and He, Glorified is He, says: “Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers.” 1.

This is the religion of the noble Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him): submission to Allah through monotheism, obedience to Him, and disavowal of polytheism and its adherents. How immense is Allah’s blessing upon His servant when he enters the morning adhering to this magnificent religion and the straight path—the path of those upon whom Allah has bestowed His favor, not those who have incurred wrath, nor those who have gone astray.

Allah Most High says, reminding His servants whom He has graced with this blessing and upon whom He has bestowed it: “But Allah has endeared faith to you and made it beautiful in your hearts, and He has made disbelief, wickedness, and disobedience hateful to you. It is they who are rightly guided.” 2. He Most High also says: “Were it not for Allah’s grace upon you and His mercy, not one of you would ever have been purified. But Allah purifies whom He wills, and Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” 3.

How immense a favor from Allah this is, and how magnificent a blessing!

His words, “and upon the way of our father Abraham, who inclined exclusively to Allah, was a Muslim, and was not one of the polytheists,” mean: We have entered the morning adhering to this blessed way—the way of Abraham, the intimate friend of the Most Merciful (peace be upon him). It is the upright and tolerant faith, adherence to Islam, and keeping far from polytheism. Hence, he said: “who inclined exclusively to Allah, was a Muslim, and was not one of the polytheists.” It is a blessed way which no one abandons or turns away from except one who has condemned himself to error and foolishness. Allah Most High therefore says: “Who would turn away from the way of Abraham except one who makes a fool of himself?” 4.