مَا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِنْ رِجَالِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ
Muhammad ﷺ is not the father of any of your men, but is Allah’s Messenger and the Seal of the Prophets. (Al-Aḥzāb 33:40)
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا
Say: O people, I am the Messenger of Allah to you all. (Al-Aʿrāf 7:158)
The apparent difficulty: What different dimensions are expressed by universal mission and final prophethood?
Resolution: Universal mission concerns the audience of the Prophet’s call; finality concerns the closure of prophethood. They are complementary but distinct claims.
Inference to avoid: Restricting the universal mission to one people or reopening prophethood after its finality conflicts with these passages.
Application: “To all people” identifies the audience; “Seal of the Prophets” establishes finality.