for mankind: you bring them in fetters and chains until you lead them into Paradise.” Allah, glorified be He, thus made clear that this community is the best of all communities for mankind: its members bring people the greatest benefit and show them the greatest kindness. For they have perfected the enjoining of right and the forbidding of wrong, both in manner and scope: they enjoin everything right and forbid everything wrong, addressing everyone, and uphold this through striving in Allah’s cause with their lives and wealth. This is the fullest benefit that can be brought to creation.

The other communities did not enjoin everything right upon everyone, nor forbid everyone from everything wrong, nor strive in battle to uphold this. Indeed, some of them did not fight at all. As for those who did fight, such as the Children of Israel, the utmost aim of their fighting was to drive their enemies from their land, as one fights an unjust aggressor—not to call those they fought to guidance and goodness, nor to enjoin upon them what is right