And the idolaters from among the Meccans say ‘Had God willed we would not have worshipped anything besides Him — neither we nor our fathers — nor would we have deemed anything sacred besides Him’ in the way of those camels called bahīras and sā’iba. In other words our idolatry and our deeming these animals sacred are effected by His will; therefore He must be satisfied with this. God exalted He be says So did those before them that is they denied their messengers regarding that which they the messengers brought them. Yet are messengers charged with anything save plain conveyance of the Message? It is not their duty to guide.
- 16:3535
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا لَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا عَبَدْنَا مِنْ دُونِهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ نَحْنُ وَلَا آبَاؤُنَا وَلَا حَرَّمْنَا مِنْ دُونِهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ فَعَلَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ فَهَلْ عَلَى الرُّسُلِ إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ
The idolaters say: "If God had willed we would not have worshipped anything apart from Him, nor would our fathers have done, nor would we have forbidden any thing without His (leave)." So had the people done before them. Therefore it is binding on the prophets to convey the message in clearest terms.
- common.revelation-Meccan
- common.hizb : 108