With Love to Muhammad (sa) - The Khatam-un-Nabiyyin — Page 307
Continuation of Prophethood according to Ah ā d ī th 307 Other Ah ā d ī th on the Continuation of Prophethood There are other ah ā d ī th which prove the fact that prophethood continues after the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa. For instance, about Hazrat Ab ū Bakr ra , the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa said: ّ َِبH a َ ُوْنaَM a ْ اَن a َّ اِﻻ a ِ اﻻGَُّْۃ a ِ Kٰذِہ a ُ َلZْBَا a ً بaَْر a ْ اَبُو Ab ū Bakr ra is best in this ummah , except that there comes a prophet [who will be better than him]. 303 ّ َِبH a َ ُوْنaَM a ْ اَن a َّ اِﻻ a ِ اeFَّاس a ُ خiَْر a ً بaَْر a ْ اَبُو Ab ū Bakr ra is best of people, except that there comes a prophet [who will be better than him]. 304 If, according to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , there was never going to be a prophet after him, he would not have made an exception in the words, “ ْ ُوaَM a ْ اَن a َّ اِﻻ ّ َِبH a َ ن ” ( except that there comes a prophet ). The Holy Prophet sa is simply saying that if a prophet comes from the ummah , his status would be greater than that of Hazrat Ab ū Bakr ra. With that exception in mind, Ab ū Bakr ra is the best of the people or the best person in the ummah. Another had ī th which speaks about the continuity of prophethood is as follows: 303 Kun ū z-ul-Haq ā ’iq F ī Had ī th Khair Al-Khal ā ’iq , Page 4 304 Tibr ā n ī wa Ibn ‘Ad ī F ī l-K ā hil , quoted from: J ā mi‘ Al-Sagh ī r As-Suy ū t ī , Page 5