Volume - III / CHAPTER - 1 / LESSON NO: 5
THE LAST PROPHET
Q 1: What does "Khaataman Nabi-yeen" mean?
A. "Khaataman Nabi-yeen" or "Khatamal Mursaleen" means the "Last Prophet" i.e. Allah Almighty has finished the succession of Prophets on Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah's choicest blessing & peace be upon him). No new Prophet will succeed him. The institution of Prophethood/Messengership attained its pinnacle in him.
Q 2: Is the Prophethood of our Holy Prophet meant for a particular nation or for all (is general)?
A. The Prophethood of our Holy Prophet Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him) is general for all creatures from the first humankind (Prophet Adam) to the end of time (Doomsday). The Islaamic scholars and savants say that the Prophethood/Messengership of the Holy Prophet encircles all mankind, genies and angels and even all animate and inanimate creatures. The obedience to the Holy Prophet is not only obligatory upon humanbeings but also upon all creatures. All these living and lifeless creatures are included in his Ummah (community).
Q 3: Are all Apostles, Messengers and Prophets included in the Holy Prophet's Ummah?
A. Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him) is the Prophet of all creatures of Allah with no exception. That's why all Apostles, Messengers and Prophets are, ipso facto, included in his Ummah.
Q 4: How many excellences and traits has Allah Almighty gifted to the Holy Prophet?
A. Some excellences and traits of the Holy Prophet are:
1. He was the first to receive the Prophethood.
2. He will be the first to rise from his (blessed)grave on the Doomsday.
3. He will cause the commencement of the proceedings of the Day of Judgement.
4. First of all he will be granted permission to intercede with Allah Almighty for his
Ummah.
5. He will be provided with "Liva-ul-Hamd"(the banner of praise) under which all believers right from the time of Prophet Adam to the Doomsday will gather.
6. Whole the earth was declared "pure" and mosque for him. It means his Ummah can worship Allah anywhere.
7. Spoils (Maal-e-Ghanimat) was made Halaal (permitted) for him.
8. He is the leader and chief of all the Apostles, Messengers and Prophets.
9. He will lead mankind on the Day of Reckoning.
10. First of all he will lead his Ummah and cross "Siraat" (narrow pathway over hell).
11. All Apostles, Messengers and Prophets were sent for their respective groups, nations and time but the Holy Prophet came for all creatures and time.
12. Allah Almighty will make him stand on "Maqaam-e-Mahmood" (the station of praiseworthy primacy) on the Day of Judgement. Seeing this all humanbeings (creatures) will praise and glorify him.
13. He attained "Me'raaj" (ascension to heavens) with the body (not mere spiritual).
14. Allah Almighty took covenant from all
Apostles, Messengers and Prophets that they would believe in him and help him, if he (Holy Prophet) came in their time.
15. The title of "Habeeb Allah" (Beloved of Allah) was conferred on him. All the worlds
seek Allah's pleasure but He seeks the pleasure of His Beloved.
The Holy Prophet possesses myriad of excellences and traits which can be read in other books on his impeccable life.
Q 5: Which family did the Holy Prophet hail from?
A. The Holy Prophet Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him) hailed from a noble and prominent family of Arabia i.e. Quresh. The Quresh family was an acknowledged leader of all the Arab families. This family had many branches and the most esteemed of those branches was "Bani Haashim" to which our Holy Prophet belonged. The Holy Prophet has himself said that Allah Almighty chose "Kanaanah" from amongst the posterity of Prophet Ishmael, Quresh from amongst the Kanaanah, Bani Haashim from amongst the Quresh and I (Prophet) was chosen from amongst Bani Haashim.
Once the Chief Angel Gibreil told the Holy Prophet that he had visited the east and the west but did not find (see) any family more prominent than the Bani Haashim.
The Holy Prophet is called Haashmee due to being a descendent of Bani Haashim.
Q 6: Who was Haashim whose posterity is called Bani Haashim?
A. Haashim was the (paternal) great grand father of the Holy Prophet. He was the son of Abd-e-Manaaf. Haashim's real name was Umro. He was all hospitable. Once during drought, he bought dry breads from Syria and soaking them in the soup of camels' flesh, fed all people in Makkah to their fill.
Since that day he was called "Haashim" (the one who
crumbles dry breads).
He was highly respected because "Noor-e- Muhammadi" (the light of the Holy Prophet) reflected in his forehead.
Q 7: Who was Abdul Muttalib?
A. (Hadrat) Abdul Muttalib was (paternal) grand father of Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him). Noor-e-Muhammadi reflected in his forehead and musk-like fragrance emanated from his body.
The Quresh people used to make "Du'aa" (supplication) through him, if afflicted by any calamity, which was answered. Once Hadrat Abdul Muttalib prayed to Allah Almighty that he would sacrifice his one son if he was graced with ten sons whom he also saw grown up in his lifetime. The supplication was answered. He took all his ten sons to the precincts of holy Ka'bah to fulfill his vow. Lots were cast to choose one son for sacrifice which fell to the name of Abdullah, the youngest and the dearest son of Abdul Muttalib. The Quresh people did not want to sacrifice Abdullah and advised Hadrat Abdul Muttalib to spare him paying the price of life which was then ten camels.
At last, Hadrat Abdul Muttalib agreed to the proposal with the condition that lots should be drawn for the sacrifice of ten camels in lieu of Abdullah. Hence, the lots were cast. The answer again came in the name of Abdullah. Ten more camels were added to the former ten. In brief, the lots were kept casting until it fell to the animals' name and by then the number of camels swelled to one hundred by adding ten more camels on every draw. Thus one hundred camels were sacrificed to save Abdullah, the father of the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet, therefore, once said: "Anabnuz Zabeehaien" (I am the son of two "Zabeehein" [Prophet Ismail & Hadrat Abdullah] who were [to be] sacrificed for Allah).
Q 8: How did Arabs regard the Holy Prophet?
A. Though the Holy Prophet Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him) had not yet disclosed his Messengership yet the Arabs held him in high esteem because of his honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, unblemished character and impeccable life. He was famed as "trustworthy". During the construction of Holy Ka'bah a difference developed amongst the prominent clans and every clan wanted their leader to put "Hajr-e-Asvad" (black heavenly stone) on its place. After much debate it was decided that the person who would enter into the precincts of the Holy Ka'bah next morning first, would resolve the issue.
The first man who entered the Ka'bah next morning was Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him). Seeing him all shouted "he is the truthful" and desired him to settle the matter. The Holy Prophet spread a sheet and placed the heavenly stone on it and then asked the chieftains to lift the sheet grasping its four corners up to the level of the wall of Holy Ka'bah. They did so and the Holy Prophet put the stone in the wall himself. Thus a bloody conflict brewing up among the clans was averted and all were satisfied with the decision.