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Forums Forums Epistemology and Philosophy Can We Call Idol Worshippers Mushriks?

  • Can We Call Idol Worshippers Mushriks?

  • Dr. Irfan Shahzad

    Scholar May 15, 2023 at 3:02 am

    شرک اور کفر میں فرق ہے۔ شرک کا مطلب کسی دوسری ہستی کو خدا کا شریک بنانا ہے۔ جو اس کا اقرار کرتا ہے ہم اسے مشرک کہ سکتے ہیں کیونکہ وہ خود اس کا اقرار کر رہا ہے کہ وہ خدا کا شریک مانتا ہے۔

    کفر جان بوجھ کر انکار کرنے کو کہتے ہیں۔ یعنی کوئی شخص یہ اقرار کرے کہ وہ حقیقت کو جان گیا ہے پھر بھی نہیں مانتا۔ اگر ایسا کوئی شخص کہے تو اسے بھی کافر کہا جا سکتا ہے۔ مگر ایسا کوئی نہیں کہتا۔ خدا نے جن کو کافر کہا انھیں اس لیے کافر کہا کہ خدا ان کے دلوں کا حال جانتا تھا۔ ہم کسی کے دل کا حال نہیں جانتے۔

  • Imran

    Member May 15, 2023 at 3:02 am

    Hindus do not worship idols. They don’t believe God resides in the idols anymore than Muslims believe God lives in the Kaaba. The only difference between Muslims and Hindus is that Muslims pray towards the Kaaba, whilst Hindus pray towards many idols. The idols only serve as a means of improving their concentration and dedication towards God. The Kaaba and the idols are SYMBOLIC representations of God on earth.

    As for Sikhs, they don’t worship their Gurus. You may see them bowing and paying excessive respect to them ( which isn’t allowed in Islam but was allowed in previous Shariahs ) but they don’t count these acts as worship. Sikhs only worship Waheguru (God)

  • Dr. Irfan Shahzad

    Scholar May 15, 2023 at 3:15 am

    The reality of shirk is falsehood. Muslim did not appoint kaaba to beleive that it is the center of God’s blessings and attetnion, Hindus and other nations who worship differetn dieties conceived that if a stone is carved it becomes the house of a deity or that deity litens to their supplicatin. So the difference is of certification which the Muslims claims to have from their book but other polytheistic nations do not produce this certification but the from the human philosophy which has no authorityt to say anything for anything metaphysical.

    • Imran

      Member May 15, 2023 at 4:03 am

      I take this verse as a proof that all religions on earth lead towards God as long as one is sincere and engaged in good deeds

      “Had Allah willed He could have made you one community. But that He may try you by that which He hath given you (He hath made you as ye are). So vie one with another in good works. Unto Allah ye will all return, and He will then inform you of that wherein ye differ.” Quran 45:23

      In this verse, God tells people of all religions to compete with each other in good deeds. Why would God instruct Jews, Christians, Hindus (I believe Prophets were sent to India) etc to do good deeds if they were of no value in his sight ? From this verse, it seems God will remove the misunderstanding between all religious followers on the day of judgment and shower his mercy on all those who were sincere.

      As for this verse,

      “Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam” Quran 3:19

      I take Islam in this verse to be submission before God in the general sense of the word.

      On a final note, we can find many verses in the Quran which don’t only reprimand but warn, threaten and curse certain Jews, Christians and Polytheists. We can understand them in two ways. Firstly, these verses were specifically addressed to various groups of people who were not sincere towards God, i.e, Kafirs and Munafiqs. Secondly, these verses were neccessary to separate Islam (the specific Deen brought by Muhammad (s) ) from other religions. This happens in all religions. If a religion doesn’t have limits and boundaries, then anyone can enter or leave. Such a religion no longer remains a religion. So the verses condemning all other religions are meant to condemn them in appearance only, not in reality. Their only purpose is to give the Unmah of Muhammad (s) and his Deen a distinct identity.

  • Dr. Irfan Shahzad

    Scholar May 16, 2023 at 8:40 am

    Mere sincerity is not enough to acquit one from believing in something false and self conceived. An error of judgement made with qualified effort and sincerity can become a valid excuse but not the a ngeligence to keep believing in something without some certification from God or tradition of prophets. In the absence of knowledge the only reasonable stance is suspension of belief and probability, but no assertion.

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