who are held together by no regulating principle: they follow nothing but their own desires and the propaganda of those who mislead them, so their sects proliferate. Allah has given the parable: “Allah sets forth a comparison: a slave owned by quarrelling partners, and a slave belonging wholly to one master—are the two alike? Praise be to Allah, but most of them do not know” (Q 39:29). One who worships Allah alone resembles the servant owned by a single master: he feels at ease with him, understands his wishes, and fulfils them calmly. The polytheist, however, is like the servant with many owners; he never knows which of them to satisfy, for each has his own whim, demand, and desire, all insisting that the servant come to him. Hence the verse: “Allah sets forth a comparison: a slave owned by quarrelling partners… and a slave belonging wholly to one master.” The latter is at ease, and this is the image Allah gives for the mushrik (polytheist) and the muwahhid (strict monotheist). Thus the idolaters were diverse in the objects of their worship, yet the Prophet ﷺ fought them all without distinction: he fought the pagans, the Jews, the Christians, the Magians, all the polytheists, including those who worshipped angels or righteous saints. He made no exception among them. This refutes those who claim that someone who worships a righteous man or an angel is not like one who worships an idol made of stone or wood. They argue that idol-worshippers bow to mere lifeless matter, whereas the others venerate honoured servants of Allah; therefore—so they say—those who now worship at graves differ from idol-worshippers, are not to be declared unbelievers, their act is not shirk (associating partners with Allah), and it is unlawful to fight them.