Throughout history, Allah sent messengers to all peoples, showing them
how to live a good life in this world and the next. We are told in the
Qur'an that this is a wonderful grace and mercy for all believers:
Allah showed great kindness to the believers when He sent a messenger
to them from among themselves to recite His signs to them, purify
them, and teach them the Book and Wisdom, even though before that they
were clearly misguided. (Surah Al 'Imran: 164)
We have only sent you as a mercy to all the worlds. (Surat al-Anbiya': 107)
These messengers were a grace to their communities, for they showed
their people the right path, helped them leave the darkness of
unbelief and enter into the light of belief, and proclaimed the
commands of our Lord, Who created the universe from nothing. They told
people that they could have contentment, peace, and security only by
living a good religious life. However, Allah also reveals that
"...most people have no faith" (Surat al-Ra'd: 1). Thus, few people
embraced faith and appreciated what a great mercy these messengers
were for them.
As revealed in the Qur'an, they sincerely desired that people should
come to faith: "But most people, for all your eagerness, are not
believers" (Surah Yusuf: 103). They called their people to truth so
that they could receive blessings in both worlds and live good and
happy lives. They asked no reward for this. Due to their sincere fear
of and respect for Allah and their superior moral character, the
messengers dedicated their honorable lives to this goal. All of the
ensuing difficulties and trials only increased their faith and
dedication. With Allah's help and support, they became examples of
courage; with His permission, they always prevailed. Our Lord says:
Allah has written: "I will be victorious, I and My messengers." Allah
is Most Strong, Almighty. (Surat al-Mujadalah: 21)
In return for their devotion, faithfulness, patience, sincerity, and
trust in Him, Allah imparted a sense of security and contentment to
their hearts, gave them material and spiritual strength, and destroyed
the unbelivers' traps:
We will certainly help Our messengers and those who believe both in
the life of this world and on the Day the witnesses appear. (Surah
Ghafir: 51)
O Messenger, transmit what has been sent down to you from your Lord.
If you do not, you will not have transmitted His message. Allah will
protect you from people. Allah does not guide the unbelievers. (Surat
al-Ma'idah: 67)
Allah tells us that He defended our Prophet (saas) against all of the
unbelievers' traps:
… when the unbelievers were plotting against you to imprison, kill, or
expel you: They were plotting and Allah was planning, but Allah is the
Best of Planners. (Surat al-Anfal: 30)
We learn from several verses that Allah protected His messengers in
every adversity and anxiety and from every trap. He increased His
blessings upon them, provided an escape from every difficulty,
increased their courage and strength, lightened their burdens, and
strengthened their resolve by reminding them of His mercy.
Our Lord supported some of His messengers by allowing them to perform
miracles. These great blessings from Allah had a strong effect on
people, strengthened the believers' resolve and faith, and caused many
unbelievers to embrace Islam.
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