Truth about Khatm-e-Nabuwat — Page 79
ly close the door of prophethood. This apparent conflict is a basic point and it has to be recognized that if it is not resolved, it leads to the unfortu- nate criticism that the Holy Prophet made state- ments which were contradictory in terms, that he said at times th!lt "there will be no prophet after me, and at others that ''there <'ould be a prophet after me" ; and again "I am the last prophet" and yet again that "after me will appear among my followers a Messiah who will be a prophet". This apparent conflict must be resolved. It is as much our dutv as that of the other Musalmans to give it the· most serious consideration and honest- ly lend ourselves to a sincere effort to reconcile or resolve this apparent contradiction (as in our sincere view the conflict is only a superficial one and there can be no material contradiction in the statements of the Holy Prophet). We have as it will be agreed on all hands, only two alternatives before us, to dispose of this apparent conflict : Firstly that the contradictions in these conflict- ing traditions be referred to the arbitration of the word of the Holy Quran. The tradition receiving Quranic support should be. accepted and the other rejected as unauthentic. 1. 'his is the course to which Quran has guided us. . It says ""~1, 4. ,. . ,. ,. . . , ~. ,~,-·~ l_,. ,. . . . . . . . . U ((~I~• •. 1~) O<:)~Y,_ ,, •• '-'~~~~'it;, "Which tradition shall they accept beside Allah and his verses. "1 If, however, our opponents are not agreeable to this simple and straight course. then there is the other alternative. We must hit upon a way to reconcile the traditic-ns of both the categories, the ---~ 1. Sura Jaria V,rn 1. 19