The Enduring Legacy of Prophet Muhammad

The Seal of Prophethood

In a Hadith recorded by Imam Bukhari and narrated by Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra), our Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) 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 Seal of the Prophets.”

There is no doubt that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the last brick, perfecting the house of Deen (religion). He was indeed the one who perfected the construction by his advent (coming), for it is through Him that Allah has given us our religion, the final religion and perfected it for us by naming it ISLAM.

The Mission of Prophets and Divine Elects


This brings us to the meaning of a prophet. By way of meaning, a prophet is someone who receives news from the Unseen, i.e. from Allah through the Ruh’il Quddus. He does not see the future, but is informed about important things which shall happen in the future by the will of Allah. He cannot predict any future event without getting revelations from Allah informing him about it beforehand. Therefore, a prophet is one to make prophecies by Allah’s permission and he receives revelations from Allah. ‘Naba’ means news, true news of great importance. In the Arabic terminology, it is not used for any other normal news, like newspapers and media etc. It is used exclusively for such news which is of great importance, especially in the realm (field) of spirituality. And thus, ‘Nabi’ (i.e. prophet) means such a person who is truth-speaking who receives truthful news of great value from Allah (swt) and who conveys it to the people. Therefore, a prophet can bring with the command of Allah, law-bearing news and non-law-bearing ones. It is an appellation to qualify such person who receives from Allah revelations amidst the common people of his era, and who can attain to the proximity of Allah for the salvation of the Deen (religion).

'The Khalifa of Islam': Of Titles and Tasks

10 Years of the official proclamation as "Khalifatullah" 

In a special lecture delivered on 27 May 2018, coinciding with the 10th Anniversary of his Divinely-inspired proclamation of 26 May 2008 as the Caliph of God-"Khalifatullah"- the foremost Islamic spiritual personality of this era Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius- Holy Founder of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam- gives an illuminating discourse on the system of the advent of the Spiritual Heirs of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) in every era of Islam, to rejuvenate the Faith and to be a practical exemplar of the Holy Tradition/ Islamic Practice in everyday life for the devout. 

The Islamic sacred tradition recognizes the devout savants of the Faith by conferring upon them grand titles: "Khalifa", "Imam", "Mujaddid", "Muhyi-ud-Din", "Sheikh-ul-Islam", "Hujjatul Islam", "Mahdi", "Massih","Ummati-Nabi", etc. Drawing on the Holy Prophet's teachings, and also keeping in view the additional explanations of the Promised Massih (as) in the previous era, Hadhrat Saheb (atba) in his discourse, succinctly summarizes the spiritual doctrine on the purpose of the advent of the Elects of God in every era. Moreover, Hadhrat Saheb (atba) reminds both his enemies and friends of the need to be critically aware of the "mistakes of the past" when peoples and communities have preferred the adulation of the powers that be and ignored perennial Divine teachings and thereby they let go of a precious heritage of sublime faith represented by the advent of a Divine servant among them. 

Alhamdulillah, the message is of immediate relevance to the Ahmadis of our times- in a context where their elected Khalifatul Massih Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad Saheb has been bereft of Divine illumination. Many devout Ahmadis are now seeking to engage with the larger question of Divine Guidance and revelations with the advent of a Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah in this era in the person of Hadhrat Munir Azim Saheb of Mauritius (atba), Soumma Alhamdulillah.

The Concept of 'Nabi' in Our Claims

Divine Revelations Today

Given the debate between the Ahmadi Muslims and Salafi Muslims as well as the other Muslim groups, I have decided today to devote my Friday Sermon on the subject of Nabuwwah (prophethood) and status of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as the “Khatam-an-Nabiyyine”.

Just like for the Promised Messiah of the past century, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), the revelations I have been bestowed upon as a divine grace contain the words Nabi and Rassool, not once but several times. Messenger can also mean prophet. I have been addressed as Rassool by my Beloved Creator several times. 

A "Nabi" after Prophet Muhammad ?

However, if we agree on the fact that the Holy Prophet Muhammad is the seal of the prophets, and that no other prophet could come after him in the world, I would say that of course, any old or new prophet cannot come in the sense that my opponents as well as those of the Promised Messiah (as) seem to believe; for verily while slandering and accusing the Muhammadan prophets of Kufr (disbelief/ infidelity), but ironically at the same time they expect a prophet of an ancient Ummah (Community) to revive the perfect Ummah of Muhammad (pbuh).

They await the return of Jesus Christ – Isa (as); that is to say, in other words, they believe in the continuity of the latter’s prophethood of the latter and in the divine revelations received by him for a period of forty years, a period longer than that enjoyed by the Holy Prophet (pbuh) himself, and so such a belief is clearly wrong as it is disavowed by the verse of the Holy Quran:

“... He is the Messenger of God and the Seal of the Prophets.” (Al-Ahzab, 33: 41)

And also by the following tradition: “... La Nabi Ba’adi” (No prophet after me). 

And I totally agree with the Holy Quran. This Quranic verse of the Holy Quran contains a great prophecy that has escaped the attention of my opponents. It means that after the death of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) no member of any religion other than Islam will receive the gift of prophethood and no man, be him Hindu, Jewish, Christian or so-called Muslim (Muslim in name only) cannot justifiably be called Nabi.

Blessings of "Nubuwwah" within the Ummah

The only approach to accede to this high position is the path of the Siddiqeen (Truthful) or those who lose themselves in the love of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). Whoever takes this path may get the privilege as a “Zill” to wear coat of prophethood, that is to say, by being a perfect reproduction of the spiritual image of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and loving the latter (pbuh) out of a sincere love, he is given to wear the mantle of prophethood of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) himself. A claimant of prophethood of this nature cannot be a rival of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) because he gets all his strengths and favours through him; and therefore the spiritual position that he reaches is only for the glorification of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh).

Moreover he is known in heaven as Muhammad and Ahmad at the same time. Thus the greatness of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is not reached by any other person (even not his Zill), while his Zill (spiritual double/ reflection) still owes him a debt of gratitude.

Khalifatul Massih V as "Ummati Nabi" ?

The Promised Messiah (as) received the status of Ummati Nabi (subordinate prophet) and of Khatam-ul-Khulafa (Seal of the Caliphs). It’s true that it is only in the Jamaat of Hazrat Massih Ma’ud (as) that Allah (swt) will raise subordinate (Ummati) prophets. How will we know how Allah (swt) shall choose this kind of subordinate prophet, His prophet?

It is of course, through DIVINE REVELATION and not through the tongues of man (i.e. elected by man) that this humble servant of Allah shall have to proclaim himself officially, affirming that Allah alone has raised him as Ummati Nabi and after his death, well-guided Khulafa shall take over his mission. But as it is Sunnat Allah (the way of Allah), whenever the situation deteriorates and the divine teachings are trampled to dust, and dynasties take over, definitely Allah will raise His very own Khalifa (without the help and election of any creature) in the same Jamaat of Hazrat Massih Ma’ud (as) and in the Ummah of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) as His prophet (an Ummati Nabi) and having the same titles and grades as the Promised Messiah (as) in that which he also shall be a Khatam-ul-khulafa, i.e. all other subordinate prophets after him shall be from his own Jamaat and identity.

Indeed years and years have gone by and I am curious to know if the Khalifat-ul-Massih Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad has proclaimed himself officially to the status of Ummati Nabi and Khatam-ul-Khulafa in this era?

Hence Allah (swt) has taught us in various verses of the Holy Quran, for example: in Surah Al-Anam:

“O you assembly of jinn and mankind! Did not there come to you messengers from amongst you, reciting unto you My verses and warning you of the meeting of this day of yours?” They will say: “We bear witness against ourselves”. It was the life of this world that deceived them. And they will bear witness against themselves that they were disbelievers. (6: 131)

The prophets (Nabiyyuun) come to bring back the glory and true value of the divine instructions to humankind so as to enable them to pave their way towards spirituality which they have completely forgotten or which they have trampled to dust. A prophet’s (God’s chosen one) duty is to bring people of all nations throughout the whole world back to the Tawheed (unity of God) and convince them that the day is coming soon that they shall have to present themselves in front of Allah (swt). The Holy Quran has clearly explained this to us that whenever the religious leaders started being corrupted and they wanted people to give them much more importance than Allah, the Sovereign of all worlds, behaving as if they are gods on earth, therefore Allah sees the need to send His very own Khalifa (representative). For example Allah (swt) says in the Holy Quran:

“And surely, many do lead mankind astray by their own desires through lack of knowledge. Certainly your Lord knows best the transgressors.” (6: 120)

 “They look their rabbis and their monks and Jesus, son of Mary to be their Lords besides Allah. (9: 31)

Many people are led astray by their honouring their chiefs to the rank of God, taking them as their idols. These people follow only the instructions coming from their idols, their leaders even if these instructions are clearly contrary to the divine commandments. Hence, this situation will never be corrected unless divine revelation comes to clear out the misunderstandings and wrong interpretations of the Book of Allah and the writings of His Messengers. Alas, these chiefs mislead the people just to satisfy their personal desires and thirst for power. These chiefs are not like those whom Allah have safeguarded and honoured to the status of Ummati Nabi and Khatam-ul-Khulafa.  Indeed, these chiefs are devoid of divine guidance and revelation coming from Allah. And whenever the subordinate non-law bearing prophets come to guide them to the right path, they turn a deaf ear to his call and label him a madman and liar.