so the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Will you not answer him?’

They asked, ‘What should we say?’

He said, ‘Say: Allah is higher and more glorious.’

Abū Sufyān then said, ‘We have al-‘Uzzā, and you have no ‘Uzzā.’

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Will you not answer him?’

They asked, ‘What should we say?’

He said, ‘Say: Allah is our Protector, and you have no protector.’”

Travelling to venerated places is a form of pilgrimage. Polytheists of various nations make pilgrimage to their gods, just as the Arabs used to make pilgrimage to al-Lāt, al-‘Uzzā, and Manāt—the third, the other one. Alongside this, they also made pilgrimage to the House, circumambulated it, and stood at ‘Arafāt. Thus, they sometimes worshipped Allah and sometimes worshipped others besides Him.

In their pilgrimage invocation, they would say: “Here I am at Your service. You have no partner except a partner who belongs to You: You own him and all that he owns.”

For this reason, Allah Most High said:

“He sets forth for you an example drawn from yourselves. Do you have, among the slaves you own, any partners in what We have provided for you, so that you are equal in it and fear them as you fear one another?”

Allah Most High is saying: “If one of you would not accept his slave as an equal partner, how can you make those whom I own partners with Me?” Everything other than Allah—angels, prophets, the righteous, and all other creatures—is owned by Him. Glory be to Him: there is no deity worthy of worship except Him. His is the dominion, and His is all praise, and He has power over all things.

For this reason, taking angels and prophets as partners with Allah is deemed disbelief. Allah Most High said:

“Nor would he command you to take the angels and prophets as lords. Would he command you to disbelieve after you have submitted to Allah?”

He also condemned the Christians for associating partners with Him, saying: