Answering Questions Through The Holy Qur'an: Is shirk forgivable? (shirk = idolatry or polytheism)

Is shirk forgivable? (shirk = idolatry or polytheism)

4:48 Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives other than that for whom He wills. And whoever associates partners with Allah, then has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.

4:116 Indeed, Allah does not forgive to associate partners with Him, but He forgives other than that for whom He wills. And whoever associates partners with Allah, then surely he lost the way, straying far away.

(One interpretation is that God does not forgive association if people did not repent and asked forgiveness before they died. This interpretation is supported by other Verses in the Qur’an. See verses below)(The Verses of the Qur’an are not mutually exclusive but complement each other)(Allah knows best)

4:18 And the repentance is not accepted from those who do evil deeds until when death is present to one of them, he says, "Indeed, I repent now;" nor for those who die while they are disbelievers. For them We have prepared a painful punishment.

40:84 So when they saw Our punishment, they said, "We believe in Allah Alone and we disbelieve in what we used to associate with Him." 40:85 But their faith did not benefit them when they saw Our punishment. The Way of Allah which (has) indeed preceded among His slaves. And the disbelievers are lost there.

(Those who associate have to repent before they see the punishment (40:84-85))(Allah knows best)

39:53 Say, "O My slaves, those who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the Mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

(The Verses of the Qur’an are not mutually exclusive, but complement each other. “Indeed, Allah forgives all sins” (39:53))(Allah knows best)

6:75 And thus We showed Abraham the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, so that he would be among those who are certain. 6:76 So when the night covered him, he saw a star. He said, "This is my Lord." But when it set, he said "I do not like the ones that set." 6:77 When he saw the moon rising, he said, "This is my Lord." But when it set, he said, "If my Lord does not guide me, I will surely be among the people who went astray." 6:78 When he saw the sun rising, he said, "This is my Lord, this is greater." But when it set, he said, "O my people, indeed, I am free of what you associate."

(Abraham ended up rewarded (37:109-111), despite of the sentences in Verses 6:76-78)(Allah knows best)

6:40 Say, "Have you seen if (there) came to you (the) punishment (of) Allah or (there) came to you the Hour - is it other than Allah you call, if you are truthful?" 6:41 "Nay, (it is) Him Alone you call, and He would remove what you call upon Him if He wills, and you will forget what you associate."

5:73 They have certainly disbelieved, those who say, "Indeed, Allah is the third of three." And there is no god except the One God. And if they do not desist from what they are saying, a painful punishment will surely afflict those who disbelieved among them. 5:74 So will they not turn to Allah and seek His forgiveness? And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

(According to Verses 5:73-74, Trinitarians can be forgiven)(Allah knows best)

27:24 And I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of Allah, and Satan has made fair-seeming to them their deeds, and averted them from the Way, so they are not guided, ... 27:43 And that which she used to worship besides Allah has averted her. Indeed, she was from a people who disbelieve. 27:44 It was said to her, "Enter the palace." Then when she saw it, she thought it (was) a pool, and she uncovered her shins. He said, "Indeed, it (is) a palace made smooth, of glass." She said, "My Lord, indeed, I have wronged myself, and I submit with Solomon to Allah, (the) Lord (of) the worlds."

(The Queen of Sheba prostrated to the sun, instead of God (27:24). She was from a people who disbelieve (27:43). She became a “believer” (27:44))(People believe by God’s permission (10:100))(Allah knows best)

4:153 The People of the Book ask you to bring down to them a book from the heaven. Indeed, they had asked Moses even greater than that for they said, "Show us Allah manifestly," so the thunderbolt struck them for their wrongdoing. Then they took the calf after clear proofs came to them, then We forgave them for that. And We gave Moses a clear authority.

7:152 Indeed, those who took the calf, will reach them the wrath from their Lord, and humiliation in the life of the world. And thus We recompense the ones who invent. 7:153 And those who do evil deeds then repented after that and believed, indeed, after that your Lord is surely Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

20:88 Then he brought forth for them a calf's body which had a lowing sound, and they said, "This is your god and the god of Moses, but he forgot." ... 20:90 And verily Aaron had said to them before, "O my people, you are only being tested by it, and indeed, your Lord is the Most Gracious, so follow me and obey my order."

12:87 O my sons, go and find out about Joseph and his brother and despair not of the Mercy of Allah . Indeed, no one despairs of the Mercy of Allah except the disbelieving people."

26:44 So they threw their ropes and their staffs and said, "By the might of Pharaoh, indeed, we are surely the victorious." 26:45 Then Moses threw his staff, and behold, it swallowed what they falsified. 26:46 Then the magicians fell down prostrate. 26:47 They said, "We believe in the Lord of the worlds, 26:48 The Lord of Moses and Aaron." … 26:51 Indeed, we hope that our Lord will forgive us for our sins, because we are the first of the believers."

(Despite the magicians said “by the might of Pharaoh”, in regard to their magic; then after believing in the Lord of the worlds, they hope that God will forgive them (26:51))(Allah knows best)

25:68 And those who do not invoke with Allah another god, and do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right, and do not commit adultery/fornication. And whoever does that will meet a penalty. 25:69 The punishment will be doubled for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide forever therein humiliated 25:70 Except he who repents and believes and does righteous deeds, then for those Allah will replace their evil deeds with good ones. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

9:3 And an announcement from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the day of the greater Pilgrimage that Allah is free from obligations to the polytheists, and (so is) His Messenger. So if you repent, then, it is best for you. But if you turn away, then know that you (can)not escape Allah. And give glad tidings to those who disbelieve of a painful punishment.

9:5 Then, when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and seize them and besiege them and sit (in wait) for them at every place of ambush. But if they repent and establish prayer and give the zakah, then leave their way. Indeed, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

66:8 O you who believe, turn to Allah in sincere repentance. Perhaps (‘asa) your Lord will remove from you your evil deeds and admit you into Gardens underneath which rivers flow - that Day Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believed with him. Their light will run before them and on their right; they will say, "Our Lord, perfect for us our light and forgive us. Indeed, You are All-Powerful over everything."

(Verses 66:8 and 28:67 use the word “perhaps” (‘asa), as if they might not be forgiven, but Verse 66:8 says in addition that “that Day Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believed with him”, which indicates that believers are to be saved. So, one interpretation is that they are to be forgiven as long as they are in the right course. For example, someone is doing righteous deeds, but it is not known yet, until he dies, if he will end up having more evil deeds than good deeds or vice versa (101:6-8), or if he will die as a Muslim (7:126). Both Verses tell about believers being required to “repent”, so they previously committed some mistake)(Another point is that the root of “’asa” (perhaps) is “Ayn-Siin-Ya”, and it means “to perhaps, it may well be that, near to doing, hope/desire”. So, according to other meanings of the word, “’asa” is in the sense of hoping salvation, or going in the direction of salvation, rather than despairing)(Allah knows best)

28:67 But as for (him) who repented and believed, and did righteousness, then perhaps (fa’asa) he will be of the successful ones.

11:61 And to Thamud, their brother Salih. He said, "O my people, worship Allah ; you have no deity other than Him. He has produced you from the earth and settled you in it, so ask forgiveness of Him, then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is near and responsive." 11:62 They said, O Salih! Verily you were among us the one in whom hope was placed before this. Do you forbid us that we worship what our forefathers worshiped? And indeed we surely (are) in suspicious doubt about that to which you call us." … 27:45 And certainly, We sent to Thamud their brother Salih that, "Worship Allah." Then behold! They (became) two parties quarreling. 27:46 He said, "O my people! Why (do) you seek to hasten the evil before the good? Why (do) you not ask forgiveness (of) Allah so that you may receive mercy?" 27:47 They said, "We consider you a bad omen and those with you." He said, "Your bad omen is with Allah. Nay, you are a people being tested."

(The people of Salih (11:61) worshiped other than God (11:62), so they are required to ask forgiveness of God (11:61, 27:46), then repent to God (11:61), because it can be forgiven (27:46))(Allah knows best)

6:121 And (do) not eat of that on which Allah’s name has not been mentioned, and indeed, it (is) grave disobedience. And indeed, the devils inspire [to] their friends so that they dispute with you, and if you obey them, indeed, you (would) be the polytheists.

(If you obey the devils, it is polytheism)(Allah knows best)

14:36 My Lord, indeed, they have led astray many among mankind. So whoever follows me, then indeed, he is of me, and whoever disobeys me, then indeed, You are Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

12:37 He said, "(The) food (which) you are provided [with] (will) not come to both of you but I will inform both of you of its interpretation, before [that] [it] comes to both of you. That (is) of/(from) what my Lord has taught me. Indeed, I [I] abandon (the) religion (of) a people they/(who) (do) not believe in Allah, and [they] (are) disbelievers in the Hereafter. 12:38 And I follow the religion of my forefathers, Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob. It was not for us to associate anything with Allah. That is from the Grace of Allah upon us, and upon the mankind, but most of the men are not grateful.