We learn from the Quran the evil traits of Pharaoh, he was able to control and seize every part of his peoples lives, to the extent that he claimed Lordship and they, his people did not oppose him in the least, Allah informs us of this incident and the false claim of pharaoh;

“And (he pharaoh) said, “I am your most exalted lord.” (79:24)

Pharaoh made this claim and the people bowed in prostration, they were belittled to afraid to question him so he was able to control them

There is an Arab saying that pharaoh was asked who made you a ‘firawn’ he responded by saying “I made the claim and no one opposed me”

We find today that some Muslims have adopted this humiliation at the hands of their Shuyukh have have sacrificed their Tawhid (monotheism) in the process, they hear and obey, blindly following any order any word and any Fatwah (religious verdict) without hesitation and without Question, why because ‘He’ (the Shaykh) is of a higher stature than me, who am i to question ‘Him’.

yes we are ordered to respect and hold in high esteem the True Ulemah (scholars) of this Ummah, but there can be no blind following of anyone except RasoolAllah (may Allahs peace and blessings be upon him), Allah (swt) commands us in the Quran to ask Ahl-thikr (the people of the remembrance i.e the Scholars) when we do not know

Allah says to the meaning,

“…..So ask the People of the Reminder (Ahl-thikr / أهل الذكر ) if you do not know.” (Qur’an 16:43)

but he does not order so without proof and explanation, Allah follows the above ayah with his saying to the meaning;

“With clear signs and Books (We sent the Messengers). And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad SAW) the reminder and the advice (the Quran), that you may explain clearly to men what is sent down to them, and that they may give thought” (16:44)

I wonder today if the “Shuyukh” or “Muslim Leaders” of today were to say, “worship me” how many will oppose them?

now for some this may be far fetched, i mean who in their right mind would firstly ask people to do such an action and who with half a brain would even submit to such a request and commit disbelief by worshipping and bowing to his Shaykh or Leader, by this time your thinking the guy who wrote this is nuts! but im not so please wait till the end before you turn away.

Some people unfortunately have already taken their religious leaders as “Gods besides Allah” and have been in the service of their worship?

allow me to explain.

One day the Prophet (saw) was sitting with his Sahabah when a man named ‘Adi ibn Hattim (ra) who later became a Muslim approached the Prophet (saw) while wearing a silver cross the story is as follows,

Imam Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Jarir At-Tabari recorded a Hadith via several chains of narration, from ‘Adi bin Hatim (RA), who became a Christian during the time of Jahiliyya (ignorance). When the call of the Messenger of Allah reached his area, ‘Adi ran away to Ash-Sham, and his sister and several of his people were captured.

The Messenger of Allah freed his sister and gave her gifts.
So she went to her brother and encouraged him to become Muslim and to go to the Messenger of Allah.

‘Adi, who was one of the chiefs of his people (the tribe of Tai’) and whose father, Hatim At-Ta’i, was known for his generosity, so he headed for Al-Madinah.

When the people announced his arrival, ‘Adi went to the Messenger of Allah wearing a silver cross around his neck.

The Messenger of Allah recited this Ayah;
“They took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah” (9:31)

‘Adi commented, “They did not worship them.”

The Prophet (saw) said, “Yes they did. They the rabbis and monks prohibited the allowed for them (Christians and Jews) and allowed the prohibited, and they obeyed them, This is how they worshiped them”

We learn here from this story and the response of the Prophet of Allah of which is found in Tafsir Ibn Kathir, that by obeying their Rabbis and their Monks in things that Allah had made permissible to be impermissible or things which Allah made impermissible to be permissible was in fact their taking as Lords/Gods in worship them besides Allah

The shirk (ascribing partners to Allah) here was committed without the religious figure proclaiming Lordship or the need of them saying “im your Lord, worship me” nor was a single prostration committed by the follower, this disbelief was that of obedience so take heed

Dear reader this article should not be taken as an attack on our religious figures or as a tool to be used to seperate from them but rather it should be taken as a stern warning that it is possible to take religious figures as Gods besides Allah breaching your Tawhid (monotheism) without the need of any prostration

At the same time there is no harm in asking for proof from the Quran and Sunnah as understood by the Sahabah on any Islamic verdicts presented to you.

and this is something encouraged

finally, Do not risk you Akhirah (hereafter) by being a blind follower never question nor asking for clarification backed by truth and any matters related to your Deen, remember everyone on the day of Judgement will be saying “myself, myself” so dont get yourself caught all alone when all you had to do was ask for the Daleel (proof).

and Allah knows best

• UST. Abu Ousayd