able to do all things. We ask Him to bless the Seal of the Prophets and the master of Adam’s descendants—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—the most honoured of all creation in his Lord’s sight, the nearest to Him and the highest in rank before Him: Muhammad, His servant and Messenger. May Allah bless him, his family and his Companions, and grant them abundant peace.

To proceed:

Allah sent Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—with guidance and the religion of truth, to make it prevail over all other religions; and sufficient is Allah as a witness. He sent down to him the Book in truth, confirming the Scriptures that preceded it and as a guardian over them. He perfected the religion for him and his community, completed His favour upon them, and made them the best community brought forth for mankind. They bring the number of communities to seventy, and are the best and most honoured of them in Allah’s sight. He made them a community of the middle way—that is, just and excellent—and therefore made them witnesses over mankind. He guided them to the religion with which He sent all His messengers and which He ordained for all His creation. Then He further distinguished and favoured them through the law and the way He appointed for them.

(The former includes the “foundations of faith,” the highest and greatest of which is “monotheism”: the testimony that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah. As He, Most High, says:

“We never sent a messenger before you without revealing to him: ‘There is no deity except Me, so worship Me.’”

And He, Most High, says:

“We certainly sent a messenger to every community, saying: ‘Worship Allah and shun false gods.’”

And He, Most High, says:

“Ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you: Have We appointed any gods besides the Most Merciful to be worshipped?”

And He, Most High, says:

“He has ordained for you the religion He enjoined upon Noah, and that which We have revealed to you, and what We enjoined upon Abraham