the sun at that moment so that the prostration will ultimately be to him. How far more blameworthy, then, are acts that display even more obvious forms of shirk and an even closer imitation of the polytheists than this!

Allah, exalted be He, also instructed His Messenger to address the People of the Book, saying:

“Say, O People of the Book, come to a word that is fair between us and you: that we worship none but Allah, that we associate nothing with Him, and that none of us takes others as lords beside Allah. But if they turn away, then say, ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.’” (Qur’an 3:64)

The verse condemns imitating the People of the Book by elevating some of them to the status of lords besides Allah, and we are expressly forbidden to do anything of that nature. Whoever abandons the guidance of his Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—the guidance of his Companions, and of those who followed them with excellence, for ways that resemble the path of the Christians, has indeed forsaken what Allah and His Messenger have commanded.

As for the person who says, “My need was fulfilled by the blessing of Allah and your blessing,” such speech is objectionable, for one must never couple