Let it not be so that when you die you may be like a runaway...

Let it not be so that when you die you may be like a runaway slave whereby you are dragged to Him with a blow and degradation. How can I worship something that cannot make me needless? What! Shall I take besides Him gods… *** *** Antioch was the country of Sabean people, the worshippers of stars and angels. They had carved idols in the shape of angels for worshipping. He says, “Should I give up the worship of the Beneficent God? Should I adopt another god?

Should I worship a star, angels or even a cow, as some simple fellows do?” Whose intercession, if the Beneficent God should desire to afflict me with a harm, shall not avail me aught, nor shall they be able to deliver me? *** *** That is if the Lord God wishes that I should suffer a loss or harm, all the false gods cannot reach me even if they desire. They cannot save me even if all of them help each other fully. Their recommendation cannot help me and they cannot give me salvation.

There is a story about the question that the late Shaykh Ahmed Bahraini put to a Zoroastrian, “Why do you worship fire and prostrate before it?” That fire worshipper replied, “So that tomorrow, on the Day of Judgment, it may not burn me.” The Shaykh said, “Very well, now here am I who never cared for fire. I am putting my hand in it. You also may do so. Let us see whose hand this fire does not burn?

Fire has no conscience whereby it may differentiate between the one who worshipped it and who did not.” Things worshipped by polytheists are also like this and so are animals and angels. They can never do anything against the Will of God. In that case I shall most surely be in clear error… *** *** That is, I will be falling into a clear waywardness if I worship them despite seeing that they are unable to do anything. We can say the same for those who worship the rulers.

“I entrust my daughters to God” Muslims should not claim, “By the grace of God, we do not worship idols.” Because if you consider anyone or anything other than God as able and mighty, then you also are like those polytheists. It is written in Layaliul Akhbar that: A great monotheist scholar was about to breathe his last. The ruler of the time came to see him. He stood near his head and inquired about his condition.

The scholar said, “My departure is very near.” The ruler said, “If you need anything, tell me so that I may fulfill it.” The scholar said, “You cannot fulfill my need.” The ruler said, “I have heard that you have some teenaged daughters.