Universal Message of Islām

At last, Islām addresses the issue that unlike past prophets (i.e., Prophet Moses, Jesus and Krishna, peace be on all of them, etc.) the mission of the Holy Prophet(sa) was not confined to his own people, that is, the Arabs alone. Nor was it specific to any era in time. Rather, it is a message for all peoples and for all times. For this reason, Muslims should equally pay attention to all peoples. As such, God the Exalted states in the Holy Qur’ān:

“O Prophet, tell the people that truly I am a Messenger to you all from Allāh. Indeed, the God to Whom belongs the entire universe; the kingdom of the heavens and the earth.”1

Furthermore, in expounding this instruction, regarding his universal mission, the Holy Prophet(sa) states:

“I have been granted five distinctions, which none of the Prophets were granted before me. Firstly, I have been reinforced with God-given awe extending as far as a month’s journey; secondly, the entire earth has been made for me a mosque and a means of purity; thirdly, the spoils of war have been made lawful for me; fourthly, I have been granted the honour of intercession; fifthly, while Prophets before me were commissioned to their particular people, I have been sent to the whole of mankind,2 and in another narration it is recorded that I have been sent to all races.”3

All five of these distinctions of the Holy Prophet(sa) possesses a very magnificent aspect within them. At this occasion, we are only concerned with the fifth distinction, wherein it has been clearly announced that the appointment of the Holy Prophet(sa) and the message of Islām is for all the people of the world and not any one people.