Him who took His servant by night.”

“Indeed, he was a grateful servant.”

“And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our servant.”

“Then He revealed to His servant what He revealed.”

“And when the servant of Allah stood up to call upon Him.”

“Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His servant.”

There are many similar examples. The word “servant” may also be applied to all created beings, as in His words:

“Indeed, those whom you invoke besides Allah are servants like you.”

“Do those who disbelieve think that they can take My servants as protectors besides Me?”

It may be said here that the angels and prophets are meant: if He has forbidden taking them as protectors, then this applies all the more to others. For He has said:

“There is no one in the heavens and the earth but will come to the Most Merciful as a servant.”

In the authentic hadith concerning the Dajjāl, narrated by Muslim:

“Allah will then reveal to the Messiah: ‘I have servants whom no one has the strength to fight.’”

This is like His words:

“We sent against you servants of Ours.”

These people were not obedient to Allah, but they are held in servitude, humbled and subdued, and His decree takes effect upon them.

Their being servants may also refer to their acknowledgment of the Creator and their submission to Him, even though they are disbelievers, as in His words:

“And most of them do not believe in Allah without associating partners with Him.”

And His words:

“But will come to the Most Merciful as a servant,”

mean humbled and submissive. It is well known that this is the only condition in which they will come on the Day of Resurrection; their arrogant refusal to worship Allah occurred only in this world. Then He says:

“He has certainly accounted for them and numbered them precisely.”

“And each of them will come to Him on the Day of Resurrection alone.”

He thus mentions afterward that each will come alone, as in His words:

“And you have come to Us alone, just as We created you the first time.”

And He says:

“To Him has submitted whoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, and to Him they will be returned.”

“To Allah prostrates whoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly,”

to the end of the verse.

And He says:

“Rather, to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth; all are obedient to Him.”

What is meant by this is not merely that they are created, governed and subdued under His will and power, for this