*AR-RAHĪQ AL-MAKHTOUM (The Pure Nectar). A Treaties On Prophet Muhammad's Biography.*
*Part 11*
*RELIGIONS OF ARABS continues...*
The notion of polytheism and idolatry is attributable to the fact that when polytheists and idolaters knew that angels, Prophets, Messengers and righteous people were close to Allāh and of high standings in His sight, they misconceived that Allāh granted them special abilities to do acts peculiar to Allāh by virtue of paranormal things that happened at their hands. Because of their supernatural abilities (in their eyes) and great ranks, they deserved being mediators between Allāh and His servants. So anyone who wanted to satisfied some need through Allāh had to take them as intermediates. As, in their view, Allāh would accept their intercession owing to their ranks. So their worship for Allāh should be through these intermediates; because they would draw them nearer to Allāh.
Once this misconception took possession of their hearts and minds, they took them as patrons and made them mediums to Allāh, trying to get near to them by all actions. They sculpted status and sculptures which were either real and consistent with the forms of righteous people or imaginary. Such sculptures were called idols.
Perhaps they made no sculptures for them. They turned their graves, shrines and houses into sacred places to which they brought oblations and vows. These places are termed 'awthān.'
Their worship of these idols was connected with traditions and acts, most of which were innovated by 'Amr Ibn Luhayy. They thought that what 'Amr innovated was good and acceptable, not inconsistent with the religion of Abraham. These were some of their ways of worshiping idols:
1. They stuck to and turned to them for help and refuge. They cheered them wildly and sought their help at calamities. Also, they asked them for their needs on the grounds that they were intercessors with Allāh.
2. They did pilgrimage to and circumambulated around them showing humility and submissiveness and prostrating themselves to them.
3. They got themselves nearer to them by some kinds of offerings; they slaughtered animals and and birds on stone altars. On the other hand, they slaughtered in their names in any place. These two types of slaughter are mentioned by Allāh in the two verses reading:
"And those which are sacrificed on stone altars..." [Suratul Mā'idah : 3]
"And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allāh has not been mentioned..." [Suratul An-Ām : 121]
4. Among their actions was that they singled out some of their foods and drinks for idols. Also they allotted shares of their crops and livestock to them. It was insensible that they allocated a share of that to Allāh as well. Allāh says:
"And they (i.e the polytheists) assign to Allāh from that which He created of crops and livestock a share and say, 'This is for Allāh,' by their claim, 'and this is for our partners (associated with Him).' But what is for their 'partners' does not reach Allāh, while what is for Allāh - this reaches their 'partners'. Evil is that which they rule." [Suratul An-Ām : 136]
5. They used to vow crops and livestock to get themselves nearer to them. Allāh says:
"And they say, 'These animals and crops are forbidden; no one may eat from them except whom we will,' by their claim. And there are those (camels) whose backs are forbidden (by them) and those upon which the name of Allāh is not mentioned - (all of this) an invention of untruth about Him." [Suratul An-Ām : 138]
6. They dedicated some kinds of camels to theire idols like Al-Bahīrah, As-Sā'ibah,Al-Wasīlah and Al-Hāmy. Sa'īd Ibnul-Musayyab said: "Al-Bahīrah is a she-camel that could not be milked for the sake of idols; As-Sā'ibah means a she-camel that was left to their idols and whose back could not be used; Al-Wasīlah means a she-camel that bore a female for the first time then bore two females. They left it to their idols in case the two females follow each other directly and there was no male between them. Al-Hāmy is the male camel which was left to idols and exempted from carrying things when it had fertilised ten she-camels."
*...To be continued In-sha-Allah!*
*"And keep reminding, because reminding benefits the believers."* (Qur'an 51:55)
*Part 11*
*RELIGIONS OF ARABS continues...*
The notion of polytheism and idolatry is attributable to the fact that when polytheists and idolaters knew that angels, Prophets, Messengers and righteous people were close to Allāh and of high standings in His sight, they misconceived that Allāh granted them special abilities to do acts peculiar to Allāh by virtue of paranormal things that happened at their hands. Because of their supernatural abilities (in their eyes) and great ranks, they deserved being mediators between Allāh and His servants. So anyone who wanted to satisfied some need through Allāh had to take them as intermediates. As, in their view, Allāh would accept their intercession owing to their ranks. So their worship for Allāh should be through these intermediates; because they would draw them nearer to Allāh.
Once this misconception took possession of their hearts and minds, they took them as patrons and made them mediums to Allāh, trying to get near to them by all actions. They sculpted status and sculptures which were either real and consistent with the forms of righteous people or imaginary. Such sculptures were called idols.
Perhaps they made no sculptures for them. They turned their graves, shrines and houses into sacred places to which they brought oblations and vows. These places are termed 'awthān.'
Their worship of these idols was connected with traditions and acts, most of which were innovated by 'Amr Ibn Luhayy. They thought that what 'Amr innovated was good and acceptable, not inconsistent with the religion of Abraham. These were some of their ways of worshiping idols:
1. They stuck to and turned to them for help and refuge. They cheered them wildly and sought their help at calamities. Also, they asked them for their needs on the grounds that they were intercessors with Allāh.
2. They did pilgrimage to and circumambulated around them showing humility and submissiveness and prostrating themselves to them.
3. They got themselves nearer to them by some kinds of offerings; they slaughtered animals and and birds on stone altars. On the other hand, they slaughtered in their names in any place. These two types of slaughter are mentioned by Allāh in the two verses reading:
"And those which are sacrificed on stone altars..." [Suratul Mā'idah : 3]
"And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allāh has not been mentioned..." [Suratul An-Ām : 121]
4. Among their actions was that they singled out some of their foods and drinks for idols. Also they allotted shares of their crops and livestock to them. It was insensible that they allocated a share of that to Allāh as well. Allāh says:
"And they (i.e the polytheists) assign to Allāh from that which He created of crops and livestock a share and say, 'This is for Allāh,' by their claim, 'and this is for our partners (associated with Him).' But what is for their 'partners' does not reach Allāh, while what is for Allāh - this reaches their 'partners'. Evil is that which they rule." [Suratul An-Ām : 136]
5. They used to vow crops and livestock to get themselves nearer to them. Allāh says:
"And they say, 'These animals and crops are forbidden; no one may eat from them except whom we will,' by their claim. And there are those (camels) whose backs are forbidden (by them) and those upon which the name of Allāh is not mentioned - (all of this) an invention of untruth about Him." [Suratul An-Ām : 138]
6. They dedicated some kinds of camels to theire idols like Al-Bahīrah, As-Sā'ibah,Al-Wasīlah and Al-Hāmy. Sa'īd Ibnul-Musayyab said: "Al-Bahīrah is a she-camel that could not be milked for the sake of idols; As-Sā'ibah means a she-camel that was left to their idols and whose back could not be used; Al-Wasīlah means a she-camel that bore a female for the first time then bore two females. They left it to their idols in case the two females follow each other directly and there was no male between them. Al-Hāmy is the male camel which was left to idols and exempted from carrying things when it had fertilised ten she-camels."
*...To be continued In-sha-Allah!*
*"And keep reminding, because reminding benefits the believers."* (Qur'an 51:55)
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