and others like them, if they said the same, would have been truthful in this statement. They were disbelievers expressing the disbelief within themselves, even though they had love for Allah (1) in their hearts—but coupled with associating partners with Him. They took rivals besides Allah, loving them as they loved Allah. Hence, they hated the Messenger and opposed him because he called them to worship Allah alone and to renounce whatever they loved alongside Him. He forbade them to love anything as they loved Him (2), and for this they hated him. Some of these polytheists who take rivals besides Allah and love them as they love Allah may even prefer such a rival to Allah in certain matters. They may know that Allah is more sublime and greater, yet their souls are more passionately drawn to that rival.

Since the Lord Most High has deemed those who love rivals as they love Him to be polytheists, whoever loves a rival more is even greater in polytheism and disbelief. Allah Most High says:

“Do not insult those whom they invoke besides Allah, lest they insult Allah out of hostility and ignorance.”

[Surah al-Anām: 108]

Had they not regarded their gods more highly than Allah, they would not have insulted Allah when their gods were insulted.

Allah Most High also says:

“They assign to Allah a share of the crops and livestock He created, saying, according to their claim, ‘This is for Allah, and this is for our partners.’ Yet what is allotted to their partners does not reach Allah, while what is allotted to Allah reaches their partners. Evil indeed is their judgment.”

[Surah al-Anām: 136]

“On the day of Uhud, Abu Sufyān said, ‘Hubal, be exalted! Hubal, be exalted!’ The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘Will you not answer him?’

They asked, ‘What should we say?’

He said, ‘Say: “Allah is higher and more majestic.”’

Abu Sufyān said, ‘We have al-Uzzā, while you have no Uzzā.’

He said, ‘Will you not answer him?’

They asked: