was depriving people of what was rightfully theirs, and that they had been spreading corruption in the land before he forbade them. This is contrary to the claim of “the determinists” that their wrongdoing was evil only because he forbade it, and that before the prohibition it was like any other action, such as eating, drinking, and so forth. They say the same about everything else the messengers forbade, including associating partners with Allah, wrongdoing, and shameful deeds.

Likewise, concerning Abraham, Allah’s close friend, He said:

“Mention Abraham in the Book. Indeed, he was a man of truth and a prophet.”

“When he said to his father, ‘O my father, why do you worship what neither hears nor sees, nor benefits you in any way?’”

This rebukes him for his conduct before it was forbidden. He also said:

“And Abraham, when he said to his people, ‘Worship Allah and fear Him. That is better for you, if only you knew.’”

“You worship only idols besides Allah and fabricate falsehood.”

Thus, He stated that they were fabricating falsehood before it was forbidden.

Likewise, Allah’s close friend also said to his people:

“What do you worship?”

“Do you seek, in falsehood, gods besides Allah?”

“What, then, do you think of the Lord of all worlds?”

—up to His words—

“Do you worship what you carve,

when Allah created you and what you make?”

All of this makes clear the evil of their practices before he forbade them and before he denounced their conduct. Hence his question expressed condemnation:

“Do you worship what you carve,

when Allah created you and what you make?”

That is, He created what you carve. How, then, can you worship what you make with your own hands and forsake the Lord of all worlds?