Shirk
الشرك
Theological · Concept
Associating others with Allah — the opposite of tawhid, and the charge the prophets brought against their peoples.
Overview
Shirk is associating anything with Allah. Luqman's instruction to his son calls it "great injustice" (31:13), and it is what Ibrahim challenged in his father and his people when he asked whether they took idols as deities (6:74).
When the site of the House was designated for Ibrahim, the first instruction given was not to associate anything with Allah (22:26).
Graph
Key connections
What do these labels mean?
Every connection on this page says what it rests on. The label tells you how directly the source supports it.
- Direct textual — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
- The source states this outright.
- Editorial thematic — Editorial thematic. IslamicGraph's own thematic grouping, not a claim of any source.
- IslamicGraph's own thematic grouping, not a claim of any source.
Select a connection to see the source it rests on.
- Shirkالشرك
Sources
Quran references
Selected passages. Shirk is linked to 11 ayat in total.
An-Nisa 4:48
AboutDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱفْتَرَىٰٓ إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا
Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.
Luqman 31:13
AboutDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَٰنُ لِٱبْنِهِۦ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُۥ يَٰبُنَىَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌۭ
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Luqman said to his son while he was instructing him, "O my son, do not associate [anything] with Allah. Indeed, association [with him] is great injustice."
Related
People
Related
Events
Musa at Mount Sinai
ميقات موسى عند الطورassociated with
Musa's forty-night appointment at the Mount, his request to see Allah, and the Tablets he received — while his people turned to the calf.
Related
Concepts
Tawhid
التوحيدrelated to
The oneness of Allah — the foundational doctrine of Islam, declared to Musa at Tuwa and distilled in Surah Al-Ikhlas.
Oppression
الظلمassociated with
Zulm — wrongdoing and tyranny, placing things out of their right place; Pharaoh is the Quran's archetype of the oppressor.
Names of Allah
Divine Names
Names that occur in the passages linked to this page are separated from names associated with it thematically.
Provenance
Relationships
What do these labels mean?
Every connection on this page says what it rests on. The label tells you how directly the source supports it.
- Direct textual — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
- The source states this outright.
- Editorial thematic — Editorial thematic. IslamicGraph's own thematic grouping, not a claim of any source.
- IslamicGraph's own thematic grouping, not a claim of any source.
Every edge in the graph, with the evidence behind it.
Shirkassociated withMusa at Mount SinaiDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.2 src
Evidence
- Quran Al-Baqarah 2:51Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
وَإِذْ وَٰعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰٓ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةًۭ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذْتُمُ ٱلْعِجْلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَأَنتُمْ ظَٰلِمُونَ
“And [recall] when We made an appointment with Moses for forty nights. Then you took [for worship] the calf after him, while you were wrongdoers.”
Open ayah 2:51 → - Quran Ta-Ha 20:88Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
فَأَخْرَجَ لَهُمْ عِجْلًۭا جَسَدًۭا لَّهُۥ خُوَارٌۭ فَقَالُوا۟ هَٰذَآ إِلَٰهُكُمْ وَإِلَٰهُ مُوسَىٰ فَنَسِىَ
“And he extracted for them [the statue of] a calf which had a lowing sound, and they said, "This is your god and the god of Moses, but he forgot."”
Open ayah 20:88 →
Shirkrelated toTawhidEditorial — Editorial thematic. IslamicGraph's own thematic grouping, not a claim of any source.2 src
IslamicGraph's own pairing of a concept with its opposite. The Quran states each; treating them as a pair is an editorial grouping.
Evidence
- Quran An-Nisa 4:48Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱفْتَرَىٰٓ إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا
“Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.”
"Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him."
Open ayah 4:48 → - Quran Luqman 31:13Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَٰنُ لِٱبْنِهِۦ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُۥ يَٰبُنَىَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌۭ
“And [mention, O Muhammad], when Luqman said to his son while he was instructing him, "O my son, do not associate [anything] with Allah. Indeed, association [with him] is great injustice."”
"do not associate [anything] with Allah. Indeed, association [with him] is great injustice."
Open ayah 31:13 →
Shirkassociated withOppressionDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.1 src
Luqman's instruction calls association with Allah "great injustice" (ẓulm).
Evidence
- Quran Luqman 31:13Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَٰنُ لِٱبْنِهِۦ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُۥ يَٰبُنَىَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌۭ
“And [mention, O Muhammad], when Luqman said to his son while he was instructing him, "O my son, do not associate [anything] with Allah. Indeed, association [with him] is great injustice."”
"Indeed, association [with him] is great injustice."
Open ayah 31:13 →
ShirkopposedIbrahimEditorial — Editorial thematic. IslamicGraph's own thematic grouping, not a claim of any source.2 src
IslamicGraph's own grouping. Ibrahim's confrontation with idolatry runs through his story; the Quran states the episodes, not this summary of them.
Evidence
- Quran Al-An'am 6:74Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
۞ وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ ءَازَرَ أَتَتَّخِذُ أَصْنَامًا ءَالِهَةً ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰكَ وَقَوْمَكَ فِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ
“And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham said to his father Azar, "Do you take idols as deities? Indeed, I see you and your people to be in manifest error."”
Ibrahim challenges his father over taking idols as deities.
Open ayah 6:74 → - Quran Al-Hajj 22:26Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
وَإِذْ بَوَّأْنَا لِإِبْرَٰهِيمَ مَكَانَ ٱلْبَيْتِ أَن لَّا تُشْرِكْ بِى شَيْـًۭٔا وَطَهِّرْ بَيْتِىَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَٱلْقَآئِمِينَ وَٱلرُّكَّعِ ٱلسُّجُودِ
“And [mention, O Muhammad], when We designated for Abraham the site of the House, [saying], "Do not associate anything with Me and purify My House for those who perform Tawaf and those who stand [in prayer] and those who bow and prostrate.”
The first instruction at the site of the House is not to associate anything with Allah.
Open ayah 22:26 →
Shirkassociated withAzarDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.1 src
Ibrahim's challenge to Azar is precisely about taking idols as deities.
Evidence
- Quran Al-An'am 6:74Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
۞ وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ ءَازَرَ أَتَتَّخِذُ أَصْنَامًا ءَالِهَةً ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰكَ وَقَوْمَكَ فِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ
“And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham said to his father Azar, "Do you take idols as deities? Indeed, I see you and your people to be in manifest error."”
"Do you take idols as deities? Indeed, I see you and your people to be in manifest error."
Open ayah 6:74 →