With Love to Muhammad (sa) - The Khatam-un-Nabiyyin — Page 97
Statements of Prophet Muhammad sa 97 As the story goes, the Holy Prophet sa was leaving for an expedition and appointed Hazrat ‘Al ī ra to act as Am ī r in Medina during his absence. Hazrat ‘Al ī ra was a great warrior and had accompanied the Holy Prophet sa in all prior expeditions. For him to be left behind was very painful. He felt he would be deprived of the privilege of Jih ā d and that people may think the Holy Prophet sa was displeased with him. So Hazrat ‘Al ī ra submitted to the Holy Prophet sa , “O Prophet of All ā h! Am I going to be left behind as Am ī r over women and children?” It was a subtle way of evoking the Holy Prophet’s sa love for him. Thereupon, the Holy Prophet sa answered: “O ‘Al ī ! Why do you express this grief? This event has given you the same position in relation to me, as Aaron held in relation to Moses in his absence. You are to me what Aaron was to Moses. The difference is that you are not a prophet. ” This had ī th has been reported in different ways in Sah ī h Bukh ā r ī. The meaning is essentially the same. Now, the present day ‘ Ulem ā ’ would insist that in this had ī th the word ‘ba‘ad ī ’ does not mean anything but the fact that there is no prophet after the Holy Prophet sa. It has no relevance to the temporary absence of the Holy Prophet sa from Medina. Hazrat Sh ā h Waliull ā h Mohaddes Dehlav ī , universally acknowledged as the mujaddid (reformer) of the 12th century and very well known to Muslims of the sub-continent and who is held in high esteem by these people, writes in Qurrat-ul-Ain ī n F ī Tafs ī l Ash-Shaikhain , Page 602: