وَقَالَ الَّذِيْنَ اَشْرَكُوْا لَوْ شَاۗءَ اللہُ مَا عَبَدْنَا مِنْ دُوْنِہٖ مِنْ شَيْءٍ نَّحْنُ وَلَاۗ اٰبَاۗؤُنَا وَلَا حَرَّمْنَا مِنْ دُوْنِہٖ مِنْ شَيْءٍ۰ۭ كَذٰلِكَ فَعَلَ الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِہِمْ۰ۚ فَہَلْ عَلَي الرُّسُلِ اِلَّا الْبَلٰغُ الْمُبِيْنُ۳۵
Waqala allatheena ashrakoo law shaa Allahu ma AAabadna min doonihi min shayin nahnu wala abaona wala harramna min doonihi min shayin kathalika faAAala allatheena min qablihim fahal AAala alrrusuli illa albalaghu almubeenu
The idolaters say: "If God had willed we would not have worshipped anything apart from Him, nor would our fathers have done, nor would we have forbidden any thing without His (leave)." So had the people done before them. Therefore it is binding on the prophets to convey the message in clearest terms.