How Many Prophets & Messengers?
Finality of Prophethood For centuries, prophets continued to come in every nation but this process has now terminated forever. It began with Adam (sws) until the time came when in one branch of the descendants of Abraham (sws), the Ishmaelites, the Prophet Muhammad (sws) arrived and the Qur’ān declared that he was the final prophet and after him there would be no prophet or messenger. Although this was evident from the predictions of various prophets but it was mentioned in the Qur’ān at the instance when the Almighty asked the Prophet (sws) to marry the divorced wife of Zayd Ibn Hārithah (rta). This directive was given to reform an evil custom of the jāhiliyyah period regarding adopted children. Consequently, it was said that since he is the last prophet, it is essential that this evil custom be set right through him. Had there been another prophet after him, the Almighty could possibly have delayed this matter. Since this was not to be the case, the Prophet Muhammad (sws) would have to fulfill this responsibility: مَا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمْ وَلَكِن رَّسُولَ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا (٤٠:٣٣) Muhammad is the father of no man among you but he is the prophet of God and the seal of the prophets and God has knowledge of all things. (33:40) One expression used in this verse is خَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ (khātam al-nabiyyīn). The word خَاتَمَ (khātam) in Arabic means “a seal”. A seal is used to seal something or to testify to something. In this verse, the Prophet Muhammad (sws) has been regarded as the seal of the prophets. The context and occasion in which this word occurs here shows that it is used in the first meaning referred to above and the meaning of the verse is that through Prophet Muhammad (sws) the institution of prophet was sealed. There is now no possibility of the advent of any further prophet or messenger. However, if someone insists that the word has been used in the second meaning above and if for the sake of discussion we accept this view, then too the result would be no different. In this case, the verse would mean that without his testimony no one’s prophethood can be accepted. No doubt that we profess faith in prophets prior to Muhammad (sws) because of his own testimony about them and this is also a reality that he has neither foretold the advent of any prophet after him nor made such a testimony. In fact, he has repeatedly declared in clear and explicit words that he himself is the last of the prophets. Furthermore, he has also made it clear that not only the rank and position of prophethood has been terminated its essence has also been terminated. Thus no possibility remains for a person to receive divine revelations or visions or to converse and come in contact with God. After the termination of the institution of prophethood, all these things have ended too. Following are the sayings of the Prophet (sws) in this regard: I كانت بنو إسرائيل تسوسهم الأنبياء كلما هلك نبي خلفه نبي وإنه لا نبي بعدي وسيكون خلفاء Leaders of the Israelites were their prophets. When one prophet would pass away, another would succeed him. But there will be no prophet after me; there will only be successors . [1] II مثلي ومثل الأنبياء من قبلي كمثل رجل بنى بيتا فأحسنه وأجمله إلا موضع لبنة من زاوية فجعل الناس يطوفون به ويعجبون له ويقولون هلا وضعت هذه اللبنة قال فأنا اللبنة وأنا خاتم النبيين I and the prophets before me can be likened to a person who constructed a beautiful building but in a corner there was a gap for a brick. People would roam around this building and express their wonder on it and would ask: “Why was this brick not placed [there].” He said: “I am that brick and I am the seal of the prophets.” [2] III لم يبق من النبوة إلا المبشرات قالوا وما المبشرات قال الرؤيا الصالحة “Nothing remains of prophethood except for things which give glad tidings.” They asked: “What are these?” He replied: “Good dreams.” [3] (Translated from Ghamidi’s Mīzān by Shehzad Saleem) ___________________________________ 1. Bukhārī, No: 3455. 2. Bukhārī, No: 3525. 3. Bukhārī, No: 6990.