Worship, as a gateway to the truth of existence, guides humanity to the sacred realm of the unparalleled Divine Essence. In this regard, the Holy Quran, with clear and profound expression, delineates the true path of devotion to God and warns against any deviation therein. Verse 18 of Surah Yunus, with penetrating insight into the reality of worship, unveils the error of polytheism and the worship of entities other than God, calling humanity towards pure monotheism. This treatise, inspired by a deep lecture, elucidates this verse and explores the concepts of monotheism, polytheism, and proximity to God. Its objective is to illuminate, through comprehensive and precise analysis, the paths to authentic God-worship and avoidance of fruitless devotions, so that the reader, in this spiritual journey, may step towards the One God with reflection upon the essence of worship.
And they worship, apart from Allah, that which neither harms them nor benefits them, and they say, These are our intercessors with Allah. Say, Do you inform Allah of something He does not know in the heavens or on the earth? Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.
This verse, with eloquent expression, critiques polytheism and the worship of others besides God, emphasising the futility of such actions. Those who, instead of worshipping the One God, turn to idols or ineffectual beings, find themselves in evident misguidance. By referencing the erroneous beliefs of polytheists regarding the intercession of idols, this verse stresses the transcendence of the Divine Essence beyond any partners or equals and invites humanity towards pure worship.
Verse 18 of Surah Yunus, continuing from preceding verses that negate false accusations against God and refute divine signs, presents polytheism as the worship of ineffective entities. These entities, whether material idols or superstitious beliefs, lack any power to benefit or harm human beings. The phrase that which neither harms them nor benefits them reflects clearly the impotence of these beings against the limitless power of the Divine Essence. The belief in the intercession of these beings before God is a sign of ignorance, which the Holy Quran challenges with wise irony: Do you inform Allah of something He does not know in the heavens or on the earth? This question prompts reflection on the magnitude of Divine knowledge and the invalidity of polytheism.
A central theme of this lecture is the critique of covert polytheism that has permeated religious societies. Many who consider themselves God-worshippers, in reality, have resorted to the worship of entities other than God. This polytheism appears sometimes as overt idolatry and sometimes as superficial acts of worship devoid of proximity to God. As the Holy Quran states, worshipping beings that neither benefit nor harm distances a person from the truth of monotheism. This lecture challenges superficial acts of worship with the analogy of an ineffective medicine: just as a medicine without efficacy cannot heal, worship without divine proximity is merely an empty shell.
This hidden polytheism manifests in numerous religious rituals, including circumambulating the Kaaba or performing prayers, when such acts lack understanding and nearness to God. For instance, the circumambulation of the Kaaba, which can symbolise movement towards God, if reduced to materialistic or identity motives, becomes a futile act. This critique does not negate such rituals but rather invites reconsideration of their intention and quality to achieve genuine proximity to God.
Another prominent point in the lecture is the critique of the identity-based function of worship such as pilgrimage (Hajj) and congregational prayers. In many societies, these acts have been reduced to markers for social or religious identity. For example, the pilgrimage, which should be a spiritual journey towards God, sometimes becomes a means for demonstrating religious identity or achieving material benefit. The lecture, using the analogy of a sack of stones versus a precious earring, emphasises the difference between quantity and quality in worship: just as a small but valuable earring is superior to a sack full of worthless stones, a few acts of worship performed with knowledge outweigh a multitude of low-quality deeds.
This critique does not reject these acts, but warns the devout against transforming worship into tools for identity-building or material gain. Worship must be a bridge towards God, not a symbol for social distinction or materialistic interests.
This lecture profoundly examines the impact of colonialism on the distortion of religion and the estrangement of Islamic societies from authentic God-worship. Colonialism, by promoting hidden polytheism and reducing religion to superficial acts, has deprived humanity of the truth of monotheism. For example, transforming the Kaaba into a symbol of materialism or utilising religion as an identity tool are among the consequences of this distortion. The lecture, citing examples from contemporary history, shows how colonialism, by corrupting religious concepts, has obstructed proximity to God and steered people towards fruitless worship.
This critique is an invitation to rethink religious concepts and return to pure monotheism. As a poet has said:
When you distance yourself from God, you turn to whatever / Except Him, all is deception, and no path leads to light.
Colonialism has likewise led humanity towards deception and misguidance.
Proximity to God is the essence of true worship. This lecture emphasises that worship without proximity is like a lifeless body and invites humanity towards a worship accompanied by inner transformation and knowledge. As the Holy Quran states: Say, There is no deity except Allah and you will succeed, authentic God-worship is contingent upon faith in the One God and moving towards Him. The lecture likens worship to an athlete who, through constant training, transforms his body; worship must be a continuous effort for inner transformation. Worship that does not bring one closer to God is like a rope stretched across a valley, with no path to the destination.
For instance, prayer, which should be a bridge to God, if performed without knowledge and proximity, becomes fruitless. The lecture refers to examples of mystics and Divine saints whose worship, suffused with intimacy and proximity to God, brought about inner transformation.
A significant point in this lecture is the critique of self-deception in worship. Many devout individuals, by performing external acts, mistakenly consider themselves God-worshippers, while being unaware of the reality of God. The lecture challenges this self-deception with the analogy of a person who hides himself from others but is fearless before God. As a poet has said:
When Gods eyes are upon you, / What need is there to hide yourself from creation?
A person must stand before God with honesty and sincerity. The lecture cites examples from early Islamic history showing how Divine saints, through pure and knowledgeable worship, attained Divine proximity.
This critique invites reflection on the intention and quality of worship. Worship performed out of habit or ostentation neither brings one closer to God nor prevents ones descent into misguidance and self-deception.
Verse 18 of Surah Yunus, by referencing the polytheists belief in the intercession of idols, challenges this doctrine. This lecture, emphasising that only God is worthy of worship and possesses the power to benefit or harm, negates the belief in the intercession of ineffective beings. For example, idols, whether material or spiritual, cannot be mediators for humans before God, as they lack any power or influence. The lecture uses the analogy of a teacher unable to save a student with a zero score to demonstrate that intercession only has meaning in the shadow of faith in God and righteous deeds.
This critique does not negate the intercession of Divine saints but warns believers to understand intercession within the framework of monotheism and Divine permission. As the Quran states: Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? Intercession occurs only through those whom God has authorised.
This lecture, emphasising the Prophetic hadith Say, There is no deity except Allah and you will succeed, calls humanity towards pure monotheism and worship of the One God. Monotheism is like a key that unlocks the gates of misguidance and guides the human being towards salvation. The lecture, by referencing examples of Divine saints, demonstrates how faith in the One God and pure worship lead to Divine proximity and inner transformation.
For example, the worship of mystics such as Salman and Ammar was accompanied by intimacy and k
