for it embodies the very divinity that necessitates such praise.

153 — When one pronounces, “lā ilāha illā Allāh” (there is no deity except Allah), this single phrase affirms every possible praise and denies that He has any counterpart in them; for He alone is God—no god but Him—whereas every form of shirk (associating partners with Him) is nothing but the assertion that Allah has an equal.

154 — Accordingly, He glorifies and exalts Himself above all association in verses such as: “Allah has never taken a son, nor is there any deity alongside Him; had that been so, each deity would have taken away what it created, and some would have lorded over others. Glorified is Allah above what they ascribe to Him—Knower of the unseen and the seen—exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him” (Q 23:91–92).

155 — And He says: “Have they taken gods from the earth who raise the dead? Had there been within them (heaven and earth) deities other than Allah, they would surely have fallen into ruin. So glorified is Allah, Lord of the Throne, above what they attribute to Him” (Q 21:21–22).

156 — Polytheism is both a statement—an ascription voiced by the tongue—and an action—an intention of the heart. Hence He declares Himself transcendent above what they describe in word and belief, and above having anything worshipped alongside Him.

157 — The greatest verse in the Quran is the Throne Verse, which opens: “Allah—there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer” (Q 2:255). In His opening word, “Allah,” His very name gathers every praise and every attribute of perfection.