ما هي صور ومظاهر الشرك الأصغر؟

Minor shirk is anything forbidden by the Shari'ah that serves as a means to major shirk, and which Allah and His Messenger have termed shirk, yet it does not expel one from the fold of Islam. Its forms are numerous, including: a little bit of riya' (showing off) and artificiality for people, swearing by other than Allah, a man saying to another man: "What Allah and you willed," "This is from Allah and from you," "I rely on Allah and on you," fearing other than Allah, relying on other than Allah, working for other than Allah, turning in repentance and submitting and humbling oneself to other than Allah, seeking sustenance from other than Him, praising other than Him for what He has given, polytheistic amulets, polytheistic incantations that involve magic or talismans, and seeking rain through astrological stations (anwa'). It is divided into shirk of the heart and practical shirk, and it can become major depending on the one who utters it and his intention. It is more subtle than the creeping of an ant, and it is among the things the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, feared most for his Ummah. The way to avoid it is by frequently seeking forgiveness and resorting to Allah by saying: "O Allah, we seek refuge in You from associating anything with You knowingly, and we ask Your forgiveness for what we do not know," and by the saying of Umar ibn al-Khattab: "O Allah, make my deeds righteous, and make them purely for You, and do not let anyone have a share in them."