Discussion on the first occurrence of shirk (associating partners with Allah) on earth.
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The Shaykh : This is from the chapter of sadd al-dhara'i' (blocking the means to harm); because images and idols, in particular, have been and continue to be a cause for leading human beings into shirk (associating partners with Allah) and disbelief in Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Therefore, there is a reference to His saying (Blessed and Exalted is He) regarding the people of Noah: [Nuh 71:23] It is reported in "Sahih al-Bukhari" and others from Ibn Abbas that these were righteous people for Allah, and when they died...
The questioner : Before Noah?
The Shaykh : Before Noah, of course. After several generations, Noah came to them. When they died, Satan came to them and inspired them to... make idols for them, and he adorned this evil deed for them; because in that was remembrance, just as is the idea of the Europeans now, and some of the Muslims influenced by them, to set up idols and children and the poor, and so on. So they responded to his desire and carved idols for them, and they continued with that for a period of time. Then he inspired them, as if to a second generation, that these idols—you know—they were from the people of goodness, from the people of reform, and so on, so it is not fitting to leave them in places... that are appropriate... So they placed them in private houses, and they would frequent the graves, and then they found themselves frequenting the idols. Then he came to the third generation and deluded them, saying that your fathers used to worship these, and their worship was nothing but prostrating to them, honoring them, and being polite to them with a politeness that is not fitting for anyone but Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He).
And said, 'Never leave your gods and never leave Wadd or Suwa' or Yaghuth and Ya'uq and Nasr.
وَقَالُوا لا تَذَرُنَّ آلِهَتَكُمْ وَلا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَلا سُوَاعًا وَلا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْرًاThe questioner : Before Noah?
The Shaykh : Before Noah, of course. After several generations, Noah came to them. When they died, Satan came to them and inspired them to... make idols for them, and he adorned this evil deed for them; because in that was remembrance, just as is the idea of the Europeans now, and some of the Muslims influenced by them, to set up idols and children and the poor, and so on. So they responded to his desire and carved idols for them, and they continued with that for a period of time. Then he inspired them, as if to a second generation, that these idols—you know—they were from the people of goodness, from the people of reform, and so on, so it is not fitting to leave them in places... that are appropriate... So they placed them in private houses, and they would frequent the graves, and then they found themselves frequenting the idols. Then he came to the third generation and deluded them, saying that your fathers used to worship these, and their worship was nothing but prostrating to them, honoring them, and being polite to them with a politeness that is not fitting for anyone but Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He).
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.