of all worlds, the Creator and Sovereign of everything, Who knows every single thing and has power over all things.

Yet they took their rabbis and monks, and even the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, as lords besides Allah, though they had been commanded only to worship one God. There is no deity but Him; exalted is He above what they associate with Him.

They likewise elevated angels and prophets to the rank of lords, fashioned images of created beings, and adopted them as intercessors who, they imagined, would plead for them with Allah—just as the idol-worshippers had done. Allah the Exalted said:

"They worship, instead of Allah, things that can neither harm them nor benefit them, and they say, ‘These are our intercessors with Allah.’ Say: ‘Are you informing Allah of something He does not know in the heavens or on the earth?’" ⦗Yunus 10:18⦘

For this reason He—exalted is He—also said:

"And warn with it those who fear that they will be gathered to their Lord: they will have no protector and no intercessor apart from Him—so that they may become mindful." ⦗Al-Anʿam 6:51⦘

And He—glorified be He—said:

"Allah is the One who created the heavens and the earth and whatever lies between them in six days, then rose over the Throne. You have no protector and no intercessor besides Him." ⦗As-Sajdah 32:4⦘

The Muslims take a middle course: they describe Allah only as He has described Himself and as His messengers have described Him—without taḥrīf (distortion), taʿṭīl (denial), takyīf (inquiring into how), or tamthīl (likening Him to creation). They affirm for Him every attribute of perfection and declare Him utterly transcendent above the deficiencies that are impossible for the Creator and from which He is completely free.