The Crime of Shirk

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Robert Sievers

There are many aspects of Islam which are hard to pinpoint; gray areas that require in-depth study by Islamic scholars. These scholars examine Islamic historical accounts, rulings, and schools of law, and occasionally come to differing conclusions. However, one aspect of Islam that is in no way under any debate or doubt is shirk, the ultimate crime. Shirk is the crime of associating partners with Allah. In other words, if a Muslim in any way denies the oneness (tawheed) of Allah, he has committed this most heinous sin. There is 100% agreement among all Muslims that this is the one sin that must never be committed. The seriousness of shirk is seen both as it compares to other sins as well as Allah’s unique response to it.

Its severity is stated this way by one Muslim author,

“Murder, rape, child molesting and genocide. These are all some of the appalling crimes which occur in our world today. Many would think that these are the worst possible offenses which could be committed. But there is something which outweighs all of these crimes put together: It is the crime of shirk.” [i]

The Qur’an is correspondingly very explicit about the results of committing shirk. While all other sins might be forgiven, the sin of shirk is the lone exception. It will not be forgiven under any circumstance. Qur’an 4:48 says,

“ Surely Allah does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and forgives what is besides that to whomsoever He pleases; and whoever associates anything with Allah, he devises indeed a great sin.”

To be clear, Islam teaches that if a Muslim commits shirk, he can still repent, in essence becoming a Muslim for a second time, and thus perhaps be saved. However, unlike other sins, a soul dying in a state of shirk is doomed to hellfire, no exceptions.

So what does any of this have to do with Christianity? Of course, Christians also believe that God has no partners. Yet our job here is delve deeper, so consider the core of what it requires to be saved. In John 3:18 Jesus tells us that we must believe in His name, the only begotten Son of God. We must confess Jesus (Matthew 10:32), and we must truly believe He died and rose again (Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 15:2-4). We also must come to Him in order to receive this life (John 5:40; John 10:9: Acts 2:21). By doing this, from the Muslim point of view, Christians have committed shirk, the unforgivable sin. Believing that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh is exactly the most abominable thought a Muslim could ever have.

Note the connection between how Christians find salvation and the unforgivable sin in Islam. They are one in the same. In other words, the road to true reconciliation with God is that which is portrayed as the worst possible avenue of action a Muslim could take. The simplicity of this reversal is fiendishly constructed. The pathway to true light and forgiveness is marked in Islam as being the only route never to take. There could not be a more antithetical relationship in how each religion depicts the incarnation of Jesus.

People often ask me why I am so interested in Islam. I can guarantee that it is not because of the fascinating theological reversals I write about here. The reason why I love Muslims so much is because I grieve at the traps that have been laid before them. The doorway out of the darkness which is called Islam has a sign on it telling Muslims that is the one and only door they cannot ever dare to step through. Even Christians who understand Islam often just see Muslims as having an incomplete understanding of God, rather than recognizing the devious snares that lie in wait on the path of Muslim seekers. Christians who share the good news do not realize they are asking Muslims to commit the very worst crime imaginable. As traps go, it is one of the most cleverly and insidiously designed ever encountered. In my opinion, this should move all us to indescribable compassion for the Muslims of our world.

[i] http://www.allaahuakbar.net/shirk/crime.htm

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The Need for a Diversion

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Robert Sievers

In the inaugural article of this blog, the hijra was contrasted with the cross. In a subsequent article, the behavior of Ali ibn Abi Talib was examined in light of how it inadvertently preaches the very aspect of the gospel that Muslims typically denounce. In this last look at the hijra, let’s take one more look at Muhammad and Jesus from another angle.

Remember, the hijra was accomplished through the help of Ali ibn Abi Talib, who impersonated Muhammad on the night he was to be assassinated, allowing Muhammad the opportunity to escape unnoticed. Muhammad called his cousin Ali, and hatched the plot to have Ali put in harm’s way so that the leader of the fledgling new religion would have a better chance of escape. Ali’s act of bravery is well known within Islam. Of course, as much as a Muslim may praise Ali for this or any other of his acts, Muhammad is deemed as the person within Islam most to be praised.

Indeed, in Islam, Muhammad is the example to be followed (Qur’an 33:21). Yet in this case, it was Ali who stepped up and did what Muhammad was unwilling to do, put his life on the line. In a strange way, by praising Ali, Muslims inadvertently admit that Muhammad was outclassed on this particular occasion. Of course, saying this will cause an immediate and visceral reaction, so care must be taken. Deep down, do Muslims know Muhammad’s character got eclipsed on this day by Ali? If so, that could never, and will never, be explicitly stated.

Yet let’s move on to the main point. There were many times Jesus faced danger of persecution. For example, in Luke 4:29-30 he was about to be pushed off a cliff, but quietly slipped away by walking right through the crowd. In John 7:30 and John 7:44 the Bible says the Jews were seeking to kill Him, yet no one laid a hand on Him. In John 8:59 the Jews picked up stones in order to stone Him, but He hid Himself and went out of the temple.

As Christians, we often look to Jesus to see what He did. In fact, there was a large WWJD movement in years past, which stood for “What Would Jesus Do?” While this is a great question, there is an equally valid question that is rarely if ever asked. What Would Jesus NOT do? While the omission of any particular event does not prove its non-existence, there are certain conclusions that can be drawn from things Jesus was never reported to have done. In this case, we find as listed above several references to times when He was in physical danger. Of course, His hour had not yet come, but move past that for a moment. How did Jesus escape these times when His life was threatened? The Bible doesn’t go into a lot of detail, but here is one thing Jesus did NOT do. He never put His disciples in harm’s way. Never once did He ask Peter, John, or Andrew to run interference for Him. Never once did He ask Thomas or Simon to create a diversion so that He could safely retreat from danger. Even when on his own initiative Peter used his sword to defend Him, Jesus instructed to him stop. (Luke 22:49-51)

It is true that Jesus’ disciples faced severe persecution later, after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. However, this happens as result of following Jesus’ example, not as a result of protecting His physical presence during the time of His incarnation.

So comparing Jesus and Muhammad reveals yet another clear opposite manner of behavior. Not once did Jesus ever ask His disciples to aid in His protection. Muhammad generated a scheme to put his cousin Ali at risk so that he could have a better chance at escape. This is something Jesus would never do. Jesus would never put His followers at risk to benefit Himself. Muhammad, however, was more than willing to do so. In fact, it was Muhammad who came up with the plan and summoned Ali and convinced him to go through with the plan.

As always, by studying Islam I learn so much about Christianity. By learning of what Muhammad does, I learn by inference so much about what Jesus would not do. Glory and praise be to the God who, when existing as a human, never put His own safety before others. What a marvelous and lofty standard for us to follow.

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The Hands of Thieves

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Robert Sievers

The more I learn about Islam and Christianity, the more I am amazed at just how many opposites there are. Some are quite tricky to spot, some are huge eye openers, and others seem so obvious after you consider them even briefly. It is into the last category that this article falls.

Shari’a law is the standard within Islam. While it is true that implementation of that law varies from country to country, it is also true that from the Muslim perspective, Shari’a law is reckoned to be the exact law of Allah. A Muslim in Riyadh experiences it differently than one in Istanbul, and understanding why would require an entire volume to explore. At the most basic level, though, the Qur’an lays out the rules for what it declares to be the perfect society, and it is one particular tenet of this law which we will scrutinize.

The Qur’an lays out a specific punishment for theft.

[5.38] And (as for) the man who steals and the woman who steals, cut off their hands as a punishment for what they have earned, an exemplary punishment from Allah; and Allah is Mighty, Wise.

Within the Hadith, there are various criteria by which this punishment can be averted. For example, if the robber is not sane or if the item was less than a particular value, less harsh measures can be taken. Many Islamic writers spend time justifying the just nature of this law, citing the various exceptions. Additionally, these authors discuss how it is justified by citing that the benefits of having the law as a deterrent outweigh the disadvantages of its implementation. Yet whatever criteria are used, and whatever the purpose behind the law, ultimately the Qur’an dictates that the punishment for intentional, serious, and provable theft is amputation.

As usual, rather than being accused of taking a verse out of context, I have included Muhammad’s own words with reference to this verse. As reported by ibn Kathir, Muhammad said this regarding the verse in question, referring to himself in the third person,

“By Him in Whose Hand is my soul! If Fatimah the daughter of Muhammad stole, I will have her hand cut off.” [i]

At this juncture, many people begin to discuss the justness of this law, what it says about the god who mandates such laws, and so on. Yet for just a moment, let’s just accept the Muslim position that such a law is for society’s best. How does this compare to what the Bible says, and what does that tell us about God?

In the book of Ephesians, chapter 4, verse 28, the Bible states what thieves should do.

He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.

Firstly, the thief is commanded to stop stealing, and of course that seems a no-brainer. Yet consider the follow-up. The thief is to labor, with his own hands (plural) to help others. The thief is instructed to use the very same hands formerly used in robbery to provide for others, to give to others rather than taking from them. Of course societies with laws to protect the innocent require restitution and possible incarceration, depending on the severity of the crime. Yet ultimately, after civil penalties have been paid, instead of being an amputee that would likely be a burden to the rest of society, the ex-criminal is to unburden others in need. To do so, he is to labor with the same hands once used as instruments of sin. What a microcosmic picture of God’s redemptive plan.

On a much higher plane, God uses us, all sinners at heart, to labor for the kingdom in whatever way He calls us. It’s part of His master plan. If past sin prevented us from performing good works because of our new found love for God, everyone on the planet would be excluded from participation in His kingdom work. Yet praise be to God! Tongues which once blasphemed are called to praise Him. Minds which once had a bevy of impure thoughts are called to use wisdom to promote His kingdom purposes. Feet that once ran toward evil now hasten to help those in need. So too, God does not want our past robberies to preclude us from being able to work with our hands and restore that which was lost.

In Christianity, former instruments of sin are used to help others. In Islam, they are to be cut off. Complete reversal of attitude. Which is better?

[i] http://www.quran4u.com/Tafsir%20Ibn%20Kathir/PDF/005%20Mai’dah.pdf

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