and the like, which belong to him without his choice—in this respect he is merely a creature owned by the Lord. He is a “king” only when he commands and forbids by his own choice and is obeyed, even though Allah creates his actions and everything else. The point, however, is that only one who commands and forbids by his own will and power can be a “king.” Indeed, whether someone says that His command is inseparable from Him without His will, or says that it is created by Him, either position entails that He is not a “king.” If He cannot exercise control by His will, He is not an “owner” either. Thus, whoever says that no “volitional act” subsists in Him does not, in reality, regard Him as the owner of anything.

If you consider the rest of the Quran, you will find that whoever does not affirm the “volitional attributes” has not fulfilled what faith and the Quran truly require. This demonstrates that al-Fātihah and other passages affirm the “volitional attributes.”

His words,

“You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help,”

express devotion of worship exclusively to Allah and seeking His help, and establish that the believers worship none but Allah and seek help from none but Allah. Whoever invokes any created being other than Allah, or seeks their help—whether the occupants of graves or others—has not truly fulfilled His words:

“You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.”

Only those who distinguish between “prescribed visitation” and “innovated visitation” truly fulfil this. Prescribed visitation is worship of Allah, obedience to His Messenger, affirmation of Allah’s oneness, kindness to His servants, and a righteous deed for which the visitor is rewarded. Innovated visitation associates partners with the Creator, wrongs the created being, and wrongs oneself.

Thus, the one who practises prescribed visitation is the one who truly fulfils His words:

“You alone we worship, and You alone