; you have no deity worthy of worship except Him. You are nothing but fabricators.’”

“O my people, I ask you for no reward for this. My reward rests only with Him who created me. Will you not then use reason?”

“And O my people, seek your Lord’s forgiveness, then repent to Him.”

Thus, in his very first address, he declared them fabricators with regard to most of what they practised, just as he said to them in the other verse:

“Do you dispute with me concerning names that you and your forefathers have named, for which Allah has sent down no authority? Then wait; I too am waiting with you.”

Likewise, Sālih said:

“O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity worthy of worship except Him. He brought you forth from the earth and settled you upon it. So seek His forgiveness, then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is near and responsive.”

Likewise, Lot said to his people:

“Do you commit a shameful act that no one in the world has ever committed before you?”

This indicates that their practice was already shameful before he forbade it, contrary to those who say that it was neither shameful, nor reprehensible, nor evil until he forbade it. Hence he said to them:

“Do you indeed approach men, cut off the road, and commit evil in your gatherings?”

These words address people who know the reprehensible nature of what they are doing, but he warned them of punishment.

Likewise, Shuʿayb said:

“Give full measure and weight with justice, do not deprive people of what is rightfully theirs, and do not spread corruption in the land.”

He made clear that what they had done