The polytheist, however, acknowledges Allah’s Lordship while committing polytheism in worship: he sets up partners with Him in devotion—beings who create nothing, provide nothing, and own nothing at all. This is the essential difference between a monotheist and a polytheist. The monotheist says, “My Lord is Allah, He alone I worship, and I have no deity besides Him,” whereas the polytheist says, “My Lord is Allah,” yet does not reserve worship for Allah alone; instead, he worships alongside Allah trees, stones, celebrated saints, the righteous, and graves. For that reason he is a polytheist, and his admission of Allah’s Lordship neither benefits him nor admits him into Islam.

His statement “and He is my object of worship” means: He is the deity whom I worship.

His statement “I have no deity besides Him” excludes angels, messengers, the righteous, trees, stones—indeed anything whatsoever. I have no deity besides Him, exalted is He. This is a rational affirmation of monotheism supported by evidence, after which the author cites the textual proof from the Quran.

And the proof is the Most High’s saying: “All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds” [Al-Fatihah: 2].

This verse is the first in the written Qur’an; nothing precedes it except “In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.” It is also the last utterance of the inhabitants of Paradise, for He said