rivals to Allah while you know.”

In the two Sahih collections, Ibn Mas'ūd reported:

“I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, which sin is the greatest?’
He replied, ‘To set up a rival to Allah when He created you.’
I asked, ‘Then which?’
He replied, ‘To kill your child for fear that he will share your food.’
I asked, ‘Then which?’
He replied, ‘To commit adultery with your neighbor’s wife.’”

Allah then revealed the following verse in confirmation of His Messenger:

“And those who do not invoke another god besides Allah, nor kill a soul whom Allah has forbidden to be killed except by right, nor commit adultery. Whoever does so will face punishment.”

The Most High also says:

“Yet among people are those who take others as rivals to Allah, loving them as they love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in their love for Allah.”

Whoever equates the Creator with a created being in love, or in fear and hope, is a polytheist.

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade his community from every form of associating partners with Allah, great or small. He even said:

“Whoever swears by anything other than Allah has associated partners with Him.”

This was reported by Abū Dāwūd and others.

A man said to him, “As Allah wills and you will.” He replied:

“Have you made me a rival to Allah? Rather, say: ‘As Allah alone wills.’”

He also said:

“Do not say, ‘As Allah wills and Muhammad wills.’ Rather, say, ‘As Allah wills, then as Muhammad wills.’”

Once, Mu'ādh ibn Jabal came and prostrated before him. He asked, “What is this, Mu'ādh?”

He replied, “O Messenger of Allah, I saw people in Syria prostrating before their bishops.”

He said:

“Mu'ādh, prostration is due only to Allah. Were I to command anyone to prostrate before another, I would command a woman to prostrate before her husband because of the great right he has over her.”

For this reason, a distinction was drawn by