THE SEAL OF PROPHETHOOD
It is clear to you from what he has been previously discussed, the reality of Prophethood, its signs and proofs and the signs of Prophethood of Muhammad. Before we start discussing on the seal of Prophethood, you must know that, Allah does not send a Messenger except for one of these following reasons:
1. That the message of the Prophet is specifically meant for a particular people in which the concerned Messenger is not obliged to convey his message to the neighbouring nations, and that Allah sends another Prophet with a special message to another nation.
2. That the message of the previous Prophet has become extinct, in which case Allah sends another Prophet who will reform for people their religion.
3. That the Law of the previous Prophet is valid only for its time and no longer suitable for subsequent periods, then Allah sends another Messenger with another Law that will be suitable for another particular time and place. The Wisdom of Allah however, has necessitated that He sends Muhammad to all mankind with a Message that is suitable for all times and places and to protect it against altering and interpolating hands, so that it can remain His Living Message by which people will live and that will be pure and free from stains of interpolations and alterations. It was for this reason that Allah made it the seal of all Messages. (Al-Aqedah At-Tahaawiyya p. 156; Lawaami ‘ul anwaar, 2 p. 269, 277; and Mabaadi’ ul-Islam p. 64)
Among things with which Allah distinguished Muhammad is that He made him the seal of all Prophets after whom there would be no Prophet. This is because, Allah completed with him all Messages, ended with him all Laws, perfected with him the structure and actualised in his Prophethood the Prophecy of Jesus Christ when he said, “” (Matthew 21:42.)
The Reverend Ibrahim Khaleel – who has become a Muslim – regarded this text as an equivalent of the saying of the Messenger of Allah, “Indeed, the example of me and that of the Prophets before me is like that of a man who has perfectly built a house and adorned it except the place of a brick in a corner which he left unfilled. People went round it and admired it and said: Why not fix up this brick? He said, ‘I am the brick and I am the seal of the Prophets.’” (See, “Muhammad in the Torah, Gospel and the Qur’an” by Ibrahim Khaleel Ahmad, p. 73. The hadeeth is reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
It is for this reason that Allah made the Book brought by Muhammad as a witness over all previous Books and an abolisher for them all. Just as He made the Law of Muhammad the abolisher of preceding Laws. Allah guarantees the protection of his Message; hence, it was transmitted successfully. The Qur’an was transmitted in succession.
The practical implementation of the teachings of this religion and its acts of worship, sunnah and rules were also transmitted in succession. Whoever reads the biography of the Prophet and his Sunnah will know that the companions had preserved for humanity all situations, sayings and deeds of Muhammad. They transmitted his acts of worship for his Lord, his strife in His cause, his remembrance of Him and his seeking for His forgiveness. They transmitted his generosity, courage, his relationship with his companions and those visiting him. They transmitted his joy, sorrow, journeys, sojourn, manners of his eating, drinking and clothing and how he kept awake and slept. When you know all this, you will know with certainty that this religion is guaranteed by Allah’s protection and you will then know that he is the last of all Prophets and Messengers; for Allah has told us that this Messenger is the last of all Prophets. He says,
“Muhammad is not a father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the Prophets.” (Al-Ahzab 33:40.)
Muhammad also said about himself, “I am sent to all mankind and I was made the seal of all Prophets.” (Ahmad and Muslim.)
Now let us define Islam and explain its essence, sources, pillars and degrees.
By Dr. Muhammad bin Abdullah As-Suhaym
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