[47.15] A parable of the garden which those guarding (against  evil) are promised: Therein are rivers of water that does  not alter, and rivers of milk the taste whereof does not  change, and rivers of drink delicious to those who drink, and rivers of honey clarified and for them therein are all  fruits and protection from their Lord. (Are these) like  those who abide in the fire and who are made to drink boiling water so it rends their bowels asunder.

[47.16] And there are those of them who seek to listen to you, until when they go forth from you, they say to those who  have been given the knowledge: What was it that he said just  now? These are they upon whose hearts Allah has set a seal and they follow their low desires.

[47.17] And (as for) those who follow the right direction, He increases them in guidance and gives them their guarding (against evil).

Apr 14, 2012 -- 4:45PM, posterboy wrote:

      Thank you for your reply which clarifies something I had wondered about. Since receiving submission from the Meccan adversaries was such a significant event historically, I thought it marked an epoch in the overall ministry.

Yes, the initial aim of his ministry was to make the polytheists of Mecca be aware of the truth that idolatery is wrong and that they should worship One True God (Allah in Arabic). The Meccan Quraish were his own people but they opposed him apart from their leader, his uncle Abu Talib who protected him until the uncle died. This opposition went on for 13 years until the Meccans tried to kill him but he was made aware of their plans and he migrated to Madina, hundreds of miles away before they could kill him. 

Meccans were not satisfied with just the persecution of Muslims in Mecca. They wanted to kill all the Muslims. The first Muslim ever to die at Meccans' hand was a woman. They wanted her to give up her faith and she refused. They tied each of her legs (at ankle level) with ropes and made two camels to pull her legs apart until she died.

After the migration, Meccans tried to attack Muslims in Madina three times but failed each time to finish the Muslims off. In the end, Muslims came back home to Mecca after ten years without Meccans putting up any fight as they were too weak now through losing men during the three attacks on Madina. The Madina Muslims were sad that the prophet might go back to Mecca but the prophet promised them that he would not leave them. And he had kept his promise to them.

Therefore, you are correct to believe that submission by Meccans was the final chapter in the prophet's ministry. The objective achieved and the prophet passed away some eight months later. Muslims in Arafat, during Haj, had realized that the prophet may not be long with them when the verse 5:3 was revealed there. The prophet had even said to them that he may not be with them next year and gave them some instructions as to how they should behave after him in what is now known as the Farewell Sermon.

Peace

Ibn

[85.12] Surely the might of your Lord is great.
[85.13] Surely He it is Who originates and reproduces,
[85.14] And He is the Forgiving, the Loving,
[85.15] Lord of the Arsh, the Glorious.

[95: 4] Verily, We create man in the best conformation;

[95:5] and thereafter We reduce him to the lowest of low 

[95:6] excepting only such as attain to faith and do good works: and theirs shall be a reward unending!

[95:7] What, then, [O man,] could henceforth cause thee to give the lie to this moral law?

[95:8] Is not God the most just of judges?

[35.3] O men! Call to mind the favor of Allah on you; is there any creator besides Allah who gives you sustenance from the heaven and the earth? There is no god but He; whence are you then turned away?