I know something insteresting,who that use messenger did you notice that it mean allah lover that mean Prophet Muhammad SAW!I dont know if you all notice it! Opinions have differed on whether the word Rasool (Messenger /Apostle), and the word Nabi (Prophet), are interchangeable. Notwithstanding the fact that Muhammad (PBUH) was both a Prophet and a Messenger, there obviously are differences, at least in definition, between the two words. Some people argue that the term Seal of the Prophets does not apply to Messengers, while others have argued that all Prophets by definition, are Messengers as well, which would mean that by sealing prophethood, messengership is also sealed. Definitions and Clues: One definition of Messenger given, is that a Messenger brings a revelation, a religion. The following verse from the Quran is repeated three times, always with the word Rasool: He it is Who sends the Messenger for guidance, with the true religion. - Qur’an 9:33 , 48:28, and 61:9 Only a few Individuals mentioned in the Quran are called Messengers. In chapter 61 of the Quran (Al-Saf) , in verses 4,5, and 8, the word Rasool is used for Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (PBU Them). All Three were law bearing Messengers with Books and Revelation (Deen). In the Holy Quran, we find many more names of prophets mentioned than of Messengers. Some of these names are, Isaac, Jacob, Ismael, Idris, David, Solomon and many many others (PBU Them all). They were all prophets, and non of Them came with a new religion. It is also interesting to read in the following verse that those who obey the Messenger, will be in the company of the prophets and the saints (who also obey the Messenger) : All who obey God and the Messenger are in the company of those on whom is the grace of God, of the Prophets, the sincere, the martyrs (or witnesses) and the righteous - Quran 4:69 Another definition of the term prophet (nabi) is that prophets (such as the minor prophets of Judaism), received their inspiration usually in the form of dreams: I ( Burayd) said: May my life be your ransom. What is a Messenger, a Prophet and one who is told? He said: A Messenger is one to whom the angel appears and speaks.A prophet is one who sees in his dream. Possibly the Prophethood and Messengership is combined in a single person. Usul al-Kafi, Book 4,442-4 In the same book(Usul al-Kafi), 439-1 states: A Prophet is one who sees the angel while asleep, and hears him but does not see the angel while awake. A Messenger is one who hears the voice while awake and sees while asleep, and also with his eyes sees the angel when awake. * Allamih Majlesi in Biharul-Anvar Vol 13, p.323 mentions one of the discourses of Imam Ali. In that discourse Ali says: I am the Commander of the faithful. I am the King among the pious..... I am the Khatamu-Vasieen [which can be either taken as The Seal of the guardians and successors, or, as The Ornament of the Guardians and successors.] and the heir of the prophets and the representative of the God of the worlds. This Hadith is referred to as the Hadith Nuraniah as is reported by several people such as Ibn Babyih (Sheikh Sadooq) in Uyoonul-Akhbar Ar-Rida. This tradition of Imam Ali is a very interesting. One must be fair in ones judgment. If we are to take, in this tradition, the term Khatam as the Seal, the ender, one who completes, then one is obliged to accept that Ali was the seal of the guardians, and successors, after Muhammad, Who is the Seal of the prophets. Yet, Shiahs believe that after Muhammad there was supposed to be twelve Imams, only the first of Whom was Ali. So, assuming that the term Khatam in Khatamu-Vasieen must have a similar meaning to the term Khatam in Khatamu- Nabieen, then one is to question why were there more Imams after Ali. How are we to reconcile the existence of the other Imams, Who came after Ali, based on this interpretation? Let this be food for thought for the possessors of pure heart and open mind. Let us now examine the meaning of the term Khatamu-Nabieen from the perspective of Sunni scholars and theologians, so that the seekers of truth obtain a wider spectrum of views for their judgment: In the commentary of Fathol-Ghadeer by Hafiz Mohhades-i-Shokani we find: All the Ghoraba use KhatEm, while Athim use KhatAm. KhatEm in Khatemun-Nabeein means the Ender of Prophets, or the Seal of Prophets, while, KhatAm in Khatamun-Nabeein means ring and ornament. In essence Muhammad, the Messenger of God, was the Ring or Ornament of (i.e. among) the Prophets, due to His exalted station compared to other Prophets. The same book quotes from Dorrul-Mansoor of Allamih Jallalu-Din Suyutti, who quotes Ayeshih, the wife of Muhammad, who said: Say KhatAm-un-Nabeein (i.e. The Ring or Ornament of the Prophets), and never say no prophets shall come after Him (i.e. Muhammad). One can find the same references in the commentary of Kashaaf, by Zamakhshari, who says: Muhammad, the Messenger of God, was called Khatamu-Nabieen, since, He did not have any male offsprings to inherit prophethood from Him. He goes on and presents a Hadith from Prophet Muhammad who says about His deceased son Abraham (from Marieh, the Egyptian wife of Muhammad): If my son Abraham was alive, he would have been a Nabi (i.e. He would have become a Nabi after Me.). However, all of Muhammads male offsprings die in early childhood, thus, the verse of the Quran: Muhammad is not the father of any man among you.... comes into fulfillment, and Muhammad become Khatamu-Nabieen, according to the same verse. Abol-Bagha, another trusted Sunni source discusses this issue in his book, Mofeed, from the same angle, which I will not quote here in order to prevent excessive repetition of the same idea. It is apparent from what has been mentioned at length, that both Shiah and Sunni sources agree that: 1- There is a more profound meaning associated with the title Khatamu-Nabieen: 2- Finality of Muhammads revelation is not implied by this term, mentioned in the Quran, the Confederates: (33:40). *Let me close this note with the view of Abol-Fadail-i Golpayegani, a prominent Bahai scholar, from a Muslim background, who, in his book Faraid addresses the question of Khatamu-Nabieen as follows: No wonder if the learned of Islam too, argue against the renewal of revelation from God [like their predecessors, Jews and Christians, who are firmly convinced that their respective religions are the final revelation from God], based on such references as: Khatamu-Nabeein, or such traditions as: There shall be no prophet after me...., and by doing so become subjected to a test of faith; and join their predecessors [Jews and Christians]. Not realizing that the purpose of Muhammad in using the term Khatamu-Nabeein was to suggest the progress of the Islamic nation, and unveil the ascendancy of the station of the Imams in comparison to the prophets of Israel. It is clear to those who are familiar with the Scriptures of the past, who are aware of the events which are associated with the histories of the nations of antiquity that the prophets of Israel, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah, etc... one and all prophesied about the future events according to dreams and visions. And they interpreted their vision or dream as a revelation from God. As a result, the book of these prophets became known as the vision of Isaiah, vision of Daniel, vision of Jeremiah, and vision of Ezekiel. By the same token, if we are to examine this issue from a Christian perspective, the Revelation of St. John is in essence the Dream of John. As a result the term Nabi (Prophet) was given to the ones who prophesied based on visions, or dreams. This usage was solidified during the Jewish and Christians dispensations. However, after the appearance of Prophet Muhammad (Khatamul-Anbia), the ender of the prophetic cycle, the era of revelation from God through the medium of dreams and visions was ended and a new era of revelation through direct inspiration had begun. Viewed from this perspective, we can see that the tradition; There will be no prophets after me... was a true statement. -Faraid,311.
Posted on: Sat, 18 Oct 2014 15:19:28 +0000
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