With Love to Muhammad (sa) - The Khatam-un-Nabiyyin — Page 11
Meanings of Kh ā tam in Dictionaries 11 Lis ā n-ul-‘Arab ُ واFخَاتَام a ُ واFخَاتَم a ُ واFخَاتِم a ُ واFخَتَم a a ٗ َّہHََاD a ِ ْcُحFا a َ Gن a ُ واFخiِْتَام a ٗ ا:ْتِ]dَْاFُہ a َ Dثُر a َّ ثم a ً َابع a باب a B a َ Bدخَل a بہ a َ خُتم a ً وcKَۃ a اوّل FذFٰک “All these words – khatamu, kh ā timu, kh ā tamo, kh ā t ā mu, kh ī t ā mu – are used to refer to jewellery. It is such [as if to indicate] that an impression [or stamp] was created with it the first time ever. Hence, it came into the grammatical form of T ā bi’. In this meaning, it was used extensively. ” This quotation from Lis ā n-ul-‘Arab (under the word Khatama ) further supports the meanings already provided by Mufrid ā t and tells us that the essential and first meaning of kh ā tam or kh ā tim is the impression of a stamp. That is the primary and fundamental meaning, whereas all other meanings are derived, used in a figurative sense when the context demands it. The fact remains that the words Kh ā tam-an-Nabiyy ī n have been applied to the Holy Prophet sa in 33:41 as praise. The context shows that All ā h, the Exalted, is praising the Holy Prophet sa in that verse which prevents us from applying the meaning of ‘last,’ as being the ‘last’ of anything is not a praiseworthy trait. Hence, we apply the first or fundamental meaning of Kh ā tam , that is, seal.