Here it is necessary to point out that associating a partner with Allah is not limited to the building of rock or wooden idols, or even worse than that – considering men such as Jesus (a) to be Allah. Rather it has a more general meaning. There are more hidden cases which would be included in idol-worship. Generally, whatever is considered more affective in life the same way that Allah is polytheism.
Ibn ‘Abbās said something interesting in this regard: “The Arabic term andād is polytheism which is sometimes more hidden that the movement of an ant on a black stone in a dark night. Examples of it are when a man says that by Allah, by my own soul, by your soul (here he puts Allah, his soul, and his friend’s soul on the same plane). Or when one says that if it weren’t for this dog being here last night thieves would have come (here he considers the dog his savior). Or when one says whatever Allah wants and whatever you want. All of these statements have the scent of polytheism.”[1]
It is stated in a tradition: Someone said the following sentence in the presence of the Prophet (s): “Whatever Allah wants and whatever you want.”
The Prophet said: “Are you creating a partner with Allah?”[2]
In modern layman’s terms it is frequently said: “First Allah and second you.” It must be accepted that such terms are not good for a complete monotheist to use.
There is a tradition from Imām Sādiq (a) explaining the 106th verse of Sūrah Yūsuf (most of them believe not in Allah without associating (other as partners) with Him[3]): “This alludes to subtle polytheism – for instance: when one says: ‘If it wasn’t for you I would have been destroyed or my life would have gone with the wind.’”[4]
[1] Fi Zilal by Sayyid Qutb, v.1, p.53; Tafsir Ibn Kathir, v.1, p.61, verse under discussion (printed by Dar al-Ma’rafah); Fath al-Qadir, v.1, p.52, verse under discussion (printed by ‘Alam al-Kutub); Part of this statement are the words of the Messenger of Allah (s): Wasa’il al-Shia, v.16, p.254, h.21501 (printed by Chap Al-e al-Bayt); Bihar al-Anwar, v.69, p.93, h.3
[2] Tafsir Ibn Kathir, v.1, p.60, verse under discussion (printed by Dar al-Ma’rafah)
[3] Quran, 12:106
[4] Safinah al-Bihar: v.1, p.697; Wasa’il al-Shia, v.15, p.210, h.20310 (printed by Chap Al-e al-Bayt); Bihar al-Anwar, v.5, p.147, h.12
