At the time of setting for the Battle of the Camel
Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 33
إنَّ اللهَ سُبحانَه بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً (صلى الله عليه وآله)، وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ يَقْرَأُ كِتَاباً، وَلاَ يَدَّعِي نُبُوَّةً، فَسَاقَ النَّاسَ حَتَّى بَوَّأَهُمْ مَحَلَّتَهُم، وَبَلَّغَهُمْ مَنْجَاتَهُمْ، فَاسْتَقَامَتْ قَنَاتُهُمْ، وَاطْمَأَنَّتْ صِفَاتُهُمْ.
Verily, Allāh sent Muḥammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم when none among the Arabs read a book or claimed prophethood. He guided the people till he took them to their (correct) position and their salvation. So their spears (i.e. officers) became straight and their conditions settled down.