Affirming Allah’s Lordship is a part of human’s innate nature

Indeed, affirming Allah’s Lordship is an innate trait in the creation, and it is one of the greatest necessities, to which the minds of all testify for. Allah, the Exalted, said: And mention when your Lord took from the children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants and made them testify of themselves, saying to them, "Am I not your Lord?" They said, "Yes, we have testified. al-A’raaf: 172

As-Suddi said: “There is no child of Adam on earth except that he knows that Allah is His Lord.” [45] Tafseer Ibn Jareer, 10/561. This fact was not disputed by the polytheists which the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was sent to. They acknowledged and affirmed that Allah is their Lord, Creator, Upholder, and that He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth.” [46] Sharh al-‘Aqeedah at-Tahhaawiyyah, by Ibn Aboo al-‘Izz, 1/314.
Allah, the Exalted, said: If you asked them, "Who created the heavens and earth and subjected the sun and the moon?" They would surely say, “Allah.” Then how deluded are they? al-‘Ankabut: 61
Allah, Exalted be He, also said: And if you asked them, "Who sends down rain from the sky and thereby gives life to the earth after its lifelessness?", they would surely say, ‘Allah.’ Say, ‘Praise to Allah’; but most of them do not reason. al-‘Ankabut: 63
Ar-Raghib al-Asfahani said: “The knowledge about Allah is entrenched within the self, thus, each person knows that he is created, and he has a Creator who created him who passed him through various stages. This level of knowledge is found in all, and the heedless one realizes it if this subject matter is explained to him and brought to his attention, and (as a result) he knows it.” [47] Ath-Tharee’ah ila Makaarim al-Akhlaaq, p 153.
Ibn Taymiyyah said: “As our innate nature necessitates our affirmation of the Creator, our innate nature gravitates towards affirming the existence of Allah and turning to Him. This is the meaning of the statement ‘None is worthy of worship except Allah.’ This is because ‘God’ is the One who is known and worshipped. Allah did not mention that anyone denied His existence except for Pharoah to whom Moosa was sent. Indeed, the denial of the existence of a Creator was not a predominant belief in any of the previous nations. Rather, the belief of the disbelievers who opposed the message was polytheism.” [48] Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 2/6
Affirming Allah’s Lordship alone is not sufficient for safety from polytheism and salvation from the Hellfire.
The monotheism of Lordship is one of the three categories of monotheism. Thus, it alone is not sufficient for salvation from the punishment of Allah. The polytheists at the time of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) affirmed that Allah is their Creator, Upholder, and Controller of affairs, but they associated partners with Him in worship. Therefore, they deserved Allah’s punishment, and mere affirmation of Allah’s Lordship did not benefit them. [49] Sharh at-Tahhaawiyyah by Ibn Aboo al-‘Izz, 1/29, Tajarrud at-Tawheed al-Mufeed by al-Maqreezi, p 8, Tatheer al-I’qtiqaad by as-San’aani, p 51, Tayseer al-‘Azeez al-Hameed by Sulaymaan Ali ash-Shaykh, p 17, al-Fath ar-Rabbaani min Fataawa al-Imaam ash-Shawkaani, 1/186, 336.
Allah, the Exalted, said: “And most of them believe not in Allah except while they associate others with Him.” Yoosuf: 106 Ash-Shinqeetee said: “Ibn ‘Abbaas, al-Hasan, Mujahid, ‘Aamir ash-Sha’bi and most of the scholars of tafseer (exegesis) said: “The meaning of this ayah is that most people -the disbelievers- did not believe in Allah with their monotheism in Lordship except that they associated other than Him in His worship. What is meant by their belief is their acknowledgement that He is their Lord who is their Creator, and the Controller of their affairs. What is meant by their polytheism is their worship of other than Allah together with Him.” [50] Adwaa? al-Bayaan, 2/218, at-Tafseer al-Muharrar-Surah Yoosuf, p 343.
The polytheists did not believe that the idols are the ones which bring down rain, provide sustenance to the world, and control its affairs. Rather, they believed that these are from the characteristics of the Lord, Exalted be He. They also affirmed that their idols whom they worshipped had no independent capacity for harming or benefiting themselves or those who worshipped them, nor did they have the power to cause death, give life, or cause resurrection, nor could they hear or see. The polytheists affirmed that Allah does all these things alone, and He has no partner, and neither them nor their idols could do any of that. They affirmed all of these attributes for Allah alone, everything besides Him was created, that He is the Lord whilst all else is ruled by Him. However, they ascribed partners to Allah, whom they claimed would intercede with Allah on their behalf and bring them closer to Him in position. This is as Allah, Exalted be He, said: And those who take protectors besides Him say, "We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allah in position. az-Zumar: 3 Despite this general affirmation by the polytheists of the monotheism of Lordship, it did not make them Muslims. Rather, Allah ruled that they were polytheists and disbelievers. He declared that they will abide in Hellfire for eternity, and the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) permitted killing them and seizing their property because they did not actualize what is necessitated by the monotheism of Lordship which is worshipping Allah alone.
This clarifies that affirming monotheism of Lordship alone, without affirming what it necessitates, which is the monotheism of worship, is not sufficient and does not save one from the punishment of Allah. Rather, it is an immense proof for man which necessitates sincerity in religion to Allah alone, and it also necessitates worshipping Allah alone. [51] Tayseer al-‘Azeez al-Hameed by Sulaymaan Ali ash-Shaykh, p 17, Usool al-Eemaan fee Daw al-Kitaab wa as-Sunnah, by a group of scholars p 15.
Ibn al-Qayyim said: “The monotheism of worship is what saves from polytheism, and not the monotheism of Lordship alone. Indeed, the idol worshippers affirmed that Allah alone is the Creator of everything, its Lord and King. However, they did not believe in the monotheism of worship -which necessitates worshipping Him alone with no partners- and thus did not benefit from their monotheism of Lordship.”
Sulayman ibn ‘Abdallah Aal ash-Shaykh said: “This monotheism - that is, the monotheism of Lordship - is not sufficient for a person to attain Islam. Rather, he must also believe in what it necessitates, the monotheism of Worship, because Allah (the Exalted) stated that the polytheists already affirmed this form of monotheism to Allah alone. The disbelievers knew Allah, and they know His Lordship, Ownership, and Power. Additionally, they would worship Allah and be sincere to Him in different types of worship like hajj, charity, slaughtering, vows, supplication at the times of distress, and so on, and they would claim that they were upon the religion of Ibrahim (peace be upon Him). Some of them believed in the resurrection and judgement, whilst others believed in predestination. Therefore, it is incumbent upon all who are cognizant of Allah to ponder and search for the reason which permitted the spilling of their blood, the taking of their women into captivity, and permission of taking their wealth despite this affirmation and knowledge. It being their association of partners with Allah in the monotheism of worship, which is the meaning of ‘None is worthy of worship except Allah.’ [52] Tayseer al-‘Azeez al-Hameed, p 17.
The requisites of affirming the Lordship of Allah, the Exalted
When a servant of Allah (the Exalted) affirms the monotheism of Allah’s Lordship, his affirmation necessitates the following matters:
Firstly: He should believe that Allah, Exalted be He, is the only One who benefits and harms, gives and withholds, gives life and causes death, controls the affairs of the world and whatever is in it, and he should not associate partners with Allah in any of that. This includes belief in divine will and decree.
Allah, the Exalted, said: But they have taken besides Him gods which create nothing, while they are created, and possess not for themselves any harm or benefit and possess not power to cause death or life or resurrection. al-Furqaan: 3
Secondly: He should affirm that Allah, the Lord, is separate from the world
Allah, the Exalted, said: “And He is the Subjugator, above His slaves.” al-An’aam: 18
Ibn al-Qayyim said: “Absolute Lordship necessitates the separation of the Lord from the world in essence, attributes, and actions, similar to how He is separate to them (the creation) with respect to His perfect attributes. Whosoever does not affirm a Lord distinct from the world, has not affirmed a Lord at all.” [53] Madaarij as-Saalikeen, 1/84.
Thirdly: The affirmation of Lordship should lead to a person’s affirmation of the monotheism of worship as has been stated previously. Thus, he should not dedicate any form of worship to other than Allah.
Allah, the Exalted, said: “Surely, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then He rose over the Throne, disposing the affairs of all things. No intercessor (can plead with Him) except after His leave. That is Allah, your Lord, so worship Him. Then will you not remember?” Yoonus: 3 [54] Majmoo’ al-Fataawa by Ibn Taymiyyah, 10/248, Madaarij as-Saalikeen by Ibn al-Qayyim, 1/412, Sharh at-Tahhaawiyyah by Ibn Aboo al-‘Izz, 1/36, Adwaa’ al-Bayaan by ash-Shinqeetee, 3/19, Zahrat at-Tafaaseer by Abu az-Zuhrah, 8/4119, Manhaj Ahl as-Sunnah wa la-Jamaa’ah wa Manhaj al-Ashaa’irah fee Tawheedillah Ta’aala by Khaalid ‘Abd al-Lateef, 1/232.