With Love to Muhammad (sa) - The Khatam-un-Nabiyyin — Page 160
160 With Love to Muhammad sa the Kh ā tam-un-Nabiyy ī n haw ā riyy ū n (disciples of Jesus as ) is not only unacceptable to Ibn ‘Arab ī rh but would also be unacceptable to every Muslim. Hence, the prophethood of the Promised Messiah can be termed nubuwwah al-Kh ā ssah (special prophethood). Definition of Nubuwwah Analyzing this issue further, Farhan Khan states, “. . . those who receive other forms of wah ī ilh ā m can be termed as Nab ī s, but are not prophets according to the common understanding of the term. ” 157 This raises a question: What is the common understanding of the term Nab ī ? The answer is that Muslims at the time of the Promised Messiah as commonly defined a Nab ī as one who: 1. Brings a complete new shar ī ‘ah , or abrogates a previous shar ī ‘ah 2. Is not the follower of a previous Nab ī , but acquires an independent status on his own merit. In order to prevent this “common understanding” of the word Nab ī to be applied to him, the Promised Messiah as writes: Since according to the definition, Nab ī and Ras ū l in Isl ā m means one who brings a complete new shar ī ‘ah , or abrogates some of the ordinances in the previous shar ī ‘ah, and since the Anbiy ā ’’ are not known as the followers of a previous Nab ī and instead attain relationship with God without the intermediation of any other Nab ī , therefore, let everyone be aware lest 157 Khan, With Love , Page 38