We believe in all of that, and we are certain that it is entirely from Him. We also believe that Muhammad is His chosen servant, His selected prophet, and His messenger.

—wa-lā ghāliba li-amrihi (“there is none to overcome His command”): when He issues a universal decree, no one can prevail over His creative commands. His prescriptive commands, however, can be neglected or opposed; this is for trial and testing, so that reward or punishment may follow.

Everything that has been mentioned from the beginning of this creed to its end we profess for the sake of Allah. It is not mere speech on our tongues; it proceeds from our very hearts.

After the Shaykh—may Allah have mercy on him—had first set out what must be known about Allah the Exalted, namely that He alone is the Lord worthy of worship and that He possesses the attributes of perfection and majesty eternally and without end, he then moved on to what must be believed concerning the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him. His words, “and that Muhammad is His chosen servant…” are coordinated with his opening statement, “We declare the oneness of Allah, believing—by His enabling grace—that Allah is One without partner….” Just as we bear witness to Allah’s exclusive divinity, we likewise bear witness to the Messenger’s prophethood; for that reason the two testimonies are always inseparable.

“And that Muhammad”—this is the Prophet’s well-known name, and it occurs in the Quran: “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but …” (al-Ahzab 33:40).