8 insights of the Unforgivable Sin

Explanation of Quran 4:48

The unforgivable sin in Islam, what defines it, know Allah’s law-

The only unforgivable sin before Allah remains Shirkh (associating or making partner gods). What is Shirk and what does it really mean? If any person carves an image and then summons it before himself or his people as his deity, then he carries the blame of creating or making up a god. People see the benefit of trafficking gains by misleading numerous men and believe me nothing can come closer to gods carving trade for vested benefits. The real God remains unseen ever closer to the conscience of the learning human. This clarifies the position that nothing as an object can be considered qualifying as a God figure. To my surprise many Christians in the western world assume that Muslims worship Muhammad as God or the son of God like their own predicament of worshipping Jesus as God and often as the son of God and seldom as holy spirit. Quran clarifies its position saying O’ people do abstain from ascribing children to God and inventing strange concepts such as Trinity. Having said this let us ponder on the subtle inferences of ego gods and partner gods as detailed in the Quran in the sections below.

1. Defining Shirkh- associating an object as deity of worship other than God the unseen

Is Polytheism right? Quran 4:48 إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَىٰ 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-. The unseen God is the Lord of all the worlds. Worthy of All praises and worship. Any form of object or a body living or dead cannot be a replacement or a refurbishment as a deity to worship also with the unseen Lord. The act of doing so will clearly amount to Shirkh, the unforgivable sin of association.

2. Defining Shirkh- Christ is not God the unseen

 Quran 5:72 لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ ۖ وَقَالَ الْمَسِيحُ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُ مَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ -They have certainly disbelieved who say, ” Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary” while the Messiah has said, “O Children of Israel, worship Allah , my Lord and your Lord.” Indeed, he who associates others with Allah – Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers-. Due to the drift which early Christianity underwent owing to Roman inventions, God in Quran re-clarifies that Christ the son of Mary is not God himself. Worshiping Jesus is great sin indeed amounting to disbelief in Almighty God. God further lays emphasis in informing us that such an inference would cause you to be banned for entrance to Paradise in the kingdom of God.

3. Defining Shirkh- Trinity is a form of disbelief

Is Trinity right? Quran 5:73 لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَاثَةٍ ۘ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَٰهٍ إِلَّا إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ ۚ وَإِن لَّمْ يَنتَهُوا عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ -They have certainly disbelieved who say, ” Allah is the third of three.” And there is no god except one God. And if they do not desist from what they are saying, there will surely afflict the disbelievers among them a painful punishment-. God again clarifies that He is not one in a three association. He stands out clear from any form of share in His kingdom. Any who persists in negating His uniqueness will be meted out a painful punishment.

4. Defining Shirkh- beseeching saints or Awliah for help as in worship

Quran 18:102 أَفَحَسِبَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَن يَتَّخِذُوا عِبَادِي مِن دُونِي أَوْلِيَاءَ ۚ إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ نُزُلًا -Do those who disbelieve think that they can take My servants instead of Me as allies? Indeed, We have prepared Hell for the disbelievers as a lodging-. This verse explains a circumstance quite applicable to parts of the Muslim world and in general to all people who would plead to God’s servants in the form of worship for beseeching help. In the subcontinent and some Arab countries Muslims have been misguided to beseech help at the graves of saints and other religious scholars. This verse emphatically annuls all others including Prophets to be in any position equal to God.

The the concept of “confessions” in Christianity is also included in this where the guilty asks a human to pass on his confession of sin to God and so on. These words “Do those who disbelieve think that they can take My servants instead of Me as allies?” make this clear.

5. Defining Shirkh- considering religious Scholars & Monks as authoritative over God’s injunctions

Which God to worship?

Quran 9:31 اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا إِلَٰهًا وَاحِدًا ۖ لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ سُبْحَانَهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ -They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allah, and [also] the Messiah, the son of Mary. And they were not commanded except to worship one God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him-. 

God meticulously warns us from taking the religious Scholars and Monks as authoritative of His injunctions since He has clarified it for people in His Book. He also warns us to desist from raising  Christ the son Mary or any other Prophet to the status of God, thus admonishing us sternly not to cross our limits. Therefore Muslims & Jews unlike Christians have not made any Prophet into God. Although Jews inference on Ezra as God’s son is on a lesser tone than to that of Christians ascribing Jesus to be His begotten son. Having said this Muslims, Christians and Jews including people of the older religions are found equally guilty in the course of their respective histories or in present times for ascribing their religious Scholars as patrons from where they have in a way aided the disintegration of their pristine religion from God to mankind. And thus are divided into sects despite God’s clear warnings not to associate partner gods from religious Scholarships who would lead them into separatism clearly bisecting His religion into sects of puritans.

6. Defining Shirkh- compromising over God’s principle Injunctions

Quran 18:26 قُلِ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثُوا ۖ لَهُ غَيْبُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ أَبْصِرْ بِهِ وَأَسْمِعْ ۚ مَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِ مِن وَلِيٍّ وَلَا يُشْرِكُ فِي حُكْمِهِ أَحَدًا -Say,… How Seeing is He and how Hearing! They have not besides Him any protector, and He shares not His legislation with anyone-. God clarifies that as He essentially remains sovereign over His legislation of the law of nature. He recommends technically to implement His divine laws with broader wisdom without slacking hypocritically to covet rupturing Justice among people.

7. Defining Shirkh- seeking self desires as an egoistic god in disobedience to God the unseen

Quran 25:43 أَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُ هَوَاهُ أَفَأَنتَ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ وَكِيلًا -Have you seen the one who takes as his god his own desire? Then would you be responsible for him?-. God makes a rhetoric statement to Prophet Muhammad blessings on him informing that some of those with whom he is in argument concerning God have refused to bring faith because the “instruction of their egos” is bigger to them than “the instruction of the Creator of the Universe”. God informs to Prophet Muhammad that he is in no way responsible over such people. As faith in God is zeroed to no compulsion whatsoever, bringing faith is a choice that people make through conclusive reasoning and humility failing which they risk ruining their afterlife and in a way the present life as well.

8. Defining Shirkh- doubting God’s existence due to egoistic god within

Quran 18:37-38  قال له صاحبه وهو يحاوره اكفرت بالذي خلقك من تراب ثم من نطفة ثم سواك رجلا لكنا هو الله ربي ولا اشرك بربي احدا -Said to him his companion while conversing ‘do you disbelieve in Him who created you from sand then from a singled out sperm then proportioned you into a man. But for me He is Allah my Lord and never will I erect anything as a god with my Lord-. If we trace back few verses to understand the conversation in this story we’ll know that doubting God’s existence in the face of materialism amounts to Shirkh. Blinded by his wealth and power, the rich man who had beautiful gardens said Quran 18:35-36 “I think not this will ever perish…. I think not the hour of judgement will ever come… Even if it does I will have a wealth better than this with God”.

Also Quran 25:21 وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءَنَا لَوْلَا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَوْ نَرَىٰ رَبَّنَا ۗ لَقَدِ اسْتَكْبَرُوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ وَعَتَوْا عُتُوًّا كَبِيرًا -And those who do not expect the meeting with Us (God) say, “Why were not angels sent down to us, or [why] do we [not] see our Lord?” They have clearly become arrogant with their egos and [become] insolent with great insolence-. The sin of committing excess pride of this nature amounts to gods hidden in egoism which causes one to doubt or reject the position of Almighty God and His ability to account us for our actions.

 Conclusion

Quran 18:38 -But as for my part (I believe) that He is Allah, my Lord and none shall I associate as partner with my Lord-. Islam protects you from great sins, especially the greatest one. Please save yourselves from committing the unforgivable sin closing the doors of Paradise forever. All people regardless of dissenting faiths must read and understand God’s manual- the Quran in which He has clearly explained in detail all matters as guidance for us before we resort to blindly following religious Scholars or kings or personal egos so that we may perhaps attain success with God.