the One who is worshipped, whom hearts love and fear, with no god for them besides Him. A god is that which hearts worship with love, reverence, hope, fear, veneration, exaltation, and the like.

Allah, glorified be He, sent the messengers with the message that there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, so that through loving Him, hearts are freed from loving anything besides Him; through hoping in Him, from hoping in anything besides Him; through asking Him, from asking anything besides Him; through acting for His sake, from acting for the sake of anything besides Him; and through seeking His help, from seeking help from anything besides Him. Thus, at the centre of al-Fātihah are the words:

“You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.”

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said in an authentic hadith:

“Allah Most High says: ‘I have divided prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves.’ When he says, ‘All praise is for Allah, Lord of all worlds,’ Allah says, ‘My servant has praised Me.’ When he says, ‘The Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful,’ He says, ‘My servant has extolled Me.’ When he says, ‘Master of the Day of Judgment,’ He says, ‘My servant has glorified Me.’ When he says, ‘You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help,’ He says, ‘This verse is divided into two halves between Myself and My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for.’ When he says, ‘Guide us to the straight path—the path of those You have blessed, not those who have incurred Your anger, nor those who have gone astray,’ He says, ‘These are for My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for.’”

Thus, at the centre of the surah are the words:

“You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.”

Religion, then, is to worship none but Allah and seek help from none but Him. The angels, the prophets, and all others are servants of Allah, as He Most High says:

“The Messiah will never disdain to be a servant of Allah, nor will the angels brought near to Him. And whoever