Argument and quibbling (5)

The polytheists would also organise a fair once or twice a year at shrines dedicated to certain individuals at which people gathered and performed the acts of worship and adoration mentioned above. Such fairs were often scheduled around the death anniversaries of these saints, and people would journey long distances to attend these gatherings.

All these acts of worship and adoration were performed in hopes of pleasing the dead “holy men,” and winning their intercession. The Pagans would address certain saints saying: “O father! Answer my request, and remove such and such hardship.” The polytheists believed that the dead people that they prayed to could not only hear them, but could also answer their prayers with powers given to them by Allah, or by interceding with Allah.

Such were the practices of the pagans – associating partners with Allah by deifying human beings and inanimate objects even as they denied His power to resurrect His creation. It was in this citadel of polytheism that the Prophet was sent to preach the message of the One God, and to teach people of His Oneness. Many of the polytheists, however, viewed the message as unreasonable and untrue, and they clung to their own flawed beliefs about the nature of God.

“Has he made all of the gods into one god? This is something strange!... We have not heard of any religion that has only one god. Surely, this is nothing but an innovation!” (38: 5-7)

Allah engages in debate with the pagans through verses of the Qur’an. The pagans were asked how they could tell whether or not a person had been chosen by Allah and actually possessed the power of intercession. For example, how could one be sure that a person who claimed to be “close” to Allah was telling the

truth? Essentially, there are only two ways to determine whether or not such an individual was telling the truth: by possessing knowledge of the unseen, or by having access to a divine book. Allah addresses this point in the Qur’an when He asks:

“Does the unseen appear before them so that they can record it in their own books?” (68: 47).

“If you speak the truth, bring to Me a book revealed before this one, or some traces of knowledge to support your claim.” (46:4).

And: “Say: Do you have any proof that you can bring before Us? No, because you follow nothing but conjecture and your words are only lies.” (6:148).

The polytheists admitted that they did not have knowledge of the unseen, nor could they produce a divinely inspired book. Tradition and the wisdom of their ancestors were their sources of truth. The Qur’an quotes them as saying: “We found our fathers following a certain religion, and we are following in their footsteps.” (43: 23).

These verses highlight the ignorance and helplessness of the polytheists, and Allah makes the matter clear when He says in the Qur’an: “Truly, Allah knows, but you know not.” (16: 74).