Question
Question
Some Muslims venerate saints, seek help from the dead, or perform rituals that resemble polytheism. Are they not the same as polytheists (mushrikūn) like the Christians or pagan Arabs? If they engage in such practices, should they not be designated as mushrikūn in the Qur’anic sense?
Answer
This is a sensitive but important question that requires distinguishing between two concepts: committing acts of shirk (polytheism) and being designated as a mushrik (polytheist) in the technical, Qur’anic sense of the term. While certain Muslim groups or individuals may perform actions that theologically fall under shirk, it does not follow that they should be classified as mushrikūn—at least not within the Qur’anic usage of the term.
This distinction has been carefully argued by scholars such as Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, whose interpretive framework is built upon the linguistic and contextual coherence of Qur’anic terminology.
Committing Shirk vs. Being a Mushrik
The Qur’an unequivocally condemns shirk as the gravest theological sin:
“God shall not forgive associating partners with Him. Lesser than this, however, He will forgive [according to His law] whomsoever He wants.”
Qur’ān 4:116
However, as emphasised by Ghamidi, the Qur’an reserves the term mushrik, particularly with the definite article ال (al), for a specific group: the Arab polytheists of the Prophet Muhammad’s time who had adopted shirk not as an occasional deviation but as a self-professed religious identity. They proudly believed in and promoted a religious worldview in which God had appointed partners, intermediaries, or divine associates.
In contrast, most Muslims, however deviant some of their practices may appear, continue to identify themselves as monotheists. They profess belief in one God, recite the shahādah, and uphold tawḥīd (the oneness of God) as a core tenet of their faith.
Even when some of their actions, such as making vows at graves, bowing to them, asking intercession from saints, treating religious leaders with quasi-divine reverence or upholding ideas such as waḥdat al-wujūd, may fall in the domain of shirk, they do not understand these acts as violations of monotheism (tawḥīd). In most cases, they are the result of cultural practices, misinformation, or theological misinterpretation, not a conscious, defiant adoption of polytheism as a religious doctrine.
The Qur’anic Usage of Mushrik
The Qur’an carefully distinguishes between theological error and religious identity. For instance, the term al-mushrikūn is used in a defined legal-theological sense. It refers to those who consciously and deliberately adopted polytheism as a religion, especially the pagan Arabs from the Ishmaelites who rejected the Prophet’s call even after itmam al-ḥujjah (conclusive communication of the truth).
The Qur’an critiques shirk even in the beliefs of Jews and Christians (e.g., 5:72, 9:31), but never refers to them as mushrikūn. It never calls them mushrikūn, even when their practices are condemned or their intentions questioned. For a detailed discussion, please refer to “Are Christians Polytheists (Mushrik)?“
This precision of language must be respected, especially since the term mushrik has significant legal consequences in the Qur’an, regarding marriage (2:221), access to the sacred sanctuary (9:28), burial rights, inheritance, and prayer.
Religion vs. Practice
The label mushrik is not used in the Qur’an for individuals or groups who merely commit shirk unless:
- They do so knowingly,
- Persistently, and
- As a core feature of their approved religious identity.
Many Muslims who commit acts of shirk do not realise the gravity of their actions. They often believe such acts bring them closer to God, invoking traditions or community teachings without questioning their theological validity. Their error is real and worthy of correction, but their accountability as mushrikīn is not for us to decide—it belongs to God alone, who judges with full knowledge of intentions and understanding.
Declaring a group as mushrik carries not only a theological judgment but also legal and social consequences. For this reason, it must be based on clear, unambiguous Qur’anic criteria.
While acts of shirk must be identified, corrected, and warned against, branding fellow Muslims, who still affirm monotheism, as mushrik is neither theologically accurate nor ethically justified. This would contradict both the Qur’an’s linguistic usage and its moral spirit of justice:
“and your animosity for a people should not induce you to turn away from justice. Be just; this is nearer to piety.”
Qur’ān 5:8
In summary:
- Yes, some Muslims engage in practices that fall within the ambit of shirk.
- However, unless they knowingly and deliberately adopt shirk as their religion, the Qur’an does not designate them as mushrikūn.
- Just as the Qur’an critiques the shirk found among Christians and Jews but refrains from calling them mushrikūn, the same applies to Muslims.
- The legal and theological term mushrik must be applied only as the Qur’an applies it—with full awareness of its historical context, legal implications, and linguistic precision.
This approach does not mean downplaying the gravity of shirk; it simply means following the Qur’an’s example in identifying and addressing it with wisdom, justice, and caution.
