Ahmadiyyat - The Renaissance of Islam — Page 50
50 AHMADIYY AT Yet again he has said: The Seal of the Prophets indicates that no prophethood can be valid without the attestation of the Seal. When a seal is stamped on a paper the paper is attested as authentic. Thus a prophethood not bearing the seal and attestation of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, is not valid [Al-Hakam, 17 Octo ber 1902]. . He has said further: Allah made the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, the Lord of the Seal and granted him as proof of his eminence the Seal that He granted to no other prophet. Therefore was he styled Seal of the Prophets, meaning that subservience to him imports the excellences of prophethood and that his spiritual grace has a prophet-raising quality and that such holy eminence was not granted to any other prophet [HaqeeqatulWahi, pp. 96-7]. In explanation of his own claim he has said: I received this honour through obedience to the Holy Prophet, peace be on him. Had 1 not been one of his followers, I would never have been honoured with the Divine word, even if my striving and my deeds had matched the grandeur and height of all the mountains, for, all prophethoods, except the prophethood of Muhammad, have come to an end. No law-bearing prophet can now arise, but a prophet without law may arrive, provided he is primarily a follower of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him. Thus I am both a follower and a prophet [Tajalliyate Ilahiyya, pp. 24-5]. Prophethood in Islam is of three types. One, the principal and only real type of prophethood which is law-bearing; two, non-law-bearing prophethood which is independent of any other prophethood and is a direct Divine gift, such as the prophethood of the line of prophets who followed after Moses, whose prophethood was not derived from allegiance to Moses; and three, non-law-bearing prophethood which is bestowed through allegiance to a law-bearing prophet as a reflection of his light and his excellences. Such was the prophethood claimed by the Promised Messiah who was simultaneously a follower of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, and a prophet as a reflection of the prophethood of Muhammad, peace be on him. Such a prophethood does not in any way contravene or violate the Seal of Prophethood, nor is it at all derogatory to the dignity of the Holy Prophet,