Erasing the Accusation of Shirk

Ibn Hajr Asqalani both write that the making of idols began when previous
nations lost members of their families. They used to miss them so much and
they used to cry so much for their deceased. Upon seeing this, Iblis inspired
them to make idols of their deceased family members for their remembrance.
And in this way the people carved idols of their family members. 13
THE CALF WAS NOT PIOUS
The As-samiri produced a calf made of gold for the Nation of Sayyidina
Musa (peace be upon him) so that they could worship it, as Allah Almighty
says in the Qur’an:
020.087 They said: We broke not tryst with thee of our own will, but we were
laden with burdens of ornaments of the folk, then cast them (in the fire), for
thus As-Samiri proposed.
020.088Then he produced for them a calf, of saffron hue, which gave forth
a lowing sound. And they cried: This is your god and the god of Moses, but
he hath forgotten.
020.089 See they not, then, that it returneth no saying unto them and
possesseth for them neither hurt nor use?
From these verses we learn that the idol (calf) they worshipped was made of
gold. The claim by the Khawarij that all idols were based upon worshipping
the Prophets and pious becomes redundant as the verses that I have recited
clarify that the idol that was worshipped was neither a Prophet nor a pious
person. If the calf had originated from the memory of a Prophet or a pious
person, then please show me the necessary proof of which Prophet or pious
person this calf had been inspired from. In the same way, could you tell me
what idols were worshipped that had been derived from the Prophets
Sayyidina Ibrahim ( peace be upon him), Sayyidina Yusuf ( peace be upon
him), Sayyidina Shu’ayb ( peace be upon him), Sayyidina Hud ( peace be
upon him) Sayyidina Musa (peace be upon him)?
13 See Tarikh, Ibn Kathir, Chapter of Sayyidina Nuh, (peace be upon him) and Fath al-Bari, Ibn Hajr
Asqalani, Tafsir of Surah Nuh (peace be upon him)
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