True Insights into the Concept of Khatm-e-Nubuwwat — Page 36
[ 36 ] And Joseph did come to you before with clear proofs, but you ceased not to be in doubt concerning that with which he came to you till, when he died, you said in despair: ‘Allah will never raise up a Messenger after him. ’ This verse shows that the so-called indelible marks can be traced back to the time of Prophet Joseph as , but the Holy Qur’an rejects this concept. Continuing in this subject the Holy Qur’an uses the word ‘seal’ and says: Thus does Allah adjudge as lost those who transgress, and are doubters. “Those who dispute concerning the Signs of Allah without any authority having come to them. Grievously hateful is this in the sight of Allah and in the sight of those who believe. Thus does Allah seal up the heart of every arrogant, haughty person. ( S u rah al-Mu’min , 40:35–36) This is where our opponents got the concept of the ‘indeli- ble mark. ’ Allah says that the opponents of Y u suf as behaved the same way. As long as he was alive they paid no heed to him and opposed him vehemently. But when he died, they concocted a belief that God would never raise another Prophet. In other words, during the lifetime of Y u suf as , his opponents denied his claim and, after he passed away, they freed themselves from obedience to prophethood forever [by claiming that there would never be a Prophet again].