The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 140
140 Essence of Islam-III that the Prophethood of Muhammad is bestowed on Muhammad by way of reflection and on none other. The meaning of the verse: مَا كَانَ مُحَمَّدُ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِنْ رِجَالِكُمْ وَلَكِن رَّسُولَ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّنَ 108 is that: لَيْسَ مُحَمَّدٌ اَبَا أَحَدٍ مِّنْ رِّجَالِ الدُّنْيَا وَلَكِنْ هُوَ أَبٌ لِرِجَالِ الْآخِرَةِ لأَنَّهُ خَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ لَا سَبِيلَ إِلَى فَيُؤْضِ اللَّهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ تَوَسُّطِهِ 109 In short, my Prophethood and Messengership is because of my being Muhammad and Ahmad and not because of my own self, and I have been given this name by virtue of my utter devotion to the Holy Prophetsa. Thus there is no contravention of the Seal of Prophethood, but the supposed descent of Jesus from heaven would certainly amount to such contravention. It should also be remembered that the literal meaning of 'Nabī' is one who discloses the unseen in consequence of being informed of it by God. Therefore, wherever this connotation is established, the title of Prophet would be justified. A Prophet is necessarily a Messenger, for if he is not a Messenger, he cannot be the recipient of knowl- edge of the unseen as indicated by the verse: لَا يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَدًا إِلَّا مَنِ ارْتَضَى مِنْ رَّسُولٍ 110 108 'Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets. ' Al-Ahzāb, 33:41 [Publisher] 109 'Muhammad is not the father of any man of the world, but he is the father of men of the hereafter because he is Seal of the Prophets, and there is no way of receiving Divine grace except through him. ' [Publisher] 110 'He reveals not His secrets to anyone, except to him whom He