With Love to Muhammad (sa) - The Khatam-un-Nabiyyin — Page 51
Examples of Kh ā tam used in other contexts 51 comparisons! The fact of the matter is that the Holy Prophet sa compared the specific migration from Mecca to Medina to his specific prophethood which is law-bearing prophethood. If this had not been the case, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa would have said, “You are the Kh ā tam-ul-Muh ā jir ī n as I am the Kh ā tam- un-Nabiyy ī n ”. Instead, he says, “You are the Kh ā tam-ul-Muh ā jir ī n in the migration as I am the Kh ā tam-un-Nabiyy ī n in the prophethood. ” As a result, the words “in the prophethood” clearly show that he was referring to his specific prophethood which has ended and no prophet with a law or a status comparable to the Holy Prophet sa can come until the Day of Judgment. Only subordinate prophets can come, that is, subordinate to the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa and subservient to his shar ī ‘ah (i. e. , law). Usage of the word Kh ā tam by Hazrat Mirz ā Ghul ā m Ahmad as Farhan Khan has presented three examples of the usage of the word kh ā tam by Hazrat Mirz ā Ghul ā m Ahmad as with the intended meaning of “last,” according to him. In the chapter entitled Meanings of Kh ā tam in Dictionaries , we have already explained that the word kh ā tam does not have only one meaning that is always applied. It has several meanings, both literal and derived. The principle is that the context and usage of a word helps determine the correct meaning of a word in a phrase or sentence. As a result, when Hazrat Mirz ā Ghul ā m Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Im ā m Mahd ī as , uses the word kh ā tam to mean “last” in a certain context, there can be no objection against it! This principle does not only apply to the Arabic language. It is universal and fundamental to all languages. Consider the following examples of a phrase in the English language with different meanings in different contexts: