المعنى الاصطلاحي

Inclination of the heart towards something other than Allah in bringing about benefit or warding off harm.

الشرح المختصر

"Ta‘alluq bi-ghayrillah" (attachment to other than Allah) is when the heart turns away from Allah, Glorified and Exalted, and becomes attached to something believing that it can bring benefit or ward off harm. This springs from the belief that some of these creatures, such as a star, an ally of Allah, an angel, or others either possess knowledge of the unseen or manage some of the affairs of this world, and all this is disbelief in Allah, the Almighty. "Ta‘alluq bi-ghayrillah" is of three types: 1. Attachment that contradicts the foundation of "Tawhid" (pure monotheism): This is when the heart is attached to something that cannot have any effect and fully relies on it and turns its back to Allah, the Almighty. Example: the grave worshippers who turn to the dead when a calamity strikes. There is no doubt that this type is major "shirk" (polytheism) that takes one outside the fold of Islam. 2. Attachment that contradicts the perfection of "Tawhid": This is when a person relies on a Shariah-approved cause and ignores the true Creator of that cause, which is Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent, without having one's heart attached to that cause. This is a form of "shirk", but not major "shirk", because Allah has made what he is attached to an actual cause or means to something. 3. Attachment to the cause merely for its being a cause while believing that it can be effective only by the will of Allah, the Almighty, while originally relying on Allah, the Almighty. This does not contradict the foundation of "Tawhid", nor does it contradict its perfection, and it entails no guilt.