For all of these share this common ground and this “reality of the created order”: Allah is their Lord, Creator, and Sovereign; they have no Lord besides Him. Yet they fail to perceive the distinction Allah has made between His allies and His enemies, between believers and disbelievers, the righteous and the wicked, and the people of Paradise and the people of Hell. This is singling Allah out for worship: worshipping Him alone, without any partner; obeying Him and His Messenger; doing what He loves and is pleased with—that is, what Allah and His Messenger have commanded, whether as an obligation or a recommendation; refraining from what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden; showing allegiance to His allies and enmity towards His enemies; enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong; and waging jihad against the disbelievers and hypocrites with the heart, hand, and tongue.

Whoever fails to perceive this “reality of religion,” which distinguishes the two groups, and to stand with those who uphold this “reality of religion,” is of the same kind as the polytheists and is worse than the Jews and Christians. For the polytheists acknowledge the reality of the created order, since they acknowledge that Allah is the Lord of everything. As Allah Most High says:

“If you ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they will surely say, ‘Allah.’”

Allah Most High also says:

“Say, ‘To whom belong the earth and everyone in it, if you know?’
They will say, ‘To Allah.’ Say, ‘Will you not then take heed?’
Say, ‘Who is the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the Mighty Throne?’
They will say, ‘Allah.’ Say, ‘Will you not then be mindful of Him?’
Say, ‘In whose hand is the sovereignty over all things, who grants protection, while none can grant protection against Him, if you know?’
They will say, ‘Allah.’ Say, ‘How then are you deluded?’”

Hence He, glorified be He, says: “Yet most of them do not believe