to him, a guardian over the Scriptures that preceded it and a confirmation of them. He made his community the best community ever brought forth for mankind: they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. They bring the number of communities to seventy, of which they are the best and most honoured by Allah. He has perfected their religion for them, completed His favour upon them, and chosen Islam as their religion. No religion is better than the religion their Messenger brought them, no book is better than their Book, and no community is better than their community. Indeed, our Book, our Prophet, our religion, and our community are superior to all other books, prophets, religions, and communities. So thank Allah for the blessings He has bestowed upon you.

“Whoever is grateful is grateful only for his own benefit; and whoever is ungrateful—surely my Lord is Self-Sufficient, Generous.”

Safeguard this blessing, through which you attain happiness in this world and the Hereafter. Beware of being among those who exchange Allah’s blessing for ingratitude, neglecting to preserve and cherish it, lest you suffer what befell those who turned back on their heels and became so preoccupied with worldly matters of no benefit to them that they neglected what was essential to the well-being of their religion and worldly life, thus losing both this world and the Hereafter.

You have heard how Allah describes the grateful and those who turn back, when He says:

“Muhammad is no more than a messenger; messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you turn back on your heels? Whoever turns back on his heels will not harm Allah in the least. And Allah will reward the grateful.”

Allah, Glorified is He, revealed this verse, along with those before and after it, concerning the Battle of Uhud, when the Muslims suffered defeat alongside the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,