Major Shirk
It is to make a rival to Allah that is called upon as Allah is called upon, or to fear him, or hope in him, or love him, as Allah is loved, or to render a type of worship to him. This is the Shirk which does not leave its doer with any Tawheed at all, this is the Mushrik that Allah has forbidden from Jannah, and his abode is the Fire.
It does not matter whether the worship rendered to other than Allah is called worship or Tawassul, or even if it is given a name other than these. All of that is major Shirk, because what is important is the reality of the thing and its implication, not the word or expression used to describe it.
Minor Shirk
This is every saying or action which leads to Shirk, like aggrandizing creatures in a way that does not quite reach the level of worship. Like, for example, making an oath by other than Allah, or showing off, etc.
Since Shirk negates Tawheed and necessitates eternal damnation in the Fire, and when it is the major type it makes Jannah unlawful (for them), and since bliss cannot be achieved except by escaping from it, then it is necessary for the worshipper to duly fear it, to hurry in escape from it – its every path, means and cause – and to ask Allah to protect him from it as was the habit of the Prophets, the purified, and the best of the creation. The worshipper must struggle to increase and strengthen the sincerity in his heart, and this is done by completely devoting oneself to Allah – being subjugated, repentant, fearful, hopeful, obedient, seeking His pleasure and rewards in all that he does without neglecting this in any manner, open or hidden. True sincerity inherently repels both major and minor Shirk, but whenever a type of Shirk is present it will weaken one’s sincerity.
[Sharh Kitab at-Tawheed, By al-‘Allamah ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn Nasir as-Sa’di]
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