Prophet Muhammad’s finalty of Prophethood. - 6 Unique proofs.

A Commentary of a Hadith on the finalty of Prophet ﷺ

- 6 Proofs by The Final Prophet himself for his finalty.

An Excerpt from Duroos ul Hadees.

الحمد لله نَحمده ونستعينه ونستغفِرُه ونُؤْمِنُ به وتتوكل عليه ونَعُوذُ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا من يهده الله فلا مضل له ومَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هادى له ونَشْهدُ أن لا اله إِلَّا الله وحده لا شريك له ونشهد ان سيدنا ومولانا محمدًا عبده ورسوله أما بعد! فَأَعُوْذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَنِ الرَّجِيمِ بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ:

Allah swt says in the Holy Quran,

وَمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَىٰكُمْ عَنْهُ فَٱنتَهُوا۟ ۚ

Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it. And whatever he forbids you from, leave it.

Readers are requested to read the following hadith, and we will discuss it in this article.

Assuming that you have read it carefully with the utmost attention, we are commencing the explanation.

Bismillāhir Rahmānir Raheem...

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ made a claim in this blessed hadith: "خُتِمَ بِي النَّبِيُّونَ" that Allah, the Lord of Honor, has sealed the chain of prophethood with me. I claimed to be the final prophet, and after me, no prophet will be born. To prove this, Allah's Messenger ﷺ, presented six unique distinctions that were granted to him, which were not given to other prophets, peace be upon them.

1. Jawami ul Kalim. i.e. I have been given words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning.

2. I have been helped by terror (in the hearts of enemies).

3. Spoils (war bounties) have been made lawful to me.

4. The (whole) earth has been made for me pure.

5. The (whole) earth has been made for me a place of worship.

6. I have been sent to all mankind.

In summary, Allah has made him the final prophet. The phrase 'وَخُتِمَ بِيَ النَّبِيُّونَ' represents a permanent distinction. For this, there are six reasons and pieces of evidence that Allah's Messenger ﷺ has presented.

The question arises, how are these qualities a proof for the finalty of Prophethood ?

Keep reading...

The first distinction,

• Jawami ul Kalim.

i.e. I have been given words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning.

Our Prophet's distinction is that Allah has given our Prophet 'جوامع الکلم' (Jawami ul Kalim) whereas the earlier prophets were given 'کلم' (Kalim). The difference between 'کلم' and 'جوامع الکلم' is that 'کلم' is used to denote a word where the form and meaning are singular, and 'کلمات جامعات' is used when the form is singular but the meanings are multiple. Allah gave Kalim (words with singular meanings) to the earlier prophets because they were prophets of specific towns or communities, and they needed fewer words for those specific issues.

Our Prophet ﷺ is the prophet until the Day of Judgment. He is the prophet for all times, for all nations. Our Prophet has been given millions of issues that suffice for the Arabs and non-Arabs, the East and the West, and all individuals who will come until the Day of Judgment. Now, if Allah had given our Prophet millions of words for millions of issues, who would have preserved them? Who would have compiled them? Who would have maintained libraries for them? Allah, in His grace, gave our Prophet 'کلمات جامعات' and placed millions of issues within his shortest statements. So when a new issue arises until the Day of Judgment, it will emerge from the depths of Hadith, and the scholars and jurists will derive and provide guidance to the Ummah. This wasn't necessary for the earlier prophets; Allah didn't grant it. But it is needed for our Prophet as he is the final prophet, so Allah bestowed it.

The second one,

• Help of Allah through terror.

Now what does terror mean over here ? To explain this, there's similar hadith in sahih bukhari.

Read the highlighted part,

The Beloved ﷺ says,

Allah made me victorious by awe, (by His frightening my enemies) for a distance of one month's journey.

Allah granted this distinction to our Prophet ﷺ, for a specific reason. Why wasn't this granted to earlier prophets? The reason is that the scope of prophethood for earlier prophets was smaller. The scope of the earlier prophets were one community, one town, one city. So when there was one city, the prophet himself would go there. When there was one town, the prophet himself would go to each person. Our Prophet's scope isn't one town; it's not one city; it's not one community. Our Prophet's scope is all the nations in the world, all the towns in the world, all the cities in the world, all the people who will come until the Day of Judgment. And our Prophet ﷺ didn't personally visit each one. The scope of prophethood is vast, but the status of the prophet is unique aswell.

Allah, in His grace, did this. If the scope of the earlier prophet was limited, they would personally visit that far. If the scope of our Prophet was vast, but he didn't visit everywhere, how then did the message reach? It was done in a way that, like the earlier prophets who would lead armies, our Prophet ﷺ also sometimes went out with armies, just as in Badr. Sometimes he went out with armies, as in Uhud. Sometimes he went out with armies, like Khandaq. Sometimes he went out with armies, like Khaybar. Sometimes he went out with armies, like Tabuk. And wherever our Prophet ﷺ, couldn't reach, Allah granted helped him through the terror of faith, Wherever our Prophet couldn't go, Allah instilled the terror of faith there (amongst the people). This is the distinction of our Prophet. Why? Because our Prophet ﷺ is the last prophet. After him, no prophet will be born. So Allah has made the circle of prophethood so vast that even if our Prophet didn't reach somewhere, the terror of the prophet will still be present in the hearts of the people. And still we see, due to that terror (رعب), even today, many of the people accept the deen of Allah swt. This is the meaning of this claim. Even today, the enemies of Islam are fearful even after oppressing muslims. This is the meaning of this claim. 

The expanse of the terror of the Beloved ﷺ extends beyond a month's journey, as mentioned earlier. Today, he ﷺ rests in the blessed city of Madina Al Munawwarah, and in the present era, there is no land or territory inhabited by humans and jinn that is a month's journey away. 

SubhanAllah, a truly remarkable and awe-inspiring reality.

The third one...

• Spoils (war bounties) have been made lawful to me.

Allah says in the Qur'an,

فَكُلُوا۟ مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ حَلَـٰلًۭا طَيِّبًۭا ۚ 

Now enjoy what you have taken, for it is lawful and good.

[Surah Anfaal 69]

Now the issue for the Ummah was to step into the field for Jihaad and the wealth obtained through war booty for this Ummah has been made permissible. Now, consider the distinction of prophethood; previously, the wealth from war booty was not permissible for the earlier prophets. For our Prophet ﷺ wealth obtained through lawful means is permissible. The reason for this is that the earlier prophets were prophets of a specific community, conducting trade and engaging in Jihad. They would do business and also participate in Jihad. Our Prophet is the Prophet for the entire world, not just one region. So when the Ummah of Allah's Prophet decides to embark on Jihad, there will come a time when there is no business, no sitting in shops, no matter if someone has a business or not, and even if someone has a business, not everyone will have it. If such times come out, for those engaged in business, money won't reach from behind. 

Now, let me tell you, when the companions left Madina and traveled to Africa for Jihad, how would the wealth from Madina reach there? How could the earnings from trade in Madina Munawwarah possibly make it to Africa? It was simply not feasible. Allah, in His generosity, declared that wealth obtained through lawful means is permissible. This meant that there was no longer a need to transport wealth from the previous city to the battlefield. The disbelievers themselves were earning their livelihood, and they were also providing for those who had stayed behind. You shouldn't have any doubts that this wealth is haram; rather, this wealth is halal and it's earned. First, the previous prophets didn't require this, so Allah didn't grant it. But our Prophet's case was different; there was a need, so Allah declared it halal. So, why is wealth permissible for our Prophet, peace be upon him? The reason is "Khatam-un-Nabiyyeen" – he is the last prophet. There will be no prophet after him. The previous prophets didn't need it; that's why Allah didn't give it to them. But our Prophet needed it, so Allah made it halal.

The fourth distinction...

• The (whole) earth has been made for me pure.

Our Prophet ﷺ was blessed with the entire Earth being made a place of purification for his Ummah. The reason behind this is that the previous prophets were sent to specific places – a city, a community, or a town. So, where there was water, there was a town. If there was a city, that's where their community resided. Our Prophet, peace be upon him, is different. He is the prophet for all the nations of the world. This means that there's a distinction between our Prophet, peace be upon him, and the previous prophets. The previous prophets' Ummah performed prayers; however, there was no need for migration because they were in the same city, with no travel involved. It wasn't an issue of prayers; it was about residing within the same place. Our Prophet's Ummah, on the other hand, is spread far and wide. So, the challenge they faced was that sometimes, there wasn't enough water to perform ablution, and at times, there wasn't enough water for a full bath. It wasn't so abundant that you could use it for wudu (ablution) or ghusl (full bath). Sometimes, water was so scarce that it wasn't enough for drinking, let alone using it for purification. Now, what was our Ummah to do in such circumstances? Allah, in His mercy, declared that because the previous nations were settled in specific areas where there was water, they didn't need to migrate. However, for the Ummah of our Prophet, who would go to places where there wasn't enough water for wudu or ghusl, Allah made it possible. When there wasn't enough water for wudu, how could they perform their ablution? And when there wasn't enough water for ghusl, how would they manage? So, Allah, in His mercy, made it clear: "The earth has been made a place of prostration and a means of purification for me." Therefore, if there's no water for wudu, then use soil (tayammum), and if there's no water for ghusl, then use soil (tayammum). This is how Allah, in His wisdom, provided a solution for our Ummah.

And after this distinction, indeed the finalty of the prophethood can be agreed.

The fifth distinction...

• The (whole) earth has been made for me a place of worship.

Certainly, the distinction between the previous prophets and our Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), is clear. Previous prophets were sent to specific communities or towns, and they were not required to traverse great distances. Therefore, they didn't need mosques or specific places of worship wherever they went. In contrast, our Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was sent as the final prophet for all of humanity, and his Ummah would be scattered across the world. They would face situations where they had limited access to water and specific places for worship.

Allah, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, made the entire Earth a place of prostration and purification for the Ummah of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). The declaration "The earth has been made a place of prostration and a means of purification for me" underscores the universality of his message and the flexibility of Islamic practices. The primary reason for making the entire Earth a place of prostration and purification is to facilitate the worship of the Prophet's Ummah wherever they may be, even in situations where there are no mosques or specific places of worship.

This distinctive honor and flexibility in Islamic worship practices clearly illustrate the finality of the prophethood of Muhammad (ﷺ). He is the last prophet sent by Allah to guide all of humanity until the Day of Judgment. This finality is a fundamental belief in Islam, and it underlines the exceptional status of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) as the seal of the prophets.

By making the entire Earth a place of prostration and purification for his Ummah, Allah has provided evidence of the universality and perpetuity of the message of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and affirmed his position as the final messenger. This emphasizes that his teachings and guidance are relevant and accessible to people throughout the world and across time, thereby highlighting the conclusive and eternal nature of his prophethood.

The last distinction...

• I have been sent to all mankind.

The profound truth is that our Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is the prophet for all places. He is the prophet for all locations, whether they are part of the physical world, the Barzakh (the realm between life and the hereafter), or beyond. By affirming that he is the prophet for all places, he transcends the limitations of the physical world and extends his prophethood to all realms, including the world, the Barzakh, and even the Day of Judgment.

His prophethood, under divine wisdom, encompasses all dimensions of existence, making him the prophet for all creation, regardless of time and space. In doing so, the message of Islam and the guidance of our Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) become relevant and applicable not just to a specific community or time but for all of creation throughout time and eternity.

This comprehensive and timeless aspect of his prophethood emphasizes the magnificence of the finality of his prophethood, asserting that he is the prophet not only of the world's existence but also for all the realms and dimensions that may follow.

After elaborating on these six distinctive attributes, Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) established the most indisputable and unequivocal claim of the finality of his prophethood and his status as the last prophet to be born. Beyond him, no individual possessing these exceptional distinctions will arise.

✍🏻 Ahqar, Muhammad Ibtesham Khan

(If there's any mistake it should be pointed out towards me and if there's perfection in the article, it's simply by the grace of Allah swt and the works of my Akābir.)

Taken from the lectures of Mutakallim e Islam, Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Ghumman Hafizahullah.