Truth about Khatm-e-Nabuwat — Page 118
LEADING LIGHTS OF ISLAM ON FINALITY OF PROPHETHOOD. After concluding the treatment of the tradit- ions I would now quote the authoritative pro- nouncements of the dignitaries of Islam, which coin- cide with the views professed today by the Ahmadiyya community, on the question of prophethood. I do not cite these views, with the object that all the pronouncements of the dignitaries must be accepted by us or by oor opponents as the last word on any given subject, that authority vesta only in Allah and in His prophet. I am cit- ing their views simply as an argument that our beliefs in this regard are not an innovation and are, more or less, shared by the early dignitaries of different periods. The Holy Prophet (Allah bless him) predicted that as of yore, the. beliefs and deeds of his followers would, with the passage of time, grow corrupt, they would not however, degenerate en masse but that a section shall hold on to truth and justice. 'fhus runs a relevant tradition. c. :>'° ~»--~~lJ-':~l ~~U,J1p~ ccfA''~~Ji. ,~i; ~41. ,i,. -rJ\;~~\. 11 A group of my people ahall adhere to the truth : their opponents shall not succeed in harming them until Allah comes with His decree. " 1 In quoting below the views of the preceding dignitaries, the writer is actuated by a two-fold objective :- Firstly, that since, on the one hand, the views held by the Ahmadiyya community on the question -- 1. Abu Daud, Kitaba/. Fitn. 118