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_-_The_Finality_of_Prophethood_001.jpg) What is meant here by “the inclusiveness of Islam” is
that fact that Islam is for all times and places. Regardless of who a person
may be or where he may be, Islam should be his religion and his way of life. This
is just as much true for those who lived during the lifetime of the Prophet, may
the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, or those who will live in 2525 (if God
wills that there shall be such a year).
The correct understanding of this point revolves around
a number of issues. The first important issue is that of the finality of
prophethood as vested in the Prophet Muhammad. The second concerns the
perfection of the religion and the manner in which it is able to guide
humankind during all eras.
The Finality of Prophethood
God decreed that the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and
blessings of God be upon him, would be His final messenger. God says:
“Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is
the Messenger of God and the last of the Prophets. And God is Ever All-Aware
of everything.” (Quran 33:40)
The Prophet Muhammad himself said:
“I have been sent to all of the creation and the
prophets have been sealed by me.” (Saheeh Muslim)
Again, he said:
“The Children of Israel were led by the prophets;
whenever a prophet died, a prophet succeeded (him). Lo! There will be no
prophet after me” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)
Thus, there finally came the Prophet who explicitly
declared that he is the final prophet. The Prophets who came before the
Prophet—as far as can be seen from what is narrated from them—did not make such
a claim regarding themselves. Thus, for example, in Deuteronomy 18:17-19, God
is telling Moses that He is going to send another messenger “like unto him” in
the future. In the New Testament, in John
14:15-16, Jesus speaks of “another Comforter” being sent by God. (Also in John
16:7-8 and John 16:12-13 Jesus speaks of someone coming in the future.) On the
other hand, the Prophet Muhammad made it very clear that no prophet would come
after him.
Being sent as the final messenger for humankind, there
had to be some aspects that were unique concerning this last Prophet. These
aspects include:
First, since no one could come later to correct
any mistakes or distortions, the revelation received by the last prophet had to
be preserved in its pristine purity. It is obviously beyond the scope of this
short article, but a study of the history of the Quran and Sunnah would
demonstrate that both of them were minutely preserved.
Second, the nature of the “sign” of the last
prophet would have to be different as well. This is because this sign would
have to affect not only the people who were alive during the time of the
prophet, but also all those who would come later. The “sign” of the Prophet
Muhammad was the Quran, and its miraculous nature can still be appreciated
today and will continue to be appreciated in the future.
Third, this final prophet could not simply be
sent for one community among humankind—each then having their own final prophet
and then differing with one another. This final prophet had to be sent for all
of humankind, putting an end to the succession of prophets and being suitable
for the world as a whole. The Prophet Muhammad was the only prophet to make it
known that he was not sent only for a certain people, but rather for all the
various peoples of the world. The Jews, for example, consider themselves to be
a chosen race and that their message is meant exclusively for themselves. Thus,
many orthodox Jews do not believe in proselytizing their faith. The New
Testament also makes it clear that Jesus’ mission was to the Tribes of Israel.
Matthew 10: 5-6 read:
“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them,
saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the
Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Jesus is reported to have said when the Canaanite woman
came to him for help,
“I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house
of Israel” (Matthew 15:24).
This limited mission of Jesus’ is also affirmed in the
Quran (61:6). In the case of the Prophet Muhammad, however, God says:
“Say (O Muhammad to the people), ‘O mankind! Verily, I am
sent to you all as the Messenger of God…’” (Quran 7:158)
Another verse reads:
“And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a giver of
glad tidings and a warner to all mankind.” (Quran 34:28)
There are yet other verses giving the same purport. Prophet
Muhammad also stated that he was distinguished from the earlier prophets by
five matters. The last he mentioned was:
“[Before] a prophet would be sent to his own people
only, while I have been sent to all of mankind.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh
Muslim)
Fourth, the laws and teachings of this message
had to be fixed in matters that need to be fixed for all of humankind until the
Day of Judgment and guiding yet flexible or accommodating in those matters that
need to be open to change due to the changing circumstances of humankind. This
shall be discussed in more detail below.
On all of these points, one sees that it is the message
of the Prophet Muhammad that fits all of these criteria. Furthermore, all of
these aspects make it quite clear that the Prophet Muhammad is qualified and
sufficient to be the messenger for all of humankind and that the religion that
all humankind should accept is Islam.
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