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Desire and Shirk

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Fatwaa.com

Salam

I have two questions of very serious nature. Do read the brief note so that you can understand nature of these two questions.

Well known scholar Salih Al Fawzan once said that watching with love and greatly desiring porn can be classified as shirk of desire, or something like minor shirk. Does it mean that,

Q1) A person can have desires with which he is tested with that are un-Islamic, does it mean our desires for wrong things like alcohol, music or pornography and committing these actions will come under minor shirk?
Q2) I have heard minor shikr does not make muslim a kafir, does it mean if a muslim dies without repenting from minor shirk there is a chance he can still attain paradise?

Many thanks

Answer

Regarding the desires that one may have for wrongful actions, the following should be understood regarding the different levels of the ‘actions of the heart’:

  1. Ḥadīth Al-Nafs: when the thought comes to one’s mind at a specific moment or occasion but goes away almost instantly
  2. Mayl Al-Ṭibʿī: After a thought comes to mind, one feels desirous about giving the idea more thought.
  3. I’tiqād: One intends carrying out what the mind wishes to do.
  4. ‘Azm: When a firm intention of acting upon the thought or desire has been established.

From amongst the aforementioned levels, the first two are overlooked as they are generally uncontrollable.

However, regarding the third type, if the thoughts and desires are intentionally processed, then one will become sinful.

If the thoughts occur unintentionally and without control, then too will it be overlooked, In Shā Allāḥ.

As for the fourth type, one will be held accountable for purposely entertaining oneself with such thoughts.

Secondly, Shirk refers to ascribing partners with Allāh.

The word Shirk has also been used to express the intensity of some sins.

It is for this reason that ascribing partners with Allāh have been referred to as ‘Major Shirk’, and ‘Minor Shikr’ is used to refer to certain sins.

It should also be understood that ‘Major Shirk’ takes one out of the fold of Islām, and if such a person does not revert to Imān then he will not attain Paradise.

‘Minor Shirk’ on the other hand, requires that a person sincerely repents to Allāh.

If a person dies whilst not having repented for ‘Minor Shirk’ then Allāh might take such a person to task for it in the hereafter, however, such a person will still attain Paradise after that.

And Allaah Ta’aala knows best

Wassalaam,

Ismail Moosa (Mufti)

This answer was collected from Fatwaa.com which is an excellent Q&A site managed by Mufti Ismail Moosa from South Africa. .

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