Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth — Page 704
FUTURE OF REVELATION propose that though a new prophet cannot be created, an old prophet can be brought back to fulfil new needs. By this strategy, they seem to have succeeded in keeping the door of prophethood (Nabuwwat) shut and sealed, while manoeuvring to furtively admit Jesus through the back door. The contemporary Muslims, whether they are. Sunnites or Shi'ites, seem to share the same interpretation of finality (Khatme-Nabuwwat). All have faith in the readvent of Jesus as as a prophet of God, whilst believing simultaneously in the absolute finality of Prophet. Muhammadsa. . The problem of inherent contradiction in their belief becomes even more pronounced when it comes to the prophesied advent of Al-Imam Al-Mahdi. As an Imam he is to be directly commissioned by God, and as such it should be incumbent upon every Muslim to believe in him. This aspect of his office will be further elaborated later on. It is briefly mentioned here only to emphasize that the office of. Al-Imam Al-Mahdi, despite not possessing the title, holds the prerequisites of a prophet all the same. Having said that we must return now to the likelihood of the re-advent of. Jesus Christas and the form in which this may take place. . The Ahmadiyya belief differs from the mainstream. Muslims only in form and not in the act of his re-advent. . The question is whether the form will be literal or metaphorical. Will he be the same person, or will another person be born reminiscent of the old one? Will he appear as a Christian prophet turned Muslim, or a Muslim prophet turned into the metaphorical image of Jesus Christas? What will be his relationship to all other religions? These are the intriguing questions which must be fully addressed. . T 662. THE STANCE of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat is singularly rational. In principle it accepts the claims of all religions who promise the advent of a