Tafsir of Saba' 34:28

The Prophet was sent to all of Mankind Allah says to His servant and Messenger Muhammad:

وما أرسلناك إﻻ كافة للناس بشيرا ونذيرا

And We have not sent you except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind, i.e., to all of creation among those who are accountable for their deeds. This is like the Ayah:

قل يٲيها الناس إنى رسول الله إليكم جميعا

Say: "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah.'' (7:158)

تبارك الذى نزل الفرقان على عبده ليكون للعلمين نذيرا

Blessed be He Who sent down the Criterion to His servant that he may be a warner to the all creatures. (25:1)

بشيرا ونذيرا

a giver of glad tidings and a warner means, to bring the glad tidings of Paradise to those who obey you and to warn of the fire of Hell to those who disobey you. This is like the Ayat:

ولكن أكثر الناس ﻻ يعلمون

and most of men know not

وما أكثر الناس ولو حرصت بمومنين

And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly. (12:103)

وإن تطع أكثر من فى اﻻرض يضلوك عن سبيل الله

And if you obey most of those on the earth, they will mislead you far away from Allah's path. (6:116) Muhammad bin Ka`b said concerning the Ayah:

وما أرسلناك إﻻ كافة للناس

(And We have not sent you except to all mankind) meaning, to all the people. Qatadah said concerning this Ayah, "Allah, may He be exalted, sent Muhammad to both the Arabs and the non-Arabs, so the most honored of them with Allah is the one who is most obedient to Allah.'' In the Two Sahihs it was reported that Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him said, "The Messenger of Allah said:

أعطيت خمسا لم يعطهن أحد من اﻻنبياء قبلي نصرت بالرعب مسيرة شهر وجعلت لي اﻻرض مسجدا وطهورا فٲيما رجل من أمتي أدركته الصﻼة فليصل وأحلت لي الغنايم ولم تحل ﻻحد قبلي وأعطيت الشفاعة وكان النبي يبعث إلى قومه خاصة وبعثت إلى الناس عامة

I have been given five things which were not given to any of the Prophets before me. I have been aided by fear (the distance of) a month's journey. The entire earth has been made a Masjid and a means of purification for me, so that when the time for prayer comes, any man of my Ummah should pray. The spoils of war have been made permissible for me, whereas they were not permitted for any before me. I have been given the power of intercession; and the Prophets before me were sent to their own people, but I have been sent to all of mankind.'' It was also recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah said:

بعثت إلى اﻻسود واﻻحمر

I have been sent to the black and the red. Mujahid said, "This means to the Jinn and to mankind.'' Others said that it meant the Arabs and the non-Arabs. Both meanings are correct. How the Disbelievers asked about when the Resurrection would happen, and the Response to Them Allah tells us how the disbelievers believed it unlikely that the Hour would ever come to pass:

ويقولون متى هذا الوعد إن كنتم صادقين