the highly secretive group that promoted its doctrine and fifty epistles in complete secrecy, so much that the identity of the author or complier of these epistles remained hidden in a cloak of secrecy!

Later, the followers of the Moosawee sect (followers of Musa al-Kaathim son of Ja’far al-Saadiq, as opposed to the Ismaailis who assigned the Imaamah to Ismaa’il, the son of Ja’far al-Saadiq being the elder of the two), known as the Twelver Shiites, followed in their footsteps in the sanctification (and excessive veneration) of the dead household members of the Prophet ?. They complied books on their pilgrimage performed to the shrines and tombs, delineating the way to perform such ritual visits and the supplications to be recited at the graves, and falsely attributed them to members of the Prophet’s household (may Allah be pleased with them) with fabricated and inauthentic chains of narration.

I read “The Complete Visits” by Ibn Quluwayh and found some of these practices documented in it; the book was printed and published. Whoever reads the writings of the Ismailis and Ikhwaan Al-Safaa will easily find that they attest to what was mentioned above; the excessive veneration of graves and taking the dead as intercessors and intermediaries between people and Allah were not known before them. Given the widespread of religious ignorance before the establishment of the Fatimid dynasty, groups of people were familiar with these corrupt practices and beliefs, and when the ‘Ubaydee (Fatimid) dynasty was established, they erected shrines and tombs, and proclaimed their beliefs that were kept in complete secrecy … The esoteric group started its activities at the beginning of the third century, and its epistles, which underpinned its doctrine and promoted it among people, were not made public until the fourth Hijri century.” [45] See Hathihi Maffhimuna (p. 104), Talbees Iblees by Ibn Al-Jawzee (p. 354), and Ighaathat Al-Lahfaan min Masaa’id Al-Shaytaan (1\352)

Moreover, the books penned by the pagan Greek philosophers (promoting the veneration of the graves) were translated into Arabic, and many Muslim scholars, who studied philosophy such as Al-Farabi, Ibn Sina, and others, availed themselves of them, and were influenced by their opinions, including those pertaining to the erroneous beliefs about the excessive veneration of graves, and many scholars of ‘Ilm Al-Kalaam (scholastic theology – prefer Muslim scholastic philosophy) followed in the same path.
This brief overview of the history of Shirk in Uloohiyyah and its early emergence among Muslims confirms that Shirk in worship did not exist in the first and second Hijri centuries, but rather emerged after the end of the first three centuries of Islam, which were declared to be the best centuries of Islam by the Prophet ?. [46] See Al-Shirk Fee Al-Qadeem wa Al-Hadeeth by Aboo Bakr Muhammad Zakaariyya 1\647

Ibn Taymiyyah said: (During the caliphate of Banu Al-‘Abbaas (Abbasid dynasty), the shrines and tombs were built in Iraq and other parts of the Muslim world, and many of them were fake. Following the killing of Al-Hussayn ibn ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) in Karbala, they built a shrine there and it was visited by their rulers and princes until the scholars denounced and forbade such practice. When some of these deviated religious innovations and practices were brought to the attention of Al-Mutawakkil, he resolutely denounced and forbade them. Let aside the early days of the Abbasid dynasty and the periods when rulers adhered to the Sharee’ah; they did not venerate the shrines then, the real and fake ones alike, as happened later on, because people’s adherence to Islam at that time was still strong. There were no such shrines during the era of the Companions, Taabi‘oon, and their followers in any part of the Muslim lands, neither in Hijaz, Yemen, the Levant, Iraq, Egypt, Khurasan, nor Maghreb. There were neither shrines nor tombs erected over the grave of a Prophet, Companion, member of the Prophet’s household, or even a righteous man in the first place. Rather, most of these shrines were built afterwards, and became widespread when the Abbasid dynasty weakened, the Muslim nation was divided, the heretics who promoted misconceptions among Muslims increased in number, and the religious innovations became widespread. This took place during Al-Muqtadir’s reign late in 300 A.H. At that time, the ‘Ubaydee-Qadaahi Qarmatians (attributed to ‘Ubaydullah Al-Mahdi and ‘Ubaydullah ibn Maymoon Al-Qaddaah) appeared in Maghreb, and then reached Egypt, and it is said that some time near this period Mukoos (unfair taxes) were introduced to the Muslim world. Moreover, the Buyid dynasty was established around that time and many of the rulers were heretics and given to religious innovations. During their reign, the presence of ‘Ubaydullah Al-Qaddaah’s followers grew stronger in Egypt, and the shrine attributed to ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him), which was built near Najaf, was venerated.” [47] See Majmoo‘ Al-Fataawa 27\465