Prophethood in Islam

Meanings and Significance of the Seal of Prophethood

In Islam, the door to Prophethood which claims to be independent (of the Holy Prophet (sas)) is closed.

[Ayyam-us-Sulh, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 14, p. 308]

It should be clearly understood that the door of law-bearing Prophethood is firmly closed after the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.) There can be no book after the Holy Qur’an which comprises new commandments or abrogates those contained in it or suspends obedience to it. The authority of the Holy Qur’an will last to the Day of Judgment.

[Al-Wasiyyat, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 20, p. 311, footnote]

It has been revealed to me that the door of independent Prophethood is firmly closed after the Seal of the Prophets (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.) Now there can arise no independent Prophet, neither old nor new. Our misguided opponents do not consider this door completely closed. According to them there is a window open for the return of the Israelite Prophet, the Messiah.

[Siraj-e-Munir, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 12, pp. 5-6]

A Prophet is one who receives revelation from God and is honoured with converse with Him. It is not necessary that he should be the bearer of a new law or should not be the follower of a law-bearing Prophet. Thus no harm is done if a follower of the Holy Prophet (sas) is raised as such a Prophet, particularly when he receives all grace from the Holy Prophet himself (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.) What is most harmful is to believe that the followers of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) are debarred from enjoying converse with God until the Day of Judgement. That religion does not deserve to be called a religion nor is that Prophet worthy of being called a Prophet, whose followers cannot come near enough to God to be honoured with His word. Accursed and detestable is the religion which teaches that human progress depends only on a few principles which are transmitted from generation to generation, that all revelation is a matter of the past and there can be no further revelation, and that hearing the voice of the Ever-Living and All-Powerful God is to be wholly despaired of.

[Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Part V, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 21, p. 306]

In Arabic and Hebrew, the word Nabi [Prophet] means one who makes prophecies on the basis of revelation received from God. As the Holy Qur’an does not close the door of Prophethood whereby a person through obedience to the grace of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) may be granted converse with God and may be informed of hidden matters through Divine revelation, then what is there to stop the appearance of such a Prophet among the Muslims? We do not believe that such Prophethood is barred. Only that Prophethood is barred which is accompanied by the commandments of a new Shariah, or claims to be outside the following of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.) But a claim to Prophethood by one whom Divine revelation describes as a follower of the Holy Prophet (sas) and who is also designated as a Prophet, is not contrary to the Holy Qur’an, inasmuch as such Prophethood is a reflection of the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and is not independent Prophethood.

[Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Part V, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 21, pp. 351-352]

Excellence of the Holy Prophet (sas)

The charge advanced against me and my Jama‘at, that we do not believe in the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as the Seal of Prophets, is altogether false. The strength, certainty, comprehension and insight with which we acknowledge and believe in the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as the Seal of the Prophets, cannot even be dreamed of by the other Muslims; they do not have the capacity to comprehend the reality and the mystery comprised in the Seal of Prophethood. They have merely heard an expression from their ancestors but they are unaware of its import and do not know what it signifies and what is meant by believing in it. But we believe with full comprehension—and God Almighty knows this well—that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the Seal of the Prophets. God Almighty has disclosed the reality of the Seal of Prophethood in such a manner that we derive special delight from its contemplation which cannot be conceived of by anyone except those who have drunk deep at this fountain.

We can illustrate the Seal of Prophethood by the example of the moon, which begins as a crescent and arrives at its perfection on the fourteenth night when it is called the full moon. In the same manner the excellences of Prophethood reached their climax in the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.) Those who believe that Prophethood has been closed compulsorily, and that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) should not be regarded as being superior even to the Prophet Jonas have not understood the reality of the Seal of Prophethood and do not have true knowledge of his superiority and excellences. Despite their own ignorance and lack of understanding, they charge us with denying the Seal of Prophethood. What shall I say concerning such invalids and how shall I express my pity for them!

[Malfuzat, Vol. 1, pp. 342-343]

I wish to reaffirm that the principal connotation of the expression ‘Seal of the Prophets’ is that the qualities of Prophethood beginning with Adam (as) found perfection in the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.) This is the obvious meaning. The other meaning is that the circle of the excellences of Prophethood was completed with the advent of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.) It is entirely true that the Holy Qur’an brought perfection to imperfect teachings, and thereby Prophethood attained perfection and Islam became the manifestation of:

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These are the signs of Prophethood. There is no need to discuss their reality and inner meanings. The principles are self-evident and clear and are known as established verities. It is not necessary for a believer to get involved in their detailed exposition. All that is needed is faith. The Finality of Prophethood is the sign of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and it is necessary for every Muslim to believe in it.

[Malfuzat, Vol. 1, pp. 286-287]

The Seal of Prophethood as the Perfect Man

The vision of the Perfect Man, to whom the Holy Qur’an was revealed, was not limited. His concern and sympathy for all was faultless. His self was imbued with perfect sympathy that transcended the limitations of time and space. That is why he was granted full and complete share of the manifestation of Divine Providence. Thus, he became the Seal of the Prophets. This was not because no one was to be granted any spiritual grace after him, but because no one could achieve any grace without the attestation of his seal, and that the door of converse with God would never be closed to his followers. No other Prophet has been granted this seal; he is the only one through whose seal such Prophethood can be achieved and for which it is necessary that its recipient should be a follower of his. His high resolve and deep sympathy did not desire to leave his followers in a position of disadvantage and did not tolerate that the door of revelation, which is the true basis of complete comprehension, should be closed upon them. He desired that, in order to maintain the sign of the Seal of Prophethood, the grace of revelation should be confined to his followers, and the door of revelation should be closed for those who are not his followers. It was in this sense that God made him the Seal of the Prophets. Thus it has been forever ordained that he who is not his follower, and is not completely devoted to him, can never be the recipient of perfect revelation, inasmuch as independent Prophethood came to an end with him (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.) But Prophethood by way of zill [reflection], which is to receive Divine revelation through the grace of Muhammad (sas), shall continue till the Judgement Day, so that the door of spiritual perfection should not be closed on mankind and the sign which the high resolve of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) desired—namely, that the doors of converse with God should remain open and the comprehension of the Divine, which is the basis of salvation, should not become extinct.

[Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 22, pp. 29-30]

The question can be raised that as there have been many Prophets among the followers of Moses (as), it therefore follows that the status of Moses (as) was higher than that of the Holy Prophet (sas). The answer is that these Prophets were raised by God independently of Moses (as), but there have been thousands of saints through the blessing of following the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and also the one who was both a follower and a Prophet. There is no other instance of such bounteous grace in the case of any other Prophet. Among the followers of Moses (as), with the exception of the Prophets, most other people were spiritually imperfect, and the Prophets themselves were raised independently of Moses (as). But among Muslims thousands achieved sainthood by following the Holy Prophet (sas) alone.

[Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 22, p. 30, footnote]

Prophethood by Way of Reflection

When Maulavi Sahibzadah ‘Abdul Latif Sahib came to Qadian, not only did he have the advantage of listening to detailed reasons in support of my claim, but during the few months that he spent in my company in Qadian and during my journey to Jhelum when he was with me, he observed many heavenly signs in my support. By witnessing all these lights and extraordinary events, he was filled with rare certainty and was pulled upward by superior power. On one occasion, I explained a particular point to him which pleased him greatly. The point was that, as the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the like of Moses (as) and his Khulafa’ are the likes of the Prophets of Israel, then why is it that the Promised Messiah has been called a Prophet in the Ahadith while all other Khulafa’ have not been so named? I told him that as the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the Seal of the Prophets and there was to be no Prophet after him, therefore, if all the Khulafa’ had been named Prophets, his being the Seal of the Prophets would have been put in doubt, and if no one of his followers had been designated a Prophet, his being the like of Moses (as) would have been open to question, inasmuch as the Khulafa’ of Moses (as) were Prophets. Therefore, Divine wisdom determined that a large number of Khulafa’ be sent down, but out of regard for the Seal of Prophethood, not be called Prophets, nor be granted the rank of Prophethood, so as to emphasize the Seal of Prophethood. Divine wisdom also determined that the last Khalifa, i.e., the Promised Messiah, should be designated as a Prophet, so that the two dispensations should be proved as being alike in the matter of Khilafat. I have pointed out several times that the Prophethood of the Promised Messiah is by way of reflection, inasmuch as he has been designated a Prophet by virtue of his being the perfect reflection of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.) In one of my revelations God Almighty has told me:

‘O Ahmad, you have been made a Messenger’; i.e., as you were held worthy of the name of Ahmad, by way of buruz [second coming], while your name was Ghulam Ahmad, in the same way you have been held worthy of the title of a Prophet by way of buruz, inasmuch as Ahmad is the Prophet and Prophethood cannot be separated from him.

[Tadhkirat-ush-Shahadatain, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 20, pp. 45-46]

If anyone should ask how there can be a Prophet among the Muslims when God has put an end to Prophethood, the answer would be that God, the Lord of Honour and Glory, has named me Prophet only as proof of the perfection of the Prophethood of the best of mankind. The perfection of the Holy Prophet (sas) would be established only by the proof of the perfection of his followers, for, in the absence of such proof, the claim of the perfection of the Holy Prophet (sas) would not be substantiated in the eyes of the wise. The only meaning of the Seal of Prophethood is that all the excellences of Prophethood achieved their climax in the person of the Holy Prophet (sas). Of the great excellences of Prophethood, is the perfection of the Holy Prophet (sas) in respect of the conveyance of spiritual grace to his followers, which cannot be established without its manifestation among them. Besides, I have mentioned several times that in the design of God, Prophethood in my case means only the frequency of converse with God and this concept is accepted by the leaders of the Ahl-e-Sunnah.

Thus the controversy is purely verbal. Therefore, O you who possess wisdom and understanding, do not hasten towards denial. Allah’s curse and the curse of mankind and of the angels be upon him who makes a claim beyond this even by as much as a particle.

[Al-Istifta, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 22, p. 637 footnote]

The Divine revelation:

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means that God felt that, because of its widespread corruption, mankind was in need of a grand reformer, so the Seal of God blessed a follower of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) with the rank of being a follower on the one hand, and a Prophet on the other. Allah the Exalted, bestowed upon the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) the Seal for the purpose of conveying spiritual excellence, which had not been bestowed on any other Prophet and that is why he was named the Seal of Prophets. This means that obedience to the Holy Prophet (sas) bestows the excellences of Prophethood and his spiritual attention fashions Prophets. No other Prophet has been granted such spiritual power. This is the meaning of the Hadith:

‘The divines from among my people will be like the Prophets of Israel.’

There were many Prophets from among the children of Israel, but their Prophethood was not because of their obedience to Moses (as); rather it was a direct bounty from God. That is why they were not designated Prophets in one aspect and the followers of a Prophet in another, but were called independent Prophets and the dignity of Prophethood was bestowed directly upon them. Leaving them aside, if we look at the rest of the children of Israel, we observe that they had very little guidance and righteousness. Few Auliya’ullah [friends of Allah] appeared among the followers of Moses (as) and Jesus (as). Most of them were disobedient, vicious and worshippers of the world. That is why the Torah and the Gospel make no mention of the evidence of their spiritual influence. The Torah frequently designates the companions of Moses (as) as disobedient, hard-hearted, sinful and rebellious. The Holy Qur’an mentions that their disobedience had reached such a degree that on the occasion of a battle, their response to Moses (as) was:

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That is: ‘Go thou and thy Lord and fight the enemy; here we shall sit.’

Such was the measure of their disobedience. In contrast, the hearts of the companions of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) were so inspired by love of God, and they were so affected by the spiritual attention of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), that they sacrificed themselves in the cause of God like sheep and goats. Can anyone show us followers of any previous Prophet, who demonstrated such sincerity and devotion? We have mentioned the companions of Moses (as). Now let us turn to the Jesus’ disciples. One of them, Judas Iscariot, betrayed him in return for thirty pieces of silver. Peter, to whom had been committed the keys of heaven, cursed Jesus to his face and the remaining disciples deserted Jesus at the time of his trial. Not one of them remained steadfast. They all turned out to be cowards. In contrast, the companions of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) demonstrated such steadfastness and were so reconciled to death that any mention of their devotion brings tears to one’s eyes.

What was it that inspired them with such devotion? Whose hand was it that brought about such a change in them? In their pre-Islamic ignorance, there was no sin and no wrong that they did not commit. On becoming the followers of the Holy Prophet (sas), they were so drawn to God, as if God dwelt within them. I tell you truly that it was the spiritual attention of the Holy Prophet (sas) that pulled them out of a low life into a holy one. Those who later entered Islam in hosts did not do so under the threat of a sword. They did so in consequence of the sincere supplications and humble and passionate prayers which the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) offered in Mecca for thirteen years, so that even the soil of Mecca confessed that it was under the blessed feet of him whose heart proclaimed the Unity of God so passionately that heaven was filled with his cries. God is Self-Sufficient. He does not care whether anyone is rightly guided or goes astray. The light of guidance which was so extraordinarily manifested in Arabia, and then spread to the rest of the world, was a consequence of the heartfelt desire of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.) Followers of every religion had digressed and strayed away from the spring of Tauhid [belief in the Unity of God] but it continued to flow in Islam. All these blessings were granted in answer to the supplications of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as God Almighty has said:

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Meaning that: ‘Will you grieve yourself to death because they did not believe?’

The reason why the followers of previous Prophets did not achieve such a high grade in righteousness was that those Prophets did not have the same degree of concern and anguish for their followers as did the Holy Prophet (sas). It is a pity that ignorant Muslims of this age do not appreciate the Holy Prophet (sas) as he deserves, and therefore they stumble at every step. They interpret the Seal of Prophethood in a manner that is derogatory of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and does not hold him up to praise as if he had no power to bestow spiritual grace upon his followers or to help perfect them spiritually, and had been appointed merely to teach them the law. God Almighty has taught Muslims the prayer:

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If the Muslims are not the heirs of the previous Prophets and have no share in the favours that were bestowed upon them, why were they taught this prayer? It is a pity that Muslims, on account of their bigotry and ignorance, do not reflect duly on this verse. They are too eager to see Jesus descend from heaven, while the Holy Qur’an testifies that he is dead and was buried in Srinagar, Kashmir, as God Almighty has said:

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That is: ‘We delivered Jesus and his mother from the hands of the Jews and conveyed them to a region of high mountains which was a place of security and was watered with clear springs.’

This was Kashmir. And this is why Mary’s tomb is not to be found in Palestine, and the Christians claim that she too disappeared like Jesus. How unjust it is of the ignorant Muslims to believe that the followers of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) are deprived of converse with God while at the same time they repeat the sayings of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that among his people there will be those who will resemble the Prophets of Israel, and there will also be one who will be a Prophet in one aspect and the follower of the Holy Prophet (sas) in another. He would be the one who will be called the Promised Messiah.

[Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 22, pp. 99-104, footnote]

I tell you truly that Islam is so patently true that if all the disbelievers of the world were to stand in prayer on one side, and I were to stand alone on the other, in supplication before God for a particular purpose, God will support me, not because I am better than all others, but because 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. God is the enemy of whoever regards the Holy Qur’an as abrogated and follows a law opposed to the law of Muhammad and seeks to put his own law in practice and does not follow the Holy Prophet (sas) and seeks to set up himself in his place. But God loves him who makes the Holy Qur’an his code and regards the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as the Seal of the Prophets and knows that he is dependent upon his grace. Such a man becomes the beloved of God Almighty. God’s love pulls him towards Him and honours him with His converse and displays signs in his support. When such a person’s obedience to the Holy Prophet (sas) arrives at its climax, God bestows a Prophethood upon him which is a reflection of the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), so that Islam may continues to remain fresh and alive through such people and should remain supreme over its opponents.

A foolish one, who is in truth an enemy of the faith, does not desire that converse with God should continue as a characteristic of Islam. He rather wishes that Islam too should become a dead religion like all the others; but that is not what God desires. In the revelation vouchsafed to me, God Almighty has employed the expression Prophet and Messenger concerning me hundreds of times, but these expressions mean only frequent converse with God which comprises the unseen. Everyone is entitled to use an expression in a particular sense. God too designates frequent experience of converse with Him as Prophethood, meaning that such converse comprises a great deal of that which is unseen. Accursed is he who claims to be a Prophet, but whose Prophethood is divorced from the grace of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.) The Prophethood that has been bestowed on me belongs to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and is not a new Prophethood. Its only purpose is to make manifest to the world the truth of Islam and to display the righteousness of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.)

[Chashma-e-Ma‘rifat, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 23, pp. 339-341]

I believe truly and completely in God’s word:

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This verse contains a prophecy of which our opponents are not aware: God Almighty affirms in this verse that, after the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the door of prophecy has been closed forever and that it is no longer possible that a Hindu or a Jain or a Christian or a nominal Muslim should be able to rightfully assume the title of Prophet. All doors of Prophethood have been closed except that of complete devotion to the Holy Prophet (sas). He who approaches God through this door is clothed, by way of reflection, in the same mantle of Prophethood that is the mantle of the Prophethood of Muhammad. Therefore, his Prophethood is not a cause for jealousy, because he does not claim anything on his own account but acquires everything from the spring of the Holy Prophet (sas). He is given the names Muhammad and Ahmad in heaven. This means that the Prophethood of Muhammad is bestowed on Muhammad by way of reflection and on none other. The meaning of the verse:

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is that:

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In short, my Prophethood and Messengership is because of my being Muhammad and Ahmad and not because of my own self, and I have been given this name by virtue of my utter devotion to the Holy Prophet (sas). Thus there is no contravention of the Seal of Prophethood, but the supposed descent of Jesus from heaven would certainly amount to such contravention.

It should also be remembered that the literal meaning of ‘Nabi’ is one who discloses the unseen in consequence of being informed of it by God. Therefore, wherever this connotation is established, the title of Prophet would be justified. A Prophet is necessarily a Messenger, for if he is not a Messenger, he cannot be the recipient of knowledge of the unseen as indicated by the verse:

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If it were held that there could be no Prophet in this connotation after the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), it would follow that the Muslims are deprived of converse with the Divine; for he who discloses the unseen on the basis of knowledge bestowed upon him by God, would necessarily be a Prophet within the meaning of the above verse. In the same way, he who is sent by God Almighty must be designated a Messenger. The only distinction is that, after the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), there cannot be any Prophet till the end of days who shall be the bearer of a new law, or who would be granted the title of a Prophet without having arrived at such a stage of utter devotion to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wherein he is named Muhammad and Ahmad in heaven;

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The key to this mystery is that the true connotation of the ‘Seal of the Prophets’ demands that if anyone calls himself a Prophet while there is the slightest distance between him and the Holy Prophet (sas), will be guilty of contravening the Seal of Prophethood. But he who is so completely devoted to the Holy Prophet (sas) that, on account of his complete unity and the absence of any difference between them, he is given his name and reflects, like a bright mirror, the countenance of the Holy Prophet (sas), then he would be called a Prophet without contravening the Seal, because he is Muhammad, though only by way of reflection. Thus, despite the claim of Prophethood by a person who is designated Muhammad and Ahmad, by way of reflection, our lord and master Muhammad would still be the Seal of the Prophets inasmuch as this second Muhammad is his reflection and bears his name. But Jesus cannot come without breaking that Seal, since his Prophethood is distinct from the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet (sas). If no one can be a Prophet or a Messenger, even by way of reflection, then what is the purpose of the prayer:

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I do not deny being a Prophet and a Messenger in this connotation. It is for the same reason that the Promised Messiah has been designated a Prophet in Sahih Muslim. If one who is bestowed knowledge of the unseen by God Almighty cannot bear the title of ‘Nabi’, how then should he be designated? If you say that such a one should be called Muhaddath, I would counter that no lexicon attributes to the word ‘Tahdith’ the meaning ‘disclosure of the unseen’, but Prophethood has this connotation. The word ‘Nabi’ [Prophet] is common to Arabic and Hebrew. In Hebrew it is called Nabi and is derived from the root Naba meaning to prophesize on the basis of knowledge derived from God. Nabi is not necessarily law-bearing. This is a Divine gift which carries with it knowledge of the unseen.

[Eik Ghalati ka Izalah, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 18, pp. 207-210]

All doors are closed except the one which has been opened by the Holy Qur’an. Now there is no need to follow the Prophets and Books of the past, inasmuch as the Prophethood of Muhammad comprises all of them and all ways are closed except the way of this Prophethood. All verities that lead to God are comprised in the Holy Qur’an. No new verity will be disclosed after the Holy Qur’an, nor is there any verity which was disclosed before it and is not contained in it. Therefore, all Prophethood is closed with this Prophethood and so it should have been, for everything that has a beginning must have an end. But the Prophethood of Muhammad is not deficient in bestowing grace. Indeed it possesses this quality in a greater degree than all previous Prophethoods. By following this Prophethood a person easily attains nearness to God. Obedience to it makes one more worthy of the bounty of the love of God, and of converse with Him, than was the case with previous Prophethoods. But a perfect follower of this Prophethood cannot just be called a Prophet, for this would be an offence against the complete and perfect Prophethood of Muhammad. He can be called a Prophet and the follower of a Prophet at the same time, for this involves no offence against the complete and perfect Prophethood of Muhammad, but rather adds to its brightness. When converse with the Divine arrives at its climax, both quantitatively and qualitatively, and suffers from no impurity or deficiency and unequivocally comprehends the matters relating to the unseen, it is designated Prophethood. All Prophets are agreed on this.

In short, it was not possible that a people about whom it was said:

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and who were taught the prayer:

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should have been deprived of this high rank and not one of them should have achieved it. In that case, not only would the Ummah have remained inferior and imperfect and like the blind, but also the spiritual grace of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would have been deemed imperfect and tainted, and the prayer that the Muslims had been taught to repeat in their five daily prayers, would have proved purposeless. On the other hand, if this rank had been bestowed upon a Muslim directly and not through his following the light of the Prophethood of Muhammad, the significance of the Seal of Prophethood would have been obscured. Therefore, in order to safeguard the Muslims against both these contingencies, God Almighty bestowed the honour of perfect, complete and holy converse with Himself upon some individuals from among the Muslims who had arrived at the climax of devotion to the Holy Prophet (sas). No intervening barrier remained and they illustrated in their person the meaning of being followers of the Holy Prophet (sas) in the true sense of the word, so much so that their own being gave place to the reflection of the Holy Prophet (sas) in the mirror of their devotion, and they were bestowed complete and perfect converse with God.

In this way, some individuals from among the Muslims were bestowed the title of Prophet, for such a Prophethood is not distinct from the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him); but if it is viewed carefully, it is the very Prophethood of Muhammad manifested in a new aspect. This is the meaning of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) having described the Promised Messiah as:

Which means that he will be a Prophet but he will also be from the Ummah. No outsider can be admitted to such a rank. Blessed is he who appreciates this point and saves himself from ruin.

[Al-Wasiyyat, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 20, pp. 311-312]

What God requires of you, in the matter of belief, is that God is One and that Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is His Prophet and the Seal of Prophets and is the greatest of them all. After him there is no Prophet except only one who is reflectively clothed in the mantle of Muhammadiyyat. Inasmuch as a servant cannot be separated from his master, nor is a branch separable from its root, he who is designated Prophet by God on account of his perfect devotion to his master does not contravene the Seal of Prophethood. Just as when you look into a mirror, there are not two of you but only one, although there appear to be two: the real one and the reflection. That is what God designated in the case of the Promised Messiah. This is also the meaning of the saying of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that the Promised Messiah would be buried with him in the same grave; which means that they would be completely identical.

[Kashti-e-Nuh, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 19, pp. 15-16]

Remember, I am not a Messenger or Prophet by virtue of a new law, a new claim or a new name; but I am a Messenger and Prophet by virtue of perfect reflection. I am the mirror in which the form and the Prophethood of Muhammad are perfectly reflected. Had I been a claimant of distinct Prophethood, God Almighty would not have named me Muhammad and Ahmad and Mustafa and Mujtaba. Nor would I have been bestowed the title of Khatam-ul-Auliya’ [Seal of the Elect of God], resembling the title of the Seal of the Prophets. In such a case, I would have been given a separate name. But God Almighty admitted me completely into the being of Muhammad, so much so that He did not desire that I should have a separate name or a separate tomb, for a reflection cannot be separated from its original. Why did this come about? It came about because God had appointed the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as Seal of Prophets, and, in order to maintain the parallel between the Mosaic dispensation and the Muhammadi dispensation, it was necessary that the Muhammadi Messiah should be bestowed the dignity of Prophethood like the Mosaic Messiah, so that the Muhammadi Prophethood should not be considered deficient in any respect when compared to the Mosaic Prophethood. Therefore, God Almighty created me as a perfect reflection, and invested me with the reflection of Muhammadi Prophethood, so that in one aspect I should bear the title of Nabi’ullah [Prophet of God], and in another aspect the Seal of Prophethood should be safeguarded.

[Nuzul-ul-Masih, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 18, pp. 381-382, footnote]

Frequent Converse With God—The Only Claim of the Promised Messiah

In order to provoke the common people, my opponents allege that I lay claim to Prophethood. This is an utterly false accusation. I do not claim any Prophethood that is barred by the Holy Qur’an. All I claim is that in one aspect I am a follower of the Holy Prophet (sas) and, in another, through the grace of the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), I am a Prophet. In my case Prophethood means only that I am frequently honoured with converse with God Almighty. The truth is as the revered reformer of Sarhind has recorded in his Maktubat:

Though some individuals from among the Muslims are honoured with converse with the Divine and will continue to be so honoured, yet only he is called a Prophet who is so honoured most frequently and to whom the unseen is frequently disclosed.

There is a prophecy in the Ahadith that there will appear among the Muslims one who will be called ‘Isa and Ibn-e-Maryam and will be designated a Prophet, that is to say, he will be so frequently honoured with converse with God and so much of the unseen will be disclosed to him as is not possible in the case of anyone except a Prophet as God Almighty has said:

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This means that: ‘God does not grant anyone clear and consistent ascendancy over His domain of the unseen, except him whom He chooses as His Messenger.’

It has been established that the bounty of converse with God and of disclosure of the unseen has been bestowed on me to a degree to which it has not been bestowed on anyone during the last thirteen hundred years. Should anyone challenge this, the onus of proof lies with him.

In short, I alone have been honoured with so great a share of Divine revelation and of knowledge of the unseen as has not been bestowed on any of the Auliya’ and Abdal and Aqtab among the Muslims before me. For this reason I alone have been bestowed the title of Prophet and no one else has deserved it because it implies frequency of revelation and repeated disclosure of the unseen, a condition which was not fulfilled by any of them.

[Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 22, pp. 406-407]

My critic has further objected that God Almighty has said:

16

Therefore no reformer or Prophet is now needed. In so thinking the critic has raised an objection against the Holy Qur’an itself, inasmuch as the Holy Qur’an has promised the appointment of successors from among the Muslims and has said that through them faith would be strengthened, doubts would be set at rest and security would be restored after a state of fear. Thus if nothing is permissible after the perfection of the faith, then, according to the critic, the Khilafat that continued for thirty years after the Holy Prophet (sas) would also be rendered unnecessary, as the faith had been perfected and nothing more was needed.

The citation of the verse 17 by the critic is out of place. We do not allege that a reformer or a Muhaddath detracts anything from the faith or adds anything to it. What we say is that when, after the lapse of time, the holy teaching of the faith is covered with the dust of wrong thinking and the pure countenance of truth becomes hidden, then reformers, Muhaddathin and spiritual successors appear to reveal the true and beautiful countenance of the faith.

We do not know whence our poor critic has learnt that reformers and spiritual successors arrive for the purpose of adding to or abrogating the faith. Their purpose is not to abrogate but to display the light and brilliance of the faith. The conception of the critic that there is no such need reveals that he does not have much regard for the faith. He has never reflected on what Islam is, what its progress signifies, how its real progress can be achieved, and who can be considered a true Muslim. That is why he considers it enough that the Holy Qur’an being available, and there being a plethora of divines, the hearts of most people are automatically drawn to Islam and no reformer is needed. He does not appreciate the fact that reformers and spiritual successors are needed among the Muslims, in the same way as Prophets are needed among other people. It cannot be denied that Moses (peace be upon him) was a Prophet and a Messenger and that the Torah was a complete code for the children of Israel; and just as the Holy Qur’an contains the verse 18 so does the Torah contain verses to the effect that the children of Israel have been given a perfect and glorious Book. The Holy Qur’an also describes the Torah as such. Yet hundreds of Prophets appeared among the children of Israel after the Torah, who brought no new book and whose function was to pull people who had departed from the teachings of the Torah back to it and to purify the hearts of those who had been afflicted with doubts, atheism and lack of faith. God the Exalted has affirmed in the Holy Qur’an:

19

That is: ‘We bestowed the Torah upon Moses (as) and thereafter sent many Messengers in its support and to testify to its truth.’

20

That is: ‘Then, We sent Our Messengers one after the other.’

All these verses show that it is the way of Allah that after sending down His Book He sends Prophets in support of it. In support of the Torah sometimes as many as four hundred Prophets were sent at one and the same time; as testified by the Bible.

The reason for sending so many Prophets is that God Almighty has warned emphatically that abiding hell is the punishment for denial of His Book; as is said:

21

This means that: ‘Those who are disbelievers and reject Our signs are condemned to the fire and shall abide therein forever.’

Thus as the punishment of rejection of a Divine Book is so severe and the phenomenon of Prophethood and divine revelation is so difficult of comprehension, indeed God Almighty Himself is so transcendent that unless the human eye is illumined by divine light it is not possible to achieve true and holy comprehension of Him, let alone the comprehension of Prophets and divine books, therefore, the Rahmaniyyat of God demanded that his blind and unseeing creatures should be helped very greatly, and it should not be considered enough that a Messenger and a Book having been sent, thereafter, despite the passage of a long period of time, the disbelievers may be committed to the everlasting torment of hell on account of the denial of such doctrines as later generations can comprehend as merely pure and excellent statements.

It should be clear to a thoughtful person that God, Who is Rahman [Gracious] and Rahim [Merciful], cannot, without convincing explanation, prescribe so great a punishment as condemnation to everlasting hell for people of different countries who have heard of the Qur’an and of the Holy Prophet (sas) after centuries and who, not being proficient in Arabic, cannot perceive the excellence of the Holy Qur’an. Nor can human conscience reconcile itself to the fact that a person may be condemned without being convinced that the Holy Qur’an is the Word of God. That is why God Almighty has promised that He will continue to appoint vicegerents so that they, being invested reflectively with the lights of Prophethood, should demonstrate the excellences of the Holy Qur’an and its holy blessings to the people and thus make them responsible for believing in it and acting upon it.

It should also be remembered that such exposition has to adopt different forms in every age, and that a reformer is equipped with the faculties, capacities and qualities which are suited to the reform of the mischief which is current in his time. Thus God Almighty will ever continue to do so, as long as He wills, so that reform and virtue may continue to flourish. These statements are not without proof and are testified by an unbroken series of precedents.

Apart from the Prophets, Messengers and Muhaddathin who appeared at different times in different countries, if one takes into account only those who appeared in Israel, it would be discovered that in the fourteen centuries between Moses (as) and Jesus (as), thousands of Prophets and Muhaddathin appeared and occupied themselves diligently in the service of the Torah. The Holy Qur’an and the Bible both testify to this. Those Prophets brought no new book and taught no new faith. They only served the Torah. They appeared whenever atheism, disbelief, misconduct, and hard-heartedness became prevalent in Israel.

It is a point to ponder that the Law of Moses (as) was limited in its scope and was not meant for the whole of mankind, nor was it to last forever, yet God Almighty took care to send thousands of Prophets for the revival of that law and those Prophets exhibited such signs as enabled the children of Israel to behold God afresh. Then how can it be that Muslims, who have been designated the best of people, and are attached to the Best of the Prophets (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) be accounted so unfortunate that God Almighty looked at them with mercy only for thirty years and after exhibiting heavenly lights to them during that time, turned His face away from them. Centuries passed after the departure of the Holy Prophet (sas), and thousands of disorders arose, and great earthquakes were felt, and diverse forms of corruption spread, and a whole world mounted attacks against Islam, and all its blessings and miracles were denied, and that which was acceptable was declared unacceptable, and yet God Almighty never again looked upon the Muslims nor had mercy on them, nor did He consider that the Muslims were also weak human beings and, like the children of Israel, their plants also were in need of heavenly water. Could the Beneficent God, Who had sent the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to remove all corruption forever, turn away from the Muslims like this? Can we conceive that God Almighty was so merciful towards previous people and, having revealed the Torah, sent thousands of Prophets and Muhaddathin in support of the Torah and for the repeated revival of the hearts of the children of Israel, but that the Muslims were subject to His wrath and, therefore, after the revelation of the Holy Qur’an, He forgot them and left them forever to the reasoning and deduction of clerics? God clearly stated concerning Moses (as):

22

23

That is to say: ‘Allah spoke to Moses (as)’ and ‘sent Messengers bearing glad tidings as well as warnings to help him and to testify to his truth, so that people may not have any excuse after that, and, after witnessing a host of Prophets, should believe in the Torah with all their heart.’

Then He says:

24

That is: ‘We sent many Messengers before thee, some of whom We have mentioned to thee and some We have not so mentioned.’

But God made no such arrangement for the Muslims and withheld from them the mercy and grace He had bestowed upon the people of Moses (as)! It is obvious that, with the passage of time, previous miracles and wonders became mere tales. Succeeding generations, finding themselves bereft of all such wonders, begin to entertain doubts about miracles and extraordinary happenings. Having the example of thousands of Prophets of Israel before them, the Muslims would be disheartened and, considering themselves unfortunate, would either envy the children of Israel or would consider the history of Israel also a chain of imaginary tales. It is idle to assert that, as there have been thousands of Prophets and many miracles have been shown in the past, the Muslims were in no need of extraordinary events and wonders and blessings and that is why God Almighty held everything of that kind back from the Muslims. This is the kind of thing that is asserted by those who have no regard for the faith. Man is very weak and always needs strengthening of faith. In this respect no help can be derived from self-conceived arguments. It is necessary to realize afresh that God exists. False belief, which is not effective in restraining a person from misconduct, may however continue to exist as a matter of speculation and form.

Need for Reformers After the Perfection of Faith

It should be remembered that the perfection of faith does not dispense with the need of safeguarding it. For instance, if a person builds a house, sets all its rooms in order and fills all the needs relating to its structure, and, after a long time, dust settles on it in because of rains and dust storms, and its beauty is covered up; if, at such a time, a person who inherits this house wishes to undertake its cleaning and whitewashing, would this not be the height of folly to stop him from doing so for the reason that the house had been completed long ago? These people do not reflect that the completion of a structure is one thing and its seasonal cleaning is quite another. It should be remembered that reformers do not add anything to or subtract anything from the faith. They restore to the hearts that which had been lost. To assert that it is not necessary to believe in reformers is disobedience of a Divine command. He has directed:

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‘Whoever rejects the Khulafa’, after they have been sent, is indeed from amongst the sinners.’

To summarise, it was necessary that after the death of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) reformers should have appeared among the Muslims at times of disorder and trials, who should have been entrusted with one of the functions of the Prophets, namely that they should call men to the true faith and remove all innovations and exhibit the truth of the faith from every point of view with the help of heavenly light and invite people to truth, love and piety by the force of their example. The reasons for this are:

Firstly, reason affirms that matters relating to God and the hereafter are very fine and imperceptible. One has to believe in the unseen and the supernatural. No one has ever seen God Almighty or observed heaven and hell, or met the angels. What is more, Divine commandments are opposed to the desires of the ego and restrain from that in which the ego delights. Therefore it is necessary that either the Prophets of God, who bring the law and the Book and possess spiritual power, should live long and continue to bless their followers in each century with their company, and should train them under their own graceful supervision and convey to them the blessing, light and spiritual comprehension which they had done in the early part of their ministry. Or, if that should not be possible, then their spiritual heirs, who are equipped with their high qualities and can set forth the verities and insights comprised in the Divine Book under the guidance of revelation, and can illustrate in practice that which is related to the past and can lead a seeker after truth to certainty, must continue to appear in times of trouble and trials so that man who is afflicted with doubt and forgetfulness should not be deprived of the true grace of the Prophets.

It is obvious that when the time of a Prophet comes to an end, and those who have witnessed his blessings pass away, their experiences become tales in the eyes of the people of the next generation. The moral qualities of the Prophet, his worship, his steadfastness, his devotion, Divine support, extraordinary events, and miracles which testified to his Prophethood and the truth of his claim becomes fictional in the estimation of subsequent generations. Therefore, the freshness of the faith and the eagerness of obedience that are the characteristics of those who are favoured with the company of the Prophet are not found in those who come after them. It is clear that the kind of sincerity and devotion with which the companions of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sacrificed their wealth, lives, and honour in the cause of Islam were not to be found even among the second century Muslims, let alone Muslims of subsequent centuries. Why was this so? It was because the companions, may Allah be pleased with them, had beheld the countenance of the true one, whose love for Allah was so spontaneously testified even by the disbelieving Quraish. These people, observing his daily supplications, his loving prostrations, his condition of complete obedience, the bright signs of perfect love and devotion on his countenance, and the rain of Divine light on his face, were compelled to affirm:

‘Muhammad has fallen in love with his Lord.’

The companions not only observed the devotion, love and sincerity which surged up in the heart of our lord and master Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) like a raging ocean, they also observed God Almighty’s love for him, in the guise of extraordinary support and help. Then they realized that God exists and their hearts testified that He stood by the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.) They had witnessed so many Divine wonders and so many heavenly signs that they were left in no doubt about the existence of a Supreme Being Who is God, Who controls everything and for Whom nothing is impossible. That is why they exhibited such devotion and made such sacrifices as are not possible for anyone until all his doubts have been resolved. They realized that to win His pleasure it was necessary to accept Islam and to obey the Holy Prophet (sas) with complete sincerity. After this absolute certainty, the kind of obedience they exhibited and the feats they performed and the manner in which they laid down their lives at the feet of their Holy Preceptor, were matters which were not possible for anyone who had not witnessed what the companions had witnessed.

Such high qualities cannot be developed and salvation cannot be truly achieved without such means. It is, therefore, necessary that the Beneficent God Who has invited everyone to salvation should make a similar arrangement in every century so that His creatures should not fail in any age to attain the stage of absolute certainty.

Need of the Company of the Righteous

The affirmation that the Holy Qur’an and the Ahadith alone suffice us and that we do not need the company of the righteous is opposed to the teachings of the Holy Qur’an, as Allah the Exalted has said:

26

The truthful are those who have recognized the truth through their spiritual insight and are devoted to it. This high grade of spiritual insight cannot be achieved unless heavenly guidance conveys a seeker to the stage of certainty by experience. In this sense the truly righteous are the Prophets, the Messengers, the Muhaddathin and the perfect Auliya’ who are guided by heavenly light and who behold God Almighty with the sight of certainty in this very world. The verse that we have just quoted indicates that the world is never left without the truthful, as the commandment 27 necessitates the presence of the truthful at all times.

Besides, observation confirms that the learning and knowledge of those who do not seek the company of the righteous does not help to rid them of their physical passions, and that they do not achieve even that minimum status in Islam which generates the certainty of belief that God does indeed exist. They do not believe in the existence of God with the same certainty as they feel with regard to their wealth, which is locked in their boxes, or about the houses which they own. They dread swallowing arsenic, as they are certain that it is a fatal poison, but they do not dread the poison of sin, though they read in the Holy Qur’an:

28

The truth is that he who does not recognize God Almighty cannot recognize the Holy Qur’an. It is true that the Holy Qur’an has been revealed for guidance, but the guidance of the Qur’an is bound up with the personality of the one to whom it was revealed or of one who is appointed his substitute by God. Had the Qur’an alone been enough, God Almighty had the power to have the Qur’an inscribed on the leaves of trees or could have made it descend from heaven in the form of a book, but this was not what He did. He did not send the Qur’an into the world till the teacher of the Qur’an had been sent. You will find that at several places the Holy Qur’an affirms:

29

That is: ‘The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) teaches the Qur’an and its wisdom to the people.’ At one place it is said:

30

This means that: ‘The verities and the insights of the Qur’an are revealed only to the purified.’

Need for Teachers and Fresh Exposition of the Holy Qur’an

This shows clearly that for the true understanding of the Holy Qur’an a teacher is needed who is purified by God Almighty Himself. Had a teacher of the Qur’an not been needed, there would have been no such need from the beginning of time. It is idle to assert that in the beginning a teacher was needed for the exposition of the difficult parts of the Qur’an, and that exposition having been made, a teacher is no longer needed. Fresh exposition is needed from time to time. The Muslims are confronted with new difficulties in every age. It is true that the Qur’an comprises all knowledge but not all its knowledge is disclosed at one time. It is revealed as difficulties and problems are encountered. Spiritual teachers, who are the heirs of the Prophets and are reflectively invested with their qualities, are sent to resolve the difficulties that arise in every age. The reformer whose functions closely resemble the functions of a Messenger bears the name of that Messenger in the estimation of Allah.

Teachers are also needed, because some portions of the teaching of the Holy Qur’an are matters of hal as opposed to qal.31 The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who was the first teacher of the Holy Qur’an and the true heir of its teaching, demonstrated its teachings to his companions by his own practice and example. For instance, the Divine affirmation that He knows the unseen, accepts prayer, has power to do all that He wills, leads His seekers to the true light, sends His revelation to His sincere servants, and causes His spirit to descend upon whomsoever He wills out of His creatures, are all matters that can be understood only through the example of the teacher himself.

It is obvious that the superficial clerics, who are themselves blind, cannot illustrate these teachings. On the contrary, they teach that all these matters have been left behind and can no longer be experienced. Thus they create doubts in the minds of their disciples concerning the greatness of Islam. They teach that Islam is no longer a living faith and there is no way now to discover its true meaning. It is obvious, however, that if God Almighty designs that His creatures should always drink from the spring of the Holy Qur’an, He would have made provisions for it as He always done. Had the teachings of the Holy Qur’an been limited, as the teaching of an experienced and right thinking philosopher is limited, and did it not comprise the heavenly teaching which can only be demonstrated by practice, then, God forbid, the revelation of the Qur’an was needless. But I know that if one were to reflect upon the distinction between the teaching of the Prophets and the teaching of the philosophers, assuming both to be true, the only distinction that would be discovered is that a great portion of the teaching of the Prophets is metaphysical and can only be understood and appreciated through practical demonstration, and can be illustrated only by those who have the personal experience of it.…

If Allah the Glorious has so willed that this portion of the teaching of His Book should not be confined to the early ages, then He must have arranged for the teachers of that portion to be available at all times, since the portion of the teaching which relates to personal experience cannot be comprehended except through teachers who have experienced it. Therefore, if after the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) teachers who were guided by the reflection of the light of Prophethood had not been available, it would mean that God Almighty, having removed from the world at an early stage those who understood the Holy Qur’an truly and correctly, deliberately let the Qur’an become useless. But this would be contrary to His promise:

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That is: ‘It is We Who have sent down the Qur’an and We shall continue to safeguard it.’

Fulfilling the Need of Safeguarding the Holy Qur’an

I am unable to understand that if those with complete understanding of the Qur’an and belief in its certainty through personal experience have all passed away, then how has the Qur’an been safeguarded? Does safeguarding it mean that the Qur’an, beautifully inscribed, would be preserved forever locked in safes like treasures that lie buried under the earth and are of no use to anyone? Can anyone imagine that this is the true meaning of this verse? If so, there is nothing extraordinary about it. Rather, such a claim is laughable and amounts to inviting ridicule from the enemies of Islam. Of what use is the safeguarding which does not serve the true purpose? It is quite possible that a copy of the Torah or the Gospel may be found which has been similarly safeguarded. There are thousands of books, which have continued to exist entirely unaltered and which are for certain the writings of a particular person. There is no particular merit in such preservation, and such safeguarding of the Qur’an would be of no benefit to the Muslims. It is true that the safeguarding of the text of the Holy Qur’an is greater than that of all other books and is in itself extraordinary, but we cannot imagine that God Almighty, Who always has a spiritual purpose, meant only the safeguarding of the text of the Holy Qur’an. The very word dhikr [remembrance] clearly indicates that the Holy Qur’an will be preserved forever as a remembrance, and its true dhakirin33 will always be present. This is confirmed by another verse, which says:

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‘The Holy Qur’an is composed of clear signs in the bosoms of those who have been bestowed knowledge.’

This verse clearly means that the believers have been bestowed knowledge of the Holy Qur’an and they act upon it. As the Qur’an is preserved in the bosoms of the believers, the verse:

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Means that it would not cease to dwell therein.…

Secondly, reason demands that for the teaching and understanding of Divine books, it is necessary that, like the advent of the Prophets, recipients of revelation and persons equipped with spiritual knowledge should also continue to appear from time to time. Similarly, when we study the Qur’an and deliberate upon it we discover that the availability of spiritual teachers is part of the Divine design. For instance God has said:

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(Part Number 13)

‘That which benefits people endures in the earth.’

The Prophets who strengthen people’s faith through miracles, prophecies, verities, insights and the example of their own righteousness, and benefit the seekers after truth, are obviously the greatest benefactors of mankind. And it is also obvious that they do not remain upon the earth for a long time and pass away after a short existence. Yet the purport of this verse cannot be contradictory to this reality. Therefore, with reference to the Prophets, this verse means that they continue their beneficence by way of reflection. God Almighty at the times of need raises a servant of His who becomes their example reflectively and thus continues their spiritual life. It is for this purpose that God has taught the prayer:

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‘O Allah, guide us along the straight path, the path of those servants upon whom Thou has bestowed Thy favours….’

Not only has He taught this prayer, but has also promised in another verse:

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‘Those who strive in Our path—which is the right path— We will surely guide them along Our ways.’

It is clear that the ways of God Almighty are those that have been disclosed to the Prophets.

[Shahadat-ul-Qur’an, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 6, pp. 339-352]

Divine Promise of Khilafat

There are other verses which also indicate that it is God’s design that spiritual teachers, who are the heirs of the Prophets, should always continue to be available. For instance:

39

40

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Meaning: ‘O True believers among the followers of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), Allah has promised those among you who believe and act righteously, that He will surely make them successors in the earth, as He made successors among those who were before them.’

‘Those who disbelieve will continue to be afflicted with a calamity, physical or spiritual, or would descend close to their dwellings till the Divine promise is fulfilled. Surely Allah doeth not contrary to His promise.’

‘And We send not a punishment till after We have raised a Messenger.’

If a person reflects upon these verses he will realize that God Almighty has clearly promised the Muslims a permanent Khilafat. If this Khilafat were not permanent there would have been no sense in describing it as resembling the Khilafat of the Mosaic dispensation.…

A Khalifa is a reflection of a Prophet. As man is mortal, God Almighty designed that Prophets, who are more exalted and honoured than all other beings, should be reflectively preserved forever. For this purpose, God instituted Khilafat so that the world should at no time be deprived of the blessings of Prophethood. He who limits it to thirty years, foolishly overlooks the true purpose of Khilafat, and does not realize that God did not design that the blessings of Khilafat be limited to thirty years after the death of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and that, thereafter, the world may go to ruin.…

There are many other verses in the Holy Qur’an, which give tidings of a permanent Khilafat among the Muslims, and there are also several Ahadith to the same effect. But what I have said already should suffice for those who accept established verities as great wealth.

There is no worse concept concerning Islam than to say that it is a dead religion whose blessings were confined only to its beginning. Can the Book that opens the door of perpetual good fortune inculcate so discouraging a doctrine that there is no blessing or Khilafat in the future and that everything has been confined to the past? True, there will be no independent Prophets among the Muslims. But if there were also to be no Khulafa’ to demonstrate the proofs of spiritual life from time to time, that would spell the end of spirituality in Islam….It causes one’s heart to tremble to imagine that Islam has now died and that no such people would arise in it, whose spiritual manifestations would be a substitute for miracles and whose inspiration a substitute for revelation, let alone that a Muslim should believe in any such possibility as a doctrine. May God Almighty guide those who are involved in such misguided thinking.

[Shahadat-ul-Qur’an, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 6, pp. 352-356]