then say to the people, ‘Be my worshippers rather than Allah’s.’ Rather, ‘Be godly scholars through your teaching of the Scripture and your study of it.’”

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

Allah Most High also says:

“Say, ‘Call upon those whom you claim to be gods besides Him. They have no power to remove your affliction or transfer it elsewhere.’”

“Those whom they call upon themselves seek a means of drawing near to their Lord, striving to be closest to Him. They hope for His mercy and fear His punishment. Indeed, your Lord’s punishment is something to beware of.”

A group of the early generations said:

“Some people used to invoke the Messiah, Ezra, and the angels. So Allah Most High said: ‘Those whom you invoke are My servants. They hope for My mercy just as you hope for My mercy; they fear My punishment just as you fear My punishment; and they seek to draw near to Me just as you seek to draw near to Me.’”

Allah Most High has also said:

“Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, fears Allah, and is mindful of Him—it is they who will succeed.”

He thus made clear that obedience is due to Allah and the Messenger, for whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah. He also made clear that reverent fear and mindfulness are due to Allah alone. He did not command that any created being be held in such fear or treated with such mindfulness.

Allah Most High says:

“If only they had been content with what Allah and His Messenger gave them and had said, ‘Allah is sufficient for us. Allah will give us of His bounty, and so will His Messenger. To Allah alone we turn in longing.’”

Allah Most High also says:

“So when you have finished, strive diligently.”

“And to your Lord alone turn in longing.”

He, glorified and exalted, thus made clear that these people should have been content with what Allah and His Messenger gave them and should have said, “Allah is sufficient for us. Allah will give us of His bounty, and so will His Messenger. To Allah alone we turn in longing.” Thus He mentioned