Truth about Khatm-e-Nabuwat — Page 78
And still in some other reports the expressions. used are: ~I. u ii_r. ll. 1 4Jl. . . . ,JI cJI "Verily Messcngership and Prophethood has ceased". And: " -w ~, ~J:: ~ ~tl. rc,,l\; ~ t:,. ,:l~ "There will appear thirty impostors after • me, each of them claiming to be a. prophet". . This represents a summary of the traditions which are, in their apparent • meaning, understood to bolt the door on prophethood. I would not here go into the authenticity or unreliability of these traditions as considerations of sp11ce do not admit of a detailed ""iticism. However (as I will bv the grace of God presently prove it) it is not correct to adduce from these traditions the evidence that our opponents seek to draw. A careful examination will, on the contrary, reveal that while legislative prophethood and independent apostleship ceased with the advent of the Holy Prophet, subordinate prophet- hood which is a reflex projection and in point of fact part and parcel of Muh. ammadan prophetbood, has certainly not so ceased. Not one of the forego- ing traditions put a period to subordinate prophet- hood of the type above described. Before I take up these traditions, piece by piece, I would like to draw attention in a IJCneral manner, to a basic point which will lead to a clearer understanding of this question. In relevance to the question of the finality of Prophethood, we cite a number of traditions which prove the continuity of prophethood ; our opponents simlilarly put forth some traditions. which apparent• 78