“Is there a deity with Allaah?”
“Is there a deity with Allaah?”
There is nothing like unto Him In His divinity
Is there any deity other than Allaah can be worshiped,
Is there any deity other than Allaah can be thanked?
All the deities that are worshiped instead of Allaah The Almighty are created and Allaah The Almighty is the Creator alone:
Allaah The Almighty says: {And those they invoke other than Allaah create nothing, and they [themselves] are created. They are, [in fact], dead, not alive.} [An-Nahl: 20-21]
He The Almighty says also: {And landmarks. And by the stars they are [also] guided.} [An-Nahl: 16]
He The Almighty says also: {But they have taken besides Him gods which create nothing, while they are created, and possess not for themselves any harm or benefit and possess not [power to cause] death or life or resurrection.} [Al-Furqaan: 3]
He The Almighty says also: {Or have they attributed to Allaah partners who created like His creation so that the creation [of each] seemed similar to them?" Say, "Allaah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Prevailing."} [Ar-Ra‘d: 16]
Scholars of Tafseer said: This verse contain a kind of rebuking and chastisingthe disbelievers for they worshiped besides Allaah The Almighty what creates nothing, while they are created. The created being can be in no way a partner with the creator in the worship for which He created them.[1]
Therefore, the greatest and worst sin is that the created being is made a rival for the Creator The Almighty.
It was narrated that Ibn Mas‘ood, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: I said, O Messenger of Allaah! Which sin is worst before Allaah? He, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “To appoint a rival to Allaah, when He has created you.”[2]
Glory be to Allaah The Almighty! What a great God? Everything is of His creation and invention. Therefore, Al-Khaaleel Ibraaheem, peace be upon him said (as Allaah The Almighty says on his behalf): {Indeed, I have turned my face toward He who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those who associate others with Allaah."} [Al-An‘aam: 79]
How good is the poet who says!
Behold the gardens of the earth, and consider the emblems of those things which Divine power has formed,
Eyes of silver (i.e. daisies) with pupils like molten gold,
United to an emerald stalk disclose that there is no partner with Allaah.
Another one said:
How could anyone disobey God or how could anyone deny Him
When God has a sign in everything that exists to point to His Oneness?
All gods other than Allaah The Almighty are separate and quarreling[3]:
Allaah The Almighty says: {Are separate lords better or Allaah , the One, the Prevailing? } [Yoosuf: 39]
He The Almighty also says: {Allaah presents an example: a slave owned by quarreling partners and another belonging exclusively to one man - are they equal in comparison? Praise be to Allaah ! But most of them do not know.} [Az-Zumar: 29]
Gods that eat, drink and give birth:
Allaah The Almighty says: {The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded.} [Al-Maa’idah: 75]
Ibn Katheer said: Needing nourishment and to relieve the call of nature. Therefore, they are just servants like other servants, not gods as ignorant Christian sects claim.[4]
How a great patience Allaah The Almighty shows towards them!
It was narrated on the authority of Abu Moosa, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “No one is more patient in bearing offensive things that he hears than Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted; others are associated with Him, a son is attributed to Him, but He still grants them health and provision.”[5]
Gods that are Poor and bankrupt:
Allaah The Almighty says: {He causes the night to enter the day, and He causes the day to enter the night and has subjected the sun and the moon - each running [its course] for a specified term. That is Allaah, your Lord; to Him belongs sovereignty. And those whom you invoke other than Him do not possess [as much as] the membrane of a date seed. If you invoke them, they do not hear your supplication; and if they heard, they would not respond to you. And on the Day of Resurrection they will deny your association. And none can inform you like [one] Acquainted [with all matters].} [Faatir: 13-14]
Gods that are themselves slaves to Allaah The Almighty:
Allaah The Almighty says: {Indeed, those you [polytheists] call upon besides Allaah are servants like you. So call upon them and let them respond to you, if you should be truthful.} [Al-A‘raaf: 194]
Gods that sleep and die:
Allaah The Almighty says about the false deities: {And those they invoke other than Allaah create nothing, and they [themselves] are created. They are, [in fact], dead, not alive.}[An-Nahl 20-21]
Allaah The Almighty says about Himself: {Allaah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence.} [Al-Baqarah: 255]
He The Almighty also says other than Him: {Everyone upon the earth will perish.} [Ar-Rahmaan: 26]
He The Almighty also says: {Every soul will taste death.} [Aal-‘Imraan: 185]
Where is Fir‘awn (pharaoh) who used to say (as Allaah The Almighty says on his behalf): {I have not known you to have a god other than me.} [Al-Qasas: 38], where is An-Namrood who said (as Allaah The Almighty says on his behalf): {I give life and cause death.} [Al-Baqarah: 258] Rather, where is the one who made Al-Ukhdud (Trench) and said to the one who believed in Allaah The Almighty: “Do you have another Lord beside me?”
They are as the poet has said:
An irrevocable decree overcame them all so that they passed away and the people came to be as though they had never existed.
And another one said:
Then such years and their people came to an end as if they all are just dreams.
Allaah The Almighty says: {And do not invoke with Allaah another deity. There is no deity except Him. Everything will be destroyed except His Face. His is the judgment, and to Him you will be returned.} [Al-Qasas: 88]
All gods other than Allaah The Almighty are falsehood: Allaah The Almighty says: {That is because Allaah is the Truth and because He gives life to the dead and because He is over all things competent.} [Al-Hajj: 6]
He The Almighty also says: {That is because Allaah is the Truth, and that which they call upon other than Him is falsehood.} [Al-Hajj: 62]
It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The most true words said by a poet was the words of Labeed." He said, Verily, Everything except Allaah is perishable.”[6]
Gods worshiped are weaker than the flies:
Allaah The Almighty also says: {O people, an example is presented, so listen to it. Indeed, those you invoke besides Allaah will never create [as much as] a fly, even if they gathered together for that purpose. And if the fly should steal away from them a [tiny] thing, they could not recover it from him. Weak are the pursuer and pursued.}[7] [Al-Hajj: 73]
It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Allaah The Almighty says: Who does greater wrong than one who tries to creates something like My creation? Let them create an ant, let them create a seed or grain of barley!”[8]
And in another narration reported by Imaam Ahmad: “Let them create an ant or a fly or a seed like My creation!”[9]
Ibn Katheer said: They are unable to create a single fly and, moreover, they are unable to resist it or take revenge against it if it were to take anything from the good and perfumed thing on which it lands. If they wanted to recover that, they would not be able to, even though the fly is the weakest and most insignificant of Allaah's creatures. Therefore, Allaah The Almighty says: {Weak are the pursuer and pursued.}[10] [Al-Hajj: 73]
Gods that do not hear, do not see, do not benefit and do not harm:
Ibraaheem, peace be upon him, said to his father (as Allaah The Almighty says on his behalf): {"O my father, why do you worship that which does not hear and does not see and will not benefit you at all?} [Mariam: 42]
Gods that are made by the hands of their worshipers:
Ibraaheem, peace be upon him, said to his people (as Allaah The Almighty says on his behalf): {He said, "Do you worship that which you [yourselves] carve, While Allaah created you and that which you do?"} [As-Saafaat: 95-96]
Gods that have nothing except mere names in the hearts of their makers:
Allaah The Almighty says: {You worship not besides Him except [mere] names you have named them, you and your fathers, for which Allaah has sent down no authority.} [Yoosuf: 40]
Ibn Katheer: It is because of their ignorance that they worship false deities and give them names, for these names were forged and are being transferred from one generation to the next generation. They have no proof or authority that supports this practice from Allaah The Almighty.[11]
Gods that are ugly:
You can in no way find a worshiped deity besides Allaah The Almighty free from a form of ugliness such as the idols, stones, graves, trees, human beings that eat, drink, urinate and answer the call of nature. How such descriptions are far from Allaah The Almighty whom the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, described saying: “Allaah is beautiful and loves beauty.”! [Reported by Muslim (91) on the authority of Ibn Mas‘ood, may Allaah be pleased with him]
Furthermore, contemplate the beauty, greatness and pride when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, describes the Countenance of Allaah The Almighty saying: “His veil is Light and if He were to remove it, the glory of His Countenance would burn everything of His creation, as far as His gaze reaches.” [Reported by Muslim (179) on the authority of Abu Moosa, may Allaah be pleased with him]
Look at such descriptions that make the hearts pleased with the light of faith. Actually, the heart gets pleased with the love of the Ar-Rahmaan (The Most Gracious). Allaah The Almighty says:
{And the earth will shine with the light of its Lord.}[Az-Zumar: 69] Glorified be Allaah.
Gods that lead their worshipers and makers to the Hellfire:
It was narrated on the authority of Abu Sa‘eed Al-Khudari, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “On the Day of Resurrection, a call-maker will announce, "Let every nation follow that which they used to worship." Then all of those who used to worship anything other than Allaah like idols and other deities will fall in Hellfire, till there will remain none but those who used to worship Allaah, both those who were obedient (i.e. good) and those who were disobedient (i.e. bad) and the remaining party of the people of the Scripture. Then the Jews will be called upon and it will be said to them, 'Who do you use to worship?' They will say, 'We used to worship Ezra, the son of Allaah.' It will be said to them, 'You are liars, for Allaah has never taken anyone as a wife or a son. What do you want now?' They will say, 'O our Lord! We are thirsty, so give us something to drink.' They will be directed and addressed thus, 'Will you drink,' whereupon they will be gathered unto Hellfire which will look like a mirage whose different sides will be destroying each other. Then they will fall into the Hellfire. Afterwards the Christians will be called upon and it will be said to them, 'Who do you use to worship?' They will say, 'We used to worship Jesus, the son of Allaah.' It will be said to them, 'You are liars, for Allaah has never taken anyone as a wife or a son,' Then it will be said to them, 'What do you want?' They will say what the former people have said.” [Al-Bukhaari]
Gods that will be punished along with their makers in the Hellfire:
Allaah The Almighty says to the disbelievers: {Indeed, you [disbelievers] and what you worship other than Allaah are the firewood of Hell. You will be coming to [enter] it. Had these [false deities] been [actual] gods, they would not have come to it, but all are eternal therein.} [Al-Anbiyaa’ 98-99]
Ibn Katheer said: If these idols and false gods which you worshipped instead of Allaah, had really been gods, they would not have entered the Hellfire.
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[1] Fat-h Al-Majeed (explanation of ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Hasan Aal Ash-Sheykh p. 174).
[2] Reported by Al-Bukhaari, Muslim and Ahmad.
[3] Look at the Greeks and the gods that they worshiped instead of Allaah The Almighty and their numerous numbers. They have a god for everything. For example, the god of love called “Cupid” while “Venus” is the god of beauty, “Atlantic” is the god of seas and oceans and therefore the Atlantic Ocean was named after it and “Olympic” is the god of mountains.
Some of them are stronger than the others. Wars broke out between them and the strong gods destroy the weak ones and so on. All of such things are just out of their imaginations and inspirations of their devils for which Allaah The Almighty has sent down no authority.
[4]Tafseer Ibn Katheer (v.2).
[5] Reported by Al-Bukhaari (6099-7378) and Muslim (2804).
[6] Reported by Al-Bukhaari .
[7] It was discovered recently that if fly takes something from the blood of the human being or from anything else, no one can be able to take it from its mouth for it digests it immediately after it takes it and before it descends to its stomach. Therefore, Allaah The Almighty is Truthful when He says: {And if the fly should steal away from them a [tiny] thing, they could not recover it from him. Weak are the pursuer and pursued.} [Al-Hajj: 73]
[8] Reported by Al-Bukhaari (7559).
[9] Reported by Ahmad on the authority of Abu Hurairah as a Marfoo‘ (traceable) Hadeeth (3972).
[10] Tafseer Ibn Katheer (2/225).
[11] Tafseer Ibn Katheer (2/463).
