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Or do they have partners who legislate for them of the religion what God did not authorize?
If it were not for a decisive Word, judgement would have already been passed on them.
Indeed, the transgressors shall have incurred a painful punishment.
42:21

This glorious verse from the Quran asserts a number of truths:

1- That God is the only Giver of all religious laws. All religious laws must be authorised by God Himself. No one but God has the authority to decree religious laws. We are reminded in 66:1 how God reprimanded prophet Muhammad for committing the error of prohibiting something made lawful by God. Consequently, we must dismiss all laws and religious regulations that are not authorised by God in the Quran, whatever their source may be.

2- All those who follow laws given by anyone other than God have immediately committed an act of idol worship and have made of their sources idols.

3- Those who follow religious laws not authorised by God have indeed incurred a painful punishment.