religion what He enjoined upon Noah, and that which We have revealed to you, and what We enjoined upon Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: establish the religion and do not become divided in it. Difficult for the polytheists is that to which you call them. Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns to Him.”

And the Most High said:

“And when We took from the prophets their covenant, and from you, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus son of Mary—and We took from them a solemn covenant—so that He may question the truthful about their truthfulness. And He has prepared for the unbelievers a painful punishment.”

We ask Him to bestow His noblest blessings and peace especially upon the last of the messengers: their spokesman when they come before their Lord, their leader when they assemble, the intercessor for creation on the Day of Resurrection, the Prophet of mercy and the Prophet of battle, who united the virtues of the prophets. His coming was foretold by Allah’s servant, His spirit, and His word which He conveyed to the truthful, pure virgin whom no man had ever touched: Mary, daughter of ʿImrān.

That was the Messiah who brought guidance, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and the Hereafter and brought near to Allah, described in terms of beauty and mercy, when the Children of Israel had been drawn into the majesty and severity with which Moses had been sent. And He sent the final Messenger, who united these virtues and was characterized by perfection: stern toward the unbelievers and merciful toward the believers, embracing the finest features of the religious laws and ways that preceded him. May Allah bestow blessings and peace upon them all, and upon those who follow them until the Day of Resurrection.

To proceed:

Allah created all creatures by His power and manifested among them the effects of His will