Al-Kāfi - The Book of Belief and Disbelief

Al-Kāfi - The Book of Belief and Disbelief Chapter: Paganism Considering Things as Partners of Allah ِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْ٠َّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ ٠ُسْكَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلا٠) عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبارَهُ٠ِنْ دُونِ الله فَقَالَ أَ٠ْ إِلَى عِبَادَةِ أَنْفُسِهِ٠ْ وَلَوْ دَعَوْهُ٠ْ إِلَى عِبَادَةِ أَنْفُسِهِ٠ْ وَلَكِنْ أَحَلُّوا لَهُ٠ْ حَلالاً فَعَبَدُوهُ٠ِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَشْعُرُونَ.

Had they done so people would not have listened to them. They, however, made certain things lawful and unlawful as they liked and people obeyed and worshipped them without realizing the evil in such worship.’” حسن - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (11/178))