Do Gut Feelings About the Future Constitute Shirk?

Question: Does asserting the occurrence of a future thing due to a gut feeling constitute minor (associating of partners with Allah) shirk?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate,

No, asserting that something will or will not happen in the future, due to a strong feeling or judgment call, is not associating partners with Allah Most High (shirk) whatsoever.

However, Allah Most High teaches us to humbly consign any such assertions to the discretion of His will by saying In Sha Allah, If Allah wills.

What Is Shirk?

Shirk or associating partners with Allah Most High is defined as a belief that Allah Most High has a partner in His divinity, His essence, His attributes, or His acts. Below are examples of each for clarity: [Sawi, Sharh al-Sawi ala Jawhara al-Tawhid]

His divinity – This is to believe that there is more than one god [Ibid.]

His essence – This is to believe that God is made up of parts or is composite [Ibid.]

His attributes – This is to believe that the perfect attributes of Allah Most High are shared with another. [Ibid.]

His acts – This is to believe that other than God has an intrinsic effect in the outcomes of life separate from Allah Most High. The belief that medicine cures intrinsically distinct from Allah’s decree is an example of this. [Ibid.]

Cause and Effect

Allah Most High has created in this world a customary system of cause and effect. One can therefore make judgments of the existence of an effect if the cause is present. For example, if one looks into the sky and sees dark rain clouds, they can safely deduce that it will rain; there is nothing wrong with this.

When adding In sha Allah – If Allah wills, one is acknowledging that it is Allah Most High, alone, who brings about all effects.

I hope this helps,
Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a graduate from Tarim; a student of Habib Umar and other luminaries; and authorized teachers of the Qur’an and the Islamic sciences