Is Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) superior to all creation, even those superior to humans (17:70)?

Question

According to al-Isra` 17:70 there are some creations superior to humans. Is Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) even superior to those creations?

Holy Quran says:

"We have honored the children of Adam, provided them with transport on land and sea, given them for sustenance things good and pure, and made them superior to a great number of Our creations.” (Qur’an; 17:70)

Answer 1

Note that this verse is about the class of humans in general, it is possible that some specific humans are superior to all other creation. There is some difference of opinion regarding whether some creation (Angels) are superior to Prophets, the view of the Ahlul Sunnah is that Prophets are superior to angels, among the evidence for which is:

إن الله اصطفى آدم ونوحا وآل إبراهيم وآل عمران على العالمين

Indeed, Allah chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of 'Imran over the worlds

^{— Quran 3:33}

وكلا فضلنا على العالمين ...

[after naming around eighteen major Prophets] and all [of them] We preferred over the worlds.

^{— Quran 6:86}

Since all creation is included among the العالمين (worlds) and since Muhammad ﷺ is superior to all other Prophets, it follows that he is also superior to all other creation.

أجمعت الأمة على أن الأنبياء أفضل الخليقة، وأن نبينا صلى الله عليه وسلم أفضلهم، وأن أفضل الخلائق بعد الأنبياء الملائكة الأربعة وحملة العرش والروحانيون ورضوان ومالك، وأن الصحابة والتابعين والشهداء والصالحين أفضل من سائر الملائكة

The Ummah's consensus is that the Prophets are superior to the rest of creation, and the Prophets Muhammad ﷺ is superior among them. After the Prophets the superior among creation are the four arch-angels, the bearers of the Throne ... Ridwan and Malik. After them the Sahaba, Tabieen, Martyrs and Righteous, after them the remaining angels ...

^{— رد المحتار على الدر المختار}