What was the mission of our Prophet Muhammad (phub) and in what way was it different than the mission of other prophets of Allah (swt)?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The Message of the Prophet is the same Message as that of all the previous Prophets and Messengers, and their religion is also the same, which is the religion of Islam. The word Islam, in its general meaning, refers to worshipping Allah Alone without partners (which is the intended meaning here), and in its specific meaning, it refers to the legislation with which Muhammad was sent. The mission of all messengers was to call for the worship of Allah Alone (without associating any partners with Him), and to disbelieve in worshipping other than Him, as well as calling the creation to fulfill the mission for which they were created. Allah Says (what means):

• {And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.} [Quran 51:56]

• {And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], "Worship Allah and avoid Taaghoot.} [Quran 16:36]

• {And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that, "There is no deity except Me, so worship Me.} [Quran 21:25]

Allah has clarified that Islam is the religion of all the Prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention. Allah Says about Abraham (what means):

• {Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was one inclining toward truth, a Muslim [submitting to Allah]. And he was not of the polytheists.} [Quran 3:67]

• {When his Lord said to him, "Submit", he said "I have submitted [in Islam] to the Lord of the worlds.} [Quran 2:131]

Allah said about Noah (what means): {…and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims [i.e. those who submit to Allaah].”} [Quran 10:72]

Yusuf said (what means): {… Cause me to die a Muslim and join me with the righteous.} [Quran 12:101]

The queen of Sheebah said (what means): {…and I submit with Solomon to Allah, Lord of the worlds.”} [Quran 27:44]

Allah also Says about Moses (what means): {And Moses said, “O my people, if you have believed in Allah, then rely upon Him, if you should be Muslims [i.e. submitting to Him].} [Quran 10:84]

When the magicians of Pharaoh became Muslims, they said (what means): {Our Lord, pour upon us patience and let us die as Muslims [in submission to You].”} [Quran 7:126]

The disciples said to Jesus (what means): {“We have believed in Allah and testify that we are Muslims [submitting to Him]”.} [Quran 3:52]

The Prophet likened the Prophets to being brothers from one father while their mothers are different saying: "The Prophets are brothers from the same father; their mothers are different, but their religion is one." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

The term “their religion is one”, refers to the religion of Islam. However, their legislations were different. For example, the legislations of Moses are different from the legislations of Jesus in some details of acts of worship and regarding to what was lawful and what was forbidden.

Jesus said to the children of Israel when he came to them (what means): {…and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you.} [Quran 3:50]

The Prophet of Allah Jacob married two sisters [at the same time], because in his legislation, it was lawful to marry sisters at the same time, while Allah has forbidden this in our legislation (our legislation refers to Islam in its specific meaning). Also, the punishment for theft in the legislation of Jacob was that the thief becomes a slave for the person from whom he stole. Whereas, in our legislation, the punishment for the thief is to cut his hand if all the conditions for cutting it are met. In our legislation, some of what was in the legislations of Moses and Jesus, may Allaah exalt their mention, was abrogated, and the some of the burdens (tough commands) that were imposed on their followers were removed from our legislation. Therefore, the legislation differs from one Prophet to another according to what Allah wanted based on His Knowledge and Wisdom. As regards the religion, which is worshipping Allah Alone (without associating with Him any partners), then it is the same religion for all the Prophets.

Allah Says (what means):

• {Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.} [Quran 3:19]

• {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]

The Message of Prophet Muhammad is distinguished from the Message of previous Prophets by the fact that his Message is general for all the people because he is the last Prophet. It is for this reason that his message is for all times, and it encompasses the benefits of the creation throughout their different times. This is contrarily to the Message of previous Prophets were a Prophet, in the past, used to be sent to a group of people only and not to all the people. Allah Says (what means): {Say, [O Muhammad], "O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all, [from Him]} [Quran 7:158]

It is confirmed that the Prophet said: “I have been given five things which were not given to anyone else before me:

1. Allah made me victorious by awe (of frightening my enemies) over people who are at a distance of one month's journey.

2. The entire earth has been made for me (and my followers) a place for praying and something with which to perform Tayammum (dry ablution to purify oneself for prayer). Therefore, anyone (of my followers) can pray (anywhere) whenever the prayer becomes due."

3. The booty has been made lawful for me while it was not lawful for anyone else [i.e. any Prophet] before me.

4. I have been given the right of intercession (on the Day of Resurrection).

4. Every Prophet used to be sent exclusively to his own people, while I have been sent to all mankind.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

The Message of Prophet Muhammad is also distinguished (compared to other Messages) by the fact that its legislations are easier for the people. Allah describes the Prophet saying (what means): {…and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them.} [Quran 7:157]

This is a characteristic with which the Prophet Muhammad was described in the Books of the previous Prophets when they gave glad tidings to their nation of his advent. The meaning of the above verse is that he came with ease and tolerance, as mentioned in many Ahadeeth, that he said: “I was sent with a tolerant Monotheism.”

The Prophet Muhammad told his two army commanders Mu’aath and Abu Moosa Al-Ash’ari when he sent them to Yemen:

"Give glad tidings to the people and do not make them turn away (from Islam); make (religious) matters easier for them and do not make it hard for them; agree (reach an agreement and have an understanding) and do not disagree (amongst yourselves)."

Allah Says (what means): {…and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us.} [Quran 2:286]

It is confirmed in Saheeh Muslim that when the Prophet Muhammad recited {…and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us.} [Quran 2:286] he said: “Allah said: ‘I, indeed, did so (i.e., responded to your supplication).”

The Message of Prophet Muhammad is also distinguished (compared to other Messages) by the fact that the He made Quran which Allah revealed on Prophet Muhammad dominant over previous Books which were revealed on previous Prophets and Messengers, as Allah Says (what means): {And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad ], the Book [i.e. the Quran] in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it.} [Quran 5:48] The term “as a criterion over it” means truthful, a witness, and a judge over all previous Books. Allah made this Book (Quran) which He has revealed as the last Book, the Seal of the Books, the most comprehensive, the greatest and the most perfect, as He encompassed in it the good things that were in the previous books, and increased it with comprehensiveness which was not in previous books.

For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 111063, 367456 and 173389.

Allah knows best.