And when you mentioned this that day, I told you, “This is one of the fundamentals of Islam.” If the judge cannot distinguish between the religion of Islam and the religion of the Christians who invoke the Messiah and his mother, then what am I to do?

But someone who takes Nafīsah as a lord and says, “She grants refuge to the fearful and comes to the aid of the distressed, and I am in her care,” prostrates to her, pleads with her in supplication as one pleads with the Lord of the earth and the heavens, and relies upon someone once alive who has died rather than upon the True One who never dies—such a person would undoubtedly be all the more ready to associate someone superior to her with Allah.

Allah Most High says:

“Say, ‘In whose hand is the dominion of all things—and He grants protection, while none can grant protection against Him—if you know?’”

“They will say, ‘Allah’s.’ Say, ‘Then how are you deluded?’”

There is also the hadith about Mu‘ādh: when he returned from Syria, he prostrated to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The Prophet asked, “What is this, Mu‘ādh?” He replied, “I saw them in Syria prostrating to their bishops, and they say this practice was handed down from their prophets.” He said, “Mu‘ādh, tell me: if you passed by my grave, would you prostrate to it?” He replied, “No.” He said, “Then do not prostrate to me. If I were to command anyone to prostrate to another, I would command a woman to prostrate to her husband.”

How can someone who does not forbid those who have gone astray from engaging in such association of partners with Allah—forbidden by the consensus of the Muslims—forbid something less serious? Whoever invokes a man or woman besides Allah resembles those who take the Messiah and his mother as two gods besides Allah. And in the Sahīh collection, there is a report from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,