What is Shirk?

You need not go anywhere Ronn 

Read the same verse.

Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.

Now, carefully read again  - partners shud be  SET  up with Him. And the other part  - whoever SETS UP partners with Allah swt.

But yes, final word, while meeting Allah swt, if he is in the state that he did not repent and associated partners with Allah i.e , in the state of shirk then he shall be punished. Hope, atleast NOW, you understand it. May Allah swt, give all of us its understanding.

Ronn webb said :

Yes it does, but you'll notice that it refers only to those "who have transgressed against themselves" (and I suppose fornication would be an ideal example of that).  Shirk is surely on a higher level, a transgression against Allah Himself.

It does n't matter, what you or me suppose. For we believers, it matters that what  Quran and sunnah teaches us.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said that some of the people of Shirk killed many people and committed Zina (illegal sexual acts) to a great extent; they came to Muhammad and said, "What you are saying and calling us to is good; if only you could tell us that there is an expiation for what we have done.'' ------.

NOTE THOSE IN BOLD AND COLORED FOR YOU. Those people commited all the major sins. Apart from fornification, shirk and murder are also major sins.One who commits sins trangress against his ownself. He drags himself towards hell. 

Its not that i think. Its the Quran and hadith that explain us and we obey it. They are n't contradicting. Just read below explanation.

4 :48. Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin

As said we need to go thru its commentary. I don't think that you shall be accepting it since you are n't willing so. TO benefit other readers ,{especially as its  posted at non-muslim section} , so that they  shall not get into any misconception, here it is. Am merely repeating the gyst of brother AbuZaid's post..

Here is the commentary of Ibn Kathir for the verse 4 :48

Verily, Allah  forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship),) meaning, He does not forgive a servant if he meets Him while he is associating partners with Him, (but He forgives except that) of sins, (to whom He wills) of His servants.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Dharr said that the Messenger of Allah said, Allah said, "O My servant! As long as you worship and beg Me, I will forgive you, no matter your shortcomings. O My servant! If you meet Me with the earth's fill of sin, yet you do not associate any partners with Me, I will meet you with its fill of forgiveness.''

This hadith explains us that while in the state that we meet Allah swt,  if we do repent and not associate any partners , we shall be forgiven.

I don't understand, when Allah swt is the Forgiver and is ready to forgive any of our sins when repented, then what's your problem. Why are you creating fuss about it. Its so simple here that even major sins like shirk are also forgiven. And why does it matter when Allah swt specifically says or general. Few minds need specific reminders and few understand them in general.  Its the style of Quran!!!

abuzaid wrote: Don't you think it is better for you to ask about Islam rather than teaching us our own religion??

That is quite an ironic remark from someone who has spent much of the previous discussion trying to convince me that he knows what Hindus, atheists and others believe better than they do themselves.

Let's look at the passage you quoted (25:68-70) in even larger context:

25:63  And the servants of (Allah) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, "Peace!"; 25:64  Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord prostrate and standing; 25:65  Those who say, "Our Lord! avert from us the Wrath of Hell, for its Wrath is indeed an affliction grievous,- 25:66  "Evil indeed is it as an abode, and as a place to rest in"; 25:67  Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes); 25:68  Those who invoke not, with Allah, any other god, nor slay such life as Allah has made sacred except for just cause, nor commit fornication; - and any that does this (not only) meets punishment. 25:69  (But) the Penalty on the Day of Judgment will be doubled to him, and he will dwell therein in ignominy,- 25:70  Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds, for Allah will change the evil of such persons into good, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful, 25:71  And whoever repents and does good has truly turned to Allah with an (acceptable) conversion;- 25:72  Those who witness no falsehood, and, if they pass by futility, they pass by it with honourable (avoidance); 25:73  Those who, when they are admonished with the Signs of their Lord, droop not down at them as if they were deaf or blind; 25:74  And those who pray, "Our Lord! Grant unto us wives and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and give us (the grace) to lead the righteous." 25:75  Those are the ones who will be rewarded with the highest place in heaven, because of their patient constancy: therein shall they be met with salutations and peace, 25:76  Dwelling therein;- how beautiful an abode and place of rest!

The passage gives a long list of virtues to strive for and sins to avoid.  Inserted in the midst of that list is a parenthetical warning (which I have coloured blue for clarity) that for one sin in particular ("any that does this", 25:68), the penalty is doubled, unless the sinner repents.  That one sin is the last one mentioned: fornication.  If 25:70-71 was intended to refer to the last several sins (i.e., to include shirk, which is three sins back in the list), 25:68 would have to say "any that does these".

Very true brother. It is proven right here.

Ronn Webb said :
The verse doesn't say anything about repenting, and I would have thought that repentance is a prerequisite to forgiveness anyway.  Is there some other verse in the Quran that suggests to you that shirk can be forgiven if the sinner repents?

Read these verses

53. Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
54. "And turn in repentance (and in obedience with true faith) to your Lord and submit to Him before the torment comes upon you, (and) then you will not be helped.
55. "And follow the best of that which is sent down to you from your Lord, before the torment comes on you suddenly while you perceive not!
.
This Ayah is a call to all sinners, be they disbelievers or others, to repent and turn to Allah. This Ayah tells us that Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, will forgive all the sins of those who repent to Him and turn back to Him, no matter what or how many his sins are, even if they are like the foam of the sea. This cannot be interpreted as meaning that sins will be forgiven without repentance, because Shirk can only be forgiven for the one who repents from it.

Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah

Except those who repent and believe, and do righteous deeds  (25:70)

Prophet {Pbuh} said, ""O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins He does not reckon him Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.'' .This  indicates that what is meant is that Allah forgives all sins provided that a person repents. Additionally, one must not despair of the mercy of Allah even if his sins are many and great, for the door of repentance and mercy is expansive.