Before the mission of the final Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) humanity was in a state of misguidance. It was filled with ignorance, polytheism, and atheism, and the Arabs were very much part of all this and lived a life of indulgence. They were in great need of anyone to come to their rescue.
Ignorance, injustice and chaos were rampant. People's rights were lost and their honor was violated. There was neither order nor law, and there were no legislation or regulations except some tribal customs and traditions. There was no security; looting and plundering were considered normal aspects of life. People lived a life without security or stability. Residents were threatened and travelers were in great danger. Killing, looting and aggression were distinct features of this life and wars would break out for the most trivial of reasons. As a result, people were killed, women became widows and children became orphans.
Under these circumstances and conditions, and after a period with no prophets, the final Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), was assigned his mission when he was forty years old. Jibreel (Gabriel), may Allah exalt his mention, came to him in the cave of Hiraa’ and revealed the first verses of the Quran that he recited to him; the verse (what means): {Recite in the Name of your Lord who created} [Quran 96: 1]. After that, parts of the Quran, which is the last divine book, were revealed successively and the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), embarked upon his Da‘wah (call) in five stages as Ibn Al-Qayyim may Allaah have mercy upon him mentioned in his book Zaad Al-Ma‘aad.
The first stage was prophethood.
The second stage was warning his closest kindred.
The third stage was warning his people.
The fourth stage was warning people to whom no warner had been sent before, meaning, all of the Arabs.
The fifth stage was warning all those who heard about his Da‘wah, whether human or jinn, until the end of the world.
He stayed in Makkah, calling people to Allah The Almighty in secret for three years. Then, he started calling people publicly to Allah The Almighty when He revealed the verse (what means): {Then declare what you are commanded and turn away from the polytheists} [Quran 15: 94] Indeed, his mission was a mercy for all mankind and jinn. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds} [Quran 21: 107] It was proven that the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), said: “I am indeed a gift of mercy from Allah The Almighty to you.”[Al-Haakim in Al-Mustadrak and Al-Bayhaqi in Shu‘ab Al-Eemaan: Saheeh - Al-Albaani]
Accordingly, anyone who believes in the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), has achieved something great, for Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {He will [then] amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment} [Quran 33: 71] On the other hand, anyone who turns away from the guidance of the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), will go far astray and will be the loser in this life and in the Hereafter. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind} [Quran 20: 24]
The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), called people to believe in Allah The Almighty alone, without associating any partners with Him. He called people to virtue, right guidance, honesty and truthfulness - he called to every kind of goodness and warned against all kinds of evil. His mission was a new birth for mankind and the beginning of a great history for humanity. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Say, [O Muhammad]: ‘O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death.’ So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him that you may be guided} [Quran 7:158]
By means of his mission, religion was perfected for mankind and the Favor of Allah The Almighty upon them was completed. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion} [Quran 5:3]. Therefore, Islam is the religion that Allah The Almighty has approved for all His slaves and He does not accept any religion from anyone other than Islam. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers} [Quran 3:85]
