AHYA Multi-Media - QSEP

memorials, and subsequently led them to the worship of the
dead.
The prominent commentator of the Qur’aan, Abdullah Ibn Abbas
182 said regarding the verse, “They said to each other: ‘Do not
leave your gods! Do not give up Wadd and Suwaa, nor
Yaghooth, Ya’ooq and Nasr!” 183 (he said): “These (Wad, Suwaa’,
Yaqhoot, Ya’ooq and Nasr) were among the idols of Prophet Nooh’s
nation, which in time ended up among the Arabs… These
idols were named after some righteous men among Nooh’s
people. When these righteous men died, Shaytaan inspired the
people to make statues of them, named after them. These statues
were placed in their favorite meeting places as reminders of
righteousness, and no one of that generation worshiped them.
However, when that generation died off, the purpose of the
statues was forgotten. The following generation from then on
started to worship them.” 184
Ibn Jarir at-Tabaree (the author of the famous Tafseer at-Tabaree)
mentions the explanation of Mujahid about the verse, “Have you
then considered al-Lat and al-Uzza. 185 “ 186 “He (al-Laat) used to
serve the pilgrims by preparing Seewaq (fine flour of barley or
wheat mixed with water and ghee) for them. After his death, the
182 Abdullah Ibn Abbas is one of the prominent commentators
(Mufassiroon) of the Qur’aan among the Sahabah . The Prophet
once embraced Abdullah and said, “O Allah, give him a deep
understanding of the Religion and make him skillful in Tafseer
(interpretation).” [Saheeh al-Bukharee (Eng. Trans.) vol. 1, no: 10,
Saheeh Muslim (Eng. Trans.) vol. 4, no: 6055] In spite of Ibn Abbas’s
youth, the Prophet conferred on him the title of “Tarjumaan al-
Qur’aan” (Explainer of the Qur’aan) [Saheeh al-Bukharee (Eng.
Trans.) vol. 1, no: 75 and vol. 5, nos: 100-101]
183 Soorah Nooh (71): 23.
184 Saheeh al-Bukharee (Eng. Trans.) vol.6, p.414-415, no.442. Also see
Kitaab al-Waseelah by Shaikh ul-Islaam, Ibn Taymiyyah (p.238).
185 Al-Lat and al-Uzza were two idols of righteous people.
186 Soorah an-Najm (53): 19.
67