Abdul Rasool Syed
ONE of the most important qualifications deemed as sine qua non, to be a Muslim, is to believe in the finality of Prophet Mohammad (SAW). Without declaring absolute faith in Prophet Mohammad (SAW) as the last prophet of Allah, one cannot assume the title of “Muslim”; a Muslim is one who without any reservation or ifs and buts, believes in the unqualified finality of Prophet Mohammad (SAW) and does not believe in, or recognize as a prophet or religious reformer, any person who claimed or claims to be a prophet, in any sense of the word or of any description whatsoever, after prophet Mohammad (SAW). The scores of verses of glorious Qur’an and the numerous traditions of Holy Prophet on this very subject vividly testify to the fact that the chain of Prophethood has come to an end and there shall be none to assume this lofty status after Prophet Mohammad (SAW); he is the seal of prophets. The glorious Qur’an highlights this fact in the following words: Mohammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the messenger of Allah and the seal of prophets; and Allah has full knowledge of all things.” (Holy Qur’an 33:40) All the exegetes of holy Qur’ an have consensus on the meaning of the word” Khatim-un-Nabieen “(The seal of prophets) that our Prophet (SAW) was the last of all prophets and none shall be exalted to this highly esteemed status of prophethood after him. The well known scholar Hafiz Ibn-Katheer writes in his book: “This verse is a clear evidence for this belief that there is no prophet after the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW).” (Tafseer Ibn-Katheer)
Another noted scholar Hafiz Ibn-e-Hazam says on page 77 of his Kitab-ul-Fasl:”All those personages who have dwelt upon the subject of Muhammad’s (SAW) Prophethood, his miracles and expounded the Holy Quran, have stated that he (SAW) had informed that there would be no prophet after him”. Hafiz Ibne-Khateer, another famous scholar writes under the caption, “finality of Prophethood”: “And on this (Finality of Prophethood) there have come from Allah’s Messenger (SAW) “mutawatir” (absolutely certain and numerous) Ahadith which have by an unbroken chain of his companions (Allah be pleased with them)”. Allama Syed Mahmood Aloosi another renowned authority in the exegesis of Qur ‘an, writes in his Tafseer Roohul-Mani: “That he (Muhammad (SAW) was the final prophet, is ordained by the Quran, acknowledged by the Sunnah and agreed upon by the Ummah; hence a claimant to the contrary will be (determined as) Kaffir (unbeliever) and put to death if he is persistent”. In addition, there are myriad traditions of Holy Prophet (SAW) on the subject of finality of Prophethood. Some of the most prominent and often cited, are recorded here: The Prophet of Allah(SAW) affirmed: “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 marvelled 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, Kitab-ul-Manaqib). In another Hadis, while addressing to Hazrat Ali (R.A), The Prophet of Allah remarked: “You are related to me as Aaron was related to Moses (peace be upon him).But no Apostle will come after me.” (Bukhari and Muslim, Kitab Fada’il as-Sahaba)
At another place The Holy Prophet (SAW) remarked: “The chain of Messengers and Prophets has come to an end. There shall be neither Messenger nor Prophet after me.”(Tirmidhi, Kitab-ur-Rouya Babu Zahab-un-Nubuwwa, Musnad Ahmad, Marwiyat-Anas bin Malik) It is also related by Hazrat Thauban (R.A) that once our Prophet (SAW) said:”In my Ummah there shall be born thirty liars (dajjals) each of them will claim that he is a prophet but I am the last of the Prophets; there shall be no prophet after me”. (Abu Dawood and Tirmizi) In the light of preceding discussion, it can be safely concluded that the chain of prophets has ceased after the advent of Hazrat Mohammad (SAW). However, any claimant to this noble office after Prophet Mohammad (SAW) would be treated as “KAZZAB” (The liar).This belief in the finality of Prophethood has been an established belief of the Muslims since the time of the Prophet. Every time, when any misguided man claimed to be a prophet, the Muslims vehemently rejected him and categorized him as false and hence, apostate. Without any iota of doubt, the finality of Prophethood is the part and parcel of Islamic tenets. Hence, the rejection of this belief amounts to Kufr and any person who rejects this belief is out of the fold of Islam, no matter what claims he makes to the contrary. There is no room in the fold of Islam for any false prophet. It stands proved in the above written lines that (1) the Holy Quran, (2) unbroken chain of “Mutawatir” Ahadith, and (3) Consensus of the Muslim Ummah vouch that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was the terminator of the entire chain of venerable prophets with no exception and reservation. May Allah keep us firm and steadfast in our belief in the finality of Prohethood!!!
— The writer, an Advcate, based in Quetta Balochistan.
