['Aalim Network QR] Shirk

[Kara <m.kara@utoronto.ca>]

________________________________________________________________________
|                          w           w     w                          |\
|                           ||          ||   | ||                       |\
|                    o_,_7 _||  . _o_7 _|| 4_|_||  o_w_,                |\
|                   ( :   /    (_)    /           (   .                 |\
|                                                                       |\
|           ||  ||         |  ||   |T              |     | ||    |      |\
|   . _, _8 |_D_|| . _,_,_,_D_|| 4_|| q ]_o_7_o   _|_c 4_|_||   _|,_p q |\
|  (_): /         (_): . :            /        (_S           (_S      / |\
|                                                                       |\
|       In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful       |\
|  Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\
|_______________________________________________________________________|\




Salam Alaikum

The following is a question that has been kindly answered by Dr. 
Liyakatali Takim. He is the Imam of the Ja'aferi Islamic Centre of
Toronto, Canada. 


Thanks

Mahmood Kara
The Alim Network


Assalamu alaykum

I am trying to understand if the following constitutes shirk:

If for example, a person is shot but they were wearing a  bullet proof vest
and thus were spared injury, can I say, "the vest protected them." Is that
shirk?  To avoid shirk, must I say always "It was Allah who 
protected them?"

If it seems that both the vest AND Allah protected the person, is that like
setting up a partner with Allah?

Please based answers on rulings of Ayat Khameini.

-------------------Answer----------------------


Salaamun 'Alaykum;

Shirk is defined as worshipping or submitting to anything (or anyone) 
else but Allah. To take anything else but God as an object of worhip is
shirk.  However, Allah has endowed us with rational faculties so as to
fulfill the purpose of human existence on earth. 

One of the essentials in human existence is to preserve our lives, our
property, dignity etc. To that end, Allah has allowed us to use all
possible means necessary especially when it comes to preserving a life.
For example, if necessary, it can be wajib on a person to consume pork if
that meant that he would save his life, he is allowed to consume only that
amount which is necessary for his survival. 

Using a vest to save his life and claiming that it saved his life is not
shirk, it is merely acknowledging a fact. To take any precaution and to
acknowledge that it saved him from injury is not shirk, it is merely
stating a matter of fact. In no way does it compromise in the belief in
the unity of Allah nor does one worship the vest so that it can be called
an act of shirk. 

I trust this will clear up any misunderstanding.

Fi Amanillah

Liyakatali