既然我们已经讨论了这个词的各种字面含义，现在让我们来看看伊斯兰教之前"伊拉赫"（ilaah）的各种概念是什么，以及《古兰经》力图否定其中哪些。

Having discussed the various literal senses of the word, let us now see what the pre-Islamic concepts of ilaah were, and which of these the Qur'ān strove to reject:

他们舍弃真主，而以别的神灵为神，希望它们成为自己的助力（或者，依他们的想法，归附它们可以带来保障）。（麦尔彦章 19:81）

And they have taken for their ilaahs others than Allah, that they may according to their reckoning be a source of strength to them (or that coming under their protection may confer security). (al-Maryam 19:81)

他们舍安拉而取众神为偶像，希望它们能在他们需要时助他们一臂之力。（雅辛章 36:74）

And they have taken others than Allah as their ilaahs hoping that they might be helped when needed. (al-Yaseen 36:74)

从这两节经文中我们可以得知,jahiliyyah(伊斯兰前的无知时期)的阿拉伯人相信,他们视为伊拉赫(ilaah,神明)的那些存在,是他们的庇护者,会在危难或困境中前来救援;并且,他们一旦将自己置于这些神明的庇护之下,便可免于恐惧、骚扰或伤害。

From these two verses we learn that the Arabs of the Jahiliyyah (the pre-Islamic period of Ignorance) believed that those whom they regarded as ilaahs were their patrons, would come to their rescue in time of danger or difficulty, and that by placing themselves under their protection they rendered themselves safe from fear, molestation or harm.

当你主的命令降临之时，他们舍真主而祈求的那些神明，对他们毫无助益，只会加速他们的毁灭。(安-胡德 11:101)

…And when the Decree of your Lord had gone forth (and the time came for its execution), the ilaahs they used to invoke instead of Allah proved of no avail to them and contributed only to their doom…. (al-Hud 11:101)

而那些人们在安拉之外祈求的对象，他们什么也没有创造，他们自己也是被创造的。他们是死的，不是活的，他们也不知道自己何时会被复活。真正的伊拉赫只有独一的安拉。

And those whom the people call to instead of Allah have not created aught, but are themselves creatures. Dead they are, and not alive, and they know not when they would be raised from their state, the real ilaah is the One and Only Ilaah….

(an-Nahl 18:20-21)

(an-Nahl 18:20-21)

不要祈求或祷告任何神明，与安拉并列。除祂之外，没有应受崇拜的神明……

Invoke not; or pray to, any ilaah along with Allah. There is no ilaah but He….

[应当注意，《古兰经》中“Ilaah”一词有两种不同的含义：一是指实际上正在被人崇拜的对象或存在，无论这种崇拜是否正确；二是指真正配受崇拜的那一位。在这节经文中，该词第一次出现时用的是前一种含义，第二次出现时用的是后一种含义。——毛杜迪]（Al-Yunus 28:88）

[It should be borne in mind that the word Ilaah is used in the Qur'an in two different senses, namely, the object or being, etc., to whom worship is actually being given, irrespective of whether rightly or wrongly, and the Being who is really worthy of worship. In this verse, the word is used in the first sense on the first occasion and in the other sense on the second. -.Maududi](al-Yunus 28:88)

……而那些舍弃安拉而祈求祂所谓同伴的人，他们所遵循的，不过是臆测和虚妄的猜想。（古赛斯章 10:66）

....And those who, instead of praying to Allah, pray to His supposed associates do not but follow suppositions and idle guesses. (al-Qasas 10:66)

这些经文指向三个方面。

These verses point to three aspects.

第一点是，阿拉伯人过去会向他们视为神明（ilaah）的对象祈祷，并在遭遇困境或需要满足任何需求时向其祈求。

The first is that the Arabs used to address their prayers to those whom they regarded as their ilaahs and invoke them in times of distress or for fulfilment of any of their needs.

其次，这些神明（ilaahs）不仅包括精灵（Jinns）、天使和偶像，还包括已故的人，从上述第二段经文中即可看出这一点。

The second is that these ilaahs included not only Jinns, angels, and gods, but dead humans too, as one can see from the second of the above verses.

第三点是：他们相信这些神明能够听到他们的祈祷，并能前来救助他们。

The third is that they believed that these ilaahs could hear their prayers and could come to their rescue.

在此阶段，有必要澄清一点：关于向伊拉哈（ilaah）或众伊拉哈所作的祈祷，以及向他们寻求的帮助或救助，其性质究竟如何。如果我感到口渴，便呼唤仆人给我倒水；或者身体不适，便呼叫医生为我治疗，那么我对他们的呼唤并不构成杜阿（du’a），也就是说，它与向神明呈献的祈祷毫无相似之处，这也不会使仆人或医生变成伊拉哈。这两种情形都十分常见，属于日常生活中的事情，与超自然毫无关系。然而，如果我在口渴或身体不适时，不呼唤仆人或医生，而是呼唤某位圣徒或某位神明，那么很显然，这就等同于把该圣徒或神明当作伊拉哈来对待，并且是在向他作杜阿。

It seems desirable to clear up one point, at this stage, about the nature of the prayer made to the ilaah or ilaahs and the help or succour sought of them. If I feel thirsty, and call to my servant to give me some water, or am unwell and call for a doctor for treatment, my summons to them does not constitute du’a, that is, it has no similarity to a prayer sent up to a deity, nor does this make either the servant or the doctor into an ilaah. Both these are common, in everyday happenings, with nothing of the supernatural about them. However, if I should, while feeling thirsty or unwell, call to some saint or god instead of the servant or a doctor, that obviously would amount to treating the saint or god as an ilaah and to my addressing a du’a to him.

向远在数百甚至数千英里之外、埋于坟墓中的圣徒祈祷。[原则上,即便距离只有几英尺,也没有区别,关键在于向一位已经死去的人祈求,而人们相信他即便处于这种状态,或许正因如此,仍拥有某些非凡的能力:不仅能听见祈祷,若他愿意,还能予以应允。人们还相信,如果圣徒自己无法应允,他可以将祈祷转呈真主,并为之代求。]这清楚地表明,我相信他——尽管已经死去——具有在如此远的距离听取祈祷的能力,或者说能够觉察如此遥远的事情;如果可以使用相应的阿拉伯语词汇,那就是他具有"Samee'"(全听者)和"Baseer"(全见者)的品质。[从字面看,这两个词实际上是真主的两个专有属性,分别意为全听者和全见者。真主的知识超越万物,祂知晓任何地方正在发生的一切。被造物则不然,他们在这些方面的能力极为有限。若认为真主以外的任何人能在祈祷者不在其听力范围之内时亲耳听见祈祷,或能看见其视线之外正在发生的事情,就等于将真主独有、从未赋予任何受造物的能力归于他。]我的行为也清楚地意味着,我相信他们能够在造化之中施展如此的权能,以至于能使水源抵达我处,或使我从疾病中康复。如果是把他当作神明,我的祈祷就意味着我相信他拥有对水、健康与疾病的权能,并能以超自然的方式安排满足我的需求。

Addressing a prayer to a saint confined to his grave hundreds or even thousands of miles away [In point of principle, it makes no difference if the distance were of a few feet only, the significant point being the act of addressing a prayer to someone who is dead and is believed to possess, even in, or perhaps because of that state, some extraordinary powers not only of hearing the prayer but also of granting it if he so chooses. It is also believed that the saint may, if he cannot himself grant the prayer, pass it up to God with a recommendation] clearly indicates that I believe him – though dead – to be possessed of the power to listen to a prayer at such a distance or to otherwise being aware of things so far off or, if one may use the appropriate Arabic words, to be both samee’ and baseer’ [Literally, these words, which are actually two of Allah’s personal attributes, mean, the All-Hearing the All-Seeing, respectively. God’s knowledge transcends everything, and He is aware of everything that is happening anywhere. This is not the case with His creatures, whose capacities in these respects are severely limited. To believe someone other than God to have power to physically hear prayer offered out of his hearing or to see things happening out of his sight amounts to attributing to him powers which are God’s only, and which He has never given to any of His creatures] My action would clearly imply belief in their exercising such a way over the realm of creation as to be able to have water reach me or to make me recover from my illness. In the case of a god, my prayer would mean that I believe him to possess power over water and over health and sickness, and to therefore arrange, by supernatural means, to fulfil my needs.

因此，向某人祈祷的依据，必然包含一种观念，即认为此人拥有某种超自然的权威与力量。

Thus, the basis on which a prayer is addressed to someone includes necessarily a concept of his being possessed of some supernatural authority and power.

以下是经文,我们确实毁灭了你们周围那些城镇的遗迹,并以种种迹象向它们展示我的启示,以便它们回转(离开错误的道路而归向我)。那些它们奉为伊拉赫、并自以为能亲近我的神灵,在它们遭难之时为何不来相助呢?它们非但没有相助,反而弃之而去,暴露了它们虚假与捏造的空洞。[此处所指显然不是神话中的或无生命的神明,而是那些索取民众崇拜、从而自立为与真主对立的伊拉赫的祭司及其他人。](艾哈卡夫章 46:27-28)

And, verily, We did destroy the places of which you see ruins about you, and We showed them Our signs in diverse ways that they might turn (away from their wrong ways to Us). So why did not those whom they had made their ilaahs, and presumed to have access to Us, help them in their hour of doom? Far from helping, they abandoned them and made themselves scarce, exposing the hollowness of their falsehoods and fabrications. [The reference here obviously is not to mythological or inanimate gods, but to priests and others who exacted peoples’ worship and thus set themselves up as Ilaahs in opposition to the True Ilaah] (al-Ahqaf 46:27-28)

“我崇拜那创造我的主，而你们都将归于祂，这有什么不合理呢？难道我要舍祂而拜别的神明吗？若至仁的主要降灾于我，它们的说情对我毫无益处，也不能救我脱险。”（雅辛章 36:22-23）

And wherefore should I not give my worship to Him who created me and to Whom all of you will return? Should I take for myself ilaah other than Allah Who, should He Who is also Ar-Rahman wish me any harm, will avail me naught by their intercession, nor will they be able to come to my rescue? (al-Yaseen 36:22-23)

“而那些以安拉以外的人为保护者或助手的人说：‘我们崇拜他们，只是为了让他们使我们亲近安拉。’安拉将在复活日裁决他们之间的分歧。”

…And those who have taken others than Allah as protectors or helpers say, “We do not worship them except that they may bring us closer to Him.” Allah will decide for them on the Day of Judgement regarding that in which they differ….

（az-Zumar 39:3）

(az-Zumar 39:3)

他们崇拜真主之外的，那些既不能伤害他们，也不能利益他们的东西，并且说：“它们是我们在真主面前的说情者。”

And they worship other than Allah those who have power neither to harm nor benefit them, and they say that they are their intercessors with Him.

（尤努斯 10:18）

(al-Yunus 10:18)

从这些经文中我们可以学到，首先，阿拉伯人并非认为他们所崇拜的伊拉赫（ilaah）独自占有神性的全部，也并非认为在他们之上不存在至高之主。他们十分明确地相信这样一位至高的存在，并为其使用了专有名称"安拉"（Allah）。至于他们所崇拜的伊拉赫，他们的信仰本质上是这样一种观念：这些偶像分享了至高真主神性的某些部分，它们的话语在真主那里有一定分量，它们的说情能够带来某些利益或免除某些祸害与损失。正是基于这些观念，他们才把它们视为安拉之外的伊拉赫。考察他们的教义与行为，我们可以说，在他们的术语中，"伊拉赫"的含义体现在以下几方面：相信某人有权为他人向真主说情；向其祈求帮助；做出表示尊敬、敬畏与崇拜的特定功修；以及献上供品。正是这些构成了他们所说的把某物当作伊拉赫来对待。真主说：

What we learn from these verses is, firstly, that it was not that the Arabs believed their ilaahs to account for the whole of divinity among themselves or that there was no Supreme Being over and above them. They quite clearly believed in the existence of such a Being for whom they employed the special Proper name of ‘Allah.’ As for their ilaahs, their belief consisted essentially of the concept that they enjoyed some share in the divinity of the Supreme God, that their word carried some weight with Him, and that their intercession could result in some gains or ward off some harm or loss. It was on these grounds that they regarded them as ilaahs besides Allah and, considering their precept and practice, we may say that it was the belief about someone to have power to intercede with God, the act of addressing of prayers to him for help, the performing of certain devotions indicative of respect and reverence and adoration, and the making of offerings, that constituted in their terminology, the treating of Him as ilaah. And God said:

“不要崇拜两个神，神只有一位……所以，唯独敬畏我。”（尼尔莱 16:51）

“Do not make two ilaahs; there is but one ilaah…So, fear Me alone.” (an-Nahl 16:51)

……(易卜拉欣对他们说):我不惧怕你们所妄称与真主同列的那些偶像。除非我的主意欲如此,否则任何伤害都不会降临到我身上(无论你们所谓的神明是否如此)……(《古兰经》6:80)

…And (Ibrahim said to them): I fear not those you associate with God. Any harm can come to me only if He should will it, and not otherwise (through any or all of your supposed gods)…. (al-An’aam 6:80)

（呼德的族人对他说：）我们只认为你是中了我们某个神灵的诅咒。（呼德章 11:54）

(And said Hud’s people to him:) All we think of you is that you are under the curse of someone or other of our ilaahs. (al-Hud 11:54)

根据这些经文，阿拉伯人对其所崇拜的伊拉赫（ilaahs）的信念是：如果他们得罪了这些神灵，或者失去了它们的恩惠与关注，就会遭受瘟疫、饥荒、丧失生命和财产，或其他灾祸。

According to these verses, the Arab belief about their ilaahs was that if they should give them any cause for offence or should otherwise be deprived of their favours and attentions, they would suffer epidemics, famine, lose of life and property, or other calamities.

他们把自己的学者和拉比当作主宰，舍真主而崇拜他们；他们也把麦尔彦之子尔撒当作主宰。然而，他们只被命令崇拜唯一的真主，除他以外，绝无应受崇拜的神明……（忏悔章 9:31）

They made their religious scholars and rabbis their rabbs instead of Allah, and Jesus son of Mary too into one, although they had been told to worship but one ilaah only, besides Whom there is no ilaah at all…. (at-Tawbah 9:31)

你有没有注意到那些把自己的私欲当作他的伊拉哈（神）的人？你能为这样的人承担任何责任吗？（《古兰经》25:43）

Have you noticed the men who has made his selfish desires his ilaah? Can you assume any responsibility about such a one? (al-Furqan 25:43)

同样地,多神教徒所崇拜的所谓神灵,使杀害子女的行为在他们眼中显得合乎情理……(al-An'aam 6:137)

And in this wise did the supposed gods of pagans make infanticide appear an approved act in their eyes…. (al-An’aam 6:137)

难道他们有一些配享崇拜的神灵，为他们立了真主未许可的教律吗？……（黑夜的协商 42:21） Note: the reference label "ash-Shuraa" is the surah name, rendered here as its Chinese title; the verse text is translated faithfully.

What! Have they partners in godhood who have established for them some religion without sanction from God?.... (ash-Shuraa 42:21)

这里我们又有了另一种关于"伊拉哈"（ilaah）的概念，与上文所讨论的都大不相同。

Here we have yet another concept of ilaah very different from those dealt with above.

在这里并不涉及超自然的成分。此处所说的"伊拉赫"（ilaah，意为被崇拜者）是某个人，或人自己的私欲与私念。没有人向它祷告，也不认为它能够给人带来伤害或利益，更不向它寻求帮助或救援。它之所以是"伊拉赫"，是因为人们接受并服从它的命令，以至于它宣布为允许或禁止的事情，人们便照此对待；人们还认为它天然有权力让我们去做或不做某些事情，而没有更高或更优越的权威，其批准可能是必要的，也没有可以向其申诉以反对其命令的上级权威。

Here there is no element of the supernatural. The ilaah here is some human being, or man’s own selfish ego or selfish desires. No prayers are offered to it, nor is it regarded as being in a position to will any harm or benefit to someone nor is it looked to for help or succour. It is an ilaah in the sense that its dictates are accepted and obeyed to such extent that that which it declares to be permitted or prohibited is treated as such, and it is deemed to have an inherent right to make us do or not do certain things, with no higher or superior authority whose approval might be necessary for its orders or which might be appealed to against them.

第一节被引用的经文(at-Tawbah 9:31)提到,宗教学者和拉比被当作了伊拉赫(ilaahs)。圣训对此有非常清晰的解释。Hazrat ’Adi bin Hatim曾就这节经文请教先知ﷺ,先知ﷺ告诉他,被称为“以之为主”的行为,是指对学者或拉比宣布为合法或非法的事物不加考察、直接接受,而不去查明真主究竟是怎么说的。

The first verse we have quoted here (at-Tawbah 9:31) speaks of religious scholars and rabbis having been made into ilaahs. We get a very lucid explanation of this in Hadith. Hazrat ’Adi bin Hatim once asked the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمabout the verse, and in reply the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمtold him that what was characterised as taking as ilaahs was the practice of accepting as permitted or prohibited anything pronounced as such by the scholars or rabbis, without caring to ascertain what God had actually said about it.

关于第二节经文（al-Furqaan 25:43），其意思已经相当清楚：一个人如果只听从自己私欲或嗜好的指使，或者干脆把自己的个人见解视为唯一的律法，那么实际上就是以自己为神明（ilaah），而不是以真主为神明。

As for the second verse, (al-Furqaan 25:43) the meaning is clear enough. He who obeys only the dictates of his selfish desires or inclinations or, rather regards his personal views as the only law, in effect makes his self his ilaah instead of God.

上面两节经文中使用了“shurakaa’”一词,我们将其译为“所谓的神”或“神性中的同伴”。虽然此处并未使用“ilaah”(神)一词,但其含义很明显:把任何事物当作“shurakaa’”,实际上就等于相信它们在神性上拥有一份。这些经文的含义是:那些将任何习俗、规则或做法视为合法、而其实并无神圣授权的人,就等于把这些习俗的创立者等人视为在神性上拥有一份,也就是把他们当作“ilaah”(神)来对待。

The last two verses use the word shurakaa’ which we have translated as supposed gods or partners, in godhood, but although the word ilaah has not been used, the implication clearly is that to treat any beings, etc., as shurakaa’ amounts, in effect, to believing them to have a share in divinity. The import of these verses is that those who regard any custom or rule or practice as permissible although it has no divine sanction, are guilty of treating the originators of the custom, etc., as having a share in divinity, i. e., of treating them as ilaahs.