From Innovation to Polytheism and From Polytheism to Disbelief
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Explanation of Disbelief, Innovation, and Polytheism
We know what disbelief, innovation, and polytheism are. Disbelief means denying the words of Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ), and those who do so are called disbelievers. You, I, and all of us know that Ibrahim ( عليه السلام), who was a prophet of Allah and is known as Khalil-ur-Rahman, the friend of Allah, was a Muslim. His son Ismail ( عليه السلام) was also a prophet of Allah, and from him, Allah carried on the lineage that reached our beloved Prophet (ﷺ). Ismail ( عليه السلام) was also a prophet of Allah, and he too was a Muslim. So, how did the Arabs turn into disbelievers by the time of our Prophet (ﷺ), and why did his close relatives reject him by saying they could not abandon the religion of their forefathers, when Ibrahim ( عليه السلام) was a Muslim?
The Beginning of Innovation and the Onset of Polytheism
I reflected on this, and if there are any shortcomings in conveying it to you, may Allah forgive me. Let’s go back to Makkah, where after Ismail ( عليه السلام), the Arabs were still Muslims. They believed in the oneness of Allah, worshipping only one Allah. Monotheism was still established and remained so for a long time until they forgot some parts of their religion. Even then, they continued to believe in Allah, until the leader of the Khuza’a tribe, Amr bin Luhayy, returned from a journey to Syria.
This is where innovation started. But what is innovation? We know that innovation is a great sin, but what is it? Innovation refers to introducing new practices, new customs and traditions that the Prophet (ﷺ) did not teach us, which go against the commands of Allah. For example, singing and dancing as a means of expressing happiness is an innovation. Now that we understand what innovation is, let’s return to Makkah. Amr bin Luhayy was a respected leader of his tribe. He saw idol worship in Syria and was influenced by it. When he returned to Makkah, he brought an idol named Hubal with him and placed it near the Kaaba. He told the people to worship it and to use idols as a means to connect with Allah.
Polytheism and Its Consequences
Now this led to polytheism. Polytheism means associating partners with Allah. Gradually, people began to worship these idols and forgot their Creator. The devil made them forget their religion. Then Allah sent His final Prophet (ﷺ), and the caliphate of Islam was established, and the religion of Allah spread throughout the world. But who will stop today’s Muslims from adopting sectarian changes and new rituals? Whose responsibility is this now? Allah has now given this task to the Ummah. But how should we do it? Let’s think about it. First of all, we need to know and understand our religion so that we can distinguish between what the Prophet (ﷺ) taught us and the changes people are making nowadays.
Do not associate anyone with Allah, thinking that making vows at the shrine of a certain saint or pir will please Allah. Whether we pray five times a day or not, we make sure to give offerings at the appropriate time and spend nights in seclusion at the shrines of saints. Is prayer not obligatory? The first question will be about prayer, won’t it? Whoever abandons prayer has committed disbelief. Think about it, did Lady Fatima (رضي الله عنها), the princess of both worlds, have any singing and dancing at her wedding? When our role model did not do this, why should we? Who are we following? If we continue to do this, how will we face the Prophet (ﷺ), who endured hunger for three days at a time for our sake, who wept during the night for us? Are we worthy of this great person (ﷺ) shedding tears for us? How will we answer to Allah?
We must protect ourselves, you, me, and our families from this evil. Do not make marriage a burden, these rituals like applying turmeric (haldi) are not our way, and whoever follows the ways of the disbelievers is one of them. As for change, we must bring it within ourselves, not in the religion. And how do we do that? We must change ourselves, strive to avoid sin, seek to learn and understand the religion, and change ourselves for the pleasure of Allah. Mold yourself into the form that Allah, the Lord of Honor, likes to see us in. Ask Allah, pray, and seek refuge from polytheism, innovation, and the whispers of the devil.
