The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 277
VIII - Expansion of Preaching 277 by personal aptitude, zeal and effort, God the Almighty would raise him in status as a direct reward or honour, but this was not owed to the competence of that prophet. However, the status of the Holy Prophet sa is so lofty and extraordinary that by following him an individual can attain every kind of spiritual rank. It is this very distinction which has been alluded to in this spiritual flight of the Holy Prophet sa during the Mi‘rāj. Moreover, it is this very reality which has been alluded to in the following verse of the Holy Qur’ān: Meaning, “Muḥammad is not only a messenger, but he is also the seal of the prophets,” (by whose seal of attestation, an individual can attain every type of the uppermost spiritual rewards, and no spiritual status is out of the reach of his obedience). 1 During the Mi‘rāj the Holy Prophet sa met with the following prophets: 1. Adam as 2. Jesus as 3. John as 4. Joseph as 5. Enoch as 6. Aaron as 7. Moses as 8. Abraham as Among these eight prophets, two of them were seen in this vision merely due to their secondary relation. These were Prophet John as and Aaron as. The first prophet in addition to being the cousin of Jesus as was also a forerunner who foretold the advent of Jesus as. The second prophet was the assistant and brother of Moses as. Hence, due to this physical and spiritual relationship, these two prophets were included in this vision. However, a subtlety is that where on account of his discrete and separate position, John as was shown along with Jesus as , on the other hand, due to his subordination, Aaron as was shown in the lower but adjoining heaven to that of Moses as. Among the six remaining prophets, the particularity of Jesus as , Moses as , Abraham as and Adam as have already been mentioned above. For they have been shown as representatives of their corresponding descendants and communities. The two remaining 1 Al-Aḥzāb (33:41)