[al-Zukhruf: 45], and Allah Most High said:

“We certainly sent a messenger to every nation, saying, ‘Worship Allah and shun false gods.’ Among them were those whom Allah guided, and among them were those upon whom misguidance was decreed.” [al-Nahl: 36]

He related that every prophet called people to worship Allah alone, with no partner.

Allah Most High said:

“You have an excellent example in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, ‘We disassociate ourselves from you and from whatever you worship besides Allah. We reject you, and enmity and hatred have arisen between us and you forever, until you believe in Allah alone.’” [al-Mumtahanah: 4]

Allah Most High said of the polytheists:

“Has he made the gods into one God? This is indeed an astonishing thing!” [Sād: 5]

Allah Most High said:

“When you mention your Lord alone in the Quran, they turn their backs in aversion.” [al-Isrā’: 46]

Allah Most High said:

“When Allah alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter recoil in aversion; but when those besides Him are mentioned, they rejoice.” [al-Zumar: 45]

Allah Most High said:

“When they were told, ‘There is no god but Allah,’ they acted arrogantly * and said, ‘Are we to abandon our gods for a mad poet?’” [al-Sāffāt: 35-36]

There are many such passages in the Quran.

What is meant by oneness is not merely oneness in lordship—the belief that Allah alone created the world—as some speculative theologians and Sufis suppose. They imagine that, once they have established this through proof, they have established the highest realization of oneness. They also imagine that, if they witness this and attain annihilation in it, they have attained annihilation in the highest realization of oneness.

Many speculative theologians say that oneness has three meanings: He is one in His essence, without any division—or any part; one in His attributes, with none resembling Him; and one in His acts