Thursday 22 October 2015

Deobandi Qari Tayyab: Different Interpretation of Khatam-an-Nabuwwah

The major Deobandi mulla and director of Darul Ulum Deoband, Qari Muhammad Tayyab Qasmi (1897-1983), explained in his book Aftab-i-Nabuwwat [lit. The Sun of Prophecy] the true reality and significance of the term Khatam-an-Nabuwwah [Seal of Prophecy]. It is ironic that the Deobandis claim to be the champions of Tahaffuz-i-Khatm-i-Nabuwwat yet, as we have repeatedly demonstrated, their most senior Ulama have interpreted and understood the reality of Khatam-an-Nabuwwah similar to how the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam interprets and understands it.

Qari Tayyab writes:

یہی شان کسی وصف کے خاتم کی ہوتی ہے کہ وہ وصف اسی سے چلے اور اسی پر لوٹ ائے۔ وہی فاتح ہو اور وہی خاتم ہو، وہی اس وصف کا مبدا ہو اور وہی منتہاء ہو، وہی اوّل ہو اور وہی آخر ہو۔ اس لئے اب ہم سورج کو محض نورانی نہیں کہیں گے بلکہ نور بخش اور نور آفریں کہیں گے اور محض صاحب انوار نہیں کہیں گے بلکہ خاتم الانوار کہیں گے۔ جبکہ سب ستاروں کو نور اس سے ملتا ہے اور اوس نوری حرکت میں پھرای کی طرف عود کرآتا ہے، پس سورج کی یہ خاتمیت انوار ہی در حقیقت اس کے سارے کمالت کا ممتاز عنوان ہوگا

Translation: And this is the status of the description of Khaatam, this attribute comes from it and returns to it. He is the Faateh (meaning first) and the Khaatam, the first one (having this attribute) and the last one. This is why we will not say that the sun is only luminous, rather it is Nur Bakshi(meanin g it provides light)…we will not only say it is possessor of light but Khatam ul Anwar, as the light of all stars come from it, and in this movement of light, it goes back to it. So being Khatam ul Anwar will be the most distinguished of its qualities, and this can properly describe its particularity


*Note: Before proceeding further with the quote of Qari Tayyab, let us pause here and understand what the Deobandi mulla is trying to say. He is explaining the significance of Khatam-i-Nabuwwat by giving the analogy of the sun. Qari Tayyab says that the Sun is not only Saahib-i-Anwaar (a thing giving light or luminous) but rather it is Khaatam al-Anwaar (the Seal of Lights) because through it all the other stars attain their light (by way of reflection). Please note, while the Deobandi mulla is extremely ignorant of basic astronomy, unaware that the stars are each independent sources of light and do not reflect the light of the sun, but perhaps the analogy can be accepted in a limited sense as the moon and other planets of our solar system which appear in our sky as glimmering lights are indeed reflecting the light of the sun.

Qari Tayyab continues by saying:

ٹھیک اسی طرح آفتاب نبوت (جناب رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) کی شان صرف نبی ہونا نہیں کہ یہ شان قدر مشترک کے طور پر ہر نبی میں موجود ہے

بلکہ آپ کا اصل امتیازی وصف یہ ہے کہ آپ نور نبوت میں سب انبیاء کے مربی ان کے حق میں مصدر فیض اور ان کے انوارکمال کی اصل ہیں۔ اس لئے اصل میں نبی آپ ہیں اور دوسرے انبیاء علیہم السلام اصل میں نہیں، بلکہ آپ کے فیض سے نبی ہوئے ہیں۔

Translation: In the same way, the status of the sun of Prophethood (the noble Messenger of AllahSAW) is not only being a Prophet, this quality is common among all Prophets...

So his real particular quality is that in matters of prophetic light, he is the Murabbi of all Prophets, and the Masdar of Faydh (centre of emanation) for them, and the origin of their excellent lights. This is why he is a Prophet in real, and the other Prophets (peace be upon them) are not (Prophets) in real but became Prophets from his Faydh (emanation).

*Note: Let us again pause at this juncture and consider what Qari Tayyab has said. It becomes clear from this quote that Qari Tayyab is comparing the status of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho alaihi wasallam) of being the Seal of the Prophets with the Sun as being the Seal of Lights, in the sense that the moon and planets as twinkling stars in our sky are actually reflections of the sun's own light, similarly, all of the other Prophets are not Prophets in an original or real sense, but are Prophets in the sense of having received their respective Prophethoods from the light of spiritual emanation of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho alaihi wasallam).


Finally, in getting to the heart of the matter, Qari Tayyab writes:

تو حضور کی شان محض نبوت ہی نہیں نکلتی بلکہ نبوت بخشی بھی نکلتی ہے کہ جو بھی نبوت کی استعداد پایا ہوا فرد آپ کے سامنے آگیا نبی ہوگیا اور اس طرح نور نبوت آپ ہی سےچلا اور آپ ہی پر لوٹ کرختم ہوگیا اور یہی شان خاتم کی ہوتی ہے

Translation: the status of Huzur is not only being a Prophet, but also Nubuwat Bakhshi (meaning he provides Prophethood), every person who is ready for Prophethood and comes in front of him will become a Prophet. In the same manner, the light of Prophethood started from him and will return to him, and this is the description of Khatam…”

اس لئے ہی آپ کو وصف نبوت کے لحاظ سے صرف نبی ہی نہیں کہیں گےبلکہ خاتم النبیین کہیں گے کہ آپ ہی پر تمام انوار نبوت کی انتہا ہے جس سے آپ منتہائے نبوت ہیں۔

Translation: For this reason, we do not simply call him (Prophet Muhammad Sallallaho alaihi wasallam) as a Prophet but he is called Khaatam an-Nabiyyeen that all of the lights of Prophethood find their ultimate manifestation in him, making him the pinnacle of Prophethood.

*Note: These quotes of Qari Tayyab describing in detail the reality of Khatam-an-Nabuwwah leave no room for misgiving that Qari Tayyab does not subscribe to the plain and simple traditionalist understanding that the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho alaihi wasallam) being the Seal of Prophets signifies that he is the last Prophet to come in a chronological sense, and absolutely no Prophet of any description or sense whatsoever can come after him. Rather, Qari Tayyab has given a more nuanced and deeper interpretation of Khatam-an-Nabuwwah as signifying the fact that the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho alaihi wasallam) is the Prophet in whose essence/person the spiritual Lights and excellences of Prophecy have reached their climax and completion, and all other prophets (including any future prophet) receives his prophethood from the Prophet Muhammad's Faid (emanation) just like the moon, stars, planets, etc., receive their light from the glorious sun.

Reference: Aftab-i-Nabuwwat; p.80-82



 
 

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