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Is love that reaches the point of exalting a created being to the extent of submission to him and prioritizing obedience to him over obedience to Allah considered major shirk that expels one from the fold of Islam, or does expulsion from the fold of Islam only occur through a saying, action, or belief that expels one from the fold of Islam, or through the intention to disbelieve in the future?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

This question stems from intrusive thoughts (waswasa) regarding disbelief (kufr). A Muslim's love for a creature, even if it leads to disobedience to Allah, does not necessarily entail disbelief. Prioritizing the love of other than Allah over the love of Allah is not disbelief in every instance. A person may believe in what the Messenger brought, yet their family and wealth may be dearer to them than Allah, His Messenger, and striving in His cause. Nevertheless, passionate love and attachment to a creature can elevate a person to the level of polytheism (shirk). It is obligatory to cease unnecessary communication with the suitor, and speaking with him via video is an objectionable act, as he is a non-mahram to the fiancée.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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