Download Nubuwwah (Prophethood) Concept, Necessity

NUBUWWAH (PROPHETHOOD)
CONCEPT, NECESSITY, FINALITY,
FUNCTIONS AND ETERNAL RELEVANCE TO
HUMAN LIFE
 God
has created no community of beings in the
world without a purpose and left them without
a guide or leader. It is inconceivable that God
Almighty, Who has not left bees without a
queen, ants without a leader, and birds and
fish without a guide, has left humanity
without Prophets to guide them to spiritual,
intellectual and material perfection.
1
NUBUWWAH
 The
centrality of prophethood is evident
from the fact that it forms the content of
the second clause of the Shahadah
(testimony). It is also one of the articles of
Islamic faith. The source of legitimacy of
being a prophet is Allah (S.W.T) through
His revelation. As it is impossible for
everyone to receive revelation directly
from God, the prophets (peace be upon
them) then functioned as a ‘channel’ to
receive and transmit the Divine revelation
to humankind. Though both revelation
and prophethood are not the same, they
overlap and are very much interrelated.
2
THE MEANING OF WAHY AND OTHER
RELATED TERMS

Revelation (wahy is the act by which God, having
created the world, discloses Himself to His
creation. It refers to a phenomenon whereby a
supra human, or supernatural, communication is
transmitted from the Divine to the human or
epiphany of the Divine order, which presents
itself to the human sight, hearing, sensibility and
consciousness as an event out of the ordinary
course
3
THE MEANING OF PROPHETHOOD


Nubuwwah (‫ )النبوة‬is usually translated as Prophethood
. a nabi refers to a Prophet who gives news from God.
Prophetic experience has been described by Muslim
theologians as something out of ordinary experience.
4


During his experience, a Prophet’s faculties are raised
to the point of frenzy and he is under the domination of
a Divine power which he cannot resist, and his
innermost belief, all the while, is that the message of
guidance and salvation has come directly from God as
a ‘revelation’ and must be conveyed at once to his
fellow beings.
A Prophet is like a branch which arches out from the
Divine to the human realm.
5
Rasul & Nabi
 The two words are used interchangeably in the Qur'an,
the same person sometimes being called nabi and
sometimes rasul; while occasionally both names are
combined.

The reason seems to be that the prophet has two
capacities: he receives information from God, and he
imparts his message to mankind. he is called nabi in
the first, and rasul in the second capacity, but there is
one difference.
6

The word rasul has a wider significance, being
applicable to every messenger in a literal sense;
and the angels are called Divine Messengers
[rasul], because they are also bearers of the
Divine messages when complying with His Will.
7

rasul is higher than nabi, because the rasul
brings a divine legislation with him, whereas the
nabi follows the legislation of the previous rasul.
Thus, rasul is also nabi, but a nabi may not
necessarily be a rasul.
8
KHATAM NUBUWWAH

When the Qur’an says that the institution of
Nubuwwah
‫( النبوة‬Prophethood) has been
terminated
َ ‫اّلل َو َخاتَ َم النَّ ِّب ِّي‬
َ ‫“ َما ك‬
"‫ين‬
ِّ َّ ‫سو َل‬
ُ ‫َان ُم َح َّمدٌ أَبَا أَ َح ٍد ِّم ْن ِّر َجا ِّل ُك ْم َولَ ِّك ْن َر‬
“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men,
but (he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the Seal
of the Prophets” (33:40),
it means that the institution of Risalah ‫الرسالة‬
(Messengerhood) has also been terminated since
the closure of a general cadre automatically
means that the upper ones have also been
terminated.
9
THE NECESSITY AND FUNCTION OF
REVELATION AND PROPHETHOOD

Humankinds are faced with broad questions of
"life understanding." These questions are lifetime
concerns some of which are sources of great
expectation while others are sources of anxiety.
10
َ َ‫“ ُه َو الَّذِّي بَع‬
َ ‫ث ِّفي األ ُ ْم ِّي‬
‫يه ْم َويُعَ ِّل َم ُه ْم‬
َ ‫سوال ِّم ْن ُه ْم يَتْلُو‬
ُ ‫ين َر‬
ِّ ‫علَ ْي ِّهم آيَا ِّت ِّه َويُ َز ِّك‬
َ ‫اب َوا ْل ِّح ْك َمةَ َوإِّ ْن كَانُوا ِّمن قَ ْب ُل لَ ِّفي‬
”‫ضال ٍل بمبَ ْي ٍن‬
َ َ ‫ال ِّكت‬

“It is He who has sent to the illiterate a
Messenger from among their own people to recite
to them His revelations and purify them. He will
teach to them the Book and Wisdom- although
they had been, before in manifest error-” (AlJum’ah 62: 2)
11
 Some
of the questions that have occupied
human minds from time immemorial are more
important than others; and some are easily
discoverable by human reason than others.
 The
entire range of human concerns that
might have called for an external intervention
may be classified into three ascending
categories of importance: (1) what reason can
generally discover/solve; (2) what reason can
discover/solve but may err; (3) and what falls
beyond rational ambit
12
PROPHETS ARE PEOPLE TOO

The prophets distinguished themselves in human
society by their special aptitudes, natural bents
of mind and a pious and meaningful way of life.
13

The unbelievers disparaged the humanity of the
messengers. They demanded that this link
between the Infinite and the finite be
supernatural, akin to the nature of angels and
even God Himself (15:6-9; 25:21; 17:92). In other
words, they wanted the nature of this link to be
the same as, or nearer to, that of his sender than
to that of the recipients. This demand however
was turned down.
14
ِ ‫ول َيْ ُكل الطَّ َع َام وَيَْ ِشي ِِف ْالَ ْسو‬
ِ ‫الر ُس‬
ِ ‫"وقَالُوا َم‬
‫ك فَ يَ ُكو َن‬
‫ا‬
‫ذ‬
‫ه‬
‫ال‬
َ
َّ
ٌ َ‫اق لَ ْوََل أُنْ ِز َل إِلَْي ِه َمل‬
َ
َ
َ
َ
َ
ُ
‫ال الظَّالِ ُمو َن إِ ْن تَ تَّبِعُو َن‬
َ َ‫َم َعهُ نَ ِذ ًيرا أ َْو يُ ْل َقى إِلَْي ِه َك ْن ٌز أ َْو تَ ُكو ُن لَهُ َجنَّةٌ ََيْ ُك ُل ِم ْن َها َوق‬
ِ
َّ
"‫ورا‬
‫ح‬
‫س‬
‫م‬
‫ًل‬
‫ج‬
‫ر‬
‫َل‬
ً
ُ
َ
ُ
ً ْ
َ ‫إ‬
 What
sort of a messenger is this, who eats
food, and walks through the markets? Why has
not an angel been sent down to him to give
admonition with him? "Or (Why) has not a
treasure been bestowed on him, or why has he
(not) a garden for enjoyment?" The wicked say:
"Ye follow none other than a man bewitched."
(al-Furqan, 25:7-8)
15
ِ‫ال الَّ ِذين ََل ي رجو َن ل‬
‫اء ََن لَ ْوََل أُنْ ِز َل َعلَْي نَا ال َْم ًَلئِ َكةُ أ َْو نَ َرى َربَّنَا لََق ِد‬
‫ق‬
َ َ‫" َوق‬
َ
ُ َْ َ
َ
ِ‫استَ ْكبَ روا ِِف أَنْ ُف ِس ِهم و َعتَ ْوا عُتُ ًّوا َكب‬
"‫يا‬
َْ
ً
ُ ْ

Why are not the angels sent down to us, or (why)
do we not see our Lord?" Indeed they have an
arrogant conceit of themselves, and mighty is the
insolence of their impiety! (Furqan; 25:21)
16
ِ‫ت‬
ِ‫ادق‬
ِ ‫"لَو ما ََتْتِينَا ِِبلْم ًَلئِ َك‬
ِ ‫الص‬
ِ
“‫ن‬
‫ن‬
‫م‬
‫ن‬
‫ك‬
‫ن‬
‫إ‬
‫ة‬
َّ
ْ
ُ
ْ
َ
َ
َ ْ
َ
َ


Why do you not bring to us the angels if you are
of the truthful ones? (al-Hijr 15:7)
They say: "Why is not an angel sent down to
him?" If we did send down an angel, the matter
would be settled at once, and no respite would be
granted them.
17
 They
say: "We shall not believe in thee, until
thou cause a spring to gush forth for us from
the earth, Or (until) thou have a garden of
date trees and vines, and cause rivers to gush
forth in their midst, carrying abundant water;
Or thou cause the sky to fall in pieces, as thou
sayest (will happen), against us; or thou bring
Allah and the angels before (us) face to face.
 Or
thou have a house adorned with gold, or
thou mount a ladder right into the skies. No,
we shall not even believe in thy mounting until
thou send down to us a book that we could
read." Say: "Glory to my Lord! Am I aught but
a man,- a messenger?" (Isra’ 17: 90-93)
18

As a ‘practical’ book to be implemented, rather than a
‘speculative’ or ‘idealistic’ book, the Qur`ān considers
the nature of the recipients instead of that of the
sender. Had the reverse been the case, man would
have taken its supernaturality as an excuse for not
being able to implement the teaching of revelation in
his life. For the messengers to be endurable, they must
be humanlike.
19

Even if they were to be angels, they must be in human
shape having human qualities, so that the revelation
they were sent with would be communicable,
comprehensible and practicable just as the messengers
have exemplified it as role models. (6:8-9; 32:21;
60:4,6)

Had we appointed him (Our messenger) an angel, We
assuredly had made him (as) a man (that he might speak to
men); and (thus) obscured for them (the truth) they (now)
obscure. (al-An’am 6:8-9)
20
FUNCTIONS AND RELEVANCE TO HUMAN LIFE
Expounder of the Qur’an
 Legislator
 Role model / Qudwatun hasanah
 Total obedience to the Prophet

21
EXPOUNDER OF THE QUR’AN

Without the [Prophetic]Sunnah the Qur’an would
remain an abstract or a misunderstood Book. Allah
(SWT) says in reference to the Sunnah as an
explanation of the Holy Qur’an:
22
ِ ِ َ ‫"وأَنْ زلْنا إِلَي‬
ِ ‫ن لِلن‬
“‫َّاس َما نُ ِِز َل إِلَْي ِه ْم َولَ َعلَّ ُه ْم يَتَ َف َّك ُرو َن‬
َِ ِ َ‫ك ال ِذ ْك َر لتُ ب‬
ْ ََ َ

“(We sent them) with Clear Signs and Scriptures
and We have sent down unto thee (also) the
Message; that thou mayest explain clearly to men
what is sent for them, and that they may give
thought.” [al-Nahl (16): 44].
23

According to many interpreters, the Arabic word
al-Dhikra in the Quran refers to the Sunnah of
the Prophet (SAW). The role of the Sunnah
therefore is to explain the Holy Qur’an so that it
is understood by the people.
24

Through the Sunnah we get to know many of the
things commanded in Islam; for example, we get
to know how to perform the Salat, Hajj
(pilgrimage to Makkah) and Fasting.
25
LEGISLATOR

It can be an independent source of Law. The
Sunnah states many things that are not found in
the Holy Qur’an which all Muslims are obliged to
follow. Allah (SWT) says,
ِ ‫اَّللَ َش ِدي ُد ال ِْع َق‬
َّ ‫اَّللَ إِ َّن‬
َّ ‫ول فَ ُخ ُذوهُ َوَما نَ َها ُك ْم َع ْنهُ فَانْ تَ ُهوا َواتَّ ُقوا‬
"‫اب‬
ُ ‫الر ُس‬
َّ ‫" َوَما آ َََت ُك ُم‬
“…So take what the Messenger assigns to you,
and deny yourselves that which he withholds
from you. And fear Allah; for Allah is strict in
Punishment.” [al-hashr (59): 7].
26

ِ ‫" حُِي ُّل هَلم الطَّيِب‬
)157 :‫ث " (األعراف‬
‫ات هوحُيه ِرحم هعلهْي ِه حم اخلهبهائِ ه‬
‫حح ه‬
He (The Prophet) allows them as lawful what is
good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is
bad (and impure).
 In this verse we find that the legislative
authority is bestowed upon the Prophet. So he
acts as the society’s law- giver.

27
ROLE MODEL / QUDWATUN HASANAH

The Qur’an instructs us to emulate the Prophet
(SAW); i.e. to take him as the best example in
whatever we do. Allah (SWT) says in reference to
this,
ِ ‫اَّلل والْي وم ْاْل‬
َِّ ‫ول‬
ِ‫اَّلل أُسوةٌ حسنَةٌ ل‬
ِ‫اَّلل َكث‬
ِ ‫"لََق ْد َكا َن لَ ُكم ِِف ر ُس‬
َّ
َّ
"‫يا‬
‫ر‬
‫ك‬
‫ذ‬
‫و‬
‫ر‬
‫َخ‬
‫و‬
‫ج‬
‫ر‬
‫ي‬
‫ن‬
‫ا‬
‫ك‬
‫ن‬
‫م‬
َ
َ
َ
َ
ْ
َْ َ َ َ
َ ْ
ً َ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ َْ
“Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah
uswah hasanah (beautiful pattern of conduct) for
any one whose hope is in Allah and the Final day,
and who engages much in the praise of Allah.”
[al-Ahzab (33): 21]
28
TOTAL OBEDIENCE TO THE PROPHET

Following the Sunnah of the Prophet is an
obligation upon every Muslim; No Muslim is
considered a believer in Allah (SWT) without
following the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW).
Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Qur’an:
29
ِ َ ‫ك ََل ي ْؤِمنُو َن ح ََّّت ُُي ِِكم‬
‫يما َش َج َر بَ ْي نَ ُه ْم ُُثَّ ََل ََِي ُدوا ِِف أَنْ ُف ِس ِه ْم َح َر ًجا ِِمَّا‬
ُ َ ِِ‫"فَ ًَل َوَرب‬
َ ‫وك ف‬
ُ َ َ
ِ‫ت ويسلِِموا تَسل‬
"‫يما‬
َ َ‫ق‬
ً ْ ُ َ ُ َ َ ‫ض ْي‬
“But no, by the Lord, they can have no
(real) Faith, until they make thee judge in
all disputes between them, and find in
their souls no resistance against thy
decisions, but accept them with the fullest
conviction.” [al-Nisa’ (4): 65].
30
 Severe
Punishment will inflicted upon
those who do not follow the Sunnah of the
prophet. Allah (SWT) says in the Holy
Qur’an,
ِ‫صيب هم َع َذاب أَل‬
ِ ‫صيب ُهم فِ ْت نَةٌ أَو ي‬
ِ ُ‫"فَ لْي ْح َذ ِر الَّ ِذين ُُيَالِ ُفو َن َعن أ َْم ِرِه أَ ْن ت‬
"‫يم‬
ٌ
ُ
َ
ْ
ٌ
ْ َ ُ ْ
ْ َ
َ
“…then let those beware who withstand the
Messenger’s order, let some trial befall
them, or a grievous Penalty be inflicted on
them.” [al-Nur (24): 63]
31
 Obedience
to the Prophet is obedience to
Allah and disobedience to him is
considered disobedience to Allah (SWT).
Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Qur’an,
ِ ‫" من ي‬
َّ ‫اع‬
َ
"‫اك َعلَْي ِه ْم َح ِفيظًا‬
‫ط‬
‫أ‬
‫د‬
‫ق‬
‫ف‬
‫ول‬
‫س‬
‫الر‬
‫ع‬
‫ط‬
َ
َ
َ َ‫اَّللَ َوَم ْن تَ َوَّّل فَ َما أ َْر َسلْن‬
ِ
َ
َ
َّ
ْ
َ
ُ َْ
ُ
“He who obeys the Messenger, obeys
Allah; but if any turn away, We have not
sent thee to watch over their (evil deeds).”
[al-Nisa’ (4): 80].
32
THE PHENOMENON AND UNIVERSALITY OF

PROPHET
There
haveHOOD
been many religions which have been
distorted and altered in the world, and consequently it
is essential to accept the purity of their original
foundation. The Qur’an says:
"‫اك ِِب ْْلَِِق بَ ِش ًيا َونَ ِذ ًيرا َوإِ ْن ِم ْن أ َُّم ٍة إََِّل َخ ًَل فِ َيها نَ ِذ ٌير‬
َ َ‫"إِ ََّن أ َْر َسلْن‬
“There never was a people without a Warner having lived
among them.” (35:24)

"‫وَل‬
ً ‫" َولََق ْد بَ َعثْ نَا ِِف ُك ِِل أ َُّم ٍة َر ُس‬
“And We assuredly sent among every people a Messenger.”
(16:36)
33

Rather than being an inclusive commodity or privilege of
any nation, prophethood is a universal phenomenon.
ِ
ٍ ِ ٍ ‫"َي أَيُّها النَّاس اتَّ ُقوا ربَّ ُكم الَّ ِذي َخلَ َق ُكم ِمن نَ ْف‬
ِ ِ‫ث ِم ْن ُهما ِرج ًاَل َكث‬
َ َ َّ َ‫س َواح َدة َوِ َخلَ َق م ْن َها َزْو َج َها َوب‬
ْ ْ
ً‫ساء‬
ً
ُِ َّ َ َ
ُ َ
َ ‫يا َون‬
ِ
ِ
َ
َّ ‫ام إِ َّن‬
َّ ‫َواتَّ ُقوا‬
"‫اَّللَ َكا َن َعلَْي ُك ْم َرقيبًا‬
‫ح‬
‫ر‬
‫ال‬
‫و‬
‫ه‬
‫ب‬
‫ن‬
‫و‬
‫ل‬
‫اء‬
‫س‬
‫ت‬
‫ي‬
‫ذ‬
َ َ ْ ْ َ َ َُ َ َ ‫اَّللَ ال‬


According to the Qur’anic narration, the human race
began from one man: Adam (peace be upon him) from
whom the family of man grew and the human race
multiplied [4:1].
0, being the first man on earth, was also the first prophet of
God (p.b.u.h.).
34
 After
a long break of revelation, humankind
tends to be forgetful, overwhelmed with
superstitions, myths and all types of false
notions. Within such circumstances, God
raised prophets among every nation,
ٌ ‫" َولِ ُك ِِل أ َُّم ٍة َر ُس‬
"‫ول‬
 (to every people (was sent) a messenger)
[10:47],
"‫" َوإِ ْن ِم ْن أ َُّم ٍة إََِّل َخ ًَل فِ َيها نَ ِذ ٌير‬
 (and there never was a people, without a
warner having lived among them (in the past).)
[35:24].

35
 Despite
their relative differences, their
messages
were
the
same
in
their
fundamentals. All messengers of God did away
with all customs of ignorance and taught their
people the right course of action. They
preached adherence to a life of piety, goodness
and peace. They also preached belief in life
after death with its just mechanism of reward
and punishment and, the most important of
all, belief in the unity of God to Whom alone
service and worship are due
36

Speaking on behalf of God’s messengers, Prophet
Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) declares the universal
Divine Unity: “The best thing I and the Prophets
before me have said is: ‘There is no god but Allah,
alone, without any partner’.
37

These revelations universally declare that God sent
Messengers to every people throughout the world. The
names of some of these are known to us through the
Qur’an, but there is also a large number whose names
have not been made known to us.
38
ِ ‫وح والنَّبِيِن ِمن ب ع ِد ِه وأَوحي نا إِ َّل إِب ر ِاهيم وإِ ْس‬
‫يل‬
‫اع‬
َ ‫"إِ ََّن أ َْو َح ْي نَا إِلَْي‬
َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َ ِ َ ٍ ُ‫ك َك َما أ َْو َح ْي نَا إِ َّل ن‬
َ َ َ َ َْ
ِ ‫اط و‬
ِ ‫وإِسحا َق وي ع ُقوب و ْالَسب‬
َ
‫س‬
‫و‬
‫ه‬
‫يس‬
‫ع‬
‫و‬
‫ى‬
‫و‬
‫وب‬
‫ي‬
‫أ‬
‫ود‬
‫ن‬
‫و‬
‫ي‬
ُّ
ُ
َ ‫ارو َن َو ُسلَْي َما َن َوآَتَ ْي نَا َد ُاو‬
َ
ُ َ َ َُ َ َ َ َ َْ َ َ ْ ََ َ ْ َ
ِ‫ك‬
َّ
َّ
‫وسى‬
‫م‬
‫اَّلل‬
‫م‬
‫ل‬
‫ك‬
‫و‬
‫ك‬
‫ي‬
‫ل‬
‫ع‬
‫م‬
‫ه‬
‫ص‬
‫ص‬
‫ق‬
‫ن‬
‫َل‬
‫ًل‬
‫س‬
‫ر‬
‫و‬
‫ل‬
‫ب‬
‫ق‬
‫ن‬
‫م‬
َ
َ
َ
ْ
ً
َ
َ
َ
َ
ُ َ‫صن‬
ْ ‫ص‬
َ َ‫ور َاوُر ُس ًًل قَ ْد ق‬
َ ُ ُ َ َ ْ ْ ُ ْ ُ ْ ُ ُ َ ُ ْ ْ َ ‫اه ْم َعلَْي‬
ً ُ‫َزب‬
ِ‫تَ ْكل‬
"‫يما‬
ً
“We inspire thee as We inspired Noah and the
prophets after him, as We inspired Abraham and
Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and
Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and
Solomon, and as We imparted unto David the
Psalms. Of some messengers We have already
told thee the story; of others We have not;- and to
Moses Allah spoke direct” (4:163-164)
39
ِ َ ‫ك ِم ْن هم من قَصصنا علَي‬
ِ ِ
"‫ك‬
َ ‫ص َعلَْي‬
ْ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ ْ ُ َ ‫" َولََق ْد أ َْر َسلْنَا ُر ُس ًًل م ْن قَ ْبل‬
ْ ‫ص‬
ُ ‫ك َوم ْن ُه ْم َم ْن ََلْ نَ ْق‬
 We did in times past send Messengers before you; of
them there are some whose stories We have related to
you, and some whose story We have not related to you.
(40:78)
ِ ‫َّلل وما أُنْ ِز َل إِلَي نا وما أُنْ ِز َل إِ َّل إِب ر ِاهيم وإِ ْس‬
َِّ ‫"قُولُوا آَمنَّا ِِب‬
ِ ‫اق وي ع ُقوب وا ْلَسب‬
ِ‫اعيل َوإ‬
ِ
‫ُوِت‬
‫أ‬
‫ا‬
‫م‬
‫و‬
‫اط‬
‫ح‬
‫س‬
َ
َ
َ
ْ
ْ
ْ
ْ
ْ
َ
َ
َ
َ
َ
َ
َ
َ
َ
َ
َ
َ
َ
َ
َ َ
َ
َِ ٍ
ِ
ِ
ِ
ِِ
ِ
ِ ‫يسى َوَما أ‬
"‫َحد م ْن ُه ْم َوََْ ُن لَهُ ُم ْسل ُمو َن‬
َ ْ َ‫ُوِتَ النَّبيُّو َن م ْن َرِّب ْم ََل نُ َف ِِر ُق ب‬
َ‫نأ‬
َ ‫ُم‬
َ ‫وسى َوع‬

We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us,
and to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes,
and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to
(all) prophets from their Lord: We make no difference
between one and another of them: And we bow to Allah
(in Islam)." (2:136; 3:84)
40
ِ ‫َّاس ُكونُوا‬
ِ ‫اَّلل ال‬
ِ ‫ول لِلن‬
َّ ُ‫ش ٍر أَ ْن يُ ْؤتِيَه‬
‫ادا ِِل ِم ْن‬
‫ب‬
‫ع‬
‫ْكت‬
َ ‫اب َوا ْْلُ ْك َم َوالنُّبُ َّوةَ ُُثَّ يَ ُق‬
َ َ‫" َما َكا َن لِب‬
ًَ
َ
َ
ُ
َِّ ‫ون‬
َِ ‫اَّلل ولَ ِكن ُكونُوا رَِّبنِيِن ِِبَا ُك ْن تُم تُعلِِمو َن ال‬
ِ
‫اب َوِِبَا ُك ْن تُ ْم تَ ْد ُر ُسو َن َوََل ََيْ ُم َرُك ْم‬
‫ت‬
‫ْك‬
‫ُد‬
َ
ِ
َ
َ
ْ
ْ
ُ
َ
َ
ِ ‫أَ ْن تَ ت‬
ِ
ِ
ِ
"‫ن أ َْرَِب ًِب أ َََيْ ُم ُرُك ْم ِِبلْ ُك ْف ِر بَ ْع َد إِ ْذ أَنْ تُ ْم ُم ْسلِ ُمو َن‬
‫ي‬
‫ب‬
َّ
‫ن‬
‫ال‬
‫و‬
‫ة‬
‫ك‬
‫ئ‬
‫ًل‬
‫ْم‬
‫ل‬
‫ا‬
‫وا‬
‫ذ‬
‫َّخ‬
َ
ُ
َ
َ
َِ َ
َ
“It is not (possible) that a man, to whom is given the
Book, and Wisdom, and the prophetic office, should say
to people: "Be ye my worshippers rather than Allah's":
on the contrary (He would say) "Be ye worshippers of
Him Who is truly the Cherisher of all: For ye have
taught the Book and ye have studied it earnestly. Nor
would he instruct you to take angels and prophets for
Lords and patrons. What! would he bid you to unbelief
after ye have bowed your will (To Allah in Islam)? "
(3:79-80)
41
The
names we know are 25
out of 124,000 (or perhaps
224,000); even then we do not
know exactly where and
when many of them lived.
42
THE FINALITY OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD


There are only four conditions under which the
Prophets have been sent unto the world:
1. There was need for a prophet to be sent unto a
certain nation to which no prophet had been sent
before and the message brought by the Prophet of
another nation could not have reached these people.
43

2. There was need for appointing a prophet
because the message of an earlier Prophet had
been forgotten by the people, or the teachings of
the former prophets had been adulterated and
hence it had become impossible to follow the
message brought by that Prophet.
44
 3.
The people had not received complete
mandate of Allah through a former prophet.
Hence succeeding prophets were sent to fulfil
the task of completing the religion of Allah.
 4.
There was need for a second prophet to
share the responsibility of office with the first
prophet.
 None
of the above needs remains to be fulfilled
after the advent of Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH)
45