—all seven—and Lord of the Mighty Throne?’ (86) They will say, ‘To Allah.’ Say, ‘Will you not then fear Him?’ (87) Say, ‘In whose hand is sovereignty over all things, Who protects while none can protect against Him, if you know?’ (88) They will say, ‘To Allah.’ Say, ‘How, then, are you deluded?’ (89)” [Al-Mu’minūn: 84–89]

Most reciters read the latter two responses as “They will say, ‘To Allah,’” just as they unanimously read the first response as “They will say, ‘To Allah.’” This answer accords with the meaning of the wording, since “Say, ‘Who is Lord of the seven heavens?’” and “In whose hand is sovereignty over all things?” mean: “To whom does all this belong?” Thus the answer is: “They will say, ‘To Allah.’”

This demonstrates that the polytheists acknowledge that sovereignty over all things belongs to Allah. The term expresses dominion emphatically, for malakūt (sovereignty) is more emphatic than mulk (dominion). What they have stated in this regard entails His independence of everything and everything’s dependence upon Him, and this is true. Yet it also entails something more perfect: knowledge, power, governance in accordance with His will and volition, and other meanings which show that these philosophers do not conceive of Him as a true King. How, in their view, can someone be a king who cannot bring anything into being or ward anything off, and who has no control over himself or anything else in any respect? Rather, he is like someone bound by a rope, with another attached to him whom he cannot fend off.

They also contradict themselves concerning the independence they affirm for Him and the dependence of everything else upon Him. For they describe Him in ways that make it impossible for Him to be independent or for anything whatsoever to depend upon Him. However, the purpose here is not to lay bare the hidden implications of all their statements,