82 — Hence, there is no god but Him—exalted is He—and whatever exists besides Him is not a god. Yet the polytheists worship alongside Him so-called deities that are nothing but names they and their forefathers have invented, for which Allah has sent down no warrant. It is like a man whom the ignorant call a scholar or whom a liar calls truthful: such a description exists only in their estimation, not in reality. Likewise, these alleged gods exist as deities only in the minds of those who worship them; in fact they are no gods at all. Accordingly, the shirk (polytheism) lodged in their hearts is sheer ifk (fabrication).

83 — Allah the Exalted relates about Abraham: “When he said to his father and his people, ‘What is it that you worship? Is it falsehood—gods other than Allah—that you desire?’” (37:85–86).

84 — He also says: “You worship nothing besides Allah but idols; you are only inventing falsehood” (29:17).

85 — And He says: “These, our people, have taken deities other than Him. Why do they not produce for them a clear authority? Who is more unjust than one who forges a lie against Allah?” (18:15).

86 — Hud said to his people: “Worship Allah; you have no god other than Him. You are nothing but fabricators” (11:50).

87 — The monotheist speaks the truth when he says, “There is no god but Allah,” and each time he repeats it, his heart is further grounded in tawhid (pure monotheism) and sincerity.