Al-Anbiyaa (The Prophets)

107. “And We sent you not save a Mercy for (all) the worlds.”

The government of the righteous servants of Allah over the earth is a merit reflected from the grace and mercy of Allah (s.w.t.) which can be received in the light of messengership. And whatever of the prophetic mercy will be bestowed upon the individuals both in this world and Hereafter is a ray from the Divine Mercy.

All of the Divine ordinances, even the Holy Struggle, fixed punishments for certain crimes, retaliation, and other retributions and the penal laws of Islam are also mercy for the Society of Human beings. Allah is ‘The Lord of the worlds’ and His Messenger is ‘a Mercy for (all) the worlds’. That is, the true training is possible to occur under the shadow of the prophets’ guidance.

In all ages, and in all localities, and for all human beings, the Prophet of Islam (S) is ‘a mercy’ and there is no need of any other prophet, as the abovementioned holy verse announces:

(… a Mercy for (all) the worlds).

So, in this holy verse, the Qur’an points to the general mercy of the personality of the Prophet (S), where it says:

“And We sent you not save a Mercy for (all) the worlds.”

This statement means that all mankind in the world, believers and disbelievers in general, are totally in pawn of the Prophet’s mercy, because he undertook the propagation of a religion which was the cause of deliverance of the whole.

The Prophet of Islam (S) is a mercy even for the divine near-stationed angels, too. In a tradition we read that Gabriel told the Prophet (S) that his mercy covered him (Gabriel), too.¹

There is an interesting tradition cited here which verifies this generality of mercy. It says when this verse was revealed, the Prophet (S) asked Gabriel:

“Did anything of this mercy reach you?”

Gabriel in answer said:

“Yes. Verily I had frightened about the end of my affair, but because of the verse revealed to you I became certain, where Allah praised me with His word, (saying): “Gabriel is in a high position with Allah, the Creator of ‘Arsh.”2

However, in the world of today where kinds of mischief, corruption, oppression and injustice are seen everywhere, the fire of war is burning in every direction, and the claws of the cruel authorities are pressing the throats of the oppressed; in the world where ignorance, impiety, treachery, vice, injustice, despotism, and unjust discrimination have brought thousand kinds of distortions into existence; yes, in such a world, the concept of being ‘a Mercy for (all) the worlds’ is more clear due to the Prophet of Islam (S) than any other time.

What a mercy can be higher than this that he has brought a program whose practicing puts an end to all these failures, miseries, and ignominies.

Yes, he, his orders, his program and his manner all are mercy. A mercy for all, and in the meantime, the continuation of which will lead to the faithful righteous ones’ government throughout the earth.

By the way, the Arabic word /‘alamin/ (all the worlds) has such a vast meaning that its concept encompasses all human beings in all ages. That is why this holy verse has been considered for a hint to the Prophet of Islam (S) as a seal of the Divine prophets.