Cessation of Prophetic Revelation

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

لا اله الا الله محمد رسول الله

The unenlightened cessationists—those who believe all forms of divine communication and inspiration from Heaven have ceased after the Prophet Muhammadﷺ—cite the following narration as proof for their contention:

Umm Aiman رضى الله عنها said:

وَلَكِنْ أَبْكِي أَنَّ الْوَحْىَ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ

Rather I weep because the Wahi from Heaven has ceased (Sahih Muslim)

It is especially noteworthy that the cessation of the Wahi or the divine revelation was a cause for sadness and not joy among the Prophet’s Companions رضى الله عنهم. When Umm Aiman رضى الله عنها explained the reason for her weeping to sayyidina Abi Bakr and sayyidina Umar رضى الله عنهما they too broke down and began to weep along with her. This is in stark contrast to the celebratory and boastful attitude of the so-called khatm an-Nubuwwah movement and other cessationists who considers the cessation of divine revelation and Prophesy to be a cause for joy.

But the answer to this narration is that the word Wahi appears with the definite article making it an identifiable or known noun as opposed to a general noun. In other words, Umm Aiman stated that the particular Wahi, meaning the Prophetic Revelation that used to come down upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is what has ceased and not necessarily divine revelation in general. Similarly there is another narration of sayyidina Umar al-Faruq رضى الله عنه in which he is quoted as saying:

إِنَّ أُنَاسًا كَانُوا يُؤْخَذُونَ بِالْوَحْىِ فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، وَإِنَّ الْوَحْىَ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ، وَإِنَّمَا نَأْخُذُكُمُ الآنَ بِمَا ظَهَرَ لَنَا مِنْ أَعْمَالِكُمْ

Verily, people were reckoned by the Wahi during the time of the Apostle of Allah, but the Wahi has now ceased. Therefore, we shall reckon you in accordance to that which is apparent from your deeds (Sahih al-Bukhari)

Here too the word Wahi appears with the definite article making it particular as an identifiable noun and not a reference to divine revelation in general.

Non-prophetic revelation continues, but to avoid confusion it is generally termed Ilham and not Wahi although linguistically they may at times be synonymous.

The Prophet’s first successor, Abu Bakr رضى الله عنه was certainly among those of this Ummah who experienced such divine inspiration despite technically not be a Prophet. He would also receive glad tidings through such divine inspiration. He disclosed to his daughter, our mother A’ishah سلام الله عليها that soon a sister would be born to her:

ذُو بَطْنِ بِنْتِ خَارِجَةَ أُرَاهَا جَارِيَةً

That which is in the womb of the daughter of Kharijah. I see that it is a girl (Muwatta of Imam Malik)

Shortly after sayyidina Abi Bakr رضى الله عنه passed away a daughter was born through his wife Habibah bint Kharijah who was named Umm Kulthum.