to their people, ‘We disavow you and whatever you worship besides Allah. We reject you.’”—and so on in the verse.

Our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is the one through whom Allah established the religion devoted exclusively to Him—the religion of monotheism—and subdued the polytheists, both those who had always been polytheists and those among the People of the Scriptures who disbelieved. As reported by Imam Ahmad and others, he said:

“I have been sent with the sword ahead of the Hour, so that Allah alone is worshipped, without any partner. My provision has been placed beneath the shade of my spear, and humiliation and abasement have been laid upon those who oppose my command. Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”

Some of the verses Allah revealed to him concerning monotheism have already been cited. Allah Most High also said:

“By those ranged in ranks,”

up to His words:

“Indeed, your God is One,”

and then:

“Indeed, whenever they were told, ‘There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,’ they grew arrogant and said, ‘Are we really to abandon our gods for a mad poet?’ Rather, he brought the truth and confirmed the messengers,”

up to His words:

“Those will have a known provision—fruits—and they will be honoured.”

Then come His accounts of the prophets concerning monotheism and devoting religion sincerely to Allah, up to His words:

“Glory be to Allah above what they attribute to Him, except for Allah’s chosen servants.”

Allah Most High also said:

“Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire, and you will find no helper for them—except those who repent, mend their ways, hold fast to Allah, and devote their religion sincerely to Allah. Those will be with the believers, and Allah will grant the believers a tremendous reward.”

In short, this foundation, in Surahs al-Anʿām, al-Aʿrāf and al-Nūr, and in the Tā Sīn Mīm group of surahs,