did Allah send a prophet from the time of Noah onward without taking a covenant from him that, if Muhammad were sent while he was alive, he would certainly believe in him and support him. He also commanded him to take a covenant from his people that, if Muhammad were sent while they were alive, they would certainly believe in him and support him.”

He, glorified be He, took a covenant from each earlier prophet to affirm the truth of whoever came after him, and from each later prophet to affirm the truth of whoever came before him. Thus, the prophets did not differ; rather, their religion is one, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said in an authentic hadith:

“We prophets have one religion.”

The Most High says:

“O messengers, eat of the good things and do righteous deeds. Indeed, I know all that you do. And indeed this religion of yours is one religion, and I am your Lord, so fear Me.”

That is, your faith is one faith, as in their words:

“Indeed, we found our forefathers following a religion”—that is, a faith.

The Most High also says:

“He has ordained for you the religion He enjoined upon Noah, that which We have revealed to you, and what We enjoined upon Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: establish the religion and do not become divided over it. What you call the polytheists to is grievous to them.”

The religion of the prophets is therefore one: the religion of Islam. They were all Muslims and believers, as Allah has made clear in several places in the Quran. Some of their prescribed laws, however, differ. He may prescribe something at one time for a wise purpose, then prescribe something else at another time for a wise purpose, just as, in the early days of Islam, He prescribed