among the Jahmīs. Such statements and others like them must either be regarded as true and as expressing the meaning of the Quran, as this man has claimed, or not. The former is among the clearest instances of unbelief, misguidance, distortion, unionism, and denial of the divine attributes. Anyone who has even the slightest faith and knows and understands their intent knows with self-evident certainty that what they have said is among the claims most contrary to what the messengers brought. He knows that Allah has commanded us to ask Him to guide us to the straight path, has praised the straight path in numerous passages, and has condemned the bewildered person, as in His words, Exalted is He:

“Say, ‘Shall we invoke besides Allah that which neither benefits us nor harms us, and be turned back on our heels after Allah has guided us, like one whom the devils have lured away in the land, bewildered?’”
[al-An‘ām 71]

He also knows that Allah sent the messengers to call people to Him Himself; that this is not a stratagem against His servants, but guidance for them; and that the person being called is not in the same state when he first responds to the messengers as when he reaches his Lord or meets Him. He knows, too, that whoever worships idols or any created thing is an unbeliever and a polytheist, as all the messengers agree. As Allah, Exalted is He, says:

“And ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you: did We appoint any gods besides the Most Merciful to be worshipped?”
(45)
[al-Zukhruf 45]

And He says:

“We never sent a messenger before you without revealing to him: ‘There is no deity except Me, so worship Me.’”
(25)
[al-Anbiyā’ 25]

And He, Exalted is He, says:

“We certainly sent a messenger to every nation, saying, ‘Worship Allah and shun false objects of worship.’”
[al-Nahl 36]