Five Ways Polytheism Is Rationally Critiqued in the Qur’an
The following is a summary adapted from Dr. Salih al-Raqab, Manhaj as-Salaf fi Ithbat Wujud Allah Ta’ala wa-Tawheedihi wa-Wahdaniyyatihi: Dirasah wa-‘Ardh, pp. 264-289.
1) Pointing to the fate of polytheists punished in the past
Allah tells the polytheists to ponder upon the remnants of those who were punished in the past for their polytheism and to emulate the believers who were spared:
We are certainly bringing down a punishment from heaven upon the people of this city for their rebelliousness.” And We did leave ˹some of˺ its ruins as a clear lesson for people of understanding. [29:34-35]
And the people of ’Ȃd and Thamûd ˹met a similar fate˺, which must be clear to you ˹Meccans˺ from their ruins. [29:38]
So their homes are there, ˹but completely˺ ruined because of their wrongdoing. Surely in this is a lesson for people of knowledge. And We delivered those who were faithful and were mindful ˹of Allah˺. [27:52-53]
2) Illustrating the necessary defective implications of polytheism
Allah states in the Qur’an that if there were more than one God, the heavens and earth would have been corrupted:
Had there been other gods besides Allah in the heavens or the earth, both ˹realms˺ would have surely been corrupted. So Glorified is Allah, Lord of the Throne, far above what they claim. [21:22]
He also states that these gods would have sought to dominate one another:
Allah has never had ˹any˺ offspring, nor is there any god besides Him. Otherwise, each god would have taken away what he created, and they would have tried to dominate one another. Glorified is Allah above what they claim! [23:91]
The underlying reasoning here is that a true God is wholly independent and powerful and that it is not possible for another wholly independent and powerful God to exist since their creations and actions would interfere and overlap with one another. This would consequently lead to each one trying to dominate the other to prove that He is the true omnipotent and self-sufficient God.
Even if both of these Gods cooperated and compromised for the sake of argument, the fact remains that this very compromise itself entails a delimitation of authority and control. This, once again, clearly demonstrates that such a finite being cannot be the true God.
3) Highlighting the corrupt reasoning undergirding polytheism
Allah points out the irony of polytheism by highlighting that even the very entities that polytheists worship (especially dead saints and demi-gods) would themselves try to find a way to please the ultimate true God. If so, then why not simply directly worship those whom these entities themselves would seek to worship to appease?
Say: "If there were-as some people assert [other] deities side by side with Him, surely [even] they would have to strive to find a way unto Him who is enthroned on His almightiness?" [17:42]
˹Even˺ the closest ˹to Allah˺ of those invoked would be seeking a way to their Lord, hoping for His mercy, and fearing His punishment. Indeed, your Lord’s torment is fearsome. [17:57]
4) Demonstrating the direct correlation between divinity and entitlement to worship
In several passages of the Qur’an, Allah points out how the polytheists themselves concede that Allah is the creator of and has dominion over all things. Allah uses this very admission against them by asking them to reflect on how they can then go ahead and worship entities that do not possess such divine attributes:
Ask ˹them, O Prophet˺, “To whom belong the earth and all those on it, if you ˹really˺ know?” They will reply, “To Allah!” Say, “Why are you not then mindful?” ˹And˺ ask ˹them˺, “Who is the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the Mighty Throne?” They will reply, “Allah.” Say, “Will you not then fear ˹Him˺?” Ask ˹them also,˺ “In Whose Hands is the authority over all things, protecting ˹all˺ while none can protect against Him, if you ˹really˺ know?” They will reply, “Allah.” Say, “How are you then so deluded?” [23:84-89]
If you ask them ˹O Prophet˺ who created them, they will certainly say, “Allah!” How can they then be deluded ˹from the truth˺? [43:87]
Throughout the Qur’an (2:21-22; 16:17-22; 27:59-64; 31:11: 34:22-23; 35:40; 46:4), Allah points out how, given His status as Omnipotent Creator and Sustainer, only He alone is entitled to worship, as helpless created entities are not worthy of such reverence.
5) Exemplifying the immorality of polytheism through the use of analogies and parables
Allah draws analogies and parables in the Qur’an to get the polytheists to reflect on the injustice polytheism entails as it seeks to equate the impotent and the All-Powerful God, in addition to drawing their attention to what the correct conception of servitude calls to:
Allah sets forth a parable: a slave who lacks all means, compared to a ˹free˺ man to whom We granted a good provision, of which he donates ˹freely,˺ openly and secretly. Are they equal? Praise be to Allah. In fact, most of them do not know. And Allah sets forth a parable of two men: one of them is dumb, incapable of anything. He is a burden on his master. Wherever he is sent, he brings no good. Can such a person be equal to the one who commands justice and is on the Straight Path? [16:75-76]
O humanity! A lesson is set forth, so listen to it ˹carefully˺: those ˹idols˺ you invoke besides Allah can never create ˹so much as˺ a fly, even if they ˹all˺ were to come together for that. And if a fly were to snatch anything away from them, they cannot ˹even˺ retrieve it from the fly. How powerless are those who invoke and those invoked! They have not shown Allah the reverence He deserves. Surely Allah is All-Powerful, Almighty. [22:73-74]
The parable of those who take protectors other than Allah is that of a spider spinning a shelter. And the flimsiest of all shelters is certainly that of a spider, if only they knew. [29:41]
He propounds unto you a parable drawn from your own life: Would you [agree to] have some of those whom your right hands possess as [full-fledged] partners in whatever We may have bestowed upon you as sustenance, so that you [and they] would have equal shares in it, and you would fear [to make use of it without consulting] them, just as you might fear [the more powerful of] your equals? Thus clearly do We spell out these messages unto people who use their reason [30:28]
Allah sets forth the parable of a slave owned by several quarrelsome masters, and a slave owned by only one master. Are they equal in condition?1 Praise be to Allah! In fact, most of them do not know. [39:29]