NOTICE: This article is a reproduction from Submitters Perspective No 28, May 1987.
THE ISLAMIC REVIEW, journal of the Ahmadiyyah movement. Lahore, Pakistan (Feb/Mar 87) attacked me in an editorial titled: “Saying ‘Muhammad Ar-Rashul-Ullah’ Is Not Shirk (Polytheism).” The editorial listed the well-known litany of verses advocating obedience to God and His apostle. This editorial, which represents the general belief of the Muslim masses, clearly reveals two major disasters:
(1) that the Muslims generally do not accept LAA ELAAHA ELLA ALLAH (There is no god except Allah) by itself, even though this is the message delivered by Muhammad and all previous messengers (please see 21:25), and
(2) they do not have any idea what shirk is.
Shirk, by definition, is putting anything besides God, in any way, shape, or form. The Qur’an makes this extremely clear by stating that the mere mention of anything or anyone besides God is Shirk. Please see 39:45 and 40:10-12.
When you invite me to dinner and ask me to bring my servant with me, I am not invited ALONE. Even though you acknowledge that my companion (in Arabic Sharik) is my servant, I am not invited ALONE. This is Shirk.