and the later generations. Abū al-‘Āliyah said:

“Two questions will be put to the earlier and later generations: ‘What did you worship?’ and ‘How did you respond to the messengers?’”

For this reason, Allah says:

“On the Day He will call them and say, ‘How did you respond to the messengers?’”

And:

“Where are My partners whom you used to claim?”

The latter concerns associating partners with Allah in worship. These two principles are faith and Islam—submission to Allah. In the two rak‘ahs of Fajr, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would sometimes recite the two surahs expressing pure devotion to Allah, and at other times the two verses concerning faith and Islam. He would recite the verse beginning:

“We believe in Allah and in what has been sent down to us.”

Its beginning concerns faith, and its ending concerns Islam. In the second rak‘ah, he would recite:

“Say, ‘O People of the Scripture, come to a common word between us and you: that we worship none but Allah.’”

Its beginning concerns devoting worship exclusively to Allah, and its ending concerns submission to Him.

Allah also says:

“Do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in the best manner, unless it be with those of them who do wrong. And say, ‘We believe in what has been sent down to us and what has been sent down to you. Our God and your God is One, and to Him we submit.’”

This verse mentions faith, and Islam at its close. He also says:

“Those who believed in Our signs and were Muslims.”

“Enter Paradise, you and your spouses, rejoicing.”