Source: http://qa.muftisays.com/?1894
Question ID: #1894
 
Question: Is Major Shirk Forgiven?
Asalam Alaykum, I have come accross an ayat in quran that it says shirk is not forgiven, lets just say a muslim who believed and worshipped Allah alone came across this evil, believed in it, and took another (...) without foolishness and without ignorance, and then he automatically became kafr (lost his iman, amal), then repented to Allah to forgive, will Allah forgive him if he is still alive? There seems to be two views about this, 1) its forgiven till death, or 2) its not
Which view is correct?

Jazakullah
 
 
Answered by: Ulamaa ID 04 (London)
Date: 11/06/2006 18:01pm

Bismillah

Al-jawab billahi at-taufeeq (the answer with Allah's guidance)

1) The first view is correct (forgiven until one repents).

The kind of Shirk that Allaah does not forgive is the major Shirk if someone dies persisting on it. Allaah Ta'ala says : "Allah does not forgive (the sin of) joining other gods with Him; but He forgives whom He pleases other sins than this."[4:116].

The meaning of the verse is that whoever dies while a Mushrik (polytheist) Allah will not forgive him and he will surely be punished for this sin, i.e. he will remain in Hell-fire forever.

As for the person who repents from Shirk whether small Shirk or major, Allah forgives his previous Shirk and accept his repentance. Allah Ta'ala Says : "Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief) their past will be forgiven. …" [8: 38].

Also, Allaah Ta'ala says : "Say: 'O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins! Despair not of the mercy of Allaah; verily, Allaah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful'. [39:53].


The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "Islam (i.e. converting to Islam) wipes out all the previous (misdeeds)" [Reported by Imam Muslim ].

And Only Allah Ta'ala Knows Best.
Mufti Qamruzzaman

London, UK
 
www.MuftiSays.com