It is likewise incumbent to believe that Allah has commanded that He be worshipped alone, without partner, just as He created the jinn and humankind for that very purpose; for it He dispatched His messengers and sent down His scriptures.

[Worship entails perfect humility and love, and that, in turn, entails perfect obedience]

True worship necessarily involves complete humility before Him and love for Him, and this, in turn, requires total obedience to Him. Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah. Allah, exalted is He, says, “We did not send any messenger except that he should be obeyed by Allah’s leave” (Qur’an 4:64). He also says, “Say, ‘If you love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins’” (Qur’an 3:31).

[The prophets’ religion is one—Islam]

Allah further says, “Ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you: did We ever appoint any deities to be worshipped besides the Most Merciful?” (Qur’an 43:45). He says as well, “We never sent a messenger before you without revealing to him: ‘There is no deity but Me, so worship Me’” (Qur’an 21:25). And He states, “He has ordained for you in religion what He enjoined upon Noah, what We have revealed to you, and what We enjoined upon Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: uphold the religion and do not divide over it—so burdensome is it to the polytheists…” (Qur’an 42:13).