From that which has been established in
the Sharee'ah (prescribed law) is that mankind was - in the beginning - a single
nation upn true Tawheed, then Shirk (directing any part or form of worship,
or anything else that is solely the right of Allah, to other than Allah) gradually
overcame them. The basis for this is the saying of Allah - the Most Blessed, the Most
high:
"Mankind was one Ummah, then Allah sent prophets bringing good news and
warnings."
(Surah Baqarah 2:213)
Ibn 'Abbas -
radiallaahu 'anhu - said:
"Between Nooh (Noah) and Adam were ten generations, all of them were upon Sharee'ah
(law) of the truth, then they differed. So Allah sent prophets as bringers of good news
and as warners"(1)
Ibn 'Urwah al-Hanbalee (d.837 H) said:
"This saying refutes those historians from the People of the Book who claim that
Qaabil (Cain) and his sons were fire-worshippers"(2)
I say: In it is also a refutation of some of the philosophers and athists who claim that
the (natural) basis of man is Shirk, and that Tawheed evolved in man! The
preceeding aayah (verse) falsifies this claim, as do the two following authentic hadith:
Firstly:His (the
prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) ) saying that he related from his Lord (Allah) :
"I created all my servants upon the true Religion (upon Tawheed, fre from Shirk).
Then the devils came to them and led them astray from their true Religion. They made
unlawful to people that which I had made lawful for them, and they commanded them to
associate in worship with Me, that which I had sent down no authority."(3)
Secondly:His (the prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) ) saying: " Every child is born upon the
Fitrah(4) but his parents make him a jew
or a christian or a magian. It is like the way an animal gives birth to a natural
offspring. have you noticed any born mutilated, before you mutilate them."
Abu Hurayrah said: Recite if you wish: "Allah's
fitrah with which He created mankind. There is to be no change to the creation (Religion)
of Allah."(Surah ar-Rum 30:30)(5)
After this clear explanation, it is of the upmost importance for the Muslim to know how Shirk
spread amongst the believers, after they were muwahhideen (people upon Tawheed)
Concerning the saying of Allah - the
most perfect - about the people of Nooh:
"And they have said : You shall not forsake your gods, nor shall you forsake
Wadd, nor Suwaa', nor Yaghooth, nor Ya'ooq, nor Nasr."
(Surah Nooh 71:23)
It has been related by a group from the Salaf (Pious Predecessors), in many narrations,
that these five deities were righteous worshippers. However, when they died, Shaytaan
(Satan) whispered into their people to retreat and sit at their graves. Then Shaytaan
whispered to those who came after them that they should take them as idols, beautifying to
them the idea that you will be reminded of them and thereby follow them in righteous
conduct. Then Shaytaan suggested to the third generation that they should worship these
idols besides Allah - the most high - and he whispered to them that this is what their
forefathers used to do!!!
So Allah sent to them Nooh (as),
commanding them to worship Allah alone. However none responded to hiscall except a few.
Allah - the mighty and majestic - related this whole incident in surah Nooh
Ibn 'Abbas relates:
"Indeed these five names of righteous men from the people of Nooh. When they died
Shataan whispered to their people to make statues of them and to place these statues in
their places of gathering as a reminder of them, so they did this.
However, none from amongst them
worshipped these statues, until when they died and the purpose of the statues was
forgotten. Then (the next generation) began to worship them."(6)
The likes of this has also been related by Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree and others, from a number
of the salaf (Pious Predecessors) - radiallaahu 'anhum.
In
ad-Durral-Manthoor (6/269):
'Abdullaah ibn Humaid relates from Abu Muttahar, who said: Yazeed ibn al-Muhallab was
mentioned to Abu Ja'far al-Baaqir (d.11H), so he said: He was killed at the place where
another besides Allah was first worshipped. Then he mentioned Wadd and said:
The Origins of Shirk