If we are not content with the mention of God alone and only feel satisfied when another entity is mentioned besides God, then we have fallen into idol worship.
39:45 When GOD ALONE is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter shrink with aversion. But when others are mentioned beside Him, they become satisfied.
The Quran informs us that associating partners with God is an unforgivable sin if maintained until death, so these matters should not be taken lightly.
4:116 GOD does not forgive idol worship (if maintained until death), and He forgives lesser offenses for whomever He wills. Anyone who idolizes any idol beside GOD has strayed far astray.
The essence of strict monotheism demands a direct connection between God and His creations, allowing us to pray to Him without any intermediary. Believing that an agent is necessary for us to pray to in order for God to hear our supplications or respond to our prayers essentially sets up a middleman as a lord between us and God.
This has been a significant contributor to how many of the people of the scripture in history have fallen into idol worship, and remains a prevalent pitfall among many Muslims today. Many believers think they cannot have a direct connection with God without some scholar or religious leader.
9:31 They have set up their religious leaders and scholars as lords, instead of GOD. Others deified the Messiah, son of Mary. They were all commanded to worship only one god. There is no god except He. Be He glorified, high above having any partners.
The Quran informs us that even the righteous among the intermediaries that they set up between them and God are seeking a ways and means to God.
17:57 Even the idols that they implore are seeking the ways and means towards their Lord. They pray for His mercy, and fear His retribution. Surely, the retribution of your Lord is dreadful.
The Quran informs us that the religion shall be devoted to God alone, and anyone who implores other than God, thinking this will get them closer to God, has fallen into disbelief.
39:3 Absolutely, the religion shall be devoted to GOD alone. Those who set up idols beside Him say, “We idolize them only to bring us closer to GOD; for they are in a better position!” GOD will judge them regarding their disputes. GOD does not guide such liars, disbelievers.
In addition to scholars and religious leaders, the most common intermediaries that people set up between themselves and God are the messengers. Ironically, this goes entirely counter to all the messenger’s teachings throughout history, as showcased in the Quran.
3:79 Never would a human being whom GOD blessed with the scripture and prophethood say to the people, “Idolize me beside GOD.” Instead, (he would say), “Devote yourselves absolutely to your Lord alone,” according to the scripture you preach and the teachings you learn.
The most blatant form of this is the concept of intercession, where people think that by supplicating to the messenger via Salawat that he is going to intercede on their behalf on the Day of Judgment.
36:23 “Shall I set up beside Him gods? If the Most Gracious willed any harm for me, their intercession cannot help me one bit, nor can they rescue me.
The absurdity of thinking that any person will intercede on one’s behalf on the Day of Resurrection is to think that (1) this other entity knows better than God regarding the righteousness of that person’s soul and their deserving of redemption and that (2) this other entity is more merciful than God, such that while God (the Most Gracious, Most Merciful) would send someone to Hell, this other entity will intervene to save that soul and change God’s word to admit them to Paradise!
These premises fail because none is more merciful than God, and He alone is the best knower who deserves Paradise or Hell.
12:64 He said, “Shall I trust you with him, as I trusted you with his brother before that? GOD is the best Protector, and, of all the merciful ones, He is the Most Merciful.”
16:125 You shall invite to the path of your Lord with wisdom and kind enlightenment, and debate with them in the best possible manner. Your Lord knows best who has strayed from His path, and He knows best who are the guided ones.
Secondly, when God decrees anything, no one can change His word. So, if God decrees Paradise or Hell for someone, it would be impossible for another entity to override God’s judgment.
18:27 You shall recite what is revealed to you of your Lord’s scripture. Nothing shall abrogate His words, and you shall not find any other source beside it.
9:80 Whether you ask forgiveness for them, or do not ask forgiveness for them—even if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times—GOD will not forgive them. This is because they disbelieve in GOD and His messenger. GOD does not guide the wicked people.
In addition, the messengers are entirely unaware of what took place in this world after their passing. This means that they will have no clue who deserves redemption and who does not.
5:109 The day will come when GOD will summon the messengers and ask them, “How was the response to you?” They will say, “We have no knowledge. You are the Knower of all secrets.”
Not only that, we see in the Quran that Muhammad was unaware of who among his own people were hypocrites even when he was alive. This again shows that he would have been incapable, even when he was alive, of determining which of his companions would even deserve redemption.
9:101 Among the Arabs around you, there are hypocrites. Also, among the city dwellers, there are those who are accustomed to hypocrisy. You do not know them, but we know them. We will double the retribution for them, then they end up committed to a terrible retribution.
The takeaway is that if we want to worship God alone, to not set up partners with God, and to not set up lords beside God, the concept of thinking anyone will intercede on anyone’s behalf on the day of Ressurrection needs to be absolutely abandoned.
10:18 They worship beside GOD idols that possess no power to harm them or benefit them, and they say, “ These are our intercessors at GOD!” Say, “Are you informing GOD of something He does not know in the heavens or the earth?” Be He glorified. He is the Most High; far above needing partners.
As idol worship is the only unforgivable sin, if maintained until death, it is absolutely critical that we asses ourselves and make sure we are not committing any of these three offenses.
3:64 Say, “O followers of the scripture, let us come to a logical agreement between us and you: that we shall not worship except GOD; that we never associate anything with Him, nor take others as lords beside GOD.” If they turn away, say, “Bear witness that we are submitters.”