Mention of the praise bestowed by Allah—and by His noble Messenger—upon His servant and intimate friend, Abraham

Allah, Exalted is He, says:
“Remember when Abraham’s Lord tested him with certain words, and he fulfilled them. He said, ‘I am appointing you a leader for mankind.’ Abraham asked, ‘And from among my descendants?’ He answered, ‘My covenant does not extend to the wrongdoers.’” (al-Baqarah 124)

When Abraham carried out the great duties his Lord had imposed on him, Allah made him an exemplar for all people, a guide whose conduct they would follow. Abraham then implored Allah to let this leadership remain tied to him, endure within his lineage, and be everlasting among his offspring. Allah granted him what he sought and placed the reins of Imamate in his hand, except that the unjust were excluded from attaining it. Thus it was confined to those of his descendants who combined knowledge with righteous deeds.

The Most High also says:
“We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob, placed prophethood and scripture in his progeny, granted him his reward in this world, and truly in the Hereafter he shall be among the righteous.” (al-ʿAnkabūt 27)

And He says:
“We granted him Isaac and Jacob—each of them We guided—and before that We guided Noah. And from his descendants were David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron; thus do We reward the doers of good; and Zechariah, John, Jesus, and Elias—each was of the righteous; and Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot—each We favored above all people; as well as many of their fathers, their children, and their brothers. We chose them and guided them to a straight path.” (al-Anʿām 84–87)

The pronoun in the phrase “and from his descendants” most commonly refers to Abraham—though Lot was his nephew, he is included by way of predominant lineage. This also underlies the view of those who hold that the pronoun refers to Noah, as mentioned earlier in his story; Allah knows best.

Allah further says:
“Indeed We sent Noah and Abraham, and We placed prophethood and scripture among their descendants.” (al-Ḥadīd 26)

Accordingly, every heavenly book revealed to any prophet after Abraham the Friend came through his line and his adherents—a noble distinction beyond compare and a lofty rank without parallel.

Abraham fathered two great sons: Ishmael, born of Hagar, and later Isaac, born of Sarah. Isaac in turn begot Jacob—Israel—after whom all the tribes of the Children of Israel are named. Within that branch prophethood became abundant, so numerous that their number is known only to Him who sent them, singled them out for revelation, and continued them until they were sealed by Jesus son of Mary among the Israelites.

As for Ishmael, peace be upon him, all the Arabs in their diverse clans descend from him, as will be explained later, by Allah’s will. From his illustrious line there appeared no prophets save the final one—indeed the foremost among them, the pride of the children of Adam in this world and the next: Muhammad son of ʿAbd-Allah son of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib son of Hāshim, the Qurayshī Hāshimite, first of Mecca and then of Madinah—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him. From that noble branch and exalted shoot came forth no other than this resplendent jewel, this radiant pearl, the centerpiece of the most precious necklace— the master whom the entire gathering will boast of, and whom both the first and the last will envy on the Day of Resurrection.