In the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty has described the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) as a Rahma (Blessing) for all the worlds. The aspects of this being Rahmatul-lil-Alameen are so vast that even thousands of pages would be insufficient to detail them. However, the most significant aspect is the one that directly concerns you and me.
Allah sent humans into this world to strive for Paradise. But before the advent of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), this struggle was marked by severe suffering and hardship. In those times, calling upon the name of Allah would result in people being mutilated and then crucified, or thrown alive into blazing fires. However, it is through his tireless efforts and struggle that today, people can embrace faith and act upon its demands without fear of persecution. Today, no one is punished on the basis of their beliefs. Even in non-Muslim countries, people can practice their faith with peace and security.
Before him, prophethood was an ongoing chain. People strayed and mistook their biases for the truth, a new prophet would come to guide them. But often, they would reject the new prophet and thus render themselves deserving of Hell. With the finality of prophethood in the person of Muhammad (peace be upon him), the divine teachings were preserved forever. This ensures that no new prophet will come, and hence rejecting one will no longer lead to disbelief. Without this finality, many Muslims today—ensnared by their prejudices, much like the Israelites—would have denied a new prophet and fallen into disbelief.
Furthermore, before the Prophet’s advent, the Jews and Christians had so thoroughly lost the essence of divine teachings in their deviations that even with the presence of heavenly scriptures, an average person found it nearly impossible to discern the truth. But the Prophet’s teachings, embodied in the Quran, are now accessible to everyone. The Quran clearly and repeatedly outlines what is required to attain Paradise. In this regard, the path to Paradise has never been as clear and straightforward as it is now—a mercy granted solely through him.
Translated by Taqi Ahmed