Clarification about Khatam an-Nubuwwah
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
الصلوة والسلام على اشرف الانبياء والمرسلين
نبينا محمد وعلى آله واهل بيته اجمعين
This is
a clarification about my personal belief regarding Khatam an-Nubuwwah (Finality
of Prophethood) which I have felt the necessity of writing due to repeated
questions on the subject which I have been on the receiving end of.
Let the
respected reader take note of the following fundamental points of my Aqeedah:
·
By Prophet
Muhammad (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) I am referring to the same beloved
Muhammad son of Abdullaah and Bibi Aaminah who was born in 6th
century Arabia in the city of Mecca and who lies buried in the pure and noble
tomb in the City of Light (Medina)
·
The
Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) is Insaan al-Kaamil (the
most perfect human being), he possesses the greatest excellence among all of
the Prophets and is the most superior creation of Allaah.
·
The
Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) is Ma’soom ‘anil-Khataa’
(Innocent and protected from error) with regard to conveying to us through his
person, words, actions and behavior the Deen of Allah. He never committed any
sin or disobedience to Allah. He was perfect and excellent in every respect and
is the pinnacle and climax of human perfection and the supreme example of one
who worships Allah. In other words, there can be no possibility of someone
worshiping Allah in a more excellent and superior way than the person of Prophet
Muhammad (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam).
·
The
Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) is the greatest Imaam in the
Deen. It is binding upon all human beings to follow him and obey him until
Judgment Day. Obedience to the Prophet is synonymous with obedience to Allah
Himself. To obey anyone’s command over and above the command of the Prophet
(Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) is Kufr (infidelity). In other words, to
take anyone as an Imam or object of emulation and obedience over and above
Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) makes a person outside the
circle of Islam.
·
The Shari’ah
(code of laws) that was brought by Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu ‘alayhi
wasallam) which are derived from the Holy Qur’an and his Sunnah is the final,
complete and perfect Law which is binding upon all humanity to accept and
adhere to until Judgment Day (end of the world). No other Shari’ah or canon of
law can abrogate even a single letter from the Shari’ah of Muhammad. Anyone who
claims to bring a new Shari’ah or follows a Shari’ah other than the Shari’ah of
Muhammad is a Kaafir (unbeliever) and is outside the circle of Islam.
So
these are five very important fundamentals of my Aqeedah which there can be no
question about. All Muslims of Ahlus Sunnati wal Jama’ah are also agreed
upon these fundamentals which are related to the issue of Khatam an-Nubuwwah.
Now let
us move on the heart of the matter, which is the Prophet Muhammad being the
last and final Prophet.
My
belief is that Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) is indeed the
last and final Prophet of Allah both chronologically (in relation to
passage of linear time) as well as with respect to excellence and virtue. The
latter clause (“with respect to excellence and virtue”) requires a little bit
of elaboration for an average layman.
What it
means is that Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) is that Prophet in
whose Dhaat (Personality/Essence) all excellences, beauties, and virtues
find their ultimate manifestation and maximum expression.
This
latter belief is in fact one of the meanings of him being Khaatam
an-Nabiyyeen (Seal of the Prophets). So he is the last Prophet from the
perspective of time and he is the last meaning after him there never was and
never will be anyone who reaches his level of perfection and status.
Aside
from being described as the Last of the Prophets in the Holy Qur’an (Surah
33:40), the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) is reported to have
said repeatedly that there is no Prophet after him. This is from absolutely
authentic and perhaps Mutawaatir Hadith. To reject this is also included
as being Kufr.
Anyone
who claimed to be a Prophet or Messenger of God after Prophet Muhammad
(Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) is a Kaafir, and among such false
claimants there was Musaylimah the Liar, Aswat al-Ansi, so called “Baha Ullah”
of Iran, Rashad Khalifa, and others. All of these individuals who claimed to be
a Nabi (Prophet) or Rasul (Messenger of God) were liars and unbelievers – may the
curse of Allah be upon them.
Now I
would also like to clarify that it is my belief that if a Muslim, who follows
the Shari’ah of Muhammad and who belongs to the Ummah of Muhammad, and follows
it very strictly and becomes so drowned in the love and obedience of Prophet
Muhammad (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) than Allah raises the status of such a Wali
(saint) and Saalih (pious person) that although he does not reach
the status of being a Prophet, but he comes to a station which is the highest
station after Nubuwwah.
Such a
person, as he becomes more pious and drowned in the love and obedience of
Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) begins to reflect some of the
Light and excellences of Nubuwwah. He becomes infused with some of the light of
Nubuwwah and begins to manifest some (partial) aspects, qualities and
characteristics of Nubuwwah and even (partially) some aspects, qualities and
characteristics of individual Prophets of the past, including Prophet Muhammad
(Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam).
In Sufi
terminology this is known as Fanaa’ fil-Rasul (Annhialation of oneself
into the person of the Messenger of Allah). What it means is that a Muslim, a
true Believer from the Ummah of Muhammad, acquires such a strong connection
with the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) due to such a high intensity and
level of obedience and worship of Allah and piety, that his own unique
personality begins to fade away. His own identity and personality is no longer
discernable because he he is manifesting so strongly and with such radiance and
power the personality of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam).
Thus,
such a person is reflecting the Nubuwwah of a true and real Prophet.
Such a person is not a Prophet in reality or independently of his own virtue
and person. Rather, he is an Ummati (a follower of the Prophet) but
having a much higher station than an ordinary Ummati in the realm of
excellence, virtue and piety. He is at the highest station of Wilayah
(sainthood) above which the only higher station is that of actual real
Nubuwwah.
Now
this station I am describing has been named with various names. It can be
called the station of Siddeeq as mentioned in the Holy Qur’an (Surah
4:69). All Muslims of Ahlus Sunnati wal Jama’ah are agreed that Abi Bakr (may
Allah be pleased with him) was blessed with attaining this particular high
status and was a Siddeeq.
However,
unlike actual real Nubuwwah, the station of Siddeeq has not been terminated,
sealed or ended until Judgment Day. The station of Siddeeq is attainable even
though it is quite rare that any Ummati has attained it.
This
station is also described as being that of the Muhaddath. In Islamic
terminology, based on the Hadith of the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) a
Muhaddath is that person who receives, quite frequently, divine inspiration
from Allah, and is conversant with Allah. He is blessed frequently with
receiving Wahi but that kind of Wahi which is particular to saintly
people, not the Wahi that is particular to Prophets. This type of Wahi may also
be described as being Ilhaam.
The
Muhaddath therefore receives inspirations and visions from Allah, quite
frequently, but he is not an actual Prophet, nor does he receive any Shari’ah
or new laws which abrogate the laws brought by the Prophet. Rather, the
Muhaddath is an Ummati of the Prophet and is under his absolute obedience like
any other Ummati.
The
Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) confimed that his beloved companion ‘Umar
(may Allah be pleased with him) was a Muhaddath, and there is the possibility
that other Muhaddaths can come from within the Ummah.
Now in
Sufi terminology these people who are blessed with this particular status may
also be described as being a Nabi (Prophet) not literally but figuratively,
metaphorically, and by way of reflection. And please remember that the Sufi
terminology should not be confused with the Shari’ (Shari’a-based) terminology.
In the Shari’ terminology, as I have explained, this status is named Siddeeq,
Muhaddath, and possibily Mujaddid (promised reformer), Mahdi (guided by Allah),
Wali (saint), and perhaps other names, but never as Nabi (Prophet).
But in
Sufi terminology, which is highly figurative, expressive and metaphorical, a
person attaining this status through Fana fil-Rasul can in a very limited
sense, and only occassionally not frequently, be named as a Prophet. Now if the
Sufi terminology causes confusion and leads to a wrong idea and conclusion it
should definitely be avoided, or explained in a proper way if that is possible.
The
best analogy I can think of is that of the sun and moon.
The sun
is a glorious sphere that generates light from its own essence. It is an
independent source of light.
The
moon, by contrast, is a much smaller sphere of rock that does not generate any
light from its own essence.
However,
the barren surface of the moon reflects the light of the sun like a mirror, and
at times that light becomes visible to us on Earth during the night when the
Sun itself is absent from our field of vision. The moon is reflecting the light
of the Sun. It is the Sun’s own light and not the moon. The moon itself cannot
generate any light. But the moon, so to speak, loses its own personality and
identity and reflects so beautifully the Sun’s own light that one can describe
the moon as being the Sun for us while it is night.
Thus
metaphorically the moon has been described as being the Sun, even though in
reality the moon is a distinct essence from the sun, but due to it reflecting
the sun’s light it is metaphorically described as being a second sun.
So to
summarize, my belief is that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the
last in final Prophet and there will be no Prophet after him. However, from
among his Ummah there is the possibility that some individuals, due to being
drowned in his love and obedience begin to reflect his personality and their
own personalities begin to fade so that they themselves are no longer visible
but only the light of Nubuwwah which they are manifesting and reflecting. They
are acting as mirrors to reflect the light of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him) in eras and lands that are far removed from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him) spatially and temporally. They are not prophets in an independent or
real sense, but they are only described as being prophets (according to a Sufi
terminology) in a purely metaphorical and figurative expression.
Rather
than detracting from the Finality and Perfection of Prophet
Muhammad (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam), the existence of such individuals from
his Ummah who attain this status through obedience and love of him is in fact a
manifestation and proof of his grandeur and excellence. Rather than detracting
from his light, it is magnifying it (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam)!
The
Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) is reported to have said:
لَا نُبُوَّةَ بَعْدِي إِلَّا الْمُبَشِّرَاتِ
" قَالَ : قِيلَ : وَمَا الْمُبَشِّرَاتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ؟ قَالَ :
" الرُّؤْيَا الْحَسَنَةُ " ، أَوْ قَالَ : " الرُّؤْيَا الصَّالِحَةُ
Translation:
There is no Nubuwwah (Prophethood) after me except al-Mubashshiraat.
Someone
asked “What is al-Mubashshiraat, O Messenger of Allah?”
He
said: Good visions. Or he said: Pious visions.
Reference:
Musnad of Imam Ahmad
According
to this Hadith, the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) has said that all of
Nubuwwah has ceased except for a specific type of Nubuwwah, which is called
al-Mubashshiraat.
This
al-Mubashshiraat is a partial manifestation of Nubuwwah, which consists of
forty-some parts.
Therefore,
an individual Muslim of the Ummah who is blessed with receiving this
al-Mubashshiraat and who is frequently receiving such true Visions from Allah
is manifesting a type of Nubuwwah and – in accordance to Sufi terminology – can
be called a Nabi (Prophet) in a metaphorical, figurative sense but in reality
is not a real Nabi only reflecting the Nubuwwah of Muhammad (Sallallahu ‘alayhi
wasallam) and infused with a partial Nubuwwah (a single aspect of Nubuwwah) and
not the complete characteristics and blessings of Nubuwwah which is impossible
to attain after Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam).
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