Answering Questions: Why Did The Polytheists Worshiped Idols? Did They Worship Idols Or Those Whom The Idols Represented?

[MuhammedAli]

Introduction:

On IslamicAwakening forum during a discussion on subject of; ‘What Is Ibadah?’ subject of why the idols were worshiped was discussed when they had no ability to harm or benefit? Did they worship the inanimate idols or those beings which the idols represented, was brought into discussion. If I recall correctly someone quoted the following verse as evidence to argue that they worshiped idols not what those whom the idols represented: “You worship besides Allah only idols, and you only invent falsehood.” [Ref: 29:17]

Why Worship Something Which Has No Ability To Harm Or Benefit:

Suppose idol of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) in form of a man with all humanizing details such as beard and trimmed mustache. One believes this idol of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is my Ilah (i.e. worthy of worship) and worships this idol. Even though one knows the idol is helpless and harmless and benefit-less and has no inherent capacity to hear, or see, or grant anything yet one still worshiped the idol. Question would arise, why would one worship something which has absolutely no capacity to benefit or harm? The answer is, one worships it due to whom the idol represents and that one is able to harm and benefit. Even the polytheists of Jahilliyah (i.e. pre-Islamic Arabia) and all modern polytheists knew and know; the idols are made from inanimate material are without life and as such have no ability what so ever. The polytheists believed that their Ilahs were loved by Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) so much so that He elevated them as Ilah. Therefore they believed worship of them will gain them nearness of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). You might have heard the saying; access to a man’s heart is via his stomach. Polytheists believed nearness to Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is via those loved Ilahs. So they asked Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) via the route of their Ilahs but in time of extreme hardship like life/death situation they directly invoked Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). In comfort the idols were invoked and if Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) was invoked then their Ilahs were invoked with it.

Prophet Ibrahim Said You Worship Idols:

One might question, how did you arrive to this understanding? This understanding was realized with copious amount of contemplation over various verses of Quran. Putting the pieces of puzzle together and with help from modern forms of polytheism and bit of common sense. One must look at the polytheism of present era compare it with polytheism of hundred years ago and older more documentarily established forms of polytheisms. One will come to realize polytheism hasn’t changed only the puppets have changed and the philosophies supporting polytheism are same. They worshiped the being which the idol represented along side the idol. Some time the Zahir (i.e. apparent) is stated but what is part of it is included in it. We say the medicine cured me. A Muslim saying this, does he believe actually the Zahir (the apparent – i.e. medicine) cured or does he believe Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) has cured via medicine? Atheist says medicine cure’s, does he only mean the Zahir, the apparent, meaning the medicine is the curer? Or is the belief about Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) curing part of it? What I am trying to point is: Prophet Ibrahim (alayhis salaam) said they worship idols. Their worship of idols is inclusive of the being which the idol represented. Just as we the Muslims say medicine cured. Even though our statement indicates medicine cured but the Zahir has to be interpreted in light of belief of person. In this case belief of Tawheed, hence the belief about Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) curing is included when it will be interpreted. Coming back to the subject of idol worship, they worshipped the idols along side that the idols represented.

Monkey See Monkey Do, And Jahil See Mushrik Do, Jahil Do:

Now one might argue: Ok, I understand the point of the Batin (i.e. the hidden – i.e. beliefs etc.) being part of the Zahir (i.e. the apparent i.e. statement). My questions are, why should they create an idol to represent the being which they have taken as Ilah when there is no need to do so? Why would they worship an idol when they should only worship the being whom the idol represented? In some cases the belief of Ilahiyyah was affirmed first for a being and then Idols were created to worship them. At least in one case the idols were created first to remember the pious people. Later when the origin story in connection with the idols was forgotten the belief of Ilahiyyah was affirmed and the created idols were worshipped. Why would two groups; i) created the idols then affirmed Ilahiyyah, ii) affirmed Ilahiyyah and then created idols, then worshipped them? They simply could have like you said worshipped the beings whom the idols represented so why create the idols? Which ever group originated as a leader, it inspired the other. In those days polytheism was order of the day Tawheed was sparse. In this context; monkey see, monkey do, concept existed, it is bit like present time; world see Westerners do, world do. Alhasil, this is how the idols came to be worshipped with the beings whom they represented.

Idol Worship Due To Immense Love/Respect Of Whom They Represent:

This still doesn’t quite justify, why would one worship a idol with the being whom it represented when they knew, there is inherent harm or benefit from the idols? Best way this can be explained is with a scenario which relates to a Muslim’s moral compass. Suppose you have a replica of Kabah. Which now days can be purchased in shops. You are throwing some idols found in your attic belonging to previous owners of the house, coincidently they were Hindu. Along side their various Ilah-idols a replica of Kabah was part of that stash unknown to you. In your garden there is bucket of cow dung and in an act of jealousy for Tawheed and love of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), you proceed to dip each idol in the bucket of dung and each time you pronounce: ‘Bin! Bin! Bin!’ when you chuck one in bin. At the bottom there was a replica of Kabah. The question is; will you dip it in cow dung and proceed to pronounce bin upon it or will you deem it as an act of sacrilege and Kufr? If you had tiny bit of respect and in my, lets say, naïve opinion a Muslim would not even contemplate doing this. Now the question is why not? It represents something which is holy; important to symbol of your faith therefore a Muslim would treat it with respect even though it is not part of it, or piece of Kabah just a replica made from plastic imported from China. The meat of matter is; polytheists even though understood their idols are not the beings which they are suppose to be representing. They worshipped the idols along the beings because in their belief it was an act of disrespect to distinguish between the idol-representative and the being believed as their deity hence they worshiped both – the being and the idol which represented it. It is bit like why a Muslim won’t distinguish between the Kabah and the replica of Kabah when it comes to treating the latter with respect.

Wama Alayna Ilal Balaghul Mubeen.
Muhammed Ali Razavi