is unfit. Thus, if there were in them any object of worship besides Him, both would be ruined from this perspective. For He—Glorified is He—is the object of worship, loved for His own sake, just as He is the Lord who creates by His will.

[This is the meaning of the Prophet’s words—may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“The truest words ever spoken by a poet were those of Labīd:

Indeed, all things except Allah are vain,
And every bliss must inevitably wane.”]

(1)

For this reason, Allah says in the Opening of the Book:

“You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.”

He also placed the name Allah before the name (2) Lord at its opening, where He says:

“All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all worlds.”

The object of worship is the one intended, sought, and loved for His own sake. He is the ultimate end and the Helper (3). He is the Maker, the Originator, and the Creator, and from Him comes the beginning of everything. Ends are attained through beginnings, while beginnings (4), in turn, arise through seeking (5) those ends. Divinity is the ultimate end (6), and His wisdom pertains to it. He is the One who, in and of Himself, deserves to be worshipped (7), loved, praised, and glorified. Glorified is He: He praises Himself, extols Himself, and glorifies Himself. No one is more entitled to this than He, whether as the One who praises or the One who is praised.