Messengership and Prophethood Terminated?

Messengership and Prophethood Terminated?

حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الزَّعْفَرَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ يَعْنِي ابْنَ زِيَادٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُخْتَارُ بْنُ فُلْفُلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏”‏ إِنَّ الرِّسَالَةَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ قَدِ انْقَطَعَتْ فَلاَ رَسُولَ بَعْدِي وَلاَ نَبِيَّ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَشَقَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَقَالَ ‏”‏ لَكِنِ الْمُبَشِّرَاتُ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا الْمُبَشِّرَاتُ قَالَ ‏”‏ رُؤْيَا الْمُسْلِمِ وَهِيَ جُزْءٌ مِنْ أَجْزَاءِ النُّبُوَّةِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَحُذَيْفَةَ بْنِ أَسِيدٍ وَابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَأُمِّ كُرْزٍ ‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ مِنْ حَدِيثِ الْمُخْتَارِ بْنِ فُلْفُلٍ ‏.‏

“The Messenger of Allah^saw said: ‘Indeed Messenger-ship and Prophethood have been terminated, so there shall be no Messenger after me, nor a Prophet.’” He(Anas) said:”The people were concerned about that, so he (s.a.w) said: ‘But there will be Mubash-shirat.’ So they said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! What is Mubash-shirat?’ He said: ‘The Muslim’s dreams, for it is a portion of the portions of Prophethood.’” (Tirmidhi, Vol. 4, Book 8, Hadith 2272)

This hadith in reality supports the true Islam. For example if one was to state “There is nothing left of drinks except water” would this mean there are no drinks left or no drinks except for water? Similarly, the Prophet Muhammadsaw made it clear that nothing is left of prophethood, except mubashirat. This shows that prophethood remains but law bearing prophethood has indeed come to an end. This word itself refers to a characteristic of a prophet. Allah States:

وَمَا نُرْسِلُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنْذِرِينَ ۖ فَمَنْ آمَنَ وَأَصْلَحَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ {49}

And We send not the Messengers but as bearers of glad tidings and as warners. So those who believe and reform themselves, on them shall come no fear nor shall they grieve.(Chapter 6 Verse 49)

Mubashirat and Mundhirat are important characteristics of prophethood and Allah also States:

عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلَا يُظْهِرُ عَلَىٰ غَيْبِهِ أَحَدًا {27} إِلَّا مَنِ ارْتَضَىٰ مِنْ رَسُولٍ فَإِنَّهُ يَسْلُكُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ رَصَدًا {28}

He is the Knower of the unseen; and He reveals not His secrets to any one Except to him whom He chooses, namely a Messenger of His. And then He causes an escort of guarding angels to go before him and behind him,(Chapter 72 verses 27-28)

Hazrat Allamah Ibn Hajar Asqalani who has written Fathul Bari stated:

” In this narration, the definite article ‘Al’ is used to indicate aspecific time frame and specifically infers the particular prophethood of the Holy Prophet (sa) himself. The true purport is that after me, the prophethood which was specific to me (i.e., law-bearing prophethood) has come to an end, however, Mubashirat (non-law-bearing prophethood) shall remain.”(Fathul-Bari Sharhul-Bukhari, Kitabut-Ta‘bir, Babul-Mubashirat)

This statement further shows that law bearing prophethood has come to an end which is a fundamental belief of Ahmadi Muslims.The prophethood of Mubashirat will however remain till the Day of Judgement. Now the non Ahmadis present one last argument in regards to the word Ruya which in reality means more than true dreams according to the Qur’an and ahadith. Here are some examples:

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لَكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ أَحَاطَ بِالنَّاسِ ۚ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤْيَا الَّتِي أَرَيْنَاكَ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِلنَّاسِ وَالشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ ۚ وَنُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلَّا طُغْيَانًا كَبِيرًا {61}

And remember the time when We said to thee: ‘Surely, thy Lord has encompassed the people.’ And We made not the vision which We showed thee but as a trial for men, as also the tree cursed in the Qur’an. And We warn them, but it only increases them in great transgression.(Chapter 17 Verse 61)

And:

مَا كَذَبَ الْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَىٰ {12}

The heart of the Prophet was not untrue to that which he saw. (Chapter 15 Verse 12)

In both verses the exact same word is used but not for true dreams rather other spiritual experiences. Miraj which was one of the greatest spiritual experiences was also a ruya according to the Qur’an and mentioned above in Chapter 17 Verse 61. Now when we look at the beginning of prophethood from the Holy Prophet Muhammad^saw, we see that his own prophethood began with true dreams:

Hazrat Aisha^ra Stated:

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ أَوَّلُ مَا بُدِئَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنَ

Narrated ‘Aisha:(the mother of the faithful believers) The commencement of the Divine Inspiration to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) was in the form of good dreams which came true like bright daylight, and then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him. ‘ (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Hadith #3)

And The Holy Prophet Muhammad^saw has stated;

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ رُؤْيَا الْمُؤْمِنِ جُزْءٌ مِنْ سِتَّةٍ وَأَرْبَعِينَ جُزْءًا مِنَ النُّبُوَّةِ ‏”‏‏.‏

Narrated ‘Ubada bin As-Samit: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The (good) dreams of a faithful believer is a part of the forty-six parts of prophetism:'(Sahih Bukhari Volume 9, Book 87, Hadith #116)

The word ruya even includes revelation and no sincere Muslim can deny that the latter day Messiah would be revealed to. Sahih Muslim states:

إِذْ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَى عِيسَى إِنِّي قَدْ أَخْرَجْتُ عِبَادًا لِي لاَ يَدَانِ لأَحَدٍ بِقِتَالِهِمْ فَحَرِّزْ عِبَادِي إِلَى الطُّورِ ‏.‏

“Allah would reveal to Isa  these words: I have brought forth from amongst My servants such people against whom none would be able to fight; you take these people safely to Tur.” (Sahih Muslim 2937a)

Ahmad(as) states:

“The Holy Prophet^saw says that of the different kinds of prophethood,  nothing remains except Mubashirat – glad tidings. In other words, only one kind of prophethood is left, namely spiritual experiences, for example true dreams, visions and revelations of whcih the elect of God are the recipients and the accompanying light that illumines the dismal hearts of suffering humanity. Do consider, my sharp and wise critic! How can you ever conclude from this that the door to all prophethood is totally closed? On the contrary, this tradtion of the Holy Prophet^saw proves that prophethood of the principal kind containing revealed lw has of course terminated but the Prophethood comprising Mubashirat – true dreams, visions, revelations etc., continues and will never come to an end till the day of resurrection and shall never be terminated. As you are well aware, and should have als read in books of Ahadith, true dreams constitute one out of the forty six parts of prophethood, i.e Prophethood of the perfect kind. Whereas even true dreams partake of the prophetic station, you can well imagine the exalted quality of the word of God revealed to the hearts of the Muhaddathin. Therefore, do try to understand- and may Allah be your help – that the door to this kind of partial participation in prophethood is always open. And this kind of prophethood contains nothing but Mubashirat and Mundhirat (glad tidings and warnings) concerning hidden and unseen phenomena, Qur’anic subtletis and Divine Knowledge” (Elucidation of Objectives, Pages 17-18)