And when it was as if it was said: What is the state of what he says? They replied - responding while adhering to tradition; and the custom which they found their forefathers upon -: "We have not heard of this"; meaning: that which you mention of oneness; "in the last religion"; and their restriction of it indicates that they are aware of it in the first religion; and that they know that Ibrahim - blessings and peace be upon him - and those who were found among his children who are their forefathers; up to Amr ibn Luhay; they were far from polytheism; adhering to oneness; and that there is no doubt for them except that He - glorified and exalted is He - did not change upon them in these long periods; and they also knew of resurrection; but they forgot it; Ibn al-Furat mentioned; in his history on the day of Halimah; from the days of the Arabs; and he said: Indeed, Hajar ibn Amr; the eater of the mirar; went to Banu Asad; and killed them; and he drove them to Tihamah; and Abid ibn al-Abras said - from his verses -:

And you prevented them from Najd, so they have settled upon the mud of Tihamah

You are the king over them, and they are the servants until the Day of Resurrection.

And Imam Ahmad narrated from Abdullah ibn Mas'ud - may Allah be pleased with him - from the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, who said: "Indeed, the first one to set free the [sawa'ib] and worship the idols was Abu Khuzaymah, Amr ibn Amir; and I saw him dragging his intestines in the Fire." And Al-Tabarani narrated from Ibn Abbas - may Allah be pleased with both of them - that the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said: "The first one to change the religion of Ibrahim - peace be upon him - was Amr ibn Luhayy ibn Qam'ah." And Al-Bukhari narrated in the 'Conquest of Mecca' from Ibn Abbas - may Allah be pleased with both of them - that the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, took out from the House the image of Ibrahim and Ismail - peace be upon them - in their hands were the [azlam]; and he said: "May Allah fight them; they certainly knew what they used to seek by it." Thus, what is said that the people of the period of ignorance were ignorant in a way that absolved them of blame is invalidated; and this is supported by what is in the authentic narration from Anas - may Allah be pleased with him - that a man said: O Messenger of Allah, where is my father? He said: "In the Fire." When he turned away, he called him back; and he said: "Indeed, my father and your father are in the Fire." Muslim narrated this in the last book of faith; and it has been mentioned in 'Subhan' regarding His saying, glorified and exalted is He: "And We did not punish until We sent a Messenger" [Al-Isra: 15]; what benefits here; and the decisive statement in this matter is His saying: "And We certainly sent to every nation a Messenger, [saying], 'Worship Allah and avoid Taghut.' So among them were those whom Allah guided, and among them were those upon whom the misguidance was justified" [An-Nahl: 36]; this verse did not leave anyone out until it encompassed him; and it judged him with Paradise or the Fire. And when his saying, blessings and peace be upon him, alone is worthy of shaking them; how about when their knowledge is added that their ancestors - especially Ismail; and his father Ibrahim - peace be upon them - were upon it; they confirmed their saying: "Indeed, this is nothing but a fabrication"; meaning: a deliberate lie; although there is no necessary connection between their not hearing it and it being a fabrication; rather, it is a saying whose meanings are known with the slightest reflection; Al-Tirmidhi narrated - and he said: it is a good, authentic narration - and Al-Nasa'i, and Ibn Hibban in his authentic work, and Ahmad, and Ishaq, and Abu Ya'la, and Al-Tabari, and Ibn Abi Hatim, and others from Ibn Abbas - may Allah be pleased with both of them - who said: "Abu Talib fell ill; and Quraysh came to him; and the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, was with Abu Talib, and there was a gathering of men with Abu Talib; and Abu Jahl stood up to prevent him; he said: and they complained about him to Abu Talib - Al-Nasa'i added in Al-Kabir; and Abu Ya'la: and they said: he speaks ill of our gods -; he said: O my nephew, what do you want from your people? He said: "I want from them one word that the Arabs will submit to them by it; and the non-Arabs will pay them the jizyah." He said: One word?! He said: "One word." He said: What is it? He said: "O uncle, say: There is no god but Allah." They said: "Does he make the gods into one god? We have not heard of this in the last religion; this is nothing but a fabrication." He said: Then the Quran was revealed about them: "Sad, by the Quran containing reminder" [Sad: 1] "But those who disbelieved are in arrogance and opposition" [Sad: 2]; until His saying: "fabrication." And in the commentaries, they said: How can one god encompass all of creation?