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God sent many prophets(pbut) to every nation with the same message of
Islam. They preached the same message of One God. That same message
was given to our beloved Prophet Muhammad(saw) to teach us. All previous
prophets were sent to specific nations whereas Prophet Muhammad(saw)
was sent to all of Mankind. He brought the same message in its final
form - the final Book - Quran. Prophet Muhammad(saw) was the Last and
Final Prophet of God and after him no new prophet will be sent.
It is mentioned in the Quran in as clear as possible words that Muhammad(saw)
is the last prophet:
"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." (Quran 33:40)
The message in this verse is further made clear by Prophet Muhammad(saw):Â
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Narated By Abu
Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "My similitude in comparison with
the other prophets before me, is that of a man who has built a house
nicely and beautifully, except for a place of one brick in a corner.
The people go about it and wonder at its beauty, but say: 'Would that
this brick be put in its place!' So I am that brick, and I am the
last of the Prophets."
(Sahih Bukhari Vol 4, Book 56, # 735 and Sahih Muslim Book 30, # 5673)
This hadith is also narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah in Sahih Bukhari
and Muslim.Â
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It is necessary for every Muslim to know and to believe that Prophethood
has ended. There is no way that another prophet from Allah(swt) will
be sent because Allah(swt) himself has ended Prophethood as seen from
the verse of the Quran above. Prophet Muhammad(saw) himself has made
this very clear in his sayings and the Quran itself testifies regarding
whatever Prophet Muhammad(saw) spoke:Â
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"He does not
speak from his hawaa (desire); it is nothing except Wahee revealed
to him." (Quran 53:3-4)Â
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Further in Sahih Muslim it is recorded:Â
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It has been narrated
by Abu Huraira that the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: Banu
Isra'il were ruled over by the Prophets. When one Prophet died, another
succeeded him; but after me there is no prophet and there will
be caliphs and they will be quite large in number. His Companions said:
What do you order us to do (in case we come to have more than one Caliph)?
He said: The one to whom allegiance is sworn first has a supremacy over
the others. Concede to them their due rights (i.e. obey them). God (Himself)
will question them about the subjects whom He had entrusted to them. (Sahih Muslim Book 20, # 4543)Â
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and....Â
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Abu Huraira reported
that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: I have been
given superiority over the other prophets in six respects: I have been
given words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning; I have been
helped by terror (in the hearts of enemies): spoils have been made lawful
to me: the earth has been made for me clean and a place of worship;
I have been sent to all mankind and the line of prophets is closed
with me. (Sahih Muslim Book
4, #1062)Â
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Prophet Muhammad(saw) also warned his Ummah and told us about the Grand
Liars that will come and claim prophethood and declare that they have
been sent by Allah(swt). In one of his sayings, he(saw) said:Â
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Narated By Abu
Huraira : Allah's Apostle said, "The Hour will not be established....
(2) till about thirty Dajjals (liars) appear, and each one of them
will claim that he is Allah's Apostle...."
(Sahih Bukhari Vol 8, Book 88, #237) The part quoted is also reported
in Sahih Muslim Book 041, #6988Â
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This is a very long Hadith and talks of the signs of the Last Day. In
order to save space I have quoted only the concerned part. The reference
is given for anyone to check the complete Hadith.Â
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Indeed over a period of time, we have witnessed many such Dajjals who
have come forth and proclaimed to be prophets of Allah(swt). Their claims
are baseless and against the teachings of the Quran and the sayings
of Prophet Muhammad(saw). Their claims are based on Kufr and have nothing
to do with Islam.Â
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Surely only a liar can claim to be a prophet of Allah(swt) as no new
prophet will be sent from Allah(swt). Such people are Satanic rather
than Islamic.Â
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The Quran further is very clear on this matter and informs us in clear
words:Â
Â
This day have I
perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon
you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.
(Quran 5:3)Â
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And our beloved Prophet(saw) in his last sermon reminded us in clear
cut words:Â
Â
"People,
no prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be
born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which
I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Quran and my
example, the Sunnah (Hadith), and if you follow these you will never
go astray."Â
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The verse and the Last Sermon also eliminate the idea of any new prophet
in the future. The religion is perfected and the favor is completed.
We are given the Quran and the Sunnah to follow. And we need to follow
that till the Last Day. Since Islam has already been perfected, we do
not need any messenger, to come and warn us or show us some miracles,
and claim that he is a messenger or a prophet.Â
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The Quran and Prophet Muhammad(saw) have both been very clear regarding
this matter. There are no loopholes anywhere. The evidence regarding
the Finality of Prophethood is unlimited and it is impossible to cover
up all the evidence in this article. There is a unanimous opinion amongst
scholars that Prophet Muhammad(saw) is the Last and Final Messenger
of Allah(swt) sent to all Mankind. People who claimed prophethood have
been declared through a unanimous decision as being disbelievers. Such
people are not in the fold of Islam neither are they Muslims. In 1974
the Muslim World League, in Mecca, declared one such group, following
a fake prophet as disbelievers.Â
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I would like to end this with yet another hadith:Â
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Narated By Isma'il:
I asked Abi Aufa, "Did you see Ibrahim, the son of the Prophet
?" He said, "Yes, but he died in his early childhood. Had
there been a Prophet after Muhammad then his son would have lived, but
there is no Prophet after him."
(Sahih Bukhari Vol 8, Book 73, # 214)Â
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There is no doubt regarding this matter. The truth stands clear from
falsehood. Many have tried to twist and turn the meaning of the verses
in the Quran and Allah(swt) is well aware of such people and says the
following:Â
Â
There is among
them a section who distort the Book with their tongues: (As they read)
you would think it is a part of the Book, but it is no part of the Book;
and they say, "That is from Allah," but it is not from Allah.
It is they who tell a lie against Allah, and (well) they know it! (Quran 3:78)