[98:6] Those
who disbelieved among the people of
the scripture, and the idol
worshipers, have incurred
the fire of Gehenna forever.
They are the worst creatures.
[98:7] Those who
believed and led a righteous life are the
best creatures.
[98:8] Their reward at
their Lord is the gardens of Eden with flowing
streams, wherein they abide forever. GOD
is pleased with them, and they are pleased with
Him. Such is the reward for those who reverence
their Lord.
The Arabic word used for idol worship in the
Quran is "shirk". The root for that word is SHa-
Ra- Ka which simply means taking part in
and sharing. In the context of
the Quran, idol worship is to consider entities
besides God to take part in issuing religious
laws and regulations in addition to what God has
issued for us. Another aspect expressed in the
Quran is that other entities besides God could
dominate our mind and control our life so we
become preoccupied and obsessed with rather than
devoting our life and worship to God alone. This
is considered idol worship since those entities
share the authority on us with God.
It is unquestionable that idol worship is a form
of disbelief in God as it shatters the one basic
foundation of His monotheistic massage to
humanity - there is no god except Me, worship Me
alone (21:25).
Based on that, the abomination of idol worship
(22:30) is unforgivable and leads us to an
eternal Hell since it represents a concrete
opposition of God and the one and only
monotheistic path approved and decreed by Him..
Logically speaking, it nullifies all the
righteous deeds. Why would righteous deeds be of
any benefit to our souls if, by our own
volition, we are destined to Hell any way
through polytheism?
The Unforgivable Sin
[4:48] GOD
does not forgive idolatry,* but He
forgives lesser offenses for whomever He
wills. Anyone who sets up idols beside
GOD, has forged a horrendous offense.
The Unforgivable Sin
[4:116]
GOD does not forgive idol worship
(if maintained until death),* and He
forgives lesser offenses for whomever He
wills. Anyone who
idolizes any idol beside GOD has strayed far
astray.
[4:18] Not
acceptable is the repentance of
those who commit sins until death comes to
them, then say, "Now I repent."
Nor is it acceptable from those who die as
disbelievers. For these, we
have prepared a painful retribution.
Idol Worship Nullifies All Work
[39:65] It
has been revealed to you, and to those
before you that if you ever commit idol
worship, all your works will be nullified,
and you will be with the losers.
[3:151] We
will throw terror into the hearts of
those who disbelieved, since they set up
besides GOD powerless idols.
Their destiny is Hell; what a
miserable abode for the transgressors!
This reminder is not about listing some of the
versions of idol worship, or naming some of
the most common idols. The following are only
some characteristics of the idol worshipers
described by God . They should serve as a divine
measuring stick that we should all use if we
care to EXAMINE our souls, and STRIVE to make
the right decisions. Glory be to God. He didn't
narrate any of these examples and patterns for
our entertainment. We should reflect,
implore, and repent while reading them. We
should seek refuge in God from taking anything
for granted, including our guidance, and our
knowledge (18:103-106).
- They divert from the path of God:
[14:30] They set
up rivals to rank with GOD and to divert
others from His path. Say, "Enjoy
for awhile; your final destiny is Hell."
[6:26] They
repel others from this (Quran),
as they themselves stay away from it, and
thus, they only destroy themselves without
perceiving.
- They hate to
hear about God alone or Quran alone:
[42:13] He decreed
for you the same religion decreed for Noah,
and what we inspired to you, and what we
decreed for Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: "You
shall uphold this one religion, and do not
divide it." The idol worshipers
will greatly resent what you invite them to
do. GOD redeems to Himself
whomever He wills; He guides to Himself only
those who totally submit.
[39:45]
When GOD ALONE is mentioned, the hearts of
those who do not believe in the Hereafter
shrink with aversion.
But when OTHERS are mentioned beside Him,
they become satisfied.*
[17:46] We
place shields around their minds, to prevent
them from understanding it, and deafness in
their ears. And when you
preach your Lord, using the Quran ALONE they
run away in aversion.
- Just like their master, Satan,
they are full of hatred towards the
believers:
[2:105]
Neither the
disbelievers among the followers of the
scripture, nor the idol worshipers, wish
to see any blessings come down to you
from your Lord. However,
GOD showers His blessings upon whomever
He chooses. GOD possesses infinite
grace.
[5:82]
You will find that the
worst enemies of the believers are
the Jews and the idol worshipers.
And you will find that the closest
people in friendship to the
believers are those who say, "We are
Christian." This is because they
have priests and monks among them,
and they are not arrogant.
- They are eaten up by their egos,
thus, stuck in their idolatry:
[98:1] Those
who disbelieved among the people of the
scripture, as well as the idol worshipers,
insist on their ways, despite the
proof given to them.*
[6:25]
Some of them listen to you, but we
place veils on their hearts to prevent
them from understanding, and deafness in
their ears. Thus, no matter what kind of
proof they see, they cannot believe.
Thus, when they come to argue with you,
the disbelievers say, "These are tales
from the past."
- They are among
the worst creatures, full of disbelief:
[5:60] Say, "Let
me tell you who are worse in the sight of GOD:
those who are condemned by GOD after incurring
His wrath until He made them (as despicable as)
monkeys and pigs, and the idol
worshipers. These are far worse, and farther
from the right path."
[5:61] When
they come to you, they say, "We believe," even
though they were full of disbelief when they
entered, and they are full of disbelief when
they leave. GOD is fully aware of
everything they conceal.
- One of their
flimsy excuses is:
[39:3] Absolutely, the religion shall be
devoted to GOD alone. Those who set
up idols beside Him say, "We
idolize them only to bring us closer to GOD;
for they are in a better position!"
GOD will judge them regarding their
disputes. GOD does not guide such liars,
disbelievers.
[46:28] Why then did the idols they set up
to bring them closer to GOD fail to help
them? Instead, they abandoned them. Such
were the false gods they idolized;
such were the innovations they
fabricated.
[19:81] They worship beside GOD
other gods that (they think)
may be of help to them.
[19:82] On the contrary, they
will reject their idolatry, and will
be their enemies.
-
Another excuse is:
[2:170] When they are told, "Follow what
GOD has revealed herein," they
say, "We follow only what we found our
parents doing." What if their
parents did not understand, and were not
guided?
[2:171] The example of such disbelievers
is that of parrots
who repeat what they hear of sounds and
calls, without understanding.
Deaf, dumb, and blind; they cannot
understand.
- Or this:
[6:148] The idol worshipers say,
"Had GOD willed, we would not
practice idolatry, nor would our parents,
nor would we prohibit anything."
Thus did those before them disbelieve, until
they incurred our retribution. Say, "Do you
have any proven knowledge that you can show
us? You follow nothing but conjecture; you
only guess."
- They do not
perceive their idolatry. They are led on by
God towards their inevitable destiny:
Idol
Worshipers Deny Their Idolatry
[6:22] On the day when we
summon them all, we will ask the
idol worshipers, "Where are the
idols you set up?"
[6:23] Their disastrous
response will be,
"By GOD our Lord, we
NEVER were idol worshipers."*
[6:24] Note how they
lied to themselves, and how the
idols they had invented have
abandoned them.
[6:26] They repel others
from this (Quran),
as they themselves stay away from
it, and thus, they only destroy
themselves without perceiving.
[20:124] "As for the
one who disregards My message,
he will have a miserable life,
and we resurrect him, on the Day
of Resurrection, blind."
[20:125] He will
say, "My Lord, why did you
summon me blind, when I used to
be a seer?"
[20:126]
He will say,
"Because you forgot our
revelations when they came to
you, you are now forgotten."
- They
are liars:
[6:27] If only you could see them
when they face the hellfire!
They would say then, "Woe to
us. Oh, we wish we could go back,
and never reject our Lord's
revelations, and join the
believers."
[6:28] As a matter of fact,
(they only say this because)
their secrets have been exposed. If
they go back, they will commit
exactly the same crimes.* They
are liars.
[16:86] And when those who
committed idol worship see their
idols, they will say,
"Our Lord, these are the idols
we had set up beside You."
The idols will then
confront them and say, "You are
liars."
- They
attain certainty when it is too
late:
[6:29] They say
(subconsciously), "We live
only this life; we will not be
resurrected."
[6:30] If you could only
see them when they stand before
their Lord! He would say, "Is this
not the truth?" They would say,
"Yes, by our Lord." He would say,
"You have incurred the retribution
by your disbelief."
[6:31] Losers indeed are
those who disbelieve in meeting GOD,
until the Hour comes to them
suddenly, then say,
"We deeply regret wasting our lives
in this world." They
will carry loads of their sins on
their backs; what a miserable load!
[16:87] They will
totally submit to GOD on that day,
and the idols they had invented will
disown them.
[25:27] The day will
come when the transgressor will
bite his hands (in
anguish) and say, "Alas,
I wish I had followed the path
with the messenger.
[25:28] "Alas, woe
to me, I wish I did not take
that person as a friend.
[25:29] "He has led
me away from the message after
it came to me. Indeed, the devil
lets down his human victims."
-
They commit evil:
[6:137] Thus were
the idol worshipers duped by
their idols, to the extent of
killing their own children.*
In fact, their idols inflict
great pain upon them, and
confuse their religion for them.
Had GOD willed, they would not
have done it. You shall
disregard them and their
fabrications.
[5:62] You see many
of them readily committing evil
and transgression, and eating
from illicit earnings.
Miserable indeed is what they
do.
-
Birds of a feather flock
together:
[24:3] The adulterer
will end up
marrying an adulteress or an
idol worshiper, and the
adulteress will end
up marrying an
adulterer or an idol worshiper.
This is prohibited for the
believers.
-
God is angry with them - who is
worthy of His punishment and who
is worthy of His total
redemption?- read and reflect:
[33:73] For GOD
will inevitably punish
the hypocrite men and the
hypocrite women, and the
idol worshiping men and the
idol worshiping women.
GOD redeems the
believing men and the
believing women. GOD is
Forgiver, Most Merciful.
[48:5] He will
certainly admit the
believing men and women
into gardens with flowing
streams, wherein they abide
forever. He will remit
their sins. This is, in
the sight of GOD, a great
triumph.
[48:6] And He
will
requite the hypocrite
men and women and the
idol worshiping men and
women, for they have
harbored evil thoughts about
GOD. Their evil
will backfire against them.
For GOD is angry
with them,
condemns them,
and has prepared
for them Gehenna. What a
miserable destiny!
The irony is that all of
their idols are utterly powerless!!
Idol Worship: Not Very Intelligent
[16:73]
Yet, they worship beside GOD what possesses
no provisions for them in the heavens, nor
on earth, nor can provide them with
anything.
[35:14] If you call on them, they
cannot hear you. Even if they hear you,
they cannot respond to you. On the
Day of Resurrection, they will disown you. None
can inform you like the Most Cognizant.
[22:71] Yet, they
idolize beside GOD idols wherein
He placed no power, and they know nothing
about them. The transgressors
have no helper.
[43:86]
None of those whom they idolize beside
Him possess any power to intercede,
unless their intercession coincides with the
truth, and they fully know.
Moreover, they have no
clue that they have been idolized!!
[46:5] Who is farther
astray than those who idolize beside GOD
idols that can never respond to them until
the Day of Resurrection, and are
totally unaware of their worship?
[10:28] On the day
when we summon them all, we will say to
those who worshiped idols, "We have summoned
you, together with your idols." We
will have them confront each other, and
their idols will say to them,
"We had no idea that you idolized
us.
[10:29] "GOD
suffices as a witness between us and you,
that we were completely unaware of your
worshiping us."
[3:79]
Never would
a human being whom GOD blessed with
the scripture and prophethood say to
the people, "Idolize me
beside GOD." Instead,
(he would say), "Devote
yourselves absolutely to your Lord
alone," according to the scripture
you preach and the teachings you
learn.
[3:80]
Nor would he command you
to idolize the angels and the
prophets as lords. Would he exhort
you to disbelieve after becoming
submitters?
Interesting testimonies against the idol
worshipers on the Day of Judgment:
Their records will testify:
[24:24] The
day will come when their own tongues, hands, and
feet will bear witness to everything they had
done.
The Video Record
[41:21]
They will say to their skins, "Why
did you bear witness against us?"
They will reply, "GOD made us speak
up; He is the One who causes
everything to speak. He is the One
who created you the first time, and
now you have been returned to Him."
The devils will say:
[14:22] And
the devil will say, after the
judgment had been issued, "GOD has
promised you the truthful promise, and I
promised you, but I broke my promise.
I had no power over you; I simply invited you,
and you accepted my invitation. Therefore, do
not blame me, and blame only yourselves. My
complaining cannot help you, nor can your
complaining help me. I have disbelieved in your
idolizing me. The
transgressors have incurred a painful
retribution."
[50:27]
His companion said, "Our
Lord, I did not mislead him; he was far
astray."
[28:62] The day will
come when
He calls upon them, saying,
"Where are
those idols you had set up beside Me?"
[28:63] Those
who incurred the judgment will say, "Our
Lord, these are the ones we misled; we
misled them only because we ourselves had
gone astray. We now devote ourselves totally
to You. They were not really worshiping us."
[28:64] It
will be said, "Call upon your idols (to
help you)." They will call upon them, but
they will not respond. They will suffer the
retribution, and wish that they were guided!
Jesus will say:
[5:116] GOD will
say, "O Jesus, son of
Mary,* did you say to the people, `Make me and
my mother idols beside GOD?' "
He will say, "Be
You glorified. I could not utter what was not
right. Had I said it, You already would have
known it. You know my thoughts, and I do not
know Your thoughts. You know all the secrets.
[5:117] "I
told them only what You commanded me to say,
that: `You shall worship GOD, my Lord and your
Lord.' I was a witness among them for as long as
I lived with them. When You terminated my life
on earth, You became the Watcher over them. You
witness all things.
[5:118] "If You punish
them, they are Your constituents. If You forgive
them, You are the Almighty, Most Wise."
The messenger will testify:
[25:30] The
messenger* said, "My Lord, my people have
deserted this Quran."
And God will say:
[50:28] He
said, "Do not feud
in front of Me; I have sufficiently warned
you.
[50:29] "Nothing
can be changed now. I am never unjust
towards the people."
________________________
[2:286] ... "Our Lord, do
not condemn us if we forget or make mistakes.
Our Lord, and protect us from blaspheming
against You, like those before us have done. Our
Lord, protect us from sinning until it becomes
too late for us to repent. Pardon us, forgive
us, and have mercy on us. You are our Lord and
Master. Grant us victory over the disbelieving
people."
[2:201]..."Our Lord, grant
us righteousness in this world, and
righteousness in the Hereafter, and spare us the
retribution of Hell."
[7:126]... "Our Lord,
grant us steadfastness, and let us die as
submitters."
Peaceful Friday, salaam, and God bless.
