And this is like the transmitted supplication:

“I testify that every object of worship, from Your Throne to the depths of Your earth, is false except Your noble Face.”

The term bātil (“vain” or “false”) can refer to what is nonexistent or to what brings no benefit, as in the Prophet’s saying, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“Every pastime a man engages in is vain except shooting with his bow, training his horse, and playing with his wife, for these are beneficial pursuits.”

Likewise, his words concerning ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him:

“This man does not love what is vain.”

Another example is the statement of al-Qāsim ibn Muhammad when asked about singing. He said, “When Allah separates truth from falsehood on the Day of Resurrection, in which of the two will He place singing?”

The questioner replied, “Among falsehood.”

He said, “What is there beyond truth except error?”

Another example is the saying of Allah Most High:

“That is because Allah is the Truth, and what they invoke besides Him is falsehood.”

For those deities exist, but worshipping and invoking them is vain and brings no benefit. The aim sought through them is not attained and is thus vain. Belief in their divinity is false—that is, it does not correspond to reality. Their possessing divinity in themselves is also false, but not in the sense of being nonexistent.

Another example is His saying, Exalted is He:

“Rather, We hurl the truth against falsehood, and it crushes it, and behold, it vanishes.”

And His saying:

“And say, ‘Truth has come, and falsehood has vanished. Indeed, falsehood is bound to vanish.’”

A lie is false because it does not correspond to reality, and every act that brings no benefit is vain because it has no real, praiseworthy end.