when harm befalls them, in their supplications and appeals for help, but then turn away from worshipping Him once they obtain what they seek…” 1.

Following his earlier remarks, the writer continued: “Thus, when the Prophet confronts them with conclusive proof in debate and asks them, ‘Who created the heavens and the earth?’ they will surely answer, ‘Allah.’ This reply, together with their statement, ‘We worship them only so that they may bring us nearer to Allah,’ is nothing but lies and disbelief, as explicitly stated in the Noble Quran. For Allah Most High says at the end of the verse: ‘Indeed, Allah does not guide one who is a liar and a persistent disbeliever.’ 2 Likewise, He, Glorified be He, says: ‘They please you with their words, but their hearts refuse.’ 3 …”

I say: This is an astonishing confusion of matters and compounded ignorance. He has counted the polytheists’ acknowledgment of Allah’s existence as a form of disbelief, whereas it is an obligatory aspect of affirming Allah’s oneness. Allah Himself called it faith, saying:

“And most of them do not believe in Allah without associating others with Him.” 4

Yet it did not benefit them or remove their designation as disbelievers, because they worshipped others alongside Allah. Hence Shaykh al-Islām says:

“… There is no doubt that it [i.e., the polytheists’ acknowledgment that Allah is the Creator] is part of the obligatory affirmation of Allah’s oneness: acknowledging that the Creator of the universe is one. However, it is only part of what is obligatory, not the obligation through which a person passes from associating partners with Allah to affirming His oneness. Indeed, the polytheists whom Allah and His Messenger called polytheists, and whom the messengers declared Allah would not forgive, acknowledged that Allah is the Creator of all things. This is a fundamental principle that everyone must know, for through it one understands the affirmation of Allah’s oneness that is the foremost principle and foundation of religion.” 5.