of old? They are enemies to me, except the Lord of all worlds.”

Allah Most High said:

“You have indeed had an excellent example in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, ‘We disavow you and whatever you worship besides Allah. We reject you, and enmity and hatred have arisen between us and you forever, until you believe in Allah alone.’”

I said to some of their religious masters with whom I spoke: “Regarding the words of Allah’s intimate friend, ‘I am free of what you worship’—whom did he disavow? Did he disavow Allah Most High, when, according to you, none but Allah has ever been worshipped?”

Allah’s intimate friend disavowed everything they worshipped except the Lord of all worlds. Allah made him and those with him an excellent example for us—for whoever hopes in Allah and the Last Day. Allah Most High said:

“You have indeed had an excellent example in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, ‘We disavow you and whatever you worship besides Allah. We reject you, and enmity and hatred have arisen between us and you forever, until you believe in Allah alone’—except for Abraham’s words to his father, ‘I shall certainly seek forgiveness for you, but I have no power to protect you from Allah in any way.’ ‘Our Lord, in You we place our trust, to You we turn in repentance, and to You is the final return.

‘Our Lord, do not make us a trial for those who disbelieve, and forgive us, our Lord. You alone are the Almighty, the All-Wise.’

You have certainly had in them an excellent example for whoever hopes in Allah and the Last Day. Whoever turns away—Allah is indeed the Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy.”

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “The truest statement a poet ever made was the statement of Labīd: