The concept of the finality of prophethood is a cornerstone of Islamic theology, and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community presents an interpretation that both affirms the supreme status of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) while also allowing for the possibility of subordinate prophets.

Central to Islamic belief is the Qur`anic verse that declares the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) as the “Seal of the Prophets” (Khatam-un-Nabiyyin):

“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets; and Allah has full knowledge of all things” (1).

The Arabic word “Khatam” carries rich meanings beyond that of “last.” It also signifies “seal,” “best,” and “that which authenticates” (2). His Holiness Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) expounds on this concept:

“He was, therefore, bestowed a full share of the manifestations of nature and he was made Khatam-ul-Anbiya,’ which did not mean that no one would from then on receive any spiritual grace from him, rather that he possessed the seal of Prophethood and that without the attestation of that seal, no grace can reach anyone, and that for his people, the door of converse with the Divine would never be closed. Beside him, there is no Prophet who possesses the seal of Prophethood. It is only by the testimony of his seal that a Prophethood can be bestowed for which it is a condition that the recipient must be a follower of the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be on him]” (3).

This illuminates how the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (sa) status as the Seal of the Prophets signifies the perfection and completion of prophetic teachings, while not necessarily precluding the possibility of individuals receiving Divine guidance within the framework of his teachings.

Thus, we must distinguish between law-bearing prophets (those who bring new religious laws) and non-law-bearing prophets (those who come to revive and reinforce existing laws). His Holiness Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) explains this distinction:

“I believe sincerely in His Messenger and know that all Prophethood ended with him and that all law is comprised in his law. Yet one type of Prophethood has not ended, that is to say, the Prophethood which is granted in consequence of complete obedience to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and which is illumined by his lamp. This Prophethood has not ended inasmuch as it is a reflection of his Prophethood and is given through him and is his manifestation and receives grace from him” (4).

This categorization allows for the reconciliation of the finality of the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (sa) prophethood with the possibility of future prophets who are subordinate to him and do not bring new laws.

This interpretation finds support in various Qur`anic verses that demonstrate the possibility of future subordinate prophets after the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa). For instance:

“O children of Adam! If Messengers come to you from among yourselves, rehearsing My Signs unto you, then whoso shall fear God and do good deeds, on them shall come no fear nor shall they grieve.” (5)

The use of the future tense in this verse conveys the possibility of messengers appearing after the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa). Similarly, all Muslims pray in Surah al-Fatihah:

“Guide us in the right path — The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings, those who have not incurred Thy displeasure, and those who have not gone astray” (6).

De­ning the groups of people upon whom God has bestowed His blessings, another verse states:

“And whoso obeys Allah and this Messenger of His shall be among those on whom Allah has bestowed His blessings, namely, the Prophets, the Truthful, the Martyrs, and the Righteous. And excellent companions are these” (7).

This verse establishes that through the prayer in Surah al-Fatihah and obedience to Allah and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa), one can attain spiritual ranks, including that of prophethood, albeit subordinate to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa).

This perspective on the finality of prophethood finds support in various Ahadith, which, when examined closely, reveal a nuanced understanding of the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (sa) status and the nature of prophethood after him.

Consider the following Hadith from Sahih Bukhari:

“If Ibrahim (his son) had lived, he would have been a prophet” (8).

This statement is particularly significant because the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (sa) son Ibrahim was born after he had already declared his prophethood. The implication is profound: it suggests that the possibility of prophethood remained open even after the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (sa) declaration as the Seal of the Prophets. This Hadith supports the view that while the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) is indeed the last law-bearing prophet, the door to subordinate prophethood remains open.

Another Hadith often cited in discussions of finality states:

“I am the last of the prophets and my mosque is the last of the mosques” (9).

This Hadith emphasizes the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (sa) finality, but it is crucial to understand what “last” means in this context. Just as the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (sa) mosque was not chronologically the last mosque to be built, but rather the last center of a new religious law, his status as the “last of the prophets” can also be understood as being that of the last law-bearing prophet, the final authority in religious law.

Another Hadith provides further insight:

“Khosrau will be ruined, and there will be no Khosrau after him, and Caesar will surely be ruined and there will be no Caesar after him” (10).

This Hadith provides a fascinating parallel to the concept of finality in prophethood. Historically, we know that there were many Khosraus and Caesars after the time of this prophecy. What ended was not the existence of Persian and Roman rulers, but their power and authority as they had known it. As such, this Hadith suggests that what ended with the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) was not the existence of prophethood in general, but the independent, law-bearing prophethood as it had existed before.

These Ahadith, when examined collectively and in-depth, present a coherent picture of the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (sa) finality. They support the view that while the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) is indeed the last law-bearing prophet, the possibility of subordinate prophethood continues under his authority and within the framework of his teachings.

This interpretation preserves the unique and supreme status of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) while also maintaining Islam as a living, dynamic faith capable of providing continued spiritual guidance through Divinely appointed individuals who serve under the mantle of the Seal of the Prophets.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community believes that His Holiness Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) fulfilled the prophecies of the coming of the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi. His claim to subordinate prophethood is seen not as a challenge to the finality of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa), but as a manifestation of his spiritual power and influence.

His Holiness Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) explains his position:

“I swear by God that I have been blessed with this spiritual station only by following the radiant rays of the light of the Chosen Prophet (sa). I have been granted the name ‘Prophet’ by Allah, not in its original sense [of being raised independently], but as a subordinate Prophet” (11).

This statement underscores the complete dependence of His Holiness Mirza Ghulam Ahmad’s (as) spiritual status on the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa), thereby affirming and magnifying the latter’s position as the Seal of the Prophets.

This understanding of prophethood emphasizes the ongoing possibility of direct communion with Allah. His Holiness Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) wrote:

“Do not think that God’s revelation is a thing of the past and that the Holy Spirit can no longer descend as it did so in previous times. I tell you truthfully that all doors may close, but the one from which the Holy Spirit descends never shuts. Open the doors of your hearts so that the Holy Spirit may enter it. By closing the window from which the ray of light enters, you distance yourself from this sun of your own accord. Unenlightened ones! Come forth and open this window so that the sun might itself enter you. God has not closed the paths of His worldly blessings in this age. Rather, He has increased them. Do you then think that the paths of the blessings of heaven, which you sorely need at this time, have been closed by Him? Most certainly not! Rather, this door is wide open” (12).

This perspective encourages Muslims to strive for spiritual excellence and maintain a living relationship with Allah, while firmly adhering to the finality of Islamic law as revealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa).

The interpretation of “Khatam” in “Khatam-un-Nabiyyin” is crucial to this understanding. The great Islamic scholar, Imam Raghib al-Isfahani, in his renowned lexicon “Mufradat Alfaz al-Quran,” explains:

“The word ‘Khatam’ when used with ‘tashdeed’ (emphasis) signifies the instrument of sealing, and when used without ‘tashdeed’ it gives the meaning of the act of sealing. Both these meanings are applicable to the Holy Prophet” (13).

This linguistic analysis supports the understanding that the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (sa) status as the Seal of the Prophets (Khatam-un-Nabiyyin) is about his supreme spiritual rank and his role as the authenticator of all future spiritual truths, not merely about being chronologically last.

This understanding of prophethood is not without historical precedent in Islamic thought. The renowned Sufi master, Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi, wrote in his magnum opus “Al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya”:

“The prophethood which ended with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is the prophethood of legislation and the law. But the general prophethood, from which legislative prophethood is particular, will never be cut off” (14).

This view, coming from one of the most respected figures in Islamic mysticism, demonstrates that such ideas have roots in traditional Islamic thought.

Thus, the Ahmadiyya Muslim understanding of the finality of prophethood offers an interpretation of Islam that preserves the supreme status of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) as the Seal of the Prophets while keeping open the channels of Divine communion and spiritual advancement. By distinguishing between law-bearing and non-law-bearing prophethood, it presents a theological framework reconciling seemingly contradictory Islamic teachings.

This perspective emphasizes the continued relevance of Divine guidance while maintaining the absolute finality of Islamic law as revealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa). It invites Muslims to reflect deeply on the nature of prophethood, the ongoing spiritual legacy of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa), and the potential for continued Divine communion in the modern age.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim view on the finality of prophethood thus offers a framework for understanding Islam as a living faith, capable of addressing the spiritual needs of humanity in all ages while firmly anchored in the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa).

References

1. The Holy Qur’an 33:41

2. https://lexicon.quranic-research.net/data/07_x/020_xtm.html

3. Ahmad, Mirza Ghulam. The Essence of Islam Vol. 1, Islam

International Publications Ltd., Tilford, Surrey, UK, 2007, pp. 254-255 4. Ahmad, Mirza Ghulam. The Essence of Islam Vol. 3, Islam International Publications Ltd., Tilford, Surrey, UK, 2005, pp. 137-138

5. The Holy Qur’an 7:36

6. The Holy Qur’an 1:6-7

7. The Holy Qur’an 4:70

8. Sahih Bukhari, Book of Good Manners and Form, Chapter: Whoever named by the names of the Prophets

9. Sahih Muslim, Book of Pilgrimage, Chapter: The virtue of praying in the Masajid of Makkah and al-Madinah

10. Sahih Bukhari, Book of Fighting for the Cause of Allah, Chapter: War is deceit

11. Ahmad, Mirza Ghulam. Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Islam International Publications Ltd., Farnham, Surrey, UK, 2018, p. 878

12. Ahmad, Mirza Ghulam. Noah’s Ark, Islam International Publications Ltd., Farnham, Surrey, UK, 2018, pp. 39-40

13. Al-Isfahani, Al-Raghib. Mufradat Alfaz al-Quran, Dar al-Qalam, 2009, p. 142

14. Ibn Arabi, Muhyiddin. Al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya Volume 2, Dar Sadir, n.d., p. 3