Allah—exalted is He—sent Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) to humankind as a mercy, and through him He bestowed a blessing—what an incomparable blessing indeed!

The Most High says: “We did not send you except as a mercy to all beings” (21:107).

He also says: “Have you not seen those who exchanged Allah’s favor for ingratitude?” (14:28). They are those who refused to believe in Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), for his being sent is the greatest favor Allah has ever granted His servants. In the Seal of the Messengers, the leader of the God-fearing, the master of all the descendants of Adam, Allah gathered for his ummah every virtue that He had scattered among others, and then increased them, out of His bounty, with further kinds of excellence—indeed, He granted them a double share of His mercy, as He, the Exalted, says:

“O you who believe, be mindful of Allah and have faith in His Messenger; He will grant you a double share of His mercy, will give you a light by which you walk, and will forgive you. Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful—so that the People of the Scripture may know that they have no control over Allah’s grace, and that grace is in Allah’s hand; He grants it to whom He wills. Allah is the possessor of tremendous grace” (57:28-29).