The Observations of the Holy Prophet About the Finality of Prophethood

The meaning of the word Khatam that emerges out of the context of the Holy Qur'an and which is the same as given in all lexicons of the Arabic language is also affirmed by the observations of the Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him). We quote some authentic traditions to illustrate the case in point:

• The Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) observed: "The tribe of Israel was guided by prophets. When a prophet passed away, another prophet succeeded him. But no prophet will come after me; only caliphs will succeed me." (Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Manaqib).

• The Prophet of God (Peace and blessings be upon him) 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 other words, with the advent of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him) the edifice of Prophethood has been completed and there is no empty niche in this edifice to provide room for another prophet.)

Four traditions relating to this subject are recorded, in Muslim, Kitab-ul-Fada'il, Bab-ul-Khatimin-Nabiyyin. The latter tradition contains the following additional sentence. "So I came and in me the line of Prophets has ended."

The very same tradition in similar words has been reported in Tirmidhi, Kitab-ul-Manaqib, Bab-Fadlin Nabi and Kitab-Adab, Bab-ul-Amthal. In Musnad Abu Dawud Tayalisi this tradition has been incorporated among other traditions reported by Jabir bin Abdullah; and its last sentence reads, "It is in me that line of Prophets came to its final end."

Musnad Ahmad contains traditions reported by Ubayyi bin Ka'b, Abu Sa'id Khudri and Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with them) on the same subject with a slight variation of words here and there.

• The Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) observed: "God has bestowed upon me six favors which the former Prophets did not enjoy:

(i)       I have been endowed with the gift of pithy and perfect speech.

(ii)      I was granted victory owing to my awe.

(iii)     The spoils of war were made lawful unto me.

(iv)   The whole earth has been made the place of worship for me and it has become the means of purification for me also. In other words in my religion, offering of prayers is not confined to certain specified places of worship. Prayers can be offered at any place over the earth. And in case water is not available it is lawful for my people to perform ablutions with earth (Tayammum) and to cleanse themselves with the soil if water for bathing is scarce.

(v)      I have been sent by Allah to carry His Divine message to the whole world.

(vi)      And the line of prophets has come to its final end in me.

• The Prophet of Allah (Peace and blessings be upon him) affirmed: "The chain of Messengers and Prophets has come to an end. There shall be no Messenger nor Prophet after me." (Reported by Tirmidhi, Kitab-ur-Rouya Babu Zahab-un- Nubuwwa, Musnad Ahmad, Marwiyat-Anas bin Malik)

• The Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) observed: "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. (In other words Doom is my only successor.) And I am the last in the sense that no prophet shall succeed me." (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim, Kitab-ul-Fada'il, Bab: Asmaun-Nabi; Tirmidhi, Kitab-ul- Adab, Bab: Asma-un-Nabi; Muatta', Kitab-u-Asma in-Nabi, Al- Mustadrak Hakim, Kitab-ut-Tarikh, Bab: Asma-un-Nabi.)

• The Prophet of God (Peace and blessings be upon him) observed: "God Almighty hath sent unto the world no apostle who did not warn his people about the appearance of Dajjal ( Anti-Christ, but Dajjal did not appear in their time). I am the last in the line of Prophets and ye are the last community of believers. Without doubt,then, Dajjal shall appear from amongst ye". (Reported by Ibn Majah, Kitabul-fitan, bab: Dajjal).

• 'Abdur Rahman bin Jubair reported: "I heard Abdullah bin 'Amr ibn-'As narrating that one day the Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) came out of his house and joined our company. His manner gave us the impression as if he were leaving us.' He said, 'I am Muhammad, the unlettered prophet of Allah' and repeated this statement three times. Then he affirmed: "There will be no prophet after me'." (Musnad Ahmad, Marwiyat'Abdullah bin Amr ibn'-As.)

• The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Allah will send no Apostle after me, but only Mubashshirat. It was said: what is meant by al-Mubashshirat. He said: Good vision or pious vision". (Musnad Ahmad, Marwiyat Abu Tufail, Nasa'i, Abu Dawud) (In other words there is no possibility of Divine revelation in future. At the most if someone receives an inspiration from Allah he will receive it in the form of "pious dream."

• The Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If an Apostle were to succeed me, it would have been 'Umar bin Khattab." (Reported by Tirmidhi,Kitab-ul- Manaqib)

• The Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) told   'Ali, "You are related to me as Aaron was related to Moses (peace be upon him). But no Apostle will come after me." (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim, Kitab Fada'il as-Sahaba)

This tradition is recorded in Bukhari and Muslim in the account of the Battle of Tabuk also. Musnad records two traditions narrated by Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) on this subject. The last sentence in one of these traditions runs as follows: "Behold there is no prophethood after me."

Detailed accounts of the traditions incorporated in Abu Dawud Tayalisi, Imam Ahmad and Muhammad bin Ishaque report that on the eve of his departure for the battle of Tabuk, the holy Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) had resolved to leave 'Ali behind him in order to look after the defense and supervise the affairs of Medina. The hypocrites thereupon began to spread insinuations and rumours about 'Ali. 'Ali went to the Prophet and submitted: 'O Prophet of Allah, are you leaving me behind among women and children?' On this occasion in order to set his mind at peace the Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) observed: "You are related to me as was Aaron with Moses." In other words "as   Moses on the Mount Tur had left   Aaron behind to look after the tribe of Israel, so I (Muhammad) leave you behind to look after the defense of Medina." At the same time apprehending that this comparative allusion to   Aaron might later on give rise to heresies, the Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) immediately made it clear that "There will be no Prophet after me."

• Thauban reports: "The Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings 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   Thauban and   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."

• The Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings 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.

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

• The Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings 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)."[1][1] (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 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[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 and blessings be upon him) for the credentials of the Holy prophet (Peace and blessings 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 and blessings 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?