True Insights into the Concept of Khatm-e-Nubuwwat — Page 52
[ 52 ] All these traditions point to one fact. That is, Hadrat ‘Umar ra was endowed with the potential of prophethood. Had the Holy Prophet sa not been born and commissioned, Hadrat ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would have been. This is the meaning of these sayings. Ba‘d i has been used in the sense of ‘ ghair i ’—other than me. Another Argument for the Continuity of Prophethood I will now put forth a h ad i th which will solve the whole issue of continuity of prophethood. We make no assertion from ourselves. Hadrat Ibn-e-Abb a s (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Holy Prophet sa said: When Ibr a h i m, son of the Holy Prophet sa , passed away, the Holy Prophet sa led the funeral prayers and then said Ibr a h i m will have a wet-nurse to feed him in paradise and had he lived, he would have been a true Prophet… ( Ibn-e-M a jah-Kit a bul-Jan a ’iz , Babu, M a J a ’a fi s-S al a ti ‘Al a Ibn Ras u lill a h saw , wa Dhikri Waf a tih i ) The h ad i th , as noted above, states: ‘Had he lived he would have been a true Prophet…’ Our opponents contend that God in His wisdom caused him to die lest he should : :.