will, on that Day, be wholly absorbed by his own concern” (80:34–37).

Even the messengers, when they reach the Bridge (ṣirāṭ), will be imploring: “O Allah, grant safety! O Allah, grant safety!” No one will know whether he will be saved or not. The affair is momentous. Hence the Prophet ﷺ said, “The matter is far too serious for them to think about that.” He then declared, “Behold, the first person to be clothed will be Abraham.” Abraham, the Close Friend—peace be upon him—will indeed be the first to receive garments on the Day of Resurrection.

This particular distinction—that he is the first to be clothed—does not imply absolute superiority or that he surpasses Muhammad ﷺ, for Muhammad is the best of all prophets and messengers, the leader of Adam’s descendants on the Day of Judgment. No one will be permitted to intercede for creation that Day except Muhammad ﷺ, as in the Almighty’s statement: “It may be that your Lord will raise you to a praiseworthy station” (17:79). Nevertheless, Allah may single out certain prophets with favours He does not grant to others, as He said: “O Moses, I have chosen you above the people with My messages and with My speech” (7:144).

Revelations were given to prophets besides him, yet in his time he was the messenger to the Children of Israel. In the same way, Allah may favour one of the prophets—or anyone else—with a unique distinction that sets him apart, without that entailing unrestricted superiority.

“Indeed, the first to be clothed will be Abraham,” and it should not be asked, Why was he the first? Merits are not subject to interrogation, for Allah says: “That is the bounty of Allah; He grants it to whom He wills, and Allah is the possessor of tremendous bounty” (57:21). Such favours are beyond questioning, for a person may or may not reach a conclusion about them—just as Allah