the majority of Quran commentators. Ummah means a creed and a way, as Allah says:

“Indeed, we found our forefathers following a religion.”

A road is likewise called an imām (guide), because the person traveling along it is followed; similarly, the traveler heads toward it and makes for it. Ummah also means a teacher of goodness whom people follow. Allah made Abraham, peace be upon him, a leader and declared that he was an ummah. Allah Most High commanded the messengers to have one creed and religion and not become divided over it, as stated in the two Sahīh collections:

“We prophets have one religion.”

Allah Most High says:

“He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah”—to the end of the verse.

Thus, they affirmed one another and did not differ, despite the diversity of their prescribed laws. Whoever among those in positions of authority—rulers, scholars, and shaykhs—follows the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, commands what he commanded, calls to what he called to, and loves anyone who calls to the same thing. Allah loves this, so he loves what Allah loves, because his aim is that Allah alone be worshipped and that all devotion be to Allah.

But whoever resents having a counterpart who calls to this seeks to be the one obeyed and worshipped. He shares something of the condition of Pharaoh and his like. Whoever seeks to be obeyed instead of Allah is in the same condition as Pharaoh. Whoever seeks to be obeyed alongside Allah wants people to take rivals besides Allah, loving them as they love Allah. Yet Allah, glorified is He, has commanded that none but He be worshipped, that all devotion be to Him alone, that allegiance and enmity be for His sake, that none but He be relied upon, and that help be sought only from Him.

Thus, one who follows the messengers commands people to do what the messengers commanded them, so that all devotion may be to Allah, not to himself,