Khilafat-e-Rashidah — Page 199
KHILAFAT-E-R A SHIDAH 199 extended to few centuries and, at last, it came to an end. But the period of the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet sa extends to the Day of Resurrection. Thus, there are important differences in the lives of Hadrat M u sa as (Moses) and the Holy Prophet sa. In spite of these differences the Muslims affirm that the Holy Quran says that the Holy Prophet sa resembles Hadrat M u sa as (Moses), whereas the Holy Prophet sa was sent neither to a king like Paroah nor some particular nation but to the whole world; and neither did his Prophethood come to an end in any age like that of M u sa as (Moses). If these differences do not bring any change in resemblances then there is no harm when the Khulaf a ’ of Islam partly differ from the Khulaf a ’ of the past. In fact the resemblance of the Prophet sa is only in the sense that just as M u sa as (Moses) was bestowed a book of sharia that was complete and covered all the subject matter to meet the needs of that age, similarly the Holy Prophet sa was bestowed the book of sharia which is perfect and covers all the subject matter to meet the needs of humankind till the Day of Resurrection, and is superior and exalted above the Old Testament. Just as the community established by Hadrat M u sa as (Moses) continued after him through the Prophets; similarly, whenever there arises any deficiency in Ummat-e-Muhammadiyyah, Allah, the Almighty sends some persons who reform the ummah. Their resemblance also shows that just as a Messiah came thirteen hundred years after Hadrat