in this worldly life is like a wind containing bitter cold that strikes the crops of a people”—to the end of the verse. And His saying:

“And We will turn to whatever deeds they did and make them scattered dust.”

There are many similar passages.

He also states that all rightly guided communities share this condition, saying:

“Indeed, those who believe, the Jews, the Christians, and the Sabians—whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteous deeds”—to the end of the verse.

For this reason, He commands those endowed with reason to ponder the Quran, and those endowed with hearing to listen to it. In it, He calls for contemplation, reflection, remembrance, reasoning and understanding; for listening, seeing and attentive hearing; and for being moved to trembling awe, weeping and other responses. This is a vast subject.

Acknowledgment of the Creator is innate, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Every newborn is born upon the innate disposition”—to the end of the hadith.

This innate disposition includes acknowledging Allah and turning to Him in devotion. This is the meaning of “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,” for a god is one who is known and worshipped. I have explained this meaning at length elsewhere.

The purpose of the call is to bring Allah’s servants to fulfil the purpose for which they were created: worshipping their Lord alone, without any partner. Worship is rooted in the worship of the heart, which brings the limbs into its service, for the heart is the king and the bodily members are its soldiers. It is the piece of flesh which, when sound, makes the rest of the body sound, and which, when corrupt, makes the rest of the body corrupt. This depends upon its knowledge and its state.

Thus this foundation—worshipping Allah through knowing Him and loving Him—is the foundation of the call in the Quran. He, the Exalted, says:

“I did not create jinn and mankind except to worship Me.”