; they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong.” For this reason, Abū Hurayra said:

“You are the best people for mankind: you bring them in shackles and chains until you bring them into Paradise.”

Thus He, glorified be He, made clear that this nation is the best of all nations for mankind: its people bring them the greatest benefit and show them the greatest kindness. For they have brought the practice of enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong to its fullest, in both nature and extent: they enjoin everything right and forbid everything wrong upon everyone, and uphold this through jihad in Allah’s cause with their lives and wealth. This is the fullest benefit that can be brought to creation.

The other nations did not enjoin everything right upon everyone, nor forbid everyone from everything wrong, nor wage jihad to that end. Some of them did not wage jihad at all. As for those who did, such as the Children of Israel, their fighting was mostly to repel their enemy from their land, as one fights an unjust aggressor—not to call those they fought to faith, enjoin what is right upon them, and forbid them from what is wrong. Thus Moses said to his people:

“My people, enter the Holy Land which Allah has assigned to you, and do not turn back, lest you become losers.”

“They said, ‘Moses, there is a people of great strength in it. We will never enter it until they leave. If they leave, we will enter.’”

Up to His words:

“They said, ‘Moses, we will never enter it as long as they remain there. So go, you and your Lord, and fight. We are staying right here.’”

And Allah Most High said:

“Have you not considered the chiefs of the Children of Israel after Moses, when they said to a prophet of theirs, ‘Appoint a king for us, and we will fight in Allah’s cause’? He said,