Sadly enough, many Muslims have failed to recognize the evil of Western society, and have failed to recognize how it has plundered into the depths of kufr and shirk. Many Muslims, especially those whom live in the West, have a limited understanding of At-tawhid(monotheism) and Shirk(polytheism), and they deem shirk(polytheism) as being something limited to the invoking of idols, the worshipping of graves, or the belief in a god besides Allah. Although all of these are unforgivable acts and beliefs (of shirk), in which Allaah will not forgive (if one dies upon them), the ignorance of the other types of shirk and how they are manifested in Western society has brought Muslims to become disillusioned as to what it actually means to be a real Muwahhid(monotheist) in the modern-day and age.
Shirk in Love and how it is manifested in the West
One of the categories of shirk in 3ebaadah(worship) is shirk in love. In essence, this means to love something as you love Allaah, or to love something with the same (or more intense) love as one has for Allaah. Allaah (swt) says in His Book:
And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allah as rivals (to Allah). They love them as they love Allah. But those who believe, love Allah more (than anything else)... [Qur'an 2:265]
Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said:
"Every person must have an ultimate aim which is the focus of his love and will. If a person does not have Allaah as the focus of his love and will, he will inevitably be enslaved by something else, whether it be his own pride and arrogance, wealth, power or something that he takes as a god instead of Allaah." [Al-Uboodiyyah]
The reality is that human beings are worshippers by nature. If the worship of Allaah is not established in one's life, then one's worship will be directed towards something else. The negligence of Allaah in the daily life of the western kaafir, has lead him to become enslaved usually by his own desires and whims. Often, the pursuit of petty desires, aspirations for worldly vanities, and even the mere pursuit of physical pleasure occupies the love and will of individuals living in the West.
All of this traces its roots in Ancient Greek philosophy, and concepts such as hedonism, which teach that the pursuit of worldly pleasure is essentially good, and everything that opposes it, is essentially bad. Likewise, devotion to these worldly pleasures, which is often manifested in the widespread zina(unlawful sexual intercourse), consumption of alcohol, and obsession with music and other pleasures, has led people to in fact take their own desires and lusts (hawaa') as their gods. Allaah (swt) says:
"Have you seen him who takes his own lust (vain desires) as his ilah (god)," [Qur'an 45:23]
The Western idea of success has led people to become enslaved to wealth, (in the sense that) money and wealth is deemed as the absolute source of benefit. This is (in reality) the essence of Capitalism and materialism, which has made people's souls become subservient to the dollar bill in an almost absolute sense, with no acknowledgement of Allah. It is just as how the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
The Messenger said, “May the worshipper of Ad-Dirham be wretched. May the worshipper of Ad-Dinâr be wretched. May the worshipper of velvet cloth be wretched. May the worshipper of silk cloth be wretched. May he be wretched and disappointed. When such a one is pierced with thorns they cannot be extracted. When he is granted (what he desires), he is pleased; and when he is denied, he is displeased...” [Bukhârî & Ibn Mâjah upon Abu Hurayrah ®]
The Prophet (sws) described such people as "worshippers" in the sense that if they get what they desire they become pleased and feel successful, and if they don't, they become displeased and feel in need. In the West, such an individual (of this condition) will enslave himself to school and work in order to achieve this illusion of "success", also known as the "American dream", and then to fill his life with some sort of meaning and purpose, he resorts to simple physical fulfillment, with no thought of decency or dignity. In fact, complete opposition to any form of human decency, morality, or dignity has become a basis of western culture, (all) in the name of "Freedom" and "Pursuit of happiness".
Shirk in Legislation
The very essence of the Western idea of life and "individualism" is based upon deifying the human intellect and rationale. It places the feeble intellect in a position in which it was not created for, beyond its reasonable capabilities, and into areas which require knowledge and understanding which it can not grasp( well enough) to make just, complete, and perfect decisions. From a very young age, children are taught "think for yourself", "be yourself", "express your emotions and ideas and follow them." From this stemmed the rejection of Divine Wisdom and revelation, in which the human being is allusioned to be the sole determinant of right and wrong, permissible and impermissible, regardless of what the All-Wise Creator states regarding an issue. Secularism and democracy all stem from this idea, which gives the feeble human intellect more weight in legislative (shar'i) affairs than Allaah. Meaning, the Shareeah of Allaah, according to Western thought is something which has to be "approved", whether regarding detailed or general matters, to see if it fits with the whims and opinions of the masses! And We seek refuge in Allaah from such kufr!
From amongst the wisdom of sending Messengers to mankind was to judge between the matters in which they differed, so that they might seek guidance from Him alone, and to refer to His Decision alone, instead of the varying opinions of human beings and their fabricated constitutions.
Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said:
"Allaah is the Judge (Al-Hakam) who judges between His slaves, the Decision(Al-Hukm) belongs to Him Alone. Allah revealed His Books and sent the Messengers to judge between them. Whoever obeys the Messenger is one of His pious close friends(awliya') and will find happiness in this world and in the Hereafter. Whoever disobeys the Messenger will be one of those doomed to torment. Allah says:
Mankind were one community and Allah sent Prophets with glad tidings and warnings, and with them He sent down the Scripture in truth to judge between people in matters wherein they differed. And only those to whom [the scripture] was given differed concerning it after clear proofs had come unto them through hatred, one to another. Then Allah by His Leave guided those who believed to the truth of that wherein they differed." [Qur'an 2:213]
Allah (swt) explains that He sent the Messengers and revealed the Books to them so that they might judge between the people concerning that wherein they differed. Allah (swt) says:
And in whatsoever you differ, the decision thereof is with Allah [He is the ruling Judge]. Such is Allah, my Lord in whom I put my trust, and to Him turn [in all my affairs] and repentance. [Qur'an 42:10]
and Prophet Yoosuf (alayhe salam) said: "The command [or the judgement] is for none but Allah. He has commanded that you worship none but Him; that is the straight religion, but most men know not" [Qur'an 12:39-40]
The Decision belongs to Allah Alone, and His Messengers conveyed that from Him. Their ruling is His ruling, and their command is His command; obeying them means obeying Him. Whatever the Messenger rules or commands them to do or prescribes in the religion, it is obligatory upon all the people to follow that and to obey him, for that is the ruling of Allah upon His creation." -end quote
How often in Western society are the opinions of t.v. and radio show hosts, musicians, congressmen, and even actors and celebrities referred to for judgment, whether that be in the political spectrum, or even affairs of day to day life? The Decision of Allah is disregarded, and the whims and opinions preached by the gods in the media is looked after eagerly (in such a culture).
In essence, the kufr of Western society can be summed up in one word which is used over and over to justify its presence, growth, and its glorification... Freedom. Yet what such a society fails to comprehend, is that such "freedom" simply represents the worship and enslavement to desires, opinions, and whims, a disregard for what is (truly) right, and a disregard for the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. Islaam is the truly liberating force, which liberates men from worshipping that which does not deserve worship, submitting to that which does not deserve submission, whether they take the form of an idol, a king, a clergy, or even one's own desires, ideas, and lusts, and then (Islaam) subsequently puts mankind forth on the worship of Allaah, the All-Wise, All-Knowing, Creator and Sustainer of the universe. To Him belong all Attributes of Perfection; none can intercede with Him except by His Permission, and He is the only one that deserves worship.
Sayyid Qutb (rahimahullah) said:
This religion is really a universal declaration of the freedom of man from servitude to other men and from servitude to his own desires, which is also a form of human servitude; it is a declaration that sovereignty belongs to Allaah alone and that He is the Lord of all the worlds. It means a challenge to all kinds and forms of systems which are based on the concept of the sovereignty of man; in other words, where man has usurped the Divine attribute. Any system in which the final decisions are referred to human beings, and in which the sources of all authority are human, deifies human beings by designating others than God as lords over men. This declaration means that the usurped authority of Allaah be returned to Him and the usurpers be thrown out-those who by themselves devise laws for others to follow, thus elevating themselves to the status of lords and reducing others to the status of slaves. In short, to proclaim the authority and sovereignty of God means to eliminate all human kingship and to announce the rule of the Sustainer of the universe over the entire earth. In the words of the Qur'an:
He alone is Allaah in the heavens and in the earth. (43:84)
The command belongs to Allaah alone. He commands you not to worship anyone except Him. This is the right way of life. (12: 40)
Say: O People of the Book, come to what is common between us: that we will not worship anyone except Allaah, and will not associate anything with Him, and will not take lords from among ourselves besides Allaah; and if they turn away then tell them to bear witness that we are those who are Muslims (have submitted to Allaah) (2: 64) "
In conclusion, it is obvious that the people of the West are in general kuffar and mushrikeen, and their kufr and shirk is clear and recognizable to any reasonable Muslim. Likewise, it is not permissible to form alliance with them, or feel love in one's heart towards them, until (and unless) they accept tawhid, by testifying laa ilaaha illa Allaah, Muhaammadun RasulAllaah, thus submitting themselves to Allaah as Muslims. Allaah (swt) says:
"You (O Muhammad ) will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad ), even though they were their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred (people)." [Qur'an 58:22]
"Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrahim (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: "Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allah, we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred for ever, until you believe in Allah Alone," [Qur'an 60:4]
"So fight them until there remains no worship of anything besides Allaah, and obedience and worship are purely for Allaah." [Qur'an 8:39]
Allaahumma Salli 3aala' Muhammad, wa 3aala' aali Muhammad. Kamaa baraktaa 3aala ibraheem wa 3alaa' aali Ibraheem. Innaka Hameedun Majeed.
May Allaah's peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad (salallahu 3alayhe wa sallam), his family, his companions, and all those who follow them in goodness until the Day of Ressurection. Ameen.
I ask Allaah to keep us on the straight path, the path of Al-Islaam, subdue our enemies, and give us victory over the disbelieving people.
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