Shirk is the Islamic concept of the sin of idolatry. It is the vice opposed to the virtue of tawhid, the Islamic word for monotheism. Islam   listen? (Arabic: al-islām) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions, and the worlds second largest religion. ... Sin has been a term most usually used in a religious context, and today describes any lack of conformity to the will of God; especially, any willful disregard for the norms revealed by God is a sin. ... Idolatry is a term used by many religions to describe the worship of a false deity, which is an affront to their understanding of divinity. ... Tawhid (توحيد), meaning declaring God one, is the Islamic concept of monotheism. ... Monotheism (in Greek monon = single and Theos = God) is the belief in a single, universal, all-encompassing deity. ...

The word shirk is one form of the Arabic root ShRK (شرك). This root has the general meaning of share (Nadwi - Vocabulary of the Holy Qur'an). In the context of the Qur'an the particular sense of sharing as an equal partner is usually understood. In the Qur'an shirk and the related word mushrikuwn (مشركون) those who commit shirk) often clearly refers to the enemies of Islam (as in verse 9.5) but sometimes it also refers to erring muslims (verse 6.122). When the Qur'an describes shirk it frequently seems to be referring to and disparaging the Christian dogma of the divinity of Jesus. Islamic commentators on the Qur'an have emphasized that pre-Islamic Arabic idolatry made a number of godlings (most memorably the three goddesses Manat, Lat and Uzza) equal associates of Allah (as the Qur'an discusses in the 53rd surat) and the word mushrikuwn is often translated into English as polytheist. Arabic (العربية) is a Semitic language, closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... The Quran (Arabic: al-qurān literally the recitation; also called Al Qurān Al KarÄ«m or The Noble Quran; or transliterated Quran, Koran, and less commonly Alcoran) is the holy book of Islam. ... Surat An-Najm (The Star) is the 53rd sura of the Quran with 62 ayat. ...

In a theological context one commits shirk by associating some lesser being with Allah. This sin is committed if one imagines that there is some other spirit than Allah whom it is suitable to worship. Many Islamic theologians extend the sense of worship to include praying to some other being to intercede with Allah on one's behalf, rather than taking one's case to Allah Himself. The limits of the concept of worship are quite elastic and theologians often describe excessive veneration of some artifact here on earth as shirk. An example of allāhu written in simple Arabic calligraphy Allah (Arabic: allāh) is the Arabic word for God. It is ultimately derived (according to most etymologists) from Proto-Semitic ʾil-, as is Hebrew El). ... Worship usually refers to specific acts of religious praise, honour, or devotion, typically directed to a supernatural being such as a god or goddess. ... Worship usually refers to specific acts of religious praise, honour, or devotion, typically directed to a supernatural being such as a god or goddess. ... Worship usually refers to specific acts of religious praise, honour, or devotion, typically directed to a supernatural being such as a god or goddess. ... An artifact (also artefact) is a term coined by Sir Julian Huxley meaning any object or process resulting from human activity. ...

Atheism is sometimes described as shirk (in spite of its opposite meaning) because it denies the position of Allah as the unique creator and sustainer of the universe (tawhid ar-rububiyya, the unity of creation). In the same way, the act of shirk is extended to include such things as the notion that Allah possesses humanlike anthropomorphic qualities as well as acts of worship or piety whose inward goal is pride, caprice, or a desire for public admiration. Atheism is the state either of being without theistic beliefs, or of actively believing in the non-existence of deities. ... This dog has been dressed in human accessories for humorous effect. ...

External link

• An Introduction to Islamic Monotheism