With Love to Muhammad (sa) - The Khatam-un-Nabiyyin — Page 100
100 With Love to Muhammad sa the Kh ā tam-un-Nabiyy ī n increase in number”. The people asked, “O All ā h’s Apostle sa ! What do you order us (to do)?” He said, “Obey the one who will be given the pledge of allegiance first. Fulfill their rights (i. e. , the rights of the Khulaf ā ’ ), for All ā h will ask them about (any shortcoming) in ruling those All ā h has put under their guardianship. ” 86 About this had ī th , it must be noted that it uses the words a :aiون خc_اء (there will soon be Khulaf ā ’ ). This phrase clearly shows that this had ī th is about the period of time immediately after the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa. According to the rules of Arabic grammar, when the letter “ س ” is added to the word “ aMون ” it means “it will soon be” and this means that this had ī th is about the period of time right after the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa. What he intended to say is that there will be Khulaf ā ’ right after me but there will be no prophet right after me. This understanding is further supported by the following had ī th , which contains a prophecy that has been fulfilled and all Muslims can bear testimony to it: a ٰ c@ a خBۃ a تaون a ثم a. . . a اﷲ a ;اء a Gا a aiBم a اeFبوۃ a تaون a Bتaون a @ا=ا a acGا a تaون a ثم a. . . a اﷲ a ;اء a Gا a اeFبوۃ a feGاج a ثم a. . a اﷲ a ;اء a Gا اeFبوۃ a geGاج a ٰ c@ a خBۃ a تaون 87 There shall remain in you prophethood as long as All ā h wills. . . . Then there will be Khil ā fah upon the footsteps of prophethood as long as All ā h wills. . . Then there will be kingdom and it shall remain as 86 Sah ī h Bukh ā r ī , Volume 4, Book 56, Number 661 87 اFرCاق. a Dتاب a aXGوٰۃ. a و a اﻻHذار a باب اFتحذMر