Such is the idolatry and associating Budda with God
SJP, this is the idolatry and the association with God, coming from the enthusiasm about many religious leaders.
· In fact all idolaters and associaters say they do not worship idols, and that they do worship God their Creator, and that they sanctify their prophets and religious men, and make statues for them: in order that such religious men and prophets may intercede before God for their behalf.
· Another point common among all idolaters and associaters: they say God is the Most High and He is not concerned with their trivial daily life affairs, so they resort to their associates of God: their patrons: like
Budda (Buddists), Jesus and other patron saints (Christians), Simeon Bar Yoḥai and Rachel the wife of Israel (Jews) and Imam Ali and his sons (like what some Muslims do).
And we find this is true even with the worshippers of Satan and the devils: they say: We know God is the Creator, but we worship Satan to be safe of him, while God He is Most Merciful and Most Gracious!
Moreover, those, who worship the cow in India, say: We worship God, but this cow, being without sins, so we worship it in order that it will intercede for us before God.
This is in the Quran 10: 18
وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ مَا لاَ يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلاَ يَنفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ هَؤُلاء شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِندَ اللّهِ قُلْ أَتُنَبِّئُونَ اللّهَ بِمَا لاَ يَعْلَمُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلاَ فِي الأَرْضِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
The explanation:
(They worship, apart from God, what [can] neither hurt them nor profit them, and they say: "These [idols] are our intercessors with God!"
Say [O Mohammed, to them]: "Will you inform God of that which does not know [anything] in the [ethereal] heavens nor in the [material] earth? Celebrated be His praise, and exalted be He above what [created beings] they associate [with Him!]")