Page 122 - The Worst Slander: Idolatry

120 THE WORST SLANDER: IDOLATRY

millions of small and false divine interventions, on the con-
trary each one happens in accord with His will. Allah creat-
ed the world with a destiny and people, as revealed in Surat
al-Takwir 29, have submitted to Him so completely that they
cannot even ask for anything unless He so wills it:
There is no creature He does not hold by the forelock
(Surah Hud: 56).
Satan may portray freeing oneself from idolatry and liv-
ing by monotheism, purity, and faith as something quite dif-
ficult. But such claims are no more than mere apprehen-
sions inspired by satan the liar. Allah reveals this in the
Qur'an:
When the affair is decided, satan will say: "Allah made
you a promise, a promise of truth, and I made you a
promise but broke my promise. I had no authority over
you, except that I called you and you responded to me.
Do not, therefore, blame me, but [rather] blame your-
selves. I cannot come to your aid, nor you to mine. I
reject the way you associated me with Allah before."
The wrongdoers will have a painful punishment. (Surah
Ibrahim: 22)
Given this fact, it would be highly irrational for people
who are trying to be true and sincere believers to despair
because of satan's whispered lies and apprehensions.
A sincere change of intent is enough to liberate oneself
from idolatry, for this will transform one's idolatrous world-
view into a monotheistic one. To put it another way, there is
no need to illuminate all places so that someone wearing
dark glasses can see them; it is enough just to take off