سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْۣبِيَآءِ
Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 107
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ﴿107﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And We have sent you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): not but as a mercy for the ‘Âlamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَآ
wamā
And not
أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ
arsalnāka
We have sent you
إِلَّا
illā
but
رَحْمَةًۭ
raḥmatan
(as) a mercy
لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
lil'ʿālamīna
for the worlds
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
And We have not sent you except as a mercy [95] to all the worlds.
[95]
How is the Prophet ﷺ a Mercy for the People of the World?
The second meaning of this verse is that it is Allah’s mercy upon the people of the world that He sent the Prophet ﷺ. The meaning, in both cases, is the same: that the blessed personality of the Prophet ﷺ and his being sent is, in fact, a mercy for the entire human race. It is through him that humanity, which had fallen into heedlessness and gone astray, received such knowledge that distinguishes between the paths of truth and falsehood, shows the straight path, and leads upon it. Through this, mankind learned the principles and manners to live a good life in this world. Then, by following this path, a person’s life in the Hereafter is also improved. This kindness of his was for those who believed in him, and for the wrongdoers and disbelievers, his personality was also a source of mercy. Thus, the Divine statement is: ﴿وَمَا كَان اللّٰهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَاَنْتَ فِيْهِمْ﴾ [33: 8] meaning, as long as you are present among these disbelievers, Allah will not send punishment upon them. Furthermore, it was due to your supplication that punishments such as being swallowed by the earth, being transformed, and being uprooted from the roots were withheld, and the stories of your mercy upon the Muslims are so numerous that they cannot be encompassed here. The Quran has clearly stated that you were both merciful and compassionate towards the believers. The disbelievers of Makkah considered your being sent as a calamity for themselves and used to say that this man has caused division among our people, separating father from son, brother from brother, and all close relatives from one another. In response to this statement of theirs, Allah said: O ignorant ones! The personality whom you consider a calamity, let alone the Muslims, he is a mercy from Allah even for you. Because the principles of prophetic knowledge and civilization and humanity that he is presenting, all—Muslim and disbeliever alike—are benefiting from them according to their own inclinations.
[95]
How is the Prophet ﷺ a Mercy for the People of the World?
The second meaning of this verse is that it is Allah’s mercy upon the people of the world that He sent the Prophet ﷺ. The meaning, in both cases, is the same: that the blessed personality of the Prophet ﷺ and his being sent is, in fact, a mercy for the entire human race. It is through him that humanity, which had fallen into heedlessness and gone astray, received such knowledge that distinguishes between the paths of truth and falsehood, shows the straight path, and leads upon it. Through this, mankind learned the principles and manners to live a good life in this world. Then, by following this path, a person’s life in the Hereafter is also improved. This kindness of his was for those who believed in him, and for the wrongdoers and disbelievers, his personality was also a source of mercy. Thus, the Divine statement is: ﴿وَمَا كَان اللّٰهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَاَنْتَ فِيْهِمْ﴾ [33: 8] meaning, as long as you are present among these disbelievers, Allah will not send punishment upon them. Furthermore, it was due to your supplication that punishments such as being swallowed by the earth, being transformed, and being uprooted from the roots were withheld, and the stories of your mercy upon the Muslims are so numerous that they cannot be encompassed here. The Quran has clearly stated that you were both merciful and compassionate towards the believers. The disbelievers of Makkah considered your being sent as a calamity for themselves and used to say that this man has caused division among our people, separating father from son, brother from brother, and all close relatives from one another. In response to this statement of theirs, Allah said: O ignorant ones! The personality whom you consider a calamity, let alone the Muslims, he is a mercy from Allah even for you. Because the principles of prophetic knowledge and civilization and humanity that he is presenting, all—Muslim and disbeliever alike—are benefiting from them according to their own inclinations.
