Types of Shirk

When he ( Prophet Muhammad saw) was entrusted with the Divine mission at
that time, people were following different creeds,were divided into numerous
sects and had multitudinous schools of thought. These diverse creeds and
religions were mostly divided into three main classes.

1. Some of them compared Allah to His creatures and thus tried to personify Him;
2. some others tired to impart His attributes to others and this gave way to infidelity,
3. while others had no faith in His attributes or His being.Through our holy Prophet,

Allah made these people check their ways of thought and worship and He thus wished to bring them out of their ignorance.

Nahjul Balagha, Sermon 2, pg 147.