With these possibilities ruled out, invoking anyone besides Allah is shown to be invalid. They have been negated in descending order, from the highest to the lowest, and this negation applies to all who are invoked besides Allah, as is evident from the noble passage. Many verses convey this meaning. Yet the advocates of falsehood and supporters of misguidance insist on turning away from the manifest truth to specious arguments for which Allah has sent down no authority. These serve only to deny His lordship its due, diminish the majesty of His divinity, and foster ill thoughts of the Creator of this universe.

8 The writer said on p. 9:

“Third: Those unbelievers were known to worship idols, make pilgrimages to them, and seek nearness to them:

‘And they have taken gods besides Allah, hoping that they might be helped.’ 1

‘Have you considered al-Lāt and al-ʿUzzā, and Manāt, the third—the other one?’ 2

Indeed, they were also known to say: ‘There is nothing but wombs bringing forth and earth swallowing up, and nothing destroys us but time.’ Allah Most High tells us of them:

‘And they say, “There is nothing but our worldly life; we die and live, and nothing destroys us but time.” But they have no knowledge of this; they are only guessing.’ 3

One of them even said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):

‘Who will give life to bones when they have crumbled away?’ 4

Allah replied to him:

‘Say, “He who created them the first time will give them life, and He has full knowledge of all creation.”’ 5

After all this, can we describe someone who does not acknowledge that Allah creates and gives life as one who affirms His oneness in lordship, when Allah Most High says of him:

‘Indeed, Allah does not guide anyone who is a liar and a persistent disbeliever.’ 6! …”