God is the only Patron of believers
While disbelievers, idolaters and associators take for themselves other beings like the Christ, saints, the prophets, the imams and righteous men as their patrons.
The exclusive devotion to God means to consider God as the only Patron to protect him to provide for him provision, to cure him from diseases and to save him from dangers.
While the resorting to other beings else than God, this in fact is the association: i.e. associating such beings as associates or partners with God Almighty and
Most Gracious
See this idea in the following link, and how they adopt hundreds of patrons besides God, while it is forbidden in the Gospel to take any god besides God Almighty and the Creator and Most Gracious
Patron Saints Index