Is Following Desire Shirk?
Yes indeed. Smoking is a good example. Whenever one follows a motive that is against rationale or logic or conscience, it’s shirk in my view. That’s because the rationale or the conscience that God has embedded into our basic instinct is the Will of God and Islam means submission to the Will of God. When we follow our emotional sentiments knowing that’s not good we submit our will to our desires rather than to God. [Those are my own views as a student. The admins will post Sir Ghamidi views here soon]