—indeed, many of those Jews and Christians spoke Arabic more eloquently than a large number of Muslims themselves. This language spread farther than any other: ancient works of the People of the Scripture, as well as the writings of the Persians, Indians, Greeks, Copts, and others, were all rendered into Arabic. For most people, reading books composed in Arabic and engaging with Arabic discourse is far easier than accessing works written in other tongues, for although some individuals know Hebrew, Syriac, Greek, Coptic, and the like, those who understand Arabic far outnumber those who master any one of those languages. Moreover, knowledge of the general commands that Allah has laid upon His servants is among the matters the ummah has conveyed from its Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—through mutawātir (mass-transmitted) reports upon which they are unanimously agreed, such as the command