Pre-islamic Age of Ignorance: In the pre-islamic age of ignorance period, people used the word “RELIGION” in the sense of customs and traditions.[536] After the Prophet Abraham, they forgot the worship of Allah alone and became devoted to idols or images that they had made with their own hands over time, giving them spirituality. Each tribe had a Taghut[537] who knew their customs and traditions very well, and the members of the tribe would be judged[538] in the presence of the Taghut.[539] This judgement area was called Dar al-Nadwa.

Islam: Regarding these matters, Allah (swt) says the following:

Religion: The religion in the sight of Allah is Islam alone.[540]

Judgement: Judgement belongs to Allah alone. He has commanded you to worship Him alone and none else. This is the true religion. But most people do not know.[541]

Taghut: O Muhammad! Do you not see those who claim to believe in the Qur’ân which has been sent down to you and in what was sent down before you? They ask to be judged before Taghut. Yet they were commanded to reject him. Satan wants to lead them astray in deep error. [542]

Nowadays: Unfortunately, today, religion is used in the sense of customs and traditions by most of the Muslims in the world; it is obvious that their lives and beliefs are in this way. With the replacement of the spirit of Ummahism with the mentality of nationalism, Muslims living in the world have become ignorant and have endeavoured to live the religion within the customs and traditions of the society they live in. This life leads them to take the parts that are suitable for their customs and leave the rest.

The Dâru’n-Nedwa, where the tribes were judged, was a parliament. From this parliament, laws binding on everyone were passed. Dâru’n-Nedve was the sole decision centre in matters among themselves and in relations with other tribes. Even today, there are assemblies with judgement centres within the tribe-nation to which they belong. They set rules in order to maintain peace and boundaries within their own areas.

Taghut[543], on the other hand, contains many meanings in terms of the area it covers. In order not to mislead despite this rich content, let us briefly list the views of our scholars.

Ibn Jarir al-Tabari narrates the following words: “Taghut means anything that is rebellious against Allah and is worshipped by force, coercion or voluntarily, whether it is a human being, a devil, an idol, an idol, an obelisk or any other thing.

Mujahid says the following about the concept of Taghut: “Taghut is the demons in the form of human beings to whom they are judged and whose commands they obey.

Imam Qurtubi says the following about this concept: “Reject the Taghut means to abandon everything that is worshipped besides Allah, such as the devil, the oracle, the idol, and all those who call to error.

Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya said: “Taghut means a servant who has overstepped the bounds of being worshipped, worshipped and obeyed.

At present, there is hardly a place on earth that does not resemble Jahiliyyah. Anyone who forces Muslims into war, poverty and ignorance and prevents them from fulfilling their beliefs is a taghut. The one who serves this tagut is called bel’am. Anyone who does not know the language of Islam and from whom some people learn Islam can be a bel’am. In order to understand this, one must be aware of the Holy Qur’an.

In environments where those who know are silent even though they know, and those who do not know remain unresponsive even if they know, every truth cannot be told everywhere. The fact that the one who is dominant in the relationship between the mind and the heart sees the other as unfair is a situation desired by those who do not allow things to be said anyway. For this reason, I invite those who are in the anti-Kemalist mentality to first do the requirements of the religion under the leadership of the Messenger (a.s.) and not to limit the work to the region where they live, to have knowledge about the whole world, to use the power of prayer and to form a group that lives with what they know. Without these, you cannot talk about a view you are against. Because you are not a party…

BELIEFS

PUTPERESTY

Pre-islamic Age of Ignorance: There were different religious beliefs in Jahiliyyah. The most common of these was idolatry. Idolaters used to be people of monotheism. Then they forgot their religion in time, but still some worship and beliefs belonging to the tawhid creed remained in their religion. These beliefs continued until the arrival of Amr b. Luhayy, the chief of the Huzaa tribe. This person was a very worshipful, generous and pious person. People took him for a great scholar and a saint and obeyed him and followed his orders. Amr bin Luhayy thought that the idols made by the pagans were right. The people of Makkah did not interpret what he brought as contrary to religion; on the contrary, they followed him out of ignorance, thinking that it was a good deed. In other words, they became idolaters with the aim of gaining the consent of the Creator, thinking that what they did was in accordance with religion. Although the subject of idols has been dealt with in different ways at different times, many Muslims still do not understand how they are foolish enough to worship the gods they have created with their own hands. For this reason, we will try to explain a little more with information that we think will be useful.

The History and Importance of Idols: Ibn Abbas (r.a.) said: The sons of Shit (a.s.) used to go to the corpse of Adam (a.s.) and pay homage to him and ask for mercy. One of the sons of Cain, the son of Adam (a.s.), said: “O sons of Cain! The sons of Shit have a sheep[544]and they revolve around it and honour it, and you have nothing!” [545]Then he made them an idol, so he became the first of the idol makers. Then[546]Wadd, Suvâ, Yagus, Yauk and Nasser were pious and good men. They all died in the same month. Their relatives were very sad. One of the sons of Cain said: “O my countrymen, shall I make you five idols in their shape? I cannot give you only their souls.” (They said), “Do it”. So he made five idols in their likeness and erected them. Now everyone came to his (dead) brother, uncle, nephew, showed respect to him, and turned around him. This continued for a generation. These are Yarad[547]b. Mahlail b. Kaynan b. Anush b. Shit b. Adam. Then another generation came, and they honoured them more than the previous ones. After them came a third generation, and they said: The people before us honoured them so that they might intercede for them with Allah, and for no other reason. And they worshipped them. Their deeds grew and their disbelief increased. Allah sent Idris (as) to them as a prophet. He showed them the right path, but they denied him, so Allah raised him to the exalted positions with Him.[548] It is narrated that they worshipped these idols until the time of Noah (a.s.), and after the flood they were thrown ashore in the Judda area. After centuries had passed, Amr bin Luhayy brought them out from the place where they were found. It is rumoured that Amr bin Luhayy lived about 300 years before the Holy Prophet.[549]Amr b. Luhayy had a friend among the jinn. This jinn showed Amr the places where Ved, Suva, Yegus, Yeuk and Nasr, the idols of Noah’s people, were buried. Amr found them and distributed them to the tribes who came on pilgrimage during the pilgrimage. In a hadith from Ibn ‘Abbas (r.a.): It is said that if we obtain the statues and pictures of these dead people, we will be more inclined to worship. The Qur’an informs about this situation as follows: “They said to the people, ‘Do not give up your gods, and do not give up the idols of Ved, Suva, Yitzus, Yeuk and Nesr.'[550] Thereupon every tribe and even every house was filled with idols. When the Messenger of Allah (a.s.) conquered Mecca, there were 360 idols in the Ka’bah and he destroyed and burnt them. The reason for the spread of idolatry in Arabia is this: The Arab tribes who used to come from all around to perform Hajj used to take the stones of the Ka’bah with them on their way back. Then they would carve them in the shape of the idols in the Ka’bah, give them the shape of those idols, and then worship them. That is why idolatry spread rapidly in Arabia.[551]

Worshipping Idols: Ignorant people used to worship idols even though they accepted the existence of Allah. They believed that their idols would be their intercessors in the sight of Allah, and each idol had its own hoped-for status. In the Holy Qur’an, this situation is expressed most strikingly and clearly as follows: We worship them only that they may bring us closer to Allah.[552]

Abdurrahman al-Muhajir, author of the book Al-Menhej al-Hareki Lissirat al-Nabawi, summarises this situation as follows:

a) They used to go to these idols and worship them and glorify them. When they wanted something, they would go to these idols and ask for it. In times of violence and distress, they would invoke the names of these idols. When they had a need, they would ask them for what they needed. They also believed that these idols would be intercessors for them in the sight of Allah. They believed that these idols had superior authority in the sight of Allah and that they were able to fulfil their wishes.

b) They used to perform pilgrimage to these idols, circumambulate them, and prostrate themselves before them.

c) They used to try to get closer to their idols by some means. They used to sacrifice for their idols and in the name of their idols.

d) They used to allocate some of their food and drink to them in order to get closer to these idols. They would also allocate some of their crops and animals to their idols. They used to allocate some of them to Allah. Sometimes, for reasons of their own invention, they would transfer to the idols what they had reserved for Allah. But they never transferred to Allah what they had reserved for idols.

e) These Arabs used to invent haram and halal from their own souls. For example, they made bahire, saibe, vasile and ham haram.

How many forms are idols: In Ibn al-Kalbi’s book Al-Asnam, it is stated that idols are in three forms.

An-Nasb: These idols are not in human form but made of stone.

An-Wasen: These are idols made of stone but in human form.

As-Sanam: These are idols made of metal and wood, not stone, but in human form.

When Idols are Necessary: The polytheists in Mecca used to visit Ka’ba once a day at first. This behaviour later led to the fact that holidays, special days and travels started with respect for idol statues and continued until the end. Those who were far away from the idols came on certain days of the year. They did all these practices with the idea that they were in accordance with Allah’s will. For this reason, although there were 360 idols in the Ka’bah, it was still called Baytullah[553]. Some of the duties attributed to these idols are as follows.

Uzza: God of health

Menat God of prosperity

Lat: God of the family, tribe

Hubel: Idols that guided caravans and were claimed to determine the fate of tribes.

ISLAM: Behold, the true religion is Allah’s. Those who leave Allah and take other friends besides Him say: “We worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allah”. Verily Allah will judge about that in which they differ. Surely Allah guides not the liar and the disbeliever.

Allah has not created bahira, saiba, wâsile, ham. But the disbelievers slander Allah falsely, and most of them are not intelligent. [555]

Animals slaughtered on obelisks (idols) are forbidden to you.[556]

They allocated to Allah a share of the crops and animals created by Allah and said: “This is for Allah, and this is for those whom we associate partners (idols). The portion for their associates does not go to Allah, but the portion for Allah goes to their associates! How evil are their judgements![557]

They worship besides Allah that which can neither harm nor benefit them, and say: “These are our intercessors with Allah”. Say: “Do you inform Allah of what He does not know in the heavens and the earth? Allah is far from that which they associate partners.”[558]

Nowadays: Individually, in order for us to understand Islam and control our beliefs, we need to think about this issue in detail. Because one of the most confused concepts in Islam today is idol. If we look carefully at the information transmitted from thousands of years ago, it is seen that not accepting the deaths of righteous people and making an effort to objectify them (with good intentions) in order to commemorate them and keep them alive, after a while, it becomes a form of worship that is far from the purpose of its purpose, unknown why and why it is done, and leads to the worship of these people. The first thing that is important for this is whether the actions performed as worship, i.e. in the belief that Allah will be pleased with them, are really within religion or not. Some rules set by past people with good intentions or with the aim of keeping traditions alive may have come to us as worship over time. This is a situation that may occur. On the other hand, there may be those who deliberately portray situations as worship and those who intend to deliberately restrict the scope of worship. Those who try to silence the truth with their mouths may limit shirk to the worship of idols and the worship of Allah to prayer. People who do not research their religion will be blindly attached to these innovations and will perceive even discussing the issue as discussing religion. They will react without even feeling the need to listen to the other side, as they are sure that they are serving their religion by blindly continuing this in every field of life, such as word, pen or sword. Because deception comes to life in every field where ignorance exists.

Abu Jahl[559], who is known as the father of ignorance, fought the battle of Badr with the aim of protecting the understanding of religion he had seen from his ancestors. The sources of Siyar clearly show that Abu Jahl did not go to Badr to defend irreligion, but to serve his religion by fighting Muslims who contradicted his understanding of religion. Imam Tabari also narrates this situation as follows: The polytheists of Quraysh, before travelling to Badr, clung to the cover of the Ka’bah in Makkah and asked for Allah’s help as follows: “O Allah! Help the most saintly of the two armies, the most precious of the two communities, the best of the two tribes!”[560] Both sides were fighting for their beliefs. Both sides were asking for help from Allah, the Creator. They thought that their side was right, saintly and auspicious. But one side was right… The other was fighting for the beliefs to which he was blindly attached. He endeavoured to wage his own jihad[561] against the side that he saw as the cause of the deterioration of the existing relations with a belief that included a fanaticism such as the mentality of “protect your people even if they are unjust”. Ibn Hisham says in this regard: When the polytheists and the Muslims met each other at Badr, Abu Jahl said: “O Allah! Muhammad has cut us off from kinship relations and has come to us with a thousand things unknown to us. Destroy him in the morning!” he said. He was the first to pass judgement against him.[562]

Why are they labelled as polytheists even though they believe in Allah, pray and fight with their lives when necessary?

If someone else did these things, would he not be treated as a believer? Faith, prayer, jihad… So these alone are not sufficient for a person to be a believer. Then what made them polytheists? …

This is where the importance of the idol comes into play. Because the main cause of the war was not religious understanding, but the contradiction of the multiplication and unification of gods. Despite the fact that they have committed all these acts, they are struggling for the sake of offering their service not to Allah, but to a blind faith that has been placed within the faith in Allah. They have become polytheists because they have not made the power, worship and asking for help exclusive to Allah. When we apply this to our own lives, it becomes clear that first and foremost we need to fully recognise the absence of the idols to which we are attached. Hopefully, the meaning of La ilahe illallah has been better understood and it has become clear that those who say it wholeheartedly are heralded with the good news of Paradise. It is necessary to recognise well in whose service the actions are contributing a share[563]. The Qur’an explains this situation as follows:

Allah (swt) says:

The polytheists allocate out of what We have given them as sustenance a share for things (idols) whose nature they do not know. By Allah, you will surely be called to account for this slander.”[564]

The author of the Qur’anic commentary of Asr explains as follows:

“And out of what We have given them as sustenance, they allocate portions to things (idols and the like) of which they do not know (the truth).” There were many polytheists who cut off from the sustenance of their children and the needy poor around them and took a certain portion of the blessings they had to the idolatry and left it to please the idols and to please them to fulfil their wishes. This incident shows that they had no significant knowledge of religion and faith, and at the same time they could not comprehend that chipped stones, trees and similar objects were not capable of causing any benefit or harm. Another point to be noted here is this: In the Qur’an, when talking about idols, we see that the expression “things whose true face they do not know” is used. Because the Holy Qur’an is not addressed only to the idolaters of that day, nor to a certain tribe and nation. With the divine judgements it carries, it addresses all nations until the Day of Resurrection. In this respect, what other gods similar to idols have been created in every age and what false beliefs have been introduced! With the related verse, by pointing out the beliefs and false gods of today, the people are warned and some measures are given. Namely

a) The money spent on idols and similar things,

b) Things spent by making offerings to the shrines.

c) Candles taken to shrines and lit.

d) Coins placed or glued on wishing stones.

e) Coins thrown into supposedly sacred waters.

f) Items and money given to sorcerers, sorceresses, and amulet-makers who cannot even write properly fall under the same provision, and in a way, they merge with idolatry. The same is the case with ropes and cords tied to stones and trees for certain wishes. Allah Almighty reminds the believers especially to be very careful about these matters by declaring that He will ask them one by one for being interested in these fabricated, false and meaningless things, and that those who spend money in pursuit of falsehood will be held accountable for indirectly associating partners with Allah.[565]

When we say idol, we should not understand only the statues carved from stones. Because if we accept them only as statues, the importance and service area of religion will be incomprehensible. Idol also includes the ways of thinking and life that are wanted to be imposed on people, the benefits obtained by the groups that adopt this thought, and the tools they use in order not to lose their positions.

Idols exist so that the ideologies that people are forced to accept are not erased from their minds, so that they are constantly confronted with them, and so that the privileged group that adopts these ideologies does not lose the benefits and positions they obtain through these idols. Therefore, each idol symbolises the thoughts of a certain person. The respect shown to the idol statue is a sign of devotion to the thoughts of the person the idol represents. If it is not perceived in this way, what does it mean for people to honour a piece of iron? Would a person who is so fond of his own pride worship and honour statues made of lifeless stone and iron?[566]

There is an expression; neither shish nor kebab. The main mistake of all people who are ignorant of the Holy Qur’an, who cannot comprehend the purpose of the coming of the prophets, is just like this expression. They aim to spend this world in peace and gain the life in the hereafter by appearing to be both Allahists and servants. If people who show respect to those who are in the position of “idols” were aware of the Holy Qur’an, instead of saying “Neither shish nor kebab”, they would have to cry out “I am on fire, I am on fire”.

Today, as in the case of Uzza, it is often seen that healing is sought in places other than Allah (swt). In addition to this, there are those who act with the mission assigned to Menat, there are items in the position of Lat that have entered every home, and there are idols that are thought to determine the destiny of societies. However, there are also those who worship and obey these idols by basing their beliefs on their ancestors, as if “they will bring us closer to Allah”. These ignorant people, like their father (Abu Jahl), have the understanding that they will be the Pharaoh of the Ummah.

They see this as a challenge to their understanding of religion. This is not limited to a person, an ideology or a place. Due to the large number of these people, one of the biggest causes of distress of the Muslims of the world as of the time we are in is this mentality and beliefs. These people have economic sanctions on some places and political sanctions on others.

Although they claim that their actions are for the sake of Allah, they serve Satan, the enemy of Allah and the believers.

WORSHIPPING ANGELS AND DEMONS

Pre-islamic Age of Ignorance: The belief that the jinn know the unseen, that they are capable of harming people, that most of the diseases come from them, and that their treatment is only possible by being close to the jinn was also widespread among the people of Jahiliyya.[567]

Ibn Al Kalbi said: “Amr bin Luhayy was a soothsayer.”[568] (He was the ruler of Makkah and drove the Jurhumites out of their homes and took over the guardianship of the sanctuary). He had a friend from the jinn named Abu Shumama who said to him (Amr):

“Quickly set out from Tihamah[569] on the path of bliss and peace, do not be afraid!”

(Amr) said: Yes, I will not delay.

The jinn continued: “Go to the shore of Juddah, there you will find idols ready. Bring them to the tihamaye, do not be afraid! Then call the Arabs to worship them, they will follow you.” Awf bin Uzra followed him. He gave him Vadd. Awf ibn Uzra took the idol to the wadi al-Hura and erected it in Dumat al-Jandel. He named his son “Abdu Wadd”. Thus he became the first of those so named. After that, the Arabs began to wear this name. He made Amir, the son of Awf (they called him Amir al-Ajdar), the guard of the idol. His descendants continued to do so until Allah sent Islam.[570]

They also had beliefs about angels. According to them, angels were beings who would intercede. For this reason, they characterised their idols as “daughters of Allah”. They used to say: “We have made them according to the forms of those great angels that the prophets confessed and said that they could not go beyond the Sidre when they ascended, that they brought some commands and prohibitions to them, and that they conveyed to Allah the things that emanated from the saints of Allah on the earth. And those angels are the daughters of Allah. Therefore, we made them in the form of females (women) and gave them female names.”[571

The tribe of Quraysh used to circumambulate the Ka’bah saying:

By Lot, by Uzza!

They are high cranes[572].

May hope be placed in their intercession!

The third one is for the right of Menat[573].

ISLAM:

Jinn: Allah has favoured daughters over sons! What is happening to you? How do you judge, do you not think? Bring your Book if you are truthful! They have invented a kinship between Allah and the jinn. Surely the jinn know that they too will be taken to the Reckoning.[574]

Say: I take refuge in the Lord of mankind, the Lord of mankind, the Lord of mankind. From the evil of the insidious muse. Who whispers evil thoughts in the breasts of men. Whether from jinn or men.[575]

Angel: What is your opinion about Laat and Uzza? And what do you think of the other, the third of them, Menat? So the males are yours and the females belong to Allah? Then this is an unfair division. In fact, these are dry names invented by you and your ancestors. Allah has not sent down any proof concerning them. They only follow their fancies and what they like. But there has come to them from their Lord the knowledge of the right path. Or do you think that whatever man imagines will come true? But to Allah belongs the end and the beginning of life (the Hereafter and the world). And how many angels are there in the heavens whose intercession is of no avail except by the permission of Allah for what He wills and what He favours.

Nowadays: Today, although there are not enough people to form two rows during the time prayers in the mosque, it is a well-known fact that queues form in front of the door of those who are considered “jinn” or that they can only be reached by appointment. Even if these people find a cookbook in Arabic where they live, these queues will not be easily cut because they do not know how to read it and they think that it will harm them and that the cure will only be through a jinn.

Although angels were not called the daughters of Allah in this period, we know that they were given names to women by attributing the attribute of femininity to them.

Most of the people think that the jinn can harm in any way they wish because they are invisible to the eye. Since this power of thought has been taken from the Absolute Powerful One and turned into a share given to the jinn, it deprives the person of his faith. Jinns have some powers determined in their own lives, but this does not mean that they can act as they wish without Allah’s permission. However, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has stated who has the power, what to do and how to protect oneself so that this situation does not become a disease and the jinn cannot harm one in any way.

The Prophet (s.a.w.) states as follows: When the night is dark or when the evening comes, forbid your children (from going out). For the devils (jinns) are dispersed at that time. When an hour has passed from night, put your children (in your houses). Close the doors by mentioning the name of Allah[577]. For Satan cannot open a locked door. You cover the mouths of your vessels by mentioning the Name of Allah. Extinguish your lamps.[578]

[536] Encyclopaedia of Islam, ist.1977, c. III, sh. 590.

[537] The one who is unruly, perverse, faithless, revered as a deity, deviates and leads astray.

[538] Making a judgement by listening to two opposing sides, judgement

[539] Zebidî, Sahih al-Bukhari muhtasari, Tajrid-i Sarih Tercemesi, Ank:1978 (5th Bsm.) C.II, sh. 823.

[540] Surah Al-i Imran, Verse 19

[541] Surah Yusuf, Verse 40

[542] Surat al-Nisa, 60th verse

[543] Tagut is derived from the words “taga”, “yetgi”, “tughyanen”. In the dictionary, it means to go beyond the limit, to become unruly. In religion, it means exceeding the limit in disbelief. Everything that is worshipped other than Allah is taghut. Taghut can be from idols as well as jinn and humans.

[544] The blessed stone is meant here.

[545] According to another narration, Amr bin Luhayy came to Makkah with his people and took over the management of the Ka’bah from the Jurhumeans who lived there. Amr travelled to the city of Belqa near Damascus, where he saw the shrines of the idol worshippers and asked them what they were for. They said: “We have taken these idols as gods representing the forms of heavenly bodies and spiritual personalities. Through them we get help when we ask for help and water when we ask for water.” This belief pleased Amr. He asked them to give him an idol. They gave him Hübel. Amr returned to Mecca with Hübel and put it in the Ka’bah. Next to it stood the idols of Isaf and Na’ilah, the two wives. Amr urged the people of the city to glorify these idols, worship them and take them as a means to reach Allah. (Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Karim al-Shahristanî, History of religions and sects, light academy publications, Volume 2, Bab. 3)

[546] It is narrated that they lived before the time of Noah (a.s.).

[547] It is narrated that they lived just before Idris (as).

[548] Ibn al-Kalbi, Kitab al-Asnam, Beyza Düşüngen, The Book of Idols, p. 48

[549] Dihlawi, Shah Waliyyullah, Hujjatu’llahi’l-Baliğa, (1-2), vol.1, Cairo, 1185, pp.124-127

[550] Surah Noah, Verse 23

[551] Mawlana Shiblî Numânî, the last prophet Muhammad, iz publishing: 97-99

[552] Surat al-Zumar, Verse 3

[553] The House of Allah (swt)

[554] Surat al-Zumar, Verse 3

[555] Surat al-Ma’ida, Verse 103

[556] Surat al-Ma’ida, Verse 3

[557] Surat al-An’am, Verse 136

[558] Surah Yunus, Verse 18

[559] His real name was Amr b. Hishâm al-Mughira. At first he was known as Abû l-hakam, but he was called Abû Jahl (the father of ignorance) by the Muslims. He belonged to the tribe of the Mahzûmites of the Quraysh tribe in Mecca and was highly respected among the Meccans.

[560] Tabari, Tabari’s Tafsir, vol. 9, p. 208

[561] War, fighting the enemy for the sake of religion

[Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Hisham, Sīrah, vol. 2, p. 280

[563] A part of a whole that is divided among more than one person, the part of each of these persons, a share

[564] Surah Nahl, Verse 56

[565] Celal Yıldırım, The Qur’anic Commentary of Asr in the Light of Science, Anadolu Publications: 7/3334-3335

[566] Ihsan Süreyya Sırma, Islam in Asr-ı saadet, vol.1, p.84

[567] Ali Celik, Islam in Asr’ı Saadette with All Aspects, Volume 4, pg. 27

[568] A soothsayer is a fortune teller and fortune teller of the polytheistic Arabs. It is the same as kohen in Hebrew and kahen in Aramaic.

[569] Makkah al-Mukarrama is used as a male and female name.

[570] Ibn al-Kalbi, Kitab al-Asnam, Beyza Düşüngen, The Book of Idols, p. 49

[571] Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzi, Tafsir al-Kabir Mefātihu’l-Ghayb, Akçağ publications: 20/512

[572] They likened idols such as Lat, Menat and Uzza to cranes because they regarded them as angels, thinking that they would be intercessors with Allah.

[573] Ibn al-Kalbī, Kitab al-Asnam, pg. 32

[574] Surat al-Saffat, Verses 153-158

[575] Surah Nas, Verses 1-6

[576] Surat al-Najm, Verses 19-26

[577] “Bismillahirrahmanirrahim” means in the name of Allah, the Protector and the Merciful.

[578] Muslim, Ashriba 97/II, 1595