Dear reader, if one swears by anything other than Allah, e.g. by "your" life, by the Prophet, one is actually associating partners unto Allah.

Narrated Ibn 'Umar that he found 'Umar bin Al-Khattab in a group of people and he Was swearing by his father." So the Prophet, called him saying: "Verily Allah forbids you to swear by your fathers. If one has to take an oath he should either swear by Allah or keep quiet." [Sahih-Al-Bukhari, Vol. 8, Hadith No. 129]. 'Umar said, "Since I heard its forbiddance from Allah's Apostle, I have never uttered it." This is Minor Shirk, but it may be regarded as a Major Shirk, sometimes, if one reveres and magnifies the thing one swears by as one reveres and magnifies Allah.

Dear reader, offering sacrifices to any one other than Allah, is Shirk. It does not befit a Muslim to practice any such thing except for Allah's Sake, as He says in Surat-al-Kauthar: Verily! We have given you Al-Kauthar (river), so turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only). (108:1-2).

Dear reader, look at the companions of the Prophet and the Early Believers: when they heeded and believed this Prophet's teaching and followed him and believed in what he had brought, a great revolution took place in their thoughts, deeds, manners, and social and political affairs. By dint of that, they were able to establish their supremacy over the nations of the East and the West in a short period, and set a good example for those nations. Wherever they went, they ruled by the law of the Qur'an with justice, honesty, and equality. They established educational centres and the like, and opened universities in Cordova in Spain and elsewhere. The Europeans learned much from these universities and from the Muslims; and after the Crusades, they awoke and the new role of all Europe started to stand against Islam and to build up modern technology and industries.

In the meantime the Muslims began to desert Allah's Book and the traditions of their Prophet gradually. They abandoned the Jihad (Fighting in Allah's Cause) and started fighting each other. They became liars and treacherous and deserted Allah's Orders and the traditions of their Prophet. They, with the exception of a few whom Allah has chosen, no longer observe justice and have become like the people described by Allah, the Elevated, in Surat-al-Hashr (59:19):

"And don't be like those who forgot Allah: and he made them forget their own souls! Such are the rebellious transgressors!" This has been Allah's Law amongst His Creatures since He created them, as Allah says in the Qudsi Hadith:

"If he (my slave) comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him, and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running." (S. Al-Bukhari, Vol. 9, Hadith No. 502).