To worship anything besides God is Shirk. To offer prayers for anyone apart from God is Shirk.

To make supplication (Dua) to anyone besides God is Shirk. To seek anyone's help besides
God is Shirk.

God says in the Qur'an, "Verily God forgives not setting up partners in worship with
Him. But He forgives whom He pleases, sins other than that (shirk)" The Holy Qur'an,
Chapter 4, Verse 116

God says in the Qur'an, "Verily whosoever sets up partners in worship with God, then
God Has forbidden paradise for him and the fire will be his abode" The Holy Qur'an,
Chapter 5, Verse 72

Even a muslim who commits shirk will not enter paradise.

Some of the kinds of Shirk with Hadith references:

To swear to someone besides God

1. "He who swore by something other than Allah shall be regarded as Mushrik" Reported by
Umar Ibn al-Khattab(ra) and narrated by Ahmad

2. "He who swore by other than Allah has fallen in kufr or shirk" Reported by Umar Ibn al-
Khattab(ra) and narrated by Abu Dawood and At-Tirmidhi

3. "To pretend to be muslims by concealing bad faith in their hearts is disguised shirk." This
kind of shirk is Riya (to do good deeds or beautify them to be seen by men)

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said that "May I tell you of what i fear very much, that might
harm you more than Al Masih Ad Dajjal (the false Messiah). The audience said "Yes, Prophet of
Allah". He said " The disguised Shirk..When a man gets up to pray and strives to beautify his
prayer, because people are looking at him" Reported y Abi Sa'eed Al Khudri and narrated by
Imam Ahmed in his Musnad.

To wear a ring, twine or anything similar for protection from or removal of harm or
affliction

Allah the Almighty said " Say: Tell me then, the things that you invoke besides Allah - if
Allah intended some harm for me, could they remove His harm, or if He (Allah)
intended some mercy for me, could they withhold His mercy? Say: Sufficient for me
is Allah; in Him those who trust must put their trust." The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 39,
Verse 38

Ibn Abi Hatim reported about Hudhaifah (ra) : He saw a man with a piece of twine on his hand
(as protection or cure from fever) so he cut the twine and read the verse " Most of them
believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him" The Holy Qur'an,
Chapter 12, Verse 106"
 The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 112

To seek help from other than Allah or to invoke other than Him

Allah the most exalted said "And invoke not besides Allah any that will neither profit
you nor hurt you, but if (in case) you did so, you shall certainly be one of the
polytheists and wrong doers. And if Allah touches you with hurt, there is none who
can remove it but He; and if He intends any good for you, there is none who can
repel His favours which He causes it to reach whomsoever of His slaves He wills. And
He is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful" The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 10, Verses 106-107

Allah's Messenger (pbuh) has warned the one who builds the mosque to worship Allah near
the grave of righteous persons.

Imam Malik (ra) recorded in his book muwatta that the Prophet (pbuh) said, " O Allah!
Never turn my grave into an idol to be worshipped"

Muslims are to put their trust in Allah only. And ask only His help. And not ask any man's or
any saint's help who is alive or who is dead in the grave. To benefit a person or to harm a
person is in the control of Allah, Let us therefore worhsip Him, the way He wants us to worship
Him.

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