The Truth Or The Religious Element (4)

The Truth Or The Religious Element (4)

Thus the angels, who they considered God’s daughters, were the subject of their worship, “And they make the angels who themselves are slaves of the Most Gracious (Allâh) females. Did they wit-ness their creation? Their testimony will be recorded, and they will be questioned! * And they said; "If it had been the Will of the Most Gracious (Allâh), we should not have worshipped them (false deities).” They have no knowledge whatsoever of that. They do nothing but lies!” (XLIII, 19-20).

The statues, “That (Manâsik- prescribed duties of Hajj is the obligation that mankind owes to Allâh) and whoever honours the sacred things of Allâh, then that is better for him with his Lord. The cattle are lawful to you, except those (that will be) mentioned to you (as exceptions). So shun the abomination (worshipping) of idol, and shun lying speech (false statements).” (XXII, 30) and the erected stones,

“O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and Al-Ansab, and Al-Azlâm (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaitan's (Satan) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful.” (V, 90) which had to possess some hidden principles or to symbolize some invisible divinities, had ended by obtaining the same veneration as the symbolized things. Little by little, the most superstitious imaginations forged, an infinity of small gods for small affairs below the Great God Creator.

The people of the Book had successfully reconciled the unity of God, the Creator, with the plurality of the worshipped gods. With one hand against another, the Qur’an had seized the first concept to destroy the second; and had caught his adversaries by their own confession to show them, if not their absurdity, at least the ingratitude of this mixing and this confusion,

“O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allâh), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may become Al-Muttaqûn (the pious) * Who had made the earth a resting place for you, and the sky as a canopy, and sent down water (rain) from the sky and brought forth therewith fruits as a provision for you. Then do not set up rivals unto Allâh (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshipped).” (II, 21-22);

“Is then He, Who creates as one who creates not? Will you not then remember?” (XVI, 17);

“O mankind! A similitude has been coined, so listen to it (carefully): Verily those on whom you call besides Allâh, cannot create (even) a fly, even though they combine together for the purpose. And if the fly snatches away a thing from them, they will have no power to release it from the fly. So weak are (both) the seeker and the sought.” (XXII, 73).