He also said:

Section: “A Comprehensive Principle”

Religion, in all its aspects, encompasses obligations and all other acts of worship, as well as prohibitions. As the Most High says:

“Nor forbid what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor follow the religion of truth.”

And as the Most High says:

“Those who associated partners with Allah said, ‘Had Allah willed, neither we nor our forefathers would have worshipped anything besides Him, nor would we have forbidden anything without His authority.’”

Likewise, He describes the polytheists’ religious practices and prohibitions that He condemned, saying:

“They assigned to Allah a share of the crops and livestock He created”—

to the end of the passage. In it, He mentions their false acts of worship, comprising various forms of associating partners with Allah; their false permission to kill their children; and their false prohibitions concerning the sā’ibah, bahīrah, wasīlah, hām, and the like. Thus, He condemned the polytheists for their acts of worship, their prohibitions, and what they deemed permissible.

He also condemned the Christians for abandoning the religion of truth and its prohibitions, just as He condemned them for their false religion in His words:

“They have taken their rabbis, their monks, and the Messiah, son of Mary, as lords besides Allah”—

and other such forms of false religion.