Shirk Most Unclean Phenomenon in Muslim Society
This is according to Hani Chitchian, a member of the Quran and Etrat School of the University of Tehran, speaking in the 20th session in a series on Surah At-Tawbah. Following are excerpts from his remarks in the session:
The call “o believers!” in Surah At-Tawbah points to the duties that all members of the society should fulfill.
Shirk (polytheism) is considered the most unclean thing in society. Unfortunately, one of the problems in Muslim societies is that we consider many things as more unclear than shirk.
A believer should not be afraid of the measures of polytheists in society and should cling to Allah’s help. Shirk is against Tawhid (monotheism). Not everyone who wears Muslim attire is called a believer.
Verse 34 of Surah At-Tawbah reads: “Believers, many are the rabbis and monks who in falsehood defraud people of their possessions and bar people from the Path of Allah. Give glad tidings of a painful punishment to those who treasure gold and silver and do not spend it in the Way of Allah.”
First, we should figure out who are the mentioned rabbis and monks. Previous verses have referred to them as religious leaders of Christianity and Judaism. “The Jews say Ezra is the son of Allah, while the Christians (who follow Paul) say the Messiah is the son of Allah. Such are their assertions, by which they imitate those who disbelieved before. Allah fights them! How perverted are they!” (Suran At-Tawbah, verse 30)
“They take their rabbis and monks as lords besides Allah …” reads verse 31 of the surah. This is very important. “… and the Messiah, son of Mary, though they were ordered to worship but one God, there is no god except He. Exalted is He above that they associate with Him!” God Almighty has described those Christians and Jews as mushriks because they have associated someone else with Him.
