Finality of Prophethood (Khatmay-Nabuwat)

Guided by irrefutable word of Allah(ALLAH Subhanahu Wa-Ta'ala) in the Holy Quran and numerous
Hadith, Muslims around the world do uniformly believe that, after Prophet Muhammad(sallallaho
alaihe wassallam), the chain of prophethood has come to an end. According to this fundamental
belief, anyone claiming to be a Prophet of God is an impostor whose claim is contrary to the
teachings of Islam.

All Muslim scholars consider all such self-proclaimed prophets opportunists condemned to Hell.
Those who follow any man-made religion, unfortunately, won't fair much better in the hereafter;
unless they are awakened to the truth as expressed by Allah(ALLAH Subhanahu Wa-Ta'ala) and not
as interpreted by their interest motivated cult leaders.

It is those who believe not in the Signs of Allah that forge falsehood: it is they who lie!

(The Holy Quran, An-Nahl 16:105)

Khatmay-Nabuwat in Quran

Verse 40 of Surah Al-Ahzab (33) points out this concept in the Holy Quran.

The Holy Quran, Surah Al Ahzab 33:40

Two translations of this Ayah follow:

O people! Muhammad has no sons among ye men, but verily, he is the Apostle of God and the last
in the line of Prophets. And God is Aware of everything.

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.

(The Holy Quran, Al-Ahzab 33:40)

Muslim Scholars, since the time of our beloved Prophet(sallallaho alaihe wassallam), have
understood this verse to mean that no new Prophet or Messenger will be sent to humanity until the
day of judgment.

[Read: The Interpretation of well-known Muslim Scholars].

The following portion of the last revealed verse of the Holy Quran is also a testimony that no
Apostle with new instructions or interpretations of the holy Quran will ever need to be sent to the
humanity:

This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed my favor upon you and have chosen for
you Islam as your religion.

(The Holy Quran, Al-Maidah 5:3)

Khatmay-Nabuwat in Hadith of Prophet(sallallaho alaihe wassallam)

Many verses of the Holy Quran allude to the special wisdom bestowed on the Prophet
Muhammad(sallallaho alaihe wassallam) to understand and explain the revelations included in the
Holy Quran.

And We never sent a messenger save with the language of his folk, that he [Hazrat
Muhammad(sallallaho alaihe wassallam)] might make (the message) clear for them. Then Allah
sendeth whom He will astray, and guideth whom He will. He is the Mighty, the Wise.

(The Holy Quran, Ibrahim 14:4)

The following Hadith of Prophet Muhammad(sallallaho alaihe wassallam) deal with the issue of
Finality of Prophethood. As apparent from the references, these Hadith are authentic and have
been recorded by many scholars and reported by numerous companions of the Prophet(sallallaho
alaihe wassallam).

My position in relation to the prophets who came before me can be explained by the following
example: A man erected a building and adorned this edifice with great beauty, but he left an empty
niche, in the corner where just one brick was missing. People looked around the building and
marveled at its beauty, but wondered why a brick was missing from that niche? I am like unto that
one missing brick and I am the last in the line of the Prophets.

(Bukhari, Muslim,Tirmidhi, Musnad Ahmad, Tirmizi, Babu Khatimin-Nabiyyin, Musnad Abu Dawud
Tayalisi)

God has bestowed upon me six favors which the former Prophets did not enjoy:

•I have been endowed with the gift of pithy and perfect speech. •I was granted victory owing to
my awe.
•The spoils of war were made lawful unto me.
•The whole earth has been made the place of worship for me and it has become the means of
purification for me also. In other words in my religion, offering of prayers is not confined to certain
specified places of worship. Prayers can be offered at any place over the earth. And in case water is
not available, it is lawful for my people to perform ablutions with earth (Tayammum) and to
cleanse themselves with the soil, if water for bathing is scarce.
•I have been sent by Allah to carry His Divine message to the whole world.
•And the line of prophets has come to its final end in me.

(Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)

I am Muhammad, I am Ahmad, I am the effacer and infidelity shall be erased through me; I am
the assembler. People shall be assembled on Doomsday after my time. And I am the last in the
sense that no prophet shall succeed me.

(Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Muatta')

You (Hazrat Ali) are related to me as Aaron was related to Moses (pbuh). But no Apostle will come
after me.

(Bukhari, Muslim

Musnad recorded a similar hadith ending in 'Behold there is no prophethood after me.')

If ever there arose a person from among my people who would hold communion with God, it would
be none else but 'Umar bin Khattab.
(Bukhari , Muslim, Tirmidhi)

We are the last (ummah) but will precede all on the Day of Resurrection except that the Book was
given to them before us.

(Bukhari, Muslim)

The tribe of Israel was guided by prophets. When a prophet passed away, another prophet
succeeded him. But no prophet will come after me; only caliphs will succeed me.

(Bukhari)

I am the last in line of the prophets of God and my Masjid is the last Masjid.

(Muslim)

The chain of Messengers and Prophets has come to an end. There shall be no Messenger nor
Prophet after me.

(Tirmidhi, Musnad Ahmad, Anas bin Malik)

There will arise thirty impostors in my Ummah and each one of them will pronounce to the world
that he is a prophet, but I am the last in the line of the Prophets of God and no Prophet will come
after me.

(Abu Dawood, Tirmizi)

Allah will send no Apostle after me, but only Mubashshirat (Good vision or pious vision).

(Musnad Ahmad, Abu Tufail, Nasa'i, Abu Dawud)

No Prophet will come after me and there will, therefore, be no other community of followers of any
new Prophet.

(Baihaqi, Tabarani)

God Almighty hath sent unto the world no apostle who did not warn his people about the
appearance of Dajjal (Anti-Christ, but Dajjal did not appear in their time). I am the last in the line
of Prophets and you are the last community of believers. Without doubt, then, Dajjal shall appear
from amongst you.

(Ibn Majah)

I am Muhammad, the unlettered prophet of Allah. I am Muhammad, the unlettered prophet of

Allah. I am Muhammad, the unlettered prophet of Allah. There will be no prophet after me.

(Musnad Ahmad)

These are just a brief listing of the authentic teachings of Hazrat Muhammad(sallallaho alaihe
wassallam) available on the issue of the Finality of Prophethood; should a true believer have any
doubt about the Finality of Prophethood?

It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His
Messenger to have any option about their decision: if any one disobeys Allah and His Messenger,
he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path.

(The Holy Quran, Al-Ahzab 33:36)

The Historic Sermon of Prophet(ALLAH Subhanahu Wa-Ta'ala)

Hazrat Muhammad(sallallaho alaihe wassallam) saw it fit to mention this very important fact in his
historic sermon witnessed by over 120,000 Muslims. In effect, he is reaching out from his grave to
warn the humanity to stay away from man-made cults. He said:

...O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me, and no new faith will be born. Reason well,
therefore, O People, and understand my words which I convey to you...

(Read: The Entire Sermon)

Should we not heed the prophets's(sallallaho alaihe wassallam) warnings and stay away from false
prophets?

We sent no messenger save that he should be obeyed by Allah's leave. And if, when they had
wronged themselves, they had but come unto thee and asked forgiveness of Allah, and asked
forgiveness of the messenger, they would have found Allah Forgiving, Merciful. But nay, by thy
Lord, they will not believe (in truth) until they make thee judge of what is in dispute between them
and find within themselves no dislike of that which thou decidest, and submit with full submission.

(The Holy Quran, An-Nisa 4:64-65)

The Opinion of Great Scholars of Islam

Throughout the centuries, all Muslim Scholars have unanimously supported the fundamental
doctrine of Finality of Prophethood in Prophet Muhammad(sallallaho alaihe wassallam). So much
so, that the entire Ummah has recognized anyone who claims to be a prophet (in any capacity) or
supports someone else's claim to prophethood as an unbeliever (Kafir).

[Read: The Opinion of well-known Muslim Scholars].

Should we not accept the opinion of our knowledgeable Muslim Scholars?

O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among
you. If ye differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if ye do believe
in Allah and the Last Day: That is best, and most suitable for final determination.

(The Holy Quran, An-Nisa, 4:59)

Dictionary Translation

Khatam: To seal; to bring to an ultimate end; to Complete.

Nabuwat: Messengership; Prophethood (all Messengers are Prophets).

In the word of Allah(ALLAH Subhanahu Wa-Ta'ala), the Quran was revealed in detail in the arabic
language so Arabs would understand it without a problem. True to God's promise, no arabic
speaking person will have a doubt of what is meant by Khatme-Nabuwat. Isn't it amusing when
self-proclaimed "prophets" try to reinterprete this phrase?

Had We sent this as a Qur'an (in a language) other than Arabic they would have said: "Why are not
its verses explained in detail? What! (a Book) not in Arabic and (a Messenger) an Arab?" Say: "It is
a guide and a healing to those who believe; and for those who believe not there is a deafness in
their ears and it is blindness in their (eyes); they are (as it were) being called from a place far
distant!

(The Holy Quran, Ha-Mim 41:44)

(12:2, 13:37, 16:103, 20:113, 26:195, 39:028, 41:003, 42:7, 43:3, and 46:12 also illuminate the
point that proper knowledge of arabic language is required to avoid mistranslating/misinterpreting
the Holy Quran.)

Conclusion

The sheer amount of evidence provided here should suffice to convince anyone believing in the
divinity of Islam that the prophet Muhammad(sallallaho alaihe wassallam) was the last Prophet of
God and that anyone with a claim to prophethood should be considered an outcast from Islam. No
one can better state this fact, than Allah(ALLAH Subhanahu Wa-Ta'ala) himself:

Who doth more wrong than such as forge a lie against Allah or deny His Signs? But never will
prosper those who sin.

(The Holy Quran, Yunus 10:60)

Those who believe not in the Signs of Allah, Allah will not guide them and theirs will be a grievous
Penalty.

(The Holy Quran, An-Nahl 16:104)

Bear witness that we are Muslims and we have conveyed the true message of Allah so that you
might benefit from it.

Therefore give admonition in case the admonition profits (the hearer). The admonition will be
received by those who fear (Allah): But it will be avoided by those most unfortunate ones. Who will
enter the Great Fire In which they will then neither die nor live.

(The Holy Quran, Al-A'la 87:9-13)