A Review of the Debate between Batalavi and Chakrhalavi — Page 16
16 16 A REVIEW OF THE DEBATE BETWEEN BAT A LAV I AND CHAKRH A LAV I say that surely a true follower from among this ummah, which has been described as the best ummah, would be more entitled to this station; thus, there is absolutely no need to bring back Hadrat ‘ I s a [ Jesus] from heaven. For if the excellence of prophethood can be achieved by following the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, then, to haul someone down from heaven is to impinge upon another’s right. There is nothing to prevent a follower of the Holy Prophet saw from receiving this blessing, for this is a confirmation of the fact that Muhammad is the [true] source of all spiritual grace. There is a sense of meaninglessness in raising somebody as a Prophet who has already been elevated to this sta- tion. For example, would a person who claims they have the power to create gold be acclaimed as an alchemist simply by casting a spell on a piece of gold and then suggesting to have created something which already existed. So, the excellence of the grace of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, lies in the fact that a follower of his could achieve this station by entirely submitting himself to him. But to label one a follower who has previously achieved the rank of Prophethood—and to suggest that he attained this station by devoting himself to the Holy Prophet saw —is flawed to say the least. In fact, the two propositions are contradictory. For the truth is that Jesus achieved his Prophethood independently without following the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. But, if he is considered a follower as the hadith 1 suggests, one would have to conclude that all the excellences of his Prophethood were derived from the prophet- 1. An Imam, from among you. [Publisher]