True Insights into the Concept of Khatm-e-Nubuwwat — Page 18
[ 18 ] …When a craftsman excels and achieves perfection, don’t we use the word kh a tam to denote his excel- lence in craftsmanship? ( Ibid. ) Maul a n a Muhammad Q a sim N a notaw i , founder of the Deoband i sect, which is now in the forefront of distorting the meaning of Kh a tamun-Nabiyy i n , writes: Prophets are similar to governors as they are charged with the duty of delivering divine commandments to the people. They are God’s vicegerents. Therefore, it is necessary for them to hold positions of authority. The office of a governor or minister is considered the high- est in a chain of subordinate officers. A governor or a minister has the authority to set aside the orders or directives of his subordinates. His orders, on the other hand, cannot be set aside by subordinate officers. The final authority rests with the governor. Similarly, there is no one above the ranks or with more authority than the ‘ Kh a tamun-Nabiyy i n. ’ All others are subordinate to him. (Collection of Rare Periodicals and Addresses— Mub ah athah Shahjahanpur , 1914, p. 25) ‘Kh a tamiyyat’ Transcends Time In the above reference, we find Kh a tamiyyat meaning final- ity in status rather than finality in time. Apart from the meanings that have been discussed so far, some scholars have described Kh a tamiyyat to mean a signet ring, adorn- ment, and imparting blessing in the sense of a seal of