The finest of the possessors of firm resolve is Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—the Seal of the Prophets, the leader of the God-fearing, the master of the children of Adam, the imam of the prophets when they gather and their spokesman when they arrive; the one endowed with the Praised Station that both the first and the last will envy; the bearer of the Banner of Praise; the owner of the Abundant Basin; the intercessor for all creatures on the Day of Resurrection; the holder of the Wasīla and the Fadīla. Allah sent him with His most excellent Book, legislated for him the noblest code of His religion, and made his community the best nation ever raised for humankind. For him and for his nation He combined virtues and merits that He had distributed among those before them—although they are the last of the nations to be created, they will be the first to be called forth.

As he—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said in the sound hadith:

“We are the last yet the foremost on the Day of Resurrection. They were given the Scripture before us and we received it after them. This is their day over which they differed”—meaning Friday—“so Allah guided us to it. In regard to it the people follow our lead: tomorrow is for the Jews and the day after for the Christians.”

He—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—also said:

“I will be the first for whom the earth will split open.”