was indeed a community of believers, and it is they who perform the pilgrimage to the House. Therefore, the pilgrimage to the House is clearly among the acts that Allah loves and commands. None of the People of the Book make pilgrimage there except the Muslims, which proves that they are the ones who have done what Allah loves and approves. They—and their forefathers who used to visit the House—are a nation Allah has praised and honored. It also shows that Ishmael was honored by Allah to an exceptional degree because He placed within his descendants both faith and prophethood.

This is just like the favor Allah bestowed upon Noah and Abraham when He said,

“Indeed, We sent Noah and Abraham, and We placed prophethood and scripture among their descendants” (Q 57:26),

and when He said about the Friend:

“We placed prophethood and scripture among his descendants” (Q 29:27).

Thus it is clear that Ishmael and his progeny are honored and commended by Allah, and that Ishmael himself was exalted to a very, very high rank—just as Allah exalted Noah and Abraham. Although Abraham is superior to Ishmael, the point is that this exaltation granted to Ishmael and his descendants is conditional on those descendants adhering to the true religion. These are the people who make pilgrimage to this House, and, after the coming of Muhammad, no one else performs that pilgrimage.