thing.’” This is also mentioned in al-Nahl, and in al-Zukhruf:

“They say, ‘Had the Most Merciful willed, we would not have worshipped them.’”

And He says:

“Or do they have partners who have ordained for them a religion that Allah has not authorized?”

And He says:

“Say, ‘Have you considered the provision Allah has sent down for you, some of which you have declared unlawful and some lawful?’ Say, ‘Has Allah authorized you, or are you fabricating lies against Allah?’”

And He says:

“Allah has not instituted any bahīrah, sā’ibah, wasīlah, or hām.”

And He says:

“Say, ‘Who has forbidden the adornment Allah has brought forth for His servants, and the good things He has provided?’”

As for those who neglect what they have been commanded to do, Allah has censured them, just as He has censured them for failing to believe in Him, His names, His signs, His angels, His Books, His messengers, resurrection after death, Paradise and Hell, and for neglecting prayer, zakah, jihad and other deeds. As explained earlier, associating partners with Allah is rooted in neglecting the command to worship Allah and follow His messengers. Declaring lawful things unlawful likewise entails neglecting the command to use them as a means of helping one worship Him.

Since the fundamental prohibitions they violated were associating partners with Allah and declaring things unlawful, it is reported in a hadith:

“I was sent with the way of pure monotheism and ease.”

Pure monotheism is the opposite of associating partners with Allah, and ease is the opposite of restriction and constraint. In Sahīh Muslim, Iyād ibn Himār relates that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) narrated from his Lord:

“I created My servants as pure monotheists, but the devils drew them away from their religion, forbade them what I had made lawful for them, and commanded them to associate with Me that for which I had sent down no authority.”