The Shining Lamp — Page 10
10 Divine revelation] by way of the term Nab i [Prophet] or the word Mursal [Messenger]. Have you not read those a ha d i th wherein the phrase ہّٰللِّٰ ِ ا رَسُول ُ رَسُول ہّٰللِّٰ ِ ا رَسُول ُ رَسُول [ ras u lu Ras u lill a h —the messenger of the Messenger of Allah] appears? To this day the Arabs refer to someone sent by another as a ras u l. Then why is it forbidden for God to similarly employ the term Mursal in its metaphorical meanings? Have you even forgot- ten the following words of the Holy Quran: 1 اْۤوُلاَقَف ۤاَّنِا ْمُكْيَلِا َنْوُلَسْرُّم Look at this justly. Is this the basis for accusing someone of dis- belief ? If you are asked in the presence of God, tell me what evi- dence you hold for declaring me a k a fir [disbeliever]. I repeatedly affirm that the words Ras u l , Mursal, and Nab i are undoubtedly present in my ilh a m from God Almighty in reference to me, but they do not carry their literal meanings. Similarly, the term Nab i used for the Promised Messiah, which appears in the a ha d i th, is also not to be taken in the sense of its literal meanings. This is the knowledge that God has bestowed upon me—let him understand who wishes to understand. It has been disclosed to me that the doors of true prophethood are firmly closed after Kh a tamun-Nabiyy i n [the Seal of the Prophets], peace and bless- ings of Allah be upon him. Neither new nor old prophet can now come from the perspective of the literal meanings [of the term], but our cruel opponents do not consider the doors of Khatm-e- Nubuwwat [the Seal of Prophethood] completely closed. On the 1. And they said, ‘Verily we have been sent to you as Messengers’ ( S u rah Y a S i n, 36:15). [Publisher]