The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 151
THE PROMISED MESSIAH AND MAHDI time, to appear in the world? This is, no doubt, an interpretation of the foolish and the ignorant'. (Kitab Khatamal Auliya, p. 341) 8. Hadhrat Maulvi Abul Qasem Nanotvi, the renowned. founder of the Deoband Academy, who died in 1889, stated: "In the conception of the masses the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, was Khatam in the sense that he came after all the other prophets and that he was the last prophet of all. But it is evident that in the estimation of the wise no superiority whatever attaches to precedence in time or its reverse". (Tah-zirunnas, Saharanpur, p. 3). . In the same publication, at page 28, he stated: "If a prophet appeared after the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, it would in no way affect his finality". 9. Fakhrud Din Razi (d. 544AH), the renowned interpreter and commentator of the Holy Quran, says: "Wisdom is the Khatam of all and for Khatam it is essential to be supreme. Remember that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings upon him, when he was raised to the status of Khataman-Nabiyyeen. was confirmed to be supreme among all the prophets. " (Tafsir. Kabeer: Razi, v. 6, p. 31) 10. Allama Abdul Rahman bin Khaldun, the very renowned and acknowledged authority in history (d. 808AH/1406AD), holds that Khatami Wilayat should also be taken in the same sense as. Khatami Nubuwwat and he explains: "It is admitted that the grades of Wilayat are similar to that of the prophethood. Only a most perfect saint could be called Khatam al. Auliya, i. e. a particular saint has reached the highest possible grade that a saint could have attained. This is exactly as the Khatamal. Anbiya had attained the grade of perfection that a prophet could possible reach. " (Muqaddama Ibn Khaldun, pp. 271-272, Egypt edition) 11. The very renowned Maulana Rum (d. 672AH) states in some of his Persian verses: "He was the Khatam because no one in generosity. Has ever been like him before nor shall ever be:. When an artisan excels to the excellence in his craft, 151