—just as He has likewise placed them above the Jews until the Day of Resurrection. The Christians, once their scripture had been abrogated and altered, ceased to be genuine followers of the Messiah; yet they are still closer to him than the Jews, who went to extremes in denying and reviling him. The Jews rejected him first, and then rejected Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), so they became even further removed from following the Messiah than the Christians, and the latter were therefore set above the Jews.

The believers—the community of Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)—are the ones who truly follow the Messiah, and anyone besides them disbelieves in him. Consequently, the community of Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is above both the Jews and the Christians until the Day of Resurrection. For this reason, when the Muslims advanced to fight the Christians they defeated them, seizing from them the choicest lands: the Holy Land, the surrounding regions such as Egypt and al-Jazira (Upper Mesopotamia), and the lands of the Maghrib. The Muslims have continued to prevail over the Christians, and will do so until the Day of Resurrection; never have the Christians at any time gained victory over the whole body of the Muslims.