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And the idolaters, from among the Meccans, say, 'Had Allahu ta’ālā 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.⁵ In other words, our idolatry and our deeming [these animals] sacred are [effected] by His will; therefore He must be satisfied with this. Allahu ta’ālā, exalted He be, says: So did those before them, that is, they denied their messengers (rusul) regarding that which they [the messengers (rusul)] brought them. Yet are messengers (rusul) charged with anything save plain conveyance [of the Message]? It is not their duty to guide.