the rest of mankind.

The “word of righteousness”—such as “There is no deity but Allah” and “Allah is greatest”—is among those utterances whose meaning believers affirm when they are declarative (1), and which they obey when they are imperative. Thus, “A good word is like a good tree: its roots are firm and its branches reach into the sky. An evil word is like an evil tree, uprooted from the earth, having no stability. Allah makes those who believe steadfast with the firm word in this worldly life and in the Hereafter.”

The “word of righteousness” is a generic term for every utterance in which Allah is feared (2); this consists in truth and justice. Thus, whoever strives for truthfulness in what he reports and justice in what he commands has held fast to the word of righteousness. The truest and most just of all statements is: “There is no deity but Allah.” It is therefore the statement most particularly deserving to be called the word of righteousness.

Likewise, the hadith of Ammār and that of Ibn Abbās are both fabrications (3).