and likewise He says: “Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night” (al-Isrā’ 17:1). The station of servitude is the loftiest of all stations, and nothing is more exalted than being a servant of Allah.

The Prophet ﷺ said, “Do not extol me as the Christians extolled Jesus son of Mary. I am only a servant, so say: the servant of Allah and His Messenger.” (1)

Al-Muṣṭafā means “the Chosen One,” derived from istiṣfā’, which denotes selection. The Exalted says: “And remember Our servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—men of strength and insight. We purified them with the exclusive remembrance of the Abode, and they are, in Our sight, among the chosen and the excellent” (Ṣād 38:45, 47). The word al-muṣṭafīn (the chosen) is the plural of al-Muṣṭafā, meaning “the chosen one.” Its original form was mustafā with a tā’, but the tā’ was changed to a ṭā’ to make pronunciation easier.

Thus al-Muṣṭafā is “the Chosen One,” for Allah, exalted is He, selected Muhammad ﷺ for the messengership from among his people. Allah knows best where to place His message; He chooses only those whom He knows are worthy of the choice and capable of carrying out the task, for this mission is weighty and momentous. Therefore Allah selects only those qualified for it. He, Most High, says: “Allah knows best where to place His message” (al-Anʿām 6:124).