Purpose of the Advent of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Quran

Quranic Objectives of the Blessed Advent of Beloved Mustafa ﷺ (Part 01)

The arrival of the Prophets عَـلَـيْـهِمُ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّـلَام was, in essence, a manifestation of divine mercy for humanity, serving as a means of salvation from the darkness of ignorance, the clutches of oppression, the deviation of polytheism, and moral decline. The Prophets عَـلَـيْـهِمُ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّـلَام consistently taught their nations to prostrate before the One God, Allah—who has no partners—and protected them from deviation. The prophetic series of guidance and leadership concluded with the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم , the Prophet of Mercy. He arrived as a mercy for both worlds. His advent was a profound mercy, not only for Arabia but for all of humanity. In the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty has stated numerous clear and comprehensive objectives for the advent of the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم , which serve as a radiant beacon of guidance for humanity until the Day of Judgment.

1. Calling Humanity Towards Allah

Allah Almighty created humanity for His recognition, worship, and servitude. However, due to humanity's inherent weakness, base desires, and external influences, people frequently deviated from the servitude of Allah. Consequently, in every era, Allah Almighty sent Prophets to invite people back to their Lord, leading them out of polytheism and deviation towards monotheism and guidance. This is also a significant objective of the advent of the Merciful Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم .

In the Holy Quran, this objective of the Messenger of Allah’s صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم advent is stated thus:

یٰۤاَیُّهَا النَّبِیُّ اِنَّاۤ اَرْسَلْنٰكَ شَاهِدًا وَّ مُبَشِّرًا وَّ نَذِیْرًاۙ(۴۵) وَّ دَاعِیًا اِلَى اللّٰهِ بِاِذْنِهٖ وَ سِرَاجًا مُّنِیْرًا(۴۶)

O Prophet! Surely We have sent you as a witness and a bearer of glad tidings and a warner. And one who calls to Allah with His command and an illuminating sun.[1]

Among the attributes by which the Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is introduced in these verses, one is "(داعیًا إلی الله)," meaning "one who calls to Allah." And this call is by the permission and command of Allah, not based on any personal interest, political ideology, or national prejudice. The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  clarified this very call in his statement, which the Quran itself has related:

قُلْ هٰذِهٖ سَبِیْلِیْۤ اَدْعُوْۤا اِلَى اللّٰهِ ﱘ عَلٰى بَصِیْرَةٍ اَنَا وَ مَنِ اتَّبَعَنِیْؕ-

Say, “This is my way, I call towards Allah. I, and those who follow me, are upon clear evidence.[2]

The Holy Quran has also expressed the excellence of this call:

وَ مَنْ اَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِّمَّنْ دَعَاۤ اِلَى اللّٰهِ وَ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا

And who is better in speech than he who calls to Allah and performs righteous deeds[3]

2. Teaching the Holy Quran and Wisdom

A central objective of the advent of the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم , repeatedly stated in the Holy Quran, is: to impart the teachings of the Book of Allah and wisdom. That is, to bestow knowledge upon humanity in light of divine revelation, leading them out of intellectual deviations, ignorant customs, false beliefs, and instead providing them with guidance that originates from Allah, is comprehensive, clear, and capable of improving individual and collective life.

This objective has been stated with great clarity in numerous verses of the Holy Quran. In Surah al-JumuꜤah, it is stated:

هُوَ الَّذِیْ بَعَثَ فِی الْاُمِّیّٖنَ رَسُوْلًا مِّنْهُمْ یَتْلُوْا عَلَیْهِمْ اٰیٰتِهٖ وَ یُزَكِّیْهِمْ وَ یُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتٰبَ وَ الْحِكْمَةَۗ-

It is He who sent among the unschooled a Messenger from them who recites His verses to them,[4]

When one reads verse 129 of Surah al-Baqarah, it becomes clear that the blessing bestowed upon the people of Arabia and indeed the entire world in the form of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is the fruit of the prayer of Prophet Ibrāhīm عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم. His prayer also included that the Last Prophet would teach people the Book of Allah and wisdom. Thus, in Surah al-Baqarah, it is stated:

رَبَّنَا وَ ابْعَثْ فِیْهِمْ رَسُوْلًا مِّنْهُمْ یَتْلُوْا عَلَیْهِمْ اٰیٰتِكَ وَ یُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتٰبَ وَ الْحِكْمَةَ وَ یُزَكِّیْهِمْؕ-

O our Lord, and send within them a Messenger from among them, who recites to them Your verses, and teaches them the Book and profound knowledge, and purifies them.[5]

And then, the acceptance of this very prayer is mentioned in Surah Āl ꜤImrān, verse 164:

لَقَدْ  مَنَّ  اللّٰهُ  عَلَى  الْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ  اِذْ  بَعَثَ  فِیْهِمْ  رَسُوْلًا  مِّنْ  اَنْفُسِهِمْ  یَتْلُوْا  عَلَیْهِمْ  اٰیٰتِهٖ  وَ  یُزَكِّیْهِمْ  وَ  یُعَلِّمُهُمُ  الْكِتٰبَ  وَ  الْحِكْمَةَۚ-وَ  اِنْ  كَانُوْا  مِنْ  قَبْلُ  لَفِیْ  ضَلٰلٍ  مُّبِیْنٍ(۱۶۴)

Indeed, Allah bestowed a great favour upon the believers when He sent to them a Messenger from among them. He recites the verses of Allah before them, purifies them, and teaches them the Book and Wisdom even though, prior to this, they certainly had been in clear misguidance.[6]

The Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم , in accordance with divine command, taught the Quran and imparted wisdom and discernment. Indeed, he highlighted the importance of wisdom for every Muslim by stating, "Wisdom is the lost property of the believer."[7]

It was through the Messenger of Allah’s education, training, wisdom, and discernment that Muslims, within a few years, carried the message of Islam beyond 2.2 million square miles.

This education was not merely the recitation of words or book-reading, but rather a comprehensive intellectual, spiritual, and practical training. Mufti NaꜤīm al-Dīn Murādābādī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه described this as the perfection of the practical and intellectual faculties of the soul. The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم ingrained the teachings of the Quran deeply into hearts and fostered an awareness of acting upon them. He himself became a living example of these teachings for the community. This is why Sayyidah ꜤĀishah رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا stated: "كَانَ خُلُقُهُ الْقُرْآنَ" meaning, "His character was the Quran."[8]

He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم did not confine the teaching of the Holy Quran and wisdom to himself but encouraged and prepared the Ummah to learn and disseminate the Holy Quran. Consequently, the Ummah propagated the wisdom-filled teachings of the Holy Quran in the form of thousands of commentaries.