seeking help from Him, fearing Him, hoping in Him, allying for His sake, opposing for His sake, obeying His command, and similar acts that are exclusive to the divine nature of Allāh. Acknowledging the divinity of Allāh, the Exalted, to the exclusion of others, entails acknowledging His lordship, which means He is the Lord of everything, its Owner, Creator, and Manager. Thus, one becomes a monotheist devoted to Allāh. This is clarified by the fact that
والاستعانة بِهِ وَالْخَوْف مِنْهُ والرجاء لَهُ والموالاة فِيهِ والمعاداة فِيهِ وَالطَّاعَة لأَمره وأمثال ذَلِك مِمَّا هُوَ من خَصَائِص إلهية الله ﷾. وَإِقْرَاره بإلوهية الله تَعَالَى دون مَا سواهُ يتَضَمَّن إِقْرَاره بربوبيته وَهُوَ أَنه رب كل شَيْء ومليكه وخالقه ومدبره. فَحِينَئِذٍ يكون موحدا لله. وَيبين ذَلِك أَن
As narrated by al-Tirmidhī, Ibn Abī al-Dunyā, and others, attributed to the Prophet (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam), that he said: "The best remembrance is 'There is no deity but Allāh,' and the best supplication is 'All praise is due to Allāh.'" In "al-Muwaṭṭaʾ" and other sources, from Ṭalḥah ibn ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Kurayz, that the Prophet (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) said: "The best thing I and the prophets before me have said is: 'There is no deity but Allāh alone, without partner. To Him belongs the dominion and to Him belongs all praise, and He is over all things competent.'"
كَمَا رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ وَابْن أبي الدُّنْيَا وَغَيرهمَا مَرْفُوعا إِلَى النَّبِي ﷺ أَنه قَالَ: " أفضل الذّكر لَا إِلَه إِلَّا الله وَأفضل الدُّعَاء الْحَمد الله ". وَفِي " الْمُوَطَّأ " وَغَيره عَن طَلْحَة بن عبيد الله بن كريز أَن النَّبِي ﷺ قَالَ: " أفضل مَا قلت أَنا والنبيون من قبلي: لَا إِلَه إِلَّا الله وَحده لَا شريك لَهُ لَهُ الْملك وَله الْحَمد وَهُوَ على كل شَيْء قدير ".