The Meaning of the Terms “Lesser Shirk” and “Greater Shirk”

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Following the previous explanation of the word shirk, it is important to clarify that the form of polytheism primarily addressed in this book is the so-called “greater shirk” (shirkun akbar).

In the Islamic sources, however, the term shirk is also used with another meaning: the so-called “lesser shirk” (shirkun asghar).

According to Islamic theology, this lesser shirk is indeed considered a sin but does not constitute actual polytheism since no act of worship is truly directed towards anything besides Allah سبحانه وتعالى.

If a Muslim commits such an act of lesser shirk, he does not become a polytheist as a result. Just like with other sins, committing lesser shirk does not remove a person from the fold of Islam.

In the Islamic sources, the terms kufr or shirk⁸¹ are sometimes used without referring to greater kufr or greater shirk. The actual meaning of these terms in such cases becomes clear from the context. However, as long as it is not evident from the context that it refers to lesser shirk, the consensus of Muslim scholars dictates that the original meaning of these terms should not be dismissed.

An example of this can be found in the following hadith, which Ahmad narrated in his Musnad from Ibn 'Abbas رضي الله عنه:

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلًا قَالَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ وَشِئْتَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَجَعَلْتَنِي وَاللَّهَ عَدْلًا بَلْ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ»

…, that a man said to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: “What Allah and you (both together) will.” Then the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said to him: “Have you made me equal to Allah?! (Rather, say) What Allah alone wills.”

In the incident cited here, the matter was not that the man actually intended to worship the Prophet. Rather, it was a stern reminder from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that such expressions should be avoided, as they outwardly contradict monotheism.

From what has been explained, it becomes clear that in the texts of the shari'ah, a distinction is made between actual greater polytheism and the so-called lesser shirk. As previously mentioned, whenever polytheism or shirk is referred to in this book, it generally refers to greater shirk.