all of his children—sons and daughters alike—through her, with the sole exception of Ibrāhīm, whose mother was his bondwoman, Maria the Copt. In short, Allah facilitated this noble wife for him; she managed his affairs, and he ﷺ did not marry any other woman until she passed away.

Allah then honoured him with prophethood. The very first manifestation of revelation was that he would see a dream in his sleep, and whenever he saw such a dream it would break forth as clearly as the dawn that same day, for a righteous dream is one-forty-sixth part of prophethood. He called people to Allah, gave glad tidings and warnings, and many followed him. The orphan who had once herded sheep became the imam of his nation—the greatest of all nations. He ﷺ was their shepherd, a shepherd of humanity and of this magnificent community.

Allah says: “Did He not find you an orphan and shelter you?” (al-Duḥā 93:6). Allah sheltered you after your orphanhood, provided those who looked after your affairs until you grew up and matured, and then bestowed upon you the supreme message.

“And He found you unaware and guided you” (al-Duḥā 93:7). He found you unaware—that is, lacking knowledge—just as He, Exalted is He, says: “You did not recite any scripture before it, nor did you write it with your right hand” (al-ʿAnkabūt 29:48); and He says: “He taught you what you did not know, and Allah’s favour upon you has been immense” (al-Nisāʾ 4:113); and He says: “You did not know what the Book was, nor what faith was” (al-Shūrā 42:52). Through this tremendous Book you became a learned man, perfect in faith. He found you uninformed and then guided you. How did He guide him? Allah guided him through the Qur’an.

“And He found you in need and enriched you” (al-Duḥā 93:8): He found you poor, then enriched you, and Allah opened before you the gates of conquest