were granted prophethood and kingship: they possessed worldly dominion and were among the blessed. A fortunate person who comes after such a one, but has not acted in obedience to Allah, may imagine that the same applies to him. Thus he said:

“Nor can good fortune avail the fortunate against You.”

Here, “avail” carries the meaning of “save and deliver,” making clear that his good fortune cannot save him from punishment. Rather, his sins make him deserve what others like him deserve. His good fortune cannot avail him against You: it neither saves nor delivers him. These words thus fully affirm Allah’s oneness and give full expression to His words:

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

And His words:

“So worship Him and put your trust in Him.”

And His words:

“In Him I put my trust, and to Him I turn.”

And His words:

“Remember the name of your Lord and devote yourself wholly to Him.”

“Lord of the East and the West; there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, so take Him as your Trustee.”

His saying, “None can withhold what You give, and none can give what You withhold,” affirms Allah’s oneness in lordship. This entails that He—glorified is He—is the One to whom requests and supplications are addressed and in whom trust is placed. It leads to affirming His sole right to worship and serves as evidence for it, as it is used in the Quran to argue against the polytheists. For the polytheists acknowledged this oneness—His oneness in lordship—yet still associated partners with Allah. They set up rivals to Him, loving them as they loved Allah.

They say that these are their intercessors with Him and that through them they draw near to Him. Thus they take them as intercessors and as means of drawing near, as Allah Most High says: “They worship besides Allah that which neither