Attributing the blessings to other than Allah is a form of Shirk

Attributing the blessings to other than Allah is a form of Shirk

Considering that Allah, the Exalted, is the Source of all tangible and intangible blessings bestowed upon His creation—as He declares:

[النحل: 53] (وَمَا ‌بِكُمْ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ)

{Whatever blessings you have are from Allah.} 16:53

[لقمان: 20] (وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُ ظَاهِرَةً وَبَاطِنَةً)

[And He has lavished His favours upon you, both seen and unseen] 31:20

It becomes imperative for the servant to acknowledge these bestowed favors, express gratitude, and thereby include them in the possession of their Master, the Bestower, Glorified and Exalted be He.

Allah articulates this phenomenon in the Quran:

[النحل: 83] (يَعْرِفُونَ نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ ‌يُنْكِرُونَهَا)

[They are aware of Allah’s favours, but still deny them.] 16:83

According to Mujahid, this denial is akin to someone stating, "This wealth is mine, inherited from my forefathers." In essence, when an individual acknowledges the blessing of wealth, but overlooks the Bestower, attributing it solely to their forefathers from whom the wealth was inherited, Allah categorizes it as a denial of the blessing.

Awn ibn Abdullah said, "They say: 'Were it not for so-and-so, this would not have happened.' Attributing a blessing to someone while forgetting Allah Almighty is considered a denial and ingratitude towards Him."

Allah, the Most Exalted, warns against associating partners with Him in the Quran:

[البقرة: 22] (فَلَا ‌تَجْعَلُوا ‌لِلَّهِ ‌أَنْدَادًا وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ)

[So do not knowingly set up equals to Allah ˹in worship˺.] 1:22

Ibn Abbas mentions that when people say, "If this dog were not there, thieves would have entered our house; if this duck were not there, thieves would have entered," or when someone says, "If it were not for Allah and so-and-so, I would have drowned," adding the term "so-and-so" in this sentence is considered an act of associating partners with Allah.

Ibn Uthaymeen asserts, "Do not say, 'If it were not for Allah and so-and-so, I would have drowned.' Such a statement is both forbidden and impermissible, for you have equated the cause, which is a creation, to the Creator of the cause, and this constitutes a form of associating partners with Allah."

Associating a creature with the Creator in terms of attributing blessings is considered shirk, as Ibn Abbas stated. However, this form of shirk is minor and pertains to the use of words.

If one says, "If it were not for Allah alone, I would have drowned," this represents the highest level of Tawhid. However, if one says, "If it were not for Allah and so-and-so, I would have drowned," such a statement is also permissible because the term "then" signifies sequence and conjunction, indicating that the blessing is affirmed for Allah and then attributed to the creature as a secondary cause.

In essence, it is crucial to show reverence to Allah when attributing blessings to Him.

So, if someone asks you, "How did you succeed in the exam?" Respond, "This is due to Allah's favor upon me," and refrain from emphasizing your effort and dedication. If you wish, you can add, "This is by the grace of Allah, and then through my efforts."

When you recover from an illness, don't attribute it solely to a particular doctor. Instead, say, "This is by the grace of Allah alone." If you prefer, you can acknowledge, "By the grace of Allah, then with the assistance of the doctor."

If Allah saves you from a car accident, don't claim it's because of your skillful driving. Rather, express, "The credit goes to Allah alone."

Recognize that for every cause and effect, Allah is the ultimate creator. Thus, every circumstance is a manifestation of Allah's grace and generosity.

The eighteenth lesson concludes, all praise be to Allah.