Re: Are They Muslims?
Peace USResdient
I read your post again and I noticed that you have accepted that the three terms are interchangeable dependent on situation. JazakAllah Khair for pointing these out. Shrk as you rightly say is when the Unity or Worship of Allah (SWT) is being compromised. Part of the conditions of uloohiyya are that the obedience to the Word of God is done and recognising the Word of God as different to the word of man. So by obeying the words of the ones who change the Word of God we are actually worshipping them and bringing them in partnership to Allah (SWT) thus compromising Unity also. It is all so interconnected, but the deep probing of this issue demonstrates to us that shrk definitely has levels of apparency ranging from 'blatant shrk' to 'unknowing hidden shirk'.
I think we are generally agreeing though ... inshaAllah. If not then I renounce what I have said earlier and say that you are right.
I think you right all three are very closely related depending on the situation. Its the hidden shirk that becomes confusing and the three terms tend to get mingled. This is probably why the Prophet SAW (paraphrasing from memory) said that he feared for his ummah the most regarding these small and hidden forms of shirk. I think the line gets very murky there.
JAK, I think you also have good understanding and like to analyze. Been a pleasure discussing with you.