Shirk, no doubt, is the gravest sin in Islam. Allah says, “Verily ascribing of divinity to any other than Allah is an awesome wrong!” (Qur’an: 31: 13).

The reason why it is such terrible sin is because of the simple fact that since Allah is the Creator, Sustainer, Cherisher, Provider, and the One who alone is the source of life and death and all things in the universe by ascribing such powers to any other than Him is indeed an enormity.

 

Therefore, one who commits shirk deprives himself of salvation in the next world. Allah says, “Behold, whoever ascribes divinity to any being beside God, unto him will God deny paradise, and his final abode shall be the fire: and such evildoers will have none to succor them!” (Qur’an: 5:72)

 

Moreover, we are told in another place in the Qur’an: “Verily, God does not forgive the ascribing of divinity to aught beside Him, although He forgives any lesser sin unto whomever He wills: for he who ascribes divinity to aught beside God has indeed contrived an awesome sin” (Qur’an: 4:48).

 

When someone asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about shirk, he replied, “It is associating a partner with Allah while He alone is the One who created you” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

 

We can explain the enormity of shirk by saying: Tawhid is all about liberation and freedom. It means that we refuse to bow down before anything or anyone other than our Creator and Lord- including idols or statues made of gold, stone or wood, as well as idols of humans in the shape of leaders, priests or gurus as intermediaries or partners in divinity. A true believer in tawhid is thus free of all such forms of slavery and is a slave to none but God.

 

So you can never utter the words of shirk whether sincerely or jokingly. You ought to seek repentance. Repentance means feeling remorse for what you have done, followed by refraining from such deeds in the future and resolving firmly in your mind never to do it again. You may also do well to expiate for your sin by making lots of Istighfaar and offering some charities – if you can afford.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.