The Observations of the Holy Prophet About the Finality of Prophethood (2/2)

11.  Thauban reports: "The Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) observed: “And there will arise Thirty imposters in my Ummah 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 Apostle will come after me.”" (Reported by Abu Dawud, Kitab-ul-Fitan)

Abu Dawud in 'Kitab-ul-Malahim' has recorded another tradition reported by Abu Huraira in the same subject. Tirmidhi has also recorded these two traditions as reported by Hadrat Thauban and Hadrat Abu Huraira. The text of the second tradition runs thus: "It will come to this that thirty imposters will arise and each one of them will put forth his claim to be the Apostle of God."

12.  The Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) observed: "Among the tribe of Israel who went before you there indeed were such people who held communion with God, even though they were not his Prophets. If ever there arose a person from among my people who would hold communion with God, it would be none else but 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him)." (Reported by Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Manaqib)

A version of this same tradition in `Muslim' contains Muhaddithuna instead of Yukallimuna. But then Mukalima and Muhaddith bear identical meaning i.e., a man enjoys the privilege of holding direct communion with God or a person who is addressed by the Almighty from the unseen. Thus we conclude that if there had been any person among the followers of Muhammad who could hold communion with God without being raised to the dignity of prophethood, it would have been `Umar.

13.  The Prophet of God (Peace be upon him) said: "No Prophet will come after me and there will, therefore, be no other community of followers of any new prophet." (Reported by Baihaqi, Kitab-ul Rouya; Tabarani)

14.  The Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) observed: "I am the last in line of the prophets of God and my Masjid is the last Masjid (referring the holy Masjid of the Prophet)." [see footnote 1] (Reported by Muslim, Kitab-ul-Hajj; Bab:Fadl-us-Salat bi Masjidi Mecca wal Medina)

A large number of such traditions of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) have been reported by the companions and a great many compilers have recorded them from authoritative sources. A study of these traditions shows that the Holy Prophet on several occasions, and in various ways and in different words made it explicitly clear that he was the last Prophet of God; That no prophet would follow him and that the line of prophets had ended in him. Furthermore, those would claim to be Prophets and Messengers of God after his time would be imposters and liars. (see footnote 2).

There can be no authentic, creditable and conclusive interpretation of the words of the Holy Qur'an, Khatam-un- Nabiyyin, than that given by the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) for the credentials of the Holy prophet (Peace be upon him) need no proof and the authority of his words is unassailable. His words are authentic and a proof in itself. When the Prophet is explaining a Nass of the Holy Quran, his explanation is the most authentic and a proof positive.

The question is who else besides the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him), to whom the Qur'an was revealed, is better qualified to comprehend its meaning and to explain its contents to us? And he who advances an alternative explanation, shall we regard his claims as worthy of our consideration let alone our acquiescence?

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Footnote (1):

Referring to this tradition disbelievers in the Finality of Prophethood argue that the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) called his mosque (Masjid) `the last mosque' despite the fact that it is not the last mosque, as countless other mosques have been built after it all over the world. Similarly when the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) observed: `I am the last Prophet,' it did not mean that the line of prophets had ended, but that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was the last as regards his excellence amongst the Prophets of God and Mosque was the last one in the same sense.

Such foolish reasoning is an irrefutable proof of the fact that these people have lost the faculty of perceiving the true meaning of the words of God and those of His Prophet (Peace be upon him). Even a cursory glance through the whole chain of traditions in the context of which this particular tradition has been recorded makes true import of the words of the Holy prophet clear to any man. In this context the various traditions which Imam Muslim has recorded on the authority of Hadrat Abu Huraira, Hadrat `Abdullah bin `Umar and the mother of the Faithful Hadrat Maimuna narrate that there are only three mosques in the world to which the greatest sanctity is attached, and these are sacred above all other mosques. Worship in these mosques is rewarded with thousand fold blessings in comparisons to offering prayers in other mosques. It is because of this reason that it has been declared lawful to undertake a journey to these mosques to offer prayers therein. No other mosque, save these three, can claim such sanctity that a person should make a journey to offer worship there leaving all other mosques. Among the three mosques which bear the greatest sanctity in Islam, the first one is `Masjid Al-Haram' which was built by Hadrat Abraham (peace be upon him); the second one is the`Masjid al-Aqsa' which was erected by Hadrat Sulaiman (peace be upon him); and the third mosque is `Masjid-i-Nabawi' in the Holy city of Medina which was founded by the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him).

The observation of the Holy Prophet in regard to `the last mosque' should be viewed in this context. The words of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) meant that no Prophet would come after him, hence there would be no fourth mosque after the last Masjid-i-Nabawi(a mosque of the last Prophet). It follows, therefore, that no other mosque should bear such sanctity, that worship in it should be rewarded with more blessings in comparison with worship in other mosques and further there shall be no fourth mosque towards which it is lawful or even desirable for people to make a journey in order to offer prayers.

Footnote (2):

In contrast to the observations of the Holy Prophet the deniers of the Finality of Prophethood quote the following words ascribed to Hadrat ‘Aisha: “Say, indeed, that the Holy Prophet is the Final Apostle of God: but say not that no Prophet will come after him”. In the first place it is an audacity to quote the words of Hadrat `Aisha for contradicting the explicit command of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him). Moreover the very words attributed to Hadrat `Aisha are not authentic. No authoritative work on Hadith contains this observation of Hadrat `Aisha nor any notable compiler of traditions has recorded or referred to it.

This tradition is derived from a commentary entitled Durr-i-Manthur and a compilation of Hadith Known as Takmilah Majma-ul- Bihar, but its source and credentials are unknown. It is the height of audacity to put forward a statement of a lady companion in order to contradict the explicit observations of the Holy Prophet which the eminent traditionists have transmitted on the most authentic chains of transmission.