for Allah’s sake. No one may ask for the sake of anyone other than Allah, for sincere devotion to Allah alone is obligatory in every physical and financial act of worship, such as prayer, charity, fasting, and Hajj. Bowing and prostration are proper only for Allah; fasting is only for Allah; Hajj is only to the House of Allah; and supplication is only to Allah. The Most High says:

“Fight them until there is no more persecution and all worship is devoted to Allah.”

The Most High also says:

“Ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you: Did We appoint any gods besides the Most Merciful to be worshipped?”

And the Most High says:

“The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise.”

“Indeed, We have sent down the Book to you in truth, so worship Allah, devoting your religion sincerely to Him.”

This is the foundation of Islam: that we worship none but Allah and worship Him only as He has prescribed, not through religious innovations. As the Most High says:

“So whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him do righteous deeds and associate no one in the worship of his Lord.”

The Most High also says:

“To test you as to which of you is best in deeds.”

Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyād said: “That means the most sincere and the most correct.” They asked, “O Abū ‘Alī, what do you mean by the most sincere and the most correct?”

He replied: “If a deed is sincere but not correct, it will not be accepted. If it is correct but not sincere, it will not be accepted until it is both sincere and correct. Sincerity means that it is done for Allah, and correctness means that it accords with the Sunnah and the Book.”

All of this is because Allah’s Messenger conveyed His religion on His behalf. Nothing is forbidden except what Allah has forbidden, and religion consists only of what Allah has prescribed. Allah Most High condemned the polytheists because they prescribed