—what He wills of them—none of this would have befallen them. For when the servant witnesses his own servitude and is not alert to his Master’s command, he does not become so absorbed in his worship that he loses sight of the One he worships, nor so absorbed in the One he worships that he loses sight of his worship. Rather, he has two eyes: with one he looks towards the One he worships as though he sees Him, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said when asked about excellence in worship:
“Worship Allah as though you see Him; and if you do not see Him, He surely sees you.”
With the other, he looks to his Master’s command, so that he may carry it out in accordance with the prescribed command that his Master loves and approves.
With this established, if the association of partners with Allah is of a kind that renders its perpetrator a disbeliever, it is of two types: associating partners with Him in His divinity, and associating partners with Him in His lordship.
As for associating partners with Him in His divinity, this means setting up a rival to Allah—that is, an equal to Him in one’s worship, love, fear, hope or turning to Him. This is the association of partners that Allah does not forgive except through repentance from it. He, Most High, says:
“Tell those who disbelieve that if they desist, their past will be forgiven.”
It was over this that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, fought the Arab polytheists, for they associated partners with Allah in His divinity. Allah, Most High, says:
“Among people are those who take others besides Allah as equals, loving them as they love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in their love for Allah.”
The verse continues.
“We worship them only so that they may bring us nearer to Allah.”
The verse continues.
“Has he made all the gods into one God? This is truly an astonishing thing!”
And He, Most High, says:
“Cast into Hell every stubborn disbeliever,”
up to His words:
“who set up another god alongside Allah. Cast him into the severe punishment.”
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked Husayn, “How many do you worship?”
He replied, “Six on earth and one in heaven.”
He asked, “Which one do you turn to in hope and fear?”
He replied, “The one in heaven.”
He said, “Will you not embrace Islam, so that I may teach you some words?”
He embraced Islam, and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Say: O Allah, inspire me to right guidance and protect me from the evil of my own soul.”
As for His lordship, they acknowledged it. Allah, Most High, says:
“And if you ask them who created