"joining partners with God" or shirk is used a bit more generally than
that. For example it would also include ascribing attributes of God to
beings other than God. (So from a Muslim view, the typical Christian
understanding of the Incarnation). Also the Trinity (arguably)
constitutes a certain kind of polytheism and is typically considered
shirk. Or obeying other beings as if one should obey God. Certain
kinds of hypocrisy are sometimes seen as a subset of shirk because it
means you are fearing and obeying other people and giving more weight
to what "people" will think of you than what God thinks of you.
It has been discussed before but of course some Muslims might look at
the high status which Bahais ascribe to Bahaullah and view that as
shirk although Bahais would presumably have alternative ways of
describing the situation.
Below you mention intercession or tawassul.I would say that the
orthodox Islamic concept of intercession is clearly not shirk since it
still insists that God is the ultimate source of everything. But it
allows for the possibility of asking for a good or a benefit by means
of a prophet, saint or other pious individual.. just like in our
ordinary lives, even though God is the source of all healing and all
our provisions, we still seek that healing by means of doctors and
medicine or we seek those provisions by means of the supermarket.
-G
On Sat, Mar 22, 2008 at 2:46 AM, Matt Haase <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
>
>
> The phrase "joining partners with God" is an Islamic term originally, and
> is often interpreted to mean a belief that people should pray to Prophets,
> Angels, Messengers to get closer to God, instead of approaching God
> directly. It is condemned in the Qur'an as the only sin that God would not
> forgive. I'm too tired to quote anything at the moment, but I will once I
> get some sleep. However, it is not as black and white as that because the
> Qur'an also alludes to the possibility of the permissibility of using
> someone as an "intercessor" for God if God "permits" it. There are many
> authentic traditions that support this view, but it in no way implies any
> sort of worship of any other Being than God Alone.
>
>
>
> On Fri, Mar 21, 2008 at 8:12 PM, Dean Betts <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Fellow Baha'is,
> >
> > Please read the following from the Persian Hidden Words:
> >
> >
> > 44. O COMPANION OF MY THRONE!
> > Hear no evil, and see no evil, abase not thyself, neither sigh and weep.
> Speak no evil, that thou mayest not hear it spoken unto thee, and magnify
> not the faults of others that thine own faults may not appear great; and
> wish not the abasement of anyone, that thine own abasement be not exposed.
> Live then the days of thy life, that are less than a fleeting moment, with
> thy mind stainless, thy heart unsullied, thy thoughts pure, and thy nature
> sanctified, so that, free and content, thou mayest put away this mortal
> frame, and repair unto the mystic paradise and abide in the eternal kingdom
> for evermore.
> >
> > (Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)
> >
> > To whom do you think " O COMPANION OF MY THRONE" refers?
> > We are warned many times in the Writings to not "join partners with God".
> > Would not a COMPANION OF HIS THRONE be at least a minor partner?
> > Therefore, I am thinking that this Persian Hidden Word #44 must be
> addressed to the Blessed Beauty.
> > But, Persian Hidden Word #44, does not appear to be addressed to
> Baha'u'llah.
> >
> > Please share your thoughts on this.
> >
> > Happy Naw-Ruz,
> >
> > Dean Betts,
> > Charlotte, NC
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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