And He said:

“Allah—there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence.”

This is because the polytheists had taken a god other than Him, even though they acknowledged that He is the Creator. In His words “created,” He did not explicitly deny the existence of another creator, since that was already understood. No one has ever affirmed another creator in the unrestricted sense—one who created everything, mankind and all else. Divinity, however, is a different matter. Allah Most High said:

“They said, ‘Burn him and support your gods, if you are going to act.’”

And He Most High said:

“The leaders among them went off, saying, ‘Carry on, and remain steadfast in worshipping your gods. Indeed, this is something intended.’”

And He Most High said:

“Do you truly testify that there are other gods besides Allah? Say, ‘I do not testify.’ Say, ‘He is but One God.’”

And He Most High said:

“Say, ‘If there were gods alongside Him, as they claim, they would surely have sought a way to the Lord of the Throne.’”

Thus, they sought other gods alongside Him, but did not affirm another creator alongside Him. He therefore said in the greatest of verses:

“Allah—there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence.”

He mentions this in three places in the Quran, each of which contains one of the three foundations of religion: Allah’s oneness, the messengers, and the Hereafter. These are the foundations with which He sent all the messengers. He tells us that the polytheists disbelieve in them, as in His words:

“And do not follow the desires of those who deny Our signs, who do not believe in the Hereafter, and who set up equals to their Lord.”