years in Madinah, after which Allah took him back to Himself at the beginning of his sixty-third year. Thus his lifetime as a Messenger spanned 23 years. The blessing that Allah showered upon him—this abundant knowledge, this striving in His cause, this establishment of the faith within so brief a period of 23 years—is among the signs of Allah and among the blessings of this Prophet, the blessings of his mission, and the blessings of the revelation sent down to him. Above and before all of that was Allah’s own assistance: He is the One who helped him, protected him, supported him, and granted him victory until his call reached the eastern and western horizons. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

Concerning the author’s words, “Allah sent him as a warner against shirk and as a caller to tawḥīd”: this, in truth, was the Prophet’s mission—warning against shirk and inviting to tawḥīd. Those who undertake daʿwah must therefore follow the same course: they must concentrate first and foremost on warning against shirk and calling to tawḥīd; otherwise their call is not upon the methodology of the Messenger ﷺ.

Allah sent the Messenger ﷺ to warn against shirk and to summon to tawḥīd. Hence this foundation must be firmly laid before turning to other matters, for nothing can be set right without tawḥīd. Even if people were to abandon adultery, wine, and theft and to adopt every other virtue