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"I believe in ALLAH, in His Angels, His
Scriptures, His Prophets, the Day of Judgment, and in the fact that
every thing good or bad (in the world) is pre-destined by ALLAH the
Exalted, and in the resurrection after death."
End of the Prophethood, Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.w) for a Muslim is:
No single tenet of Islam protects the perfect and universal religion
of ALLAH (s.w.t) from corruption and innovation better than the
doctrine of the finality of Prophethood. In more than one hundred of
its verses, the Holy Quran has made it abundantly clear that no new
prophet or prophetic revelation will be sent to humanity. For
instance, ALLAH has declared:
"Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the
Apostle of ALLAH and the Last of the Prophets". ( 33 : 40 ) Al-Quran.
The Last Prophet, Muhammad (s.a.w.w), has also explained this point in
over two hundred Ahadith. For instance, the Messenger of ALLAH has
taught:
"My position in relation to the prophets who came before me can be
explained by the following example: A man erected a building and
adorned this edifice with great beauty, but he left an empty niche in
the corner where just one brick was missing. People looked around the
building and marveled at its beauty, but wondered why a brick was
missing from that niche. I am like unto that one missing brick and I
am the last in the line of the Prophets". (Bukhari, Muslim, Musnad
Ahmad, Tirmizi, Musnad Abu Dawud).
"There will arise thirty impostors in my Ummah (followers) and each
one of them will pronounce to the world that he is a prophet, but I am
the last in the line of the Prophets of God and no Prophet will come
after me". (Abu Dawood).
"I am Muhammad, I am Ahmad, I am the effacer and infidelity shall be
erased through me; I am the assembler. People shall be assembled on
Doomsday after my time. And I am the last in the sense that no prophet
shall succeed me". (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmizi).
"...O People, no prophet will come after me, and no new faith will be
born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand my words which
I convey to you...". (Sermon delivered on the ninth day of Dhul-Hajj
10 A.H. and witnessed by 120,000 Muslims).
Prior to Islam, a new prophet was generally commissioned when the
teachings of earlier prophets were lost, corrupted, or required some
modification. However, the holy Quran clearly states that the
dispensations of Islam are universal, final, completed, perfected, and
protected. For instance, we read:
"Say (O Muhammad): 'O Mankind! Lo! I am the Messenger of ALLAH to you
all, (the Messenger) of Him unto Whom belongs the Sovereignty of the
heavens and earth". ( 7 : 158 ) Al-Quran.
"...This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed my
favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your way of life". ( 5
: 3 ) Al-Quran.
The Holy Quran, Hadith, Tafseer, and the opinion of the Companions (r.a)
have been consistent on this point, since the advent of Islam. In
fact, the first rightly guided Caliph, Hazrat Abu Bakr (r.a),
supported by all companions of the holy Prophet (s.a.w.w), waged a war
against the false claimant to Prophethood, Musailma the Kazzab (liar),
despite the fact that the Muslim state was still in its infancy and
without the necessary means. Those taught by the holy Prophet (s.a.w.w)
were absolutely certain of this doctrine and the need to protect the
religion of humanity from corruption. Indeed, three times as many
Muslims willingly sacrificed their precious lives fighting Musailma,
as had during the entire mission of the holy Prophet (s.a.w.w). This
act of Hazrat Abu Bakr (r.a) was so highly regarded, endorsed and
accepted by the companions, that Hazrat Umar (r.a) proposed:
"I will exchange all good deeds of my life time for your acts of one
night and one day. One night from those three nights you spent with
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.w) in the Cave of "Saur" and one day from the
days of battles against impostor prophets to guard the Finality of
Muhammad". (Mishkawt).
Throughout ages, great scholars, Mujaddids, and jurists of Islam have
also unanimously agreed on absolute finality of Prophethood. Sheikh
Mulla Ali Qari (r.t.a), for instance, has written:
"Muhammad (s.a.w.w) is "Khatim-un-Nabiyeen" meaning the Last of the
Prophets (a.s) and that on Him all sorts of Nubuwwat (Prophethood)
came to an end. This is supported by definite arguments and clear
injunctions and is one of the fundamental beliefs of Islam. Rejection
of this doctrine is an obvious disbelief and an ugly deviation".
The great jurist of Islamic Law, Imam Abu Hanifah (r.t.a), has ruled.
Once a person claimed that he is a Prophet of ALLAH. Imam Abu Hanifah
(r.t.a) made an announcement;
"Anyone who demands proof from him (a claimant to Prophethood) will
become a Kafir (disbeliever), as Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.w) has
emphatically said: 'No Prophet will come after me". (Manaqib Abi
Hanifah).
Every believer is advised to remain mindful of this fundamental
teaching of Islam and the activities of misguided organizations, like
Qadyani (Ahmadi) and Bahai movements, whose leaders reject this clear
decree of ALLAH and selfishly strive to divide mankind, misguide the
uninformed, and create a following for their organization.
Just as there is no deity worthy of worship but ALLAH, there is no
Prophet after Muhammad (s.a.w.w), and no revelation after the Holy
Quran. With ALLAH is Success and Peace of ALLAH be upon his final
Messenger, Muhammad (s.a.w.w), His family, Companions (r.a), and
sincere followers till the Day of Judgment. |
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