for the people of Medina; al-‘Uzzā was near ‘Arafāt for the people of Mecca, and Manāt was in Tā’if for Thaqīf. These three towns are the principal urban centres of the Hijāz.

He, glorified be He, declared that the names the polytheists gave them were names they had invented, with no reality behind them. They worship only names with no corresponding realities, for the things so named possess nothing of divinity, might, or the power to ordain. Allah has sent down no authority for these names. The polytheists follow nothing but conjecture—which is of no avail against the truth—in believing that these are gods capable of bringing benefit or harm, and they follow their own desires. Yet according to the heretics, when they worship their desires, they have worshipped Allah.

He, glorified be He, relates that the foremost of all leaders, the close friend of the Most Merciful, and the best of creation after Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to his father:

“O my father! Why do you worship what neither hears nor sees, nor can benefit you in any way?”

“O my father! There has come to me knowledge which has not come to you.”

Up to His words:

“And so become an ally of Satan.”

Thus, he forbade his father to worship idols that neither hear nor see nor benefit him in any way, and rebuked him for doing so. But according to these heretics’ claim—that in every object of worship they worship none but Allah—it would follow that Allah is the One who neither hears nor sees nor benefits him in any way. He would also be the One whom he forbade his father to worship and the One whom he commanded him to worship.

Likewise, the most accomplished of their false idols, the wicked al-Tilimsānī, said in a poem:

“O you who blame me, you forbid me and command me;
Yet inward feeling is truer in its prohibitions and commands.