I am the One Who is most free from want of partners. So, he who does something for the sake of someone else beside Me, I discard him and his polytheism.'

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that Allah Almighty said: I am the One Who is most free from want of partners. He is Self-Sufficient beyond the need for anything; and if a person performs any good deed and devotes it to Allah and others, Allah discards this deed and does not accept it from him, and He turns it back to him. So, we should make our deeds sincerely devoted to Allah Almighty, for He only accepts what is done purely for His sake.

Lessons

• This serves as a warning about polytheism in all its forms and means that it prevents virtuous deeds from being accepted.
• Our sense of Allah's self-sufficiency and greatness helps us do honorable deeds with sincerity to Him.