This excerpt is taken from Sheikh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah's book Al-Jawab al-Bahir fi Zuwar al-Maqabir, translated by Sheikh Ataullah Saqib.
The Arab polytheists also performed Hajj to idols:
Traveling to a revered place is equivalent to performing Hajj, and it is also true that every nation performs Hajj to some place. For example, the Arab polytheists used to perform Hajj to Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, and Manat, etc. Accordingly, a Jewish scholar told Umayyah bin Abi Sulat the glad tidings of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) mission, saying:
إنه قد أظل زمان نبي يبعث وهو من بيت يحجه العرب فقال أمية نحن معشر ثقيف فينا بيت يحجه العرب فقال الحبر إنه ليس منكم إنه من إخوانكم من قريش
“The time has come for a prophet to be sent who will be born in a house to which people perform Hajj.” Umayyah said: We are Banu Thaqif, and among us is a house to which people come for Hajj. The Jewish scholar replied that he will not be from you but from your brothers, the Quraysh.”
Reference: (Dala'il al-Nubuwwah by Abu Nu'aym: 355, from the narration of al-Tabarani (7623) and it includes Majashi' bin Amr who is weak as mentioned in al-Majma' (232/8)
In the above statement, Umayyah is explaining that the Arabs used to perform Hajj to Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, etc. A group of Salaf scholars writes about Al-Lat:
إن هذا كان رجلا يلت السويق للحاج ويطعمهم إياه فلما مات عكفوا على قبره وصار وثنا يحج إليه ويصلى له ويدعى من دون الله
“He was a man who used to give water to the pilgrims; when he died, people began to sit near his grave as pilgrims, which gradually became an idol to which people performed Hajj, prayed for, and called upon besides Allah.”
Reference: (Tafsir al-Durr al-Manthur (7) 574, 575) and it is narrated by al-Bukhari in Tafsir (4859)
A group of the Salaf of the Ummah recite the verse افرايتم اللات with a stressed “t.”
Al-Lat was the idol of the people of Ta’if.
Al-Uzza was the problem solver for the people of Makkah.
And the people of Madinah worshipped the goddess Manat.
Therefore, during the Battle of Uhud, Abu Sufyan loudly said:
أعل هبل
“Hail Hubal!”
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) asked the Companions why they did not respond. The Companions said: O Messenger of Allah! What should we say?
He (peace be upon him) said: “Say this:”
الله أعلى وأجل
“Allah is the Most High and Exalted.”
Upon hearing this reply, Abu Sufyan said:
إن لنا العزى ولا عزى لكم
“Our helper is Al-Uzza; you have no Al-Uzza!”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) again asked the Companions: “Why do you not respond?” The Companions said: O Messenger of Allah! What should we say?
He (peace be upon him) said: “Say this:”
الله مولانا ولا مولى لكم
“Our helper is Allah, and you have no helper.”
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Military Expeditions, Chapter: Battle of Uhud, Hadith: 4043)
Thus, it is established that traveling to any revered and important place with the intention of worship is of the nature of Hajj, and the Arab polytheists were also a nation among the nations who traveled for Hajj to their false deities Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, and Manat. Despite this, these people also performed Hajj to the House of Allah, circumambulated it, and stood at Arafat. They worshipped Allah on one hand and worshipped others besides Allah on the other. They used to loudly proclaim in their Talbiyah:
لبيك لا شريك لك إلا شريكا هو لك تملكه وما ملك
Difference between Slave and Partner:
Allah Almighty refutes them by saying:
ضَرَبَ لَكُم مَّثَلًا مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ ۖ هَل لَّكُم مِّن مَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُم مِّن شُرَكَاءَ فِي مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ فَأَنتُمْ فِيهِ سَوَاءٌ تَخَافُونَهُمْ كَخِيفَتِكُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ
"He sets forth for you an example from among yourselves: Do any of your slaves share with you in the wealth We have given you, so that you would fear them as you fear one another?"
Reference: (30-Ar-Rum:28)
The meaning of Allah Almighty's statement is that when you do not tolerate others sharing in your possessions, then why do you consider My creation as partners with Me? Whether they are angels or prophets, righteous people of the Ummah, or any other creation, all belong to Allah. The attribute of Allah is:
لا إله إلا هو له الملك وله الحمد وهو على كل شيء قدير
"There is no deity except Him, His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is over all things competent."
Considering prophets and angels as partners with Allah is described as disbelief, and Allah Almighty says:
وَلَا يَأْمُرَكُمْ أَن تَتَّخِذُوا الْمَلَائِكَةَ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ أَرْبَابًا ۗ أَيَأْمُرُكُم بِالْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ أَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ ﴿٨٠﴾
"He will never say to you, 'Take the angels and the prophets as lords.' Would he command you to disbelieve while you are Muslims?"
Reference: (3-Aal Imran:80)
Condemning the Christians, He said:
اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا إِلَٰهًا وَاحِدًا ۖ لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ سُبْحَانَهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ﴿٣١﴾
"They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allah, and [also] the Messiah, the son of Mary. And they were not commanded except to worship one God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above what they associate with Him."
Reference: (9-At-Tawbah:31)
