The emergence of shirk (polytheism) during the time of Prophet Nuh (Noah) عليه سلام is described in Islamic tradition as a gradual process of deviation from monotheism (Tawheed), initiated by human error and Satanic manipulation. Here is a detailed account based on Islamic sources:
After the Prophet Adam عليه سلام, humanity initially adhered to pure monotheism (Tawheed) for ten generations between Adam and Nuh.
The first act of shirk during mankind’s reign on Earth occurred among the people of Nuh, triggered by the death of five righteous men who are all mentioned in the Quran, named Wadd, Suwa, Yaghuth, Ya’uq, and Nasr. These men were revered for their piety, and their followers erected statues in their memory to inspire goodness and remembrance.
But what started out as a well iintentioned gesture to preserve the legacy of righteous men, ended up as a means to the destruction of mankind on earth except for a few.
Here’s how it happened. Satan (Iblis) exploited human grief and admiration for these righteous figures. He appeared in human form and suggested that they first place statues in public gathering spots to “honor” the deceased.
After a generation of people grew accustomed to having statues to honor these righteous men, Iblis suggested a second step; to build smaller statues to put in their homes to “maintain the legacy” of these fine men.
When the original generation died, and knowledge of Tawhid faded, Satan then deceived subsequent generations by claiming that their ancestors worshipped these statues and received favors and blessings (e.g., rain) through them. This led to the statues becoming objects of worship.
Then Allah sent Nuh to guide his people back to Tawheed. He preached for 950 years, warning against idolatry (shirk) and urging the rejection of false gods like Wadd and Suwa. The elites mocked, made fun and rejected Nuh, clinging to idol worship. They argued:
“Do not abandon your gods—especially Wadd, Suwa, Yaghuth, Ya’uq, and Nasr” (Quran 71:23).
Only a few marginalized believers followed Nuh, while the majority persisted in shirk. Nuh was instructed to build an ark. The people thought he was a madman. He built it according to specific specifications revealed to him by his Lord. He started to assemble pairs from the creatures of the earth, and instructed them to board. Then it started to rain. The rest is history.
This marked the first instance of shirk in human history , transitioning from veneration to deification . The Quran condemns this as a “great injustice” (Quran 31:13).
The core error and deception was assigning divine power to created beings, contrary to Allah’s exclusive authority over creation and intercession.
After the Flood, the idols of Nuh’s people resurfaced among later civilizations , including the Arabs. For example: Wadd was worshipped by the Kalb tribe. Suwa became an idol of the Hudhayl tribe. Amr ibn Luhayy , a pre-Arab figure, reintroduced these idols to Arabia, claiming they were “intercessors” with Allah.
By the time the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم was dispatched as the messenger of Allah, there were over 300 idols worshipped at the Ka’bah.
Conclusion
Shirk began not as outright paganism but as a corruption of sincere remembrance , exploited by Satan to divert worship from Allah. Prophet Nuh’s struggle عليه سلام epitomizes the eternal conflict between Tawhid and shirk—a theme reiterated by all subsequent prophets in Islam.
This narrative underscores the danger of elevating created beings (even righteous ones) beyond their rightful status and the necessity of preserving pure monotheism. And Allah knows best.
Imam Luqman Ahmad
Imam Luqman Ahmad Mosque Without Borders 
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