The Most Honored Prophet

 All prophets receive honor through Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

Know that even though Allah ﷻ has chosen and honored all prophets, which according to a tradition number 124000, yet there are some who are honored more than the rest, as the Quran says: “We have made some of these messengers to excel the others, among them are they to whom Allah spoke, and some of them He exalted by (many degrees of) rank.”[1] There are five prophets that Islamic scholars call Ulu’l Azm Anbiya  meaning "The Great 5 Prophets" because of the honor Allah ﷻ gave them in the Quran by separately mentioning them: “And call to mind, (O Prophet Muhammad), when We took the covenant from all Prophets; and also from you and Noah and Abraham, Moses, and Jesus the son of Mary. We took from them a solemn covenant.”[2] For instance Prophet Ibrahim (alaih salaam) (Abraham) has been mentioned in the Quran as the Imam (leader) of humankind (Al Quran 2:124), an honor which is not given to other prophets such as Yusuf (a.s) (Joseph) or Yunus (a.s) (Jonah), even though their honor is no less. Therefore the status enjoyed by Prophet Ibrahim (a.s) is indeed greater than many prophets who came before him or that descended from him. Another example is that of Prophet Adam (a.s) whom Allah honored by making angels prostrate to him (Al Quran 15:29), an honor not given to any other prophet. We have to keep in mind that whom Allah ﷻ has honored more we should mentioned their honor in the same length, as taught by the Quran and the prophetic traditions.

As for the greatest honor that Allah ﷻ has ever given to any of his prophets is the honor He gave to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Allah ﷻ commands the believers in the Quran to send salawaat (blessings, peace, mercy) upon him, during daily salah (5 times obligatory prayers) and even during normal routine when outside of salah: “Allah sends His salat (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy,) on the Prophet (Muhammad) and also His angels too (ask Allah to bless him). O you who believe! Send your salat on (ask Allah to bless) him (Muhammad), and (you should) greet (salute) him with the Islamic way of greeting (salutation i.e. AsSalamu 'Alaikum).”[3] When the companions inquired “O Messenger of Allah! We have been commanded to send peace and blessings upon you. How should we send peace and blessings upon you?” He said: “Say: Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin kama sallayta ‘ala Ibrahim wa ‘ala ali Ibrahim; innaka Hamidum Majid. Allahumma barik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin kama barakta ‘ala Ibrahim wa ‘ala ali Ibrahim, innaka Hamidum Majid - Allah, send Your grace, honour and mercy upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your grace, honour and mercy upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim, You are indeed Praiseworthy, Most Glorious. O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim, You are Praiseworthy, Most Glorious.”[4] The reason why Prophet Ibrahim (a.s) (Abraham) and his family and children are altogether included in this salawaat because Prophet Muhammad’s message of Islam is not disconnected from what they preached. Indeed its part of the same revelation which was sent to Prophet Ibrahim (a.s) (Abraham) and all prophets who descended from him. Another reason they are included because the previous nations (majority of them) have forgotten the way Allah ﷻ taught them to worship and pray for their prophets, mainly due to corruption of their texts as well as teaching. Therefore Allah ﷻ continues to send blessings on those prophets through Islam, whose teachings have not been lost nor underwent significant changes. Additionally, Islam does not exclude any prophet or messenger from God's list, accepting them all is essential part of Islamic faith (Imaan).  Millions of Muslims that pray daily are obliged to send these salawaat on the blessed souls of all prophets and messengers as taught by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and this is possible only because of his honor as the final messenger. 

Imam Wahidi in his Asbab e Nazool (Reasons of Revelation) mentions how the honor bestowed on Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is incomparable. The Imam compares the special honor of angels prostration to Prophet Adam (a.s) with what has been commanded in the Quran to angels for Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. In the bestowal of his honor to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Allah ﷻ also includes Himself with the angels, a special act of honor when compared with honors given to other prophets in Quran:

“The honour that Allah, exalted is He, bestowed upon our Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, by His saying “(Al Quran 33:56) Allah and His angels shower blessings on the Prophet” is more far-reaching and more complete than the honour bestowed upon Adam, peace be upon him, when the angels were ordered to prostrate to him. This is because it is not conceivable that Allah be with the angels upon the bestowal of that honour. However, Allah, exalted is He, has informed that He Himself showers blessings on the Prophet, and then He informed that the angels do shower blessings upon him. Therefore, an honour which ensues from Him is much far-reaching than an honour which ensues from the angels only and which is inconceivable that Allah be with them upon its bestowal.”[5]

References:
[1] Al Quran 2:253
[2] Al Quran 33:7
[3] Al Quran 33:56
[4] Sunan ibn Majah - Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 905 & Sunan an-Nasai 1285  - Sunnah.com
[5] Al-Wahidi. n.d. "Asbab Al-Nuzul trans. Mokrane Guezzou." AlTAFSIR.com. Accessed March 15, 2019. https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=86&tSoraNo=33&tAyahNo=56&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2.