Abraha decides to bring the trade they lost 120 years ago back. He decided to build a massive Church that would become the center of attraction. It was not because he was a devout Christian. It was because trade was going through Makkah, and Makkah was getting economic attention as it had its religious significance in the eyes of the people. So, his attempt was to basically take the attention away from the Ka’bah and bring attention towards his region. He knew that he could sell religion to the people that are gullible, and under its guise he could make a lot of money.
The Church he built was in San’a and it was tall and beautifully crafted and decorated on all sides. The Arabs called it “Al-Qullays” because of its great height, and because if one looked at it, his cap would be in danger of falling off as he tilted his head back.
What do we learn from this?
Religion as business:
What we are learning here is that religion is good business, especially where we find the concept that there is someone between us and Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) – whether its an Idol, or a Saint, or Jesus, or a Pope, or a Priest or a Father or some other entity that is between the worshipper and Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). That worshipper can become a pretty good source of income. The notion is that if the worshipper pays his dues to this entity (say putting $5 in a box) and makes that entity happy, that entity would go and put in a good word and take care of him in front of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) even if the worshipper has messed up badly like lying, stealing, cheating, hurting, earning in impermissible ways etc.
Concept of Shafa’a:
This is the concept of Shafa’a – this is essentially the shirk that most people bought into because of their guilty conscience. They don’t want to talk to Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) themselves. For example, when a kid does something wrong and has to face his father, but either mom or a favorite sibling intercedes for him and the kid gets off the hook. This is essentially the concept of Shafa’a.
The concept of Shafa’a sells in religion when people have a guilty conscience and also a devotion to religion. They are willing to give and give more. In the Muslim world, there are grave sites of Saints where people go and spend hundreds and thousands of their life savings over a dead person, who they think was someone Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) really loved, and would make Shafa’a for them. In reality, the money they spend wouldn’t go to the dead person or to a charity, but to people around who appear spiritual. They are dancing around and are making a lot of money for looking like a crazy person. They feed off the stupidity of millions of people around the world regardless of religion.
Shirk creates injustice:
In the Quran, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) describes shirk as zulm (injustice). When we ponder on this, shirk isn’t just injustice against Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) but the institute of shirk also creates injustice in society – it creates a lack of accountability, it creates religion that is in fact an opiod for the masses, it creates a mentality where we are not answerable before Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) but rather they will answer Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) for us. The intermediaries or pundits or religious institutions become a source of great corruption in the society and create an industry out of religion where they sell false religion, they sell forgiveness, hope, guarantees of heaven etc.
Impact on Muslim mind:
This has affected the Muslim mind so deeply that people talk to Imams or Qaris and ask them to make duas because they don’t believe their own duas are good enough. It is not wrong to ask others to make dua for you but to believe that Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) would respond to their dua for you and not your own dua because you are a sinner, is incorrect. In the Quran, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) has mentioned that he responds to the call of every caller. Secondly, say if you are earning in impermissible ways and you believe that your dua wouldn’t get answered due to it, then would it change even if someone else were to make dua for you while you continue doing the same impermissible actions?