[Machine] I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, "Indeed, you will be the last of seventy nations. You are the best and most honorable of them to Allah." Al-Shafi'i then narrated that Allah made him the opener of His mercy at the time of His messengers, and said, "O people of the Scripture, there has come to you our Messenger, making clear to you much of what you used to conceal of the Scripture and overlooking much. There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book." [Surah Al-Ma'idah, verse 19] And He said, "It is He who sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves." [Surah Al-Jumu'ah, verse 2] In this, there is evidence that he was sent to his creation, because they were the people of the Scripture and the unlettered. And he opened His mercy with him and sealed his prophethood, saying, "Muhammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and the last of the prophets." [Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 40]  

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ إِنَّكُمْ تُوفُونَ سَبْعِينَ أُمَّةً أَنْتُمْ خَيْرُهَا وَأَكْرَمُهَا عَلَى اللهِ ﷻ قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ ثُمَّ أَخْبَرَ جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُهُ أَنَّهُ جَعَلَهُ فَاتِحَ رَحْمَتِهِ عِنْدَ فَتْرَةِ رُسُلِهِ فَقَالَ {يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ عَلَى فَتْرَةٍ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ أَنْ تَقُولُوا مَا جَاءَنَا مِنْ بَشِيرٍ وَلَا نَذِيرٍ فَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بَشِيرٌ وَنَذِيرٌ} [المائدة 19] وَقَالَ {هُوَ الَّذِي بَعَثَ فِي الْأُمِّيِّينَ رَسُولًا مِنْهُمْ} [الجمعة 2] وَكَانَ فِي ذَلِكَ مَا دَلَّ عَلَى أَنَّهُ بَعَثَهُ إِلَى خَلْقِهِ لِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ وَالْأُمِّيِّينَ وَأَنَّهُ فَتَحَ بِهِ رَحْمَتَهُ وَخَتَمَ بِهِ نُبُوَّتَهُ فَقَالَ {مَا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِنْ رِجَالِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ رَسُولَ اللهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ} [الأحزاب 40]