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#11 – The Finality of Prophethood
Oct 18, 2021 – Oct 24, 2021
Rabi ul-Awwal 12, 1443 – Rabi ul-Awwal 18, 1443

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The Finality of Prophethood

What have Allah and His Messenger said about

The Finality of Prophethood

مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَآ أَحَدٍ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمْ وَلَـٰكِن رَّسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمًا
Muḥammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and seal [i.e., last] of the prophets. And ever is Allah, of all things, Knowing.

Surah Ali ‘Ahzab (33) – Verse 40
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ إِنَّ مَثَلِي وَمَثَلَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ مِنْ قَبْلِي كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ بَنَى بَيْتًا فَأَحْسَنَهُ وَأَجْمَلَهُ، إِلاَّ مَوْضِعَ لَبِنَةٍ مِنْ زَاوِيَةٍ، فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَطُوفُونَ بِهِ وَيَعْجَبُونَ لَهُ، وَيَقُولُونَ هَلاَّ وُضِعَتْ هَذِهِ اللَّبِنَةُ قَالَ فَأَنَا اللَّبِنَةُ، وَأَنَا خَاتِمُ النَّبِيِّينَ ‏”‏‏.‏
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said,

“My similitude in comparison with the other prophets before me, is that of a man who has built a house nicely and beautifully, except for a place of one brick in a corner. The people go about it and wonder at its beauty, but say: ‘Would that this brick be put in its place!’ So I am that brick, and I am the last of the Prophets.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 3535
قَالَ قَاعَدْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ خَمْسَ سِنِينَ، فَسَمِعْتُهُ يُحَدِّثُ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ كَانَتْ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ تَسُوسُهُمُ الأَنْبِيَاءُ، كُلَّمَا هَلَكَ نَبِيٌّ خَلَفَهُ نَبِيٌّ، وَإِنَّهُ لاَ نَبِيَّ بَعْدِي، وَسَيَكُونُ خُلَفَاءُ فَيَكْثُرُونَ‏.‏ قَالُوا فَمَا تَأْمُرُنَا قَالَ فُوا بِبَيْعَةِ الأَوَّلِ فَالأَوَّلِ، أَعْطُوهُمْ حَقَّهُمْ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سَائِلُهُمْ عَمَّا اسْتَرْعَاهُمْ ‏
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

“The Israelis used to be ruled and guided by prophets: Whenever a prophet died, another would take over his place. There will be no prophet after me, but there will be Caliphs who will increase in number.” The people asked, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! What do you order us (to do)?” He said, “Obey the one who will be given the pledge of allegiance first. Fulfil their (i.e. the Caliphs) rights, for Allah will ask them about (any shortcoming) in ruling those Allah has put under their guardianship.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 3455
Finality of Prophethood

The Holy Prophet (SAW) was the last of the prophets who has sealed and thus terminated prophethood, and that no other prophet is to be appointed after him and every claimant to prophethood is a liar and an infidel are well-settled issues on which there has been complete unanimity and consensus right from the days of the noble companions (RA) upto the date.


The Decent of Prophet Isa (AS) Does Not Negate Prophet (SAW) as The Final Messenger

The Holy Prophet (SAW) being the last prophet means that nobody would be appointed as a prophet after him; it does not imply that somebody who was appointed a prophet earlier would be dismissed from his prophethood or that such a prophet would not be able to return to this world. But, of course, the prophet who returns to this world for the reformation of the Ummah of the Holy Prophet (SAW) while maintaining his prophethood, would carry out the reforms in the Ummah in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Prophet (SAW) as clarified in authentic ahadith.

Imam Ibn Kathir, in explanation of this verse, has said:
“The Holy Prophet being the last of the prophets means that the office of prophethood stands terminated after him. No one would get this office after him. But it does not have any effect on the fact of the descent and reappearance of Sayyidna ‘Isa (AS) in the last days on which there is a consensus of the whole Ummah and which is proved by a large number of ahadith that are almost mutawatir and by the Qur’an itself according to some interpretations, because he had been given prophethood before the Holy Prophet
The Palace of Prophethood

In the above hadith the gist of this eloquent simile is that prophethood is like a grand palace composed of Prophets. This grand palace was complete in all respects before the Holy Prophet (SAW) except for the placement of one brick. The Holy Prophet(SAW) completed this grand palace by filling up that vacant space for one brick. Now there is no more space for any prophet or messenger. Even if it is supposed that there are other kinds of prophets and messengers, there is just no more space for them in the palace of prophethood.

After Prophethood

The above Hadith has made it clear that there would be no prophet after the Holy Prophet (SAW) and the education and instruction of the Ummah would be carried out by his Khulafa. The Holy Prophet (SAW) has explicitly and clearly told us that there is no prophethood of any kind after him, otherwise, he would have mentioned it in this Hadith where he has mentioned Khulafaa.

[Mufti Muhammad Shafi’s Uthmani, Mariful Qur’an]

Spiritual Reminders

The Intercession of Prophet (SAW)
Narrated Anas: The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

“The believers will be kept (waiting) on the Day of Resurrection so long that they will become worried and say, “Let us ask somebody to intercede far us with our Lord so that He may relieve us from our place.
Then they will go to Adam and say, ‘You are Adam, the father of the people. Allah created you with His Own Hand and made you reside in His Paradise and ordered His angels to prostrate before you, and taught you the names of all things will you intercede for us with your Lord so that He may relieve us from this place of ours? Adam will say, ‘I am not fit for this undertaking.’ He will mention his mistakes he had committed, i.e., his eating off the tree though he had been forbidden to do so. He will add, ‘Go to Noah, the first prophet sent by Allah to the people of the Earth.’ The people will go to Noah who will say, ‘I am not fit for this undertaking’ He will mention his mistake which he had done, i.e., his asking his Lord without knowledge.’ He will say (to them), ‘Go to Ibraham, Khalil Ar-Rahman.’ They will go to Ibraham who will say, ‘I am not fit for this undertaking. He would mention three words by which he told a lie, and say (to them). ‘Go to Moses, a slave whom Allah gave the Torah and spoke to, directly and brought near Him, for conversation.’

They will go to Musa who will say, ‘I am not fit for this undertaking. He will mention his mistake he made, i.e., killing a person, and will say (to them), ‘Go to Jesus, Allah’s slave and His Apostle, and a soul created by Him and His Word.’ (Be: And it was.) They will go to ‘Isa who will say, ‘I am not fit for this undertaking but you’d better go to Muhammad the slave whose past and future sins have been forgiven by Allah.’ So they will come to me, and I will ask my Lord’s permission to enter His House and then I will be permitted. When I see Him I will fall down in prostration before Him, and He will leave me (in prostration) as long as He will, and then He will say, ‘O Muhammad, lift up your head and speak, for you will be listened to, and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted, and ask (for anything) for it will be granted:’ Then I will raise my head and glorify my Lord with certain praises which He has taught me. Allah will put a limit for me (to intercede for a certain type of people) I will take them out and make them enter Paradise.” (Qatada said: I heard Anas saying that), the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “I will go out and take them out of Hell (Fire) and let them enter Paradise, and then I will return and ask my Lord for permission to enter His House and I will be permitted.
When I will see Him I will fall down in prostration before Him and He will leave me in prostration as long as He will let me (in that state), and then He will say, ‘O Muhammad, raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to, and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted, and ask, your request will be granted.’ ” The Prophet (ﷺ) added, “So I will raise my head and glorify and praise Him as He has taught me. Then I will intercede and He will put a limit for me (to intercede for a certain type of people). I will take them out and let them enter Paradise.” (Qatada added: I heard Anas saying that) the Prophet said, ‘I will go out and take them out of Hell (Fire) and let them enter Paradise, and I will return for the third time and will ask my Lord for permission to enter His house, and I will be allowed to enter.

When I see Him, I will fall down in prostration before Him, and will remain in prostration as long as He will, and then He will say, ‘Raise your head, O Muhammad, and speak, for you will be listened to, and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted, and ask, for your request will be granted.’ So I will raise my head and praise Allah as He has taught me and then I will intercede and He will put a limit for me (to intercede for a certain type of people). I will take them out and let them enter Paradise.” (Qatada said: I heard Anas saying that) the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “So I will go out and take them out of Hell (Fire) and let them enter Paradise, till none will remain in the Fire except those whom Quran will imprison (i.e., those who are destined for eternal life in the fire).” The narrator then recited the Verse:– “It may be that your Lord will raise you to a Station of Praise and Glory.’ (17.79) The narrator added: This is the Station of Praise and Glory which Allah has promised to your Prophet.

YOUR WEEKLY DOSE OF

Sirah

A Mercy to Mankind
The sahaba had a lot of love and reverence for the prophet (SAW). It also makes sense for us to know how much love he had for us. When the prophet (SAW) went to Ta’if just to invite them to the message of Allah (SWT), they responded in a very rough and crude way. Not only did they reject the message of the prophet (SAW), they then sent children after them to hit him with sticks and throw stones at him. They continued to pelt him with stones until he started bleeding. He bled so much that the blood accumulated in the soles of his shoes, and his shoes became stuck to his feet. While this was happening, he was wiping the blood and trying to make sure it did not fall on the ground. He did this because when the blood of a prophet is spilled, nothing can stop the people who hurt the prophet can stop the wrath of Allah (SWT).

When the angels came to offer the prophet (SAW) revenge, the prophet (SAW) refused. He said, “If these people do not believe right now, I hope that Allah (SWT) will produce such people in their children and their future generations who will accept the message of Allah (SWT). These same people caused a lot of trouble for the prophet (SAW) in the coming years. The sahaba came to the prophet (SAW), saying, “The people of Thaqif have tortured and punished us. Make du’a that Allah (SWT) may destroy them.” The prophet (SAW) simply raised his hands and said, “O Allah, give them guidance.”

[From a Lecture Delivered by Mufti Aasim Rashid]

The Importance of The Sunnah

Sunnah Acts

The Prophet (SAW)’s Love for Us
Once, Aisha (RA) requested the prophet (SAW) to make some special du’a for her. The prophet (SAW) made du’a, saying, “O Allah, forgive all the past and future mistakes of Aisha and whatever mistakes she may have made secretly or openly.” Aisha (RA) was so overjoyed that her head dropped into her lap, and when the prophet (SAW) saw her, he asked, “Did it make you happy that I made a du’a like this?” She said, “Absolutely. You have made such a powerful du’a.” The prophet (SAW) said, “I make this same du’a for my Ummah in every single du’a.”

The prophet (SAW) sacrificed and did so much for us that us Muslims have no other choice but to pour our hearts out for the prophet (SAW). Remember one thing; next time a teaching of deen is presented in front of us or a reminder, remember who it is coming from and who gave it to us. Ask yourself, “How much love do I have for this prophet?” Nothing else matters if you have the amount of love that you should have. Following your instructions becomes easy – staying away from that which he and Allah (SWT) disliked should be easy and staying away from sins becomes easy.

[From a Lecture Delivered by Mufti Aasim Rashid]

Adhkar/Dua

Salutations for the Prophet (SAW)
ٱللَّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَبَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ أَجْمَعِينَ وَعَلىٰ جَمِيعِ ٱلْمَلَائِكَةِ وَجَمِيعِ ٱلْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ وَٱلشُّهَدَاءِ وَٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ وَجَمِيعِ عِبَادِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلصَّالِحِينَ
ʾallāhumma ṣalli wa-sallim wa-bārik ʿalā muḥammadin wa-ʾalā ʾāli muḥammadin ʾajmaʿīna wa-ʿalā jamīʿi l-malāʾikati wa-jamīʿi l-ʾanbiyāʾi wa-l-mursalīna wa-š-šuhadāʾi wa-ṣ-ṣiddīqīna wa-jamīʿi ʿibādi -llāhi ṣ-ṣāliḥīna

O Allah, send blessings, peace and benedictions upon Muhammad and upon the Progeny of Muhammad all together, and upon all of the Angels, and [upon] all of the Prophets, Messengers, martyrs and truthful ones, and [upon] all of the righteous servants of Allah.
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