Does Allah Forgive Shirk?

[Guest SimpleMan]

Salam Alaykum,

I wanted to ask if Allah forgives Shirk? I have seen Quranic verses such as Surah 4:48 which outlines that Allah does not forgive Shirk but will forgive anything else to whomever pleases. Then I also see Surah 39:53 which calls on believers not to lose hope in the mercy of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى), that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) forgives all sins.

What brings me more confusion is the story outlined in the Hadith Biharul Anwar, vol.6, p.23, where a gravedigger spoke to the Prophet Muhammad ((عليه السلام)) and thought Allah would not forgive him for his crimes. The Prophet asked him if he committed shirk or murder, to which the gravedigger said no and the Prophet ((عليه السلام)) said that Allah’s mercy is vast for him to be forgiven.

This is important to me as I have a friend who struggles with waswas and has despaired of Allah’s mercy.

Salam.

[Mountain]

On 11/10/2025 at 4:52 PM, Guest SimpleMan said:

Salam Alaykum,

I wanted to ask if Allah forgives Shirk? I have seen Quranic verses such as Surah 4:48 which outlines that Allah does not forgive Shirk but will forgive anything else to whomever pleases. Then I also see Surah 39:53 which calls on believers not to lose hope in the mercy of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى), that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) forgives all sins.

What brings me more confusion is the story outlined in the Hadith Biharul Anwar, vol.6, p.23, where a gravedigger spoke to the Prophet Muhammad ((عليه السلام)) and thought Allah would not forgive him for his crimes. The Prophet asked him if he committed shirk or murder, to which the gravedigger said no and the Prophet ((عليه السلام)) said that Allah’s mercy is vast for him to be forgiven.

This is important to me as I have a friend who struggles with waswas and has despaired of Allah’s mercy.

Salam.

Asalamu Alaikum, Allah the exalted forgives all sins whilst you are alive (provided you have sincere repentance/regret) after death Allah Subhana hu’wa’ta’ala doesn’t forgive shirk.

[Abu Hassanain]

Salam

any sin, but the major idolatry can be forgiven, even after death .  
 

Veterinarians that indicate that sins that are crimes against other peoples rights must gain forgiveness from them during their lifetime
 

There is a debate about what levels of idolatry are not forgiven, even after death

wallahu Alam 

[Ashvazdanghe]

On 11/10/2025 at 8:22 PM, Guest SimpleMan said:

Salam Alaykum,

I wanted to ask if Allah forgives Shirk? I have seen Quranic verses such as Surah 4:48 which outlines that Allah does not forgive Shirk but will forgive anything else to whomever pleases. Then I also see Surah 39:53 which calls on believers not to lose hope in the mercy of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى), that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) forgives all sins.

What brings me more confusion is the story outlined in the Hadith Biharul Anwar, vol.6, p.23, where a gravedigger spoke to the Prophet Muhammad ((عليه السلام)) and thought Allah would not forgive him for his crimes. The Prophet asked him if he committed shirk or murder, to which the gravedigger said no and the Prophet ((عليه السلام)) said that Allah’s mercy is vast for him to be forgiven.

This is important to me as I have a friend who struggles with waswas and has despaired of Allah’s mercy.

Salam.

Salam

Hidden Shirk (polytheism) or "minor Shirk (polytheism)" is a mild form of polytheism that is realized by considering other than Allah in doing things. Lack of complete trust in Allah and preoccupation with the world are considered to be levels of hidden Shikr (polytheism). Hidden polytheism does not cause a person to leave Islam. Commentators have considered some verses of the Quran to refer to hidden polytheism and have concluded from them that many believers are involved in hidden polytheism.

In the narrations, things such as hypocrisy, seeking help from other than Allah, and loving injustice are considered examples of this polytheism.

Hidden polytheism (unlike overt polytheism) does not cause a person to leave Islam.[6] It also does not contradict the principle of faith, therefore, a believer may be afflicted with the scourge of hidden polytheism.[7]

The scope of the meaning of polytheism in the verse «وَ ما یؤْمِنُ أَکثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلَّا وَ هُمْ مُشْرِکونَ؛ “And most of them believe in Allah except while they associate others with Him”[15] has been considered by commentators to be covert polytheism.[16] Therefore, most Muslims and believers are involved in covert polytheism, and there are few believers who are free from this polytheism.[17]

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And most of them do not believe in Allah without ascribing partners to Him. (106)

https://tanzil.net/#trans/en.qarai/12:106

Imam Sadiq ((عليه السلام).) has said: A person who says: If it were not for so-and-so, I would have perished, and if it were not for so-and-so, such and such would have happened to me, and if it were not for so-and-so, my family would have been lost, has associated partners with Allah. The narrator said to the Imam: (Is there any problem) to say that if Allah had not bestowed favor on me because of so-and-so, I would have perished. The Imam ((عليه السلام).) said: This is good and there is no problem in saying this and the like.[18] Imam Baqir and Imam Sadiq ((عليه السلام).) have interpreted this as shirk of blessings.[19] Some scholars have said that the meaning of “shirk of blessings” is that a blessing from Allah reaches a person and he considers someone other than Allah as a partner with Allah in granting sustenance and blessings and says that this blessing has come to me from so-and-so, if it were not for him, I would have died! Or my life would have been wasted and I would have become poor.

Some scholars have generally concluded that people who are caught up in the worship of vanity, ambition, money, or are intimidated by satanic and arrogant powers are caught up in hidden shirk.[20]

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Examples
In the hadiths, examples of hidden polytheism are given:

Show-off
Every act of worship should be done only for God. If someone shows off, it means that he has performed a worship for a creature; this is mocking God and is one of the major sins.[21]

There are various narrations on the hidden polytheism of show-off:

The Prophet ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)) said: What I fear most about my nation is minor polytheism. They asked: What is minor polytheism? He said: Show-off.[22]

Imam Sadiq (عليه السلام) said: Do not show off in your actions, especially for a creature that has no power to give life or death, and has no ability to make you needless. Show-off is a tree whose fruit and result is hidden polytheism.[23]

Imam Sadiq (عليه السلام) said: Whoever prays, fasts, frees a slave, or performs Hajj, and his intention is to make people like him, He is considered a polytheist, but his polytheism is forgivable.[24]
An act that requires an apology
The Prophet ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)) said: Avoid anything that requires an apology, because it contains hidden polytheism.[25][Note 1]

Ask from other than Allah
A person said to the Prophet ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)): “Whatever Allah wills and you will.” The Prophet ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)) said: “Do you associate partners with Allah? Say only if Allah wills.”[26]

Loving injustice
The Prophet ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)) said: “... the closest thing to hidden polytheism is to love some injustice or to dislike some justice.”[27]

https://fa.wikishia.net/view/شرک_خفی

13 hours ago, Mountain said:

Asalamu Alaikum, Allah the exalted forgives all sins whilst you are alive (provided you have sincere repentance/regret) after death Allah Subhana hu’wa’ta’ala doesn’t forgive shirk.

 

Does Allah forgive Shirk or not?
By carefully examining the previous explanations, it becomes clear that there is no contradiction or difference between verse 53 of Surah Az-Zumar and verses 48 and 116 of Surah An-Nisa on the issue of forgiving polytheism; because verse 53 of Surah Az-Zumar says that Allah forgives every sin, even polytheism, with repentance; but two verses of Surah An-Nisa say that Allah, apart from polytheism, may forgive other sins even without repentance:
-Allah forgives polytheism with repentance;
-Allah does not forgive polytheism without repentance.
As is clear, there is no contradiction between these verses.

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As is the case with the calf worship of the Israelites, this is exactly the case. Although they became calf worshipers and polytheists, but when they repented, Allah accepted their repentance and forgave their polytheism: So repent to those of you, then kill yourselves; that is good for you; for those of you, repentance is upon you; indeed, He is the Repentance of the Most Merciful﴾; And [remember] when Moses said to his people: O my people! You have indeed wronged yourselves by taking the calf as a god, so return to your Creator and kill each other. That is better for you in the sight of your Creator. So God turned to you [in obedience to His command], for He is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.

Conclusion:
Contrary to the belief of some readers of the Quran who have read this book without thinking, there is no difference or contradiction between verse 53 of Surah Az-Zumar and verses 48 and 116 of Surah An-Nisa; because according to verse 53, Allah forgives every sin, including polytheism and idolatry, on condition of repentance; just as the people of the Children of Israel also forgave them after they worshipped the calf, when they repented and repented, God forgave them; But according to the other two verses, God forgives every sin except polytheism for anyone who deserves it, even without repentance; therefore, Allah has said in one verse: “I forgive polytheism with repentance” and in another place: “I do not forgive polytheism without repentance,” and it is quite clear that there is no contradiction, duality, or difference between these two statements. The important point is that is it possible for the Quran, whose main and fundamental purpose in the beginning was to guide the polytheists of Mecca, to say: Allah will never forgive polytheism and, consequently, polytheists!

Therefore, this illusion that according to the Holy Quran, The Shirk and polytheism are unforgivable sins even with repentance, is not reasonable at all.

https://www.pasokhgoo.ir/کلمات-کلیدی/بخشش-شرک

7 hours ago, Abu Hassanain said:

Salam

any sin, but the major idolatry can be forgiven, even after death .  
 

Veterinarians that indicate that sins that are crimes against other peoples rights must gain forgiveness from them during their lifetime
 

There is a debate about what levels of idolatry are not forgiven, even after death

wallahu Alam 

Amir al-Mu’minin ((عليه السلام).) says: “There is no verse in the Quran more beloved to me than the saying of the Almighty: “Indeed, Allah does not forgive that partners be associated with Him, but He forgives less than that to whomever He wills.” (4) The second reason: The clarification of some narrations shows that major sins are also included in this exception, meaning that they are also part of the “subordinate” of polytheism and are forgiven: “Hisham, on the authority of Abu Abdullah ((عليه السلام).) said: I said to him, ‘The major sins have been included in the exception.’ He said, ‘Yes.’” Hisham says that I asked Imam Sadiq ((عليه السلام).): Are major sins also included in this exception (are they lower than polytheism and are they forgiven?) The Imam ((عليه السلام).) said: Yes. (5) Other similar narrations in this regard have also been mentioned in the sources. (6)

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4. صدوق، محمد بن علی بن بابویه، التوحید، نشر جامعه مدرسین، چاپ اول، 1398ق، ص409.

5. قمی، علی بن ابراهیم، تفسیر قمی، نشر دارالکتاب، قم، چاپ سوم، 1404ق، ج1، ص140.

6. ر.ک: کلینی، محمد بن یعقوب، الکافی، دارالکتب الاسلامیه، تهران، چاپ چهارم، 1407ق، ج2، ص284؛ عیاشی، محمد بن مسعود، تفسیر عیاشی، المطبعة العلمیه، تهران، چاپ اول، 1380ق، ج1، ص246

 

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4. Saduq , Muhammad ibn Ali Babawayh , al-Tawhid ,first publication p 409

5. Qumi, Tafsir Qumi , third publication , v1 ,p 140

6. Kulaini, Kafi ,fourth publication ,v2, P 284 ; Ayashi , Tafsir Ayashi ,first publication , v1 ,P 246

http://www.porsemanequran.com/content/خداوند،-شرک-و-بخشش#:~:text=خدا در قرآن فرموده هرگز شرک را نمی,را خدا و معبود خویش قرار داده است.