alone, without partner—how can it be fitting for them to find fault with those who believe in Allah and His Messenger and affirm Allah’s oneness and worship Him alone, without partner? They affirm Allah’s oneness in knowledge and profession, as in the affirmation of His oneness set out in the surah:

“Say: He is Allah, One {1}. Allah, the Eternal Refuge {2}. He neither begets nor is born {3}.” [Al-Ikhlās 1–3]

“Say: O disbelievers {1}, I do not worship what you worship {2}. Nor are you worshippers of what I worship {3}. Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship {4}. Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship {5}. For you is your religion, and for me is my religion {6}.” [Al-Kāfirūn 1–6]

How can this be fitting for those who associate partners with Allah and follow the polytheists in opposing monotheism in both these respects? They enjoin worshipping and invoking others besides Allah, encourage this, extol its importance, and declare ignorant anyone who denounces and forbids it. They have denied aspects of Allah Most High’s names and attributes and of the reality of worshipping Him without which faith and monotheism cannot be complete. How can such people accuse those believers of following the polytheists, and hold those who agree with them in this unbelief in greater esteem than those believers, who have no part in what He describes in His words:

“Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture, who believe in jibt and tāghūt”—up to His words, “a helper”? [Al-Nisā’ 51–52]