About 4 years ago, I was dared in a game by a friend who isn’t Muslim to pretend to “worship” a random person who walked in. Since it was a joke I proceeded with it, however I was too guilty to make it seem real so I sprinted around the person in a silly way but my hands were in a “worshipful” position that the Buddhists typically use. I had no intention whatsoever to really worship that person, it was just for laughs. The action I did looked more like a dance than any act of worship.However, I feel terrible about it.Does my action constitute shirk?And am I obliged to try and contact the people who were there and tell them what I did was wrong? I doubt anyone remembers it and may think I’m crazy...especially since I’m a practicing Muslim and this was just impulsive stupidity.

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

First of all, we warn our Muslim brothers against taking such mutters lightly and joking about them, because some people said a word of disbelief jokingly, and Allah ruled them to be disbelievers because of it. Allah Says (what means): {And if you ask them, they will surely say, "We were only conversing and playing." Say, "Is it Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?" Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief. If We pardon one faction of you - We will punish another faction because they were criminals.} [Quran 9:65-66] Their story was reported by At-Tabaraani.

It appears –Allah knowns best – that you do not become a disbeliever because of the act which you did (imitating the people of disbelief), if you did it jokingly and not out of love to them. However, it is not permissible for you to imitate them in it.

Ad-Dardeer, a Maaliki scholar, said about Az-Zunnaar: “If a Muslim wears the Zunnaar (which is a dress peculiar to the disbelievers) because he loves it and its people, then, he becomes an apostate. If he wears it in jest then it is unlawful and not disbelief.” [End of quote]

For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 63792.

Allah knows best.