Page 80 - The Worst Slander: Idolatry

78 THE WORST SLANDER: IDOLATRY

that he will assume himself to be guided on the true path.
The related verses read:
If someone closes his eyes to the remembrance of the
All-Merciful, We assign him a satan who becomes his
bosom friend - they debar them from the path, yet they
still think they are guided. (Surat al-Zukhruf: 36-37)
When idolaters are told of this, they usually either cannot
or refuse to comprehend it because they are not sincere in
matters of religion. Even if they read books and articles on
the subject, they will be unaware of the fact that they are not
approaching the subject directly; if they do realize this, they
will pretend not to. Even if all of these descriptions fit them
to the letter, they will still refuse to accept it and will look for
idolatry elsewhere.
However, those people who are sincere in their faith but
fell into such misunderstanding initially, through ignorance,
can still apply to their consciences when they learn the true
facts. If they return to the true path they can be saved, if
Allah wills, through sincere repentance. It may be hoped
that people who join the idolaters out of ignorance and who
do not have a truly idolater character themselves may attain
Allah's true path as a result of their sincerity and good inten-
tions. One goal of this book is to reach such people and
enable them to see their errors and deficiencies, to make
them aware of the darkness that surrounds them, and to
encourage them to repent and enter Allah's pure religion.
Unless Allah lifts the veil over a person's eyes, ears, and
heart, one cannot expect the conscience of a true idolater
to begin working and the person concerned to achieve sal-