Which of these is a bigger sin Shirk or Fitna?

Question

I have read verses of Quran which denounce shirk as an unpardonable crime. Similarly Quran commands us in avoiding fitna, hence it is also a sort of major sin. I read the story of Khidr in Quran wherin Khidr KILLS a child as the child would grow up to be a Kafir and entice others including their parents towards Kufr. Killing of a Child seems to be a fitna and Shirk can lead to Kufr so Doesn't it mean that Shirk is worse than Fitna?

UPDATE

If Shirk is the worst fitna then does a lower fitna of say demolishing Shrines helpful in eliminating this worst fitna?

Answer 1

I believe the you are referring to the ayat:

وَقَاتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ وَلَا تَعْتَدُوا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ

Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors.

وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَخْرِجُوهُمْ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَخْرَجُوكُمْ ۚ وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ ۚ وَلَا تُقَاتِلُوهُمْ عِنْدَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ حَتَّىٰ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ ۖ فَإِنْ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوهُمْ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ جَزَاءُ الْكَافِرِينَ

And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith.

Al-Baqara ayat 190-191

يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ قِتَالٍ فِيهِ ۖ قُلْ قِتَالٌ فِيهِ كَبِيرٌ ۖ وَصَدٌّ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَكُفْرٌ بِهِ وَالْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِخْرَاجُ أَهْلِهِ مِنْهُ أَكْبَرُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ ۚ وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ ۗ وَلَا يَزَالُونَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَرُدُّوكُمْ عَنْ دِينِكُمْ إِنِ اسْتَطَاعُوا ۚ وَمَنْ يَرْتَدِدْ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُولَٰئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ

They ask thee concerning fighting in the Prohibited Month. Say: "Fighting therein is a grave (offence); but graver is it in the sight of Allah to prevent access to the path of Allah, to deny Him, to prevent access to the Sacred Mosque, and drive out its members. Tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter. Nor will they cease fighting you until they turn you back from your faith if they can. And if any of you turn back from their faith and die in unbelief, their works will bear no fruit in this life and in the Hereafter; they will be Companions of the Fire and will abide therein.

Al-Baqara ayah 217

Shirk, and also Kufir, is the top sin because they are unforgivable:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَىٰ إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا

Allah forgiveth not that partners should be set up with him; but He forgiveth anything, else to whom He pleaseth; to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin most heinous indeed.

An-Nisa ayah 48

Many people misunderstand these ayahs because they read them out of their context. The Fitnah in this ayah means Fitnah in the religion, by either Kufr or Shirk.

Having Fitnah in the religion is worst than getting killed, because the end result of Kufr and Shirk is the Hell, but getting killed for keeping or protecting your religion is absolutely way less worst.

As far as the child story, you can read it in Surah Al-Kahf, its a story so I cannot copy the whole ayahs.

Answer 2

If we looked at how the root term ره ق ra ha qa is used in the Quran such as (18:73, 10:27, 72:13, etc) seems to suggests that the act of رهق rahaqa has the notion of forcefully covering/engulfing to the point of hardship that offers no alternative choice but to accept or suffer the consequence.

The teenager/ghulam has acted on his parent in forcefull manner (18:80) which will cause fitna/hardship/tribulation/severe test on his parents that will cause them to be kafir by giving them no choice but to accept or suffer a dire consequences.

Since the Quran adheres to the values of no compulsion on any belief system (2:256) therefore whenever this is jeopardized the risk must be subdued or eliminated.

wallahua3lam