Hadith
‘Adi ibn Hatim reported: I came to the Prophet ﷺ while I had a crucifix of gold around my neck.
The Prophet said, “O ‘Adi! Remove this idol from yourself!” I heard him reciting the verse in Surat al-Tawbah, “They have taken their priests and rabbis as lords besides Allah.” (9:31)
The Prophet said, “As for them, they did not worship them, but rather when they made something lawful for them, they considered it lawful. When they made something unlawful for them, they considered it unlawful.”
عَنْ عَدِيِّ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ قَالَ أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَفِي عُنُقِي صَلِيبٌ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ فَقَالَ يَا عَدِيُّ اطْرَحْ عَنْكَ هَذَا الْوَثَنَ وَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَأُ فِي سُورَةِ بَرَاءَةٌ اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ قَالَ أَمَا إِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَكُونُوا يَعْبُدُونَهُمْ وَلَكِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا أَحَلُّوا لَهُمْ شَيْئًا اسْتَحَلُّوهُ وَإِذَا حَرَّمُوا عَلَيْهِمْ شَيْئًا حَرَّمُوهُ