Giving indication of next Prophet's coming

[Sardar Miyan]

To my knowledge earlier Prophets have given indication future Prophets coming. The Glorious Quran or Prophet Mohammad SA has not given any such indication as such the claims of Ghulam Ahmed Qadiani & Rashad Khalfa do not hold good and thus clear fabrication.

[Joseph Islam]

Dear brother Sardar,

As-salam alaykum

I agree with your opinion with the regards the absence of mention of future prophets in the Quran. However what is your view with regards the possibility of future messengers coming?

Please think about this in light of the following verse:

007:035
"O ye Children of Adam! whenever there come to you messengers from among you, rehearsing My verses (Arabic: ayati) to you, those who are righteous and mend (their lives), on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve"

I feel it is useful to note that the phrase 'Ya Bani Adama'. has only been used in the Quran to denote generic guidance to all mankind (7:26-27; 7:31) This guidance not only applied to previous generations, but also to the contemporaries of Prophet Muhammad and more importantly, to all the subsequent generations that would follow after him. 'Bani Adama' is also used in verse 7:35 quoted above and so from its usage in the Quran, it not only applies to the past and present, but arguably also the future.

I look forward to your view.

Regards,
Joseph.

[Sardar Miyan]

W'salam Bro JAI,Do you therefore mean that Prophet Mohammad SA was not Khatamun nabiyeen,the final prophet?

[Joseph Islam]

Dear brother Sardar,

In my view, he was certainly the 'final prophet' and a seal of the Prophets (33:40 - Khatama Nabiyina). I completely agree with you.

However, what dear brother makes you think that he was also the final 'messenger' (rasul)? Please share your view only from a Quran's perspective.

Please remember 33:40 confirms finality of Prophethood. But verse 7:35 arguably talks about continuation of 'messengers' (rasul). It can be argued that these are two separate matters.

I look forward to your response.

Regards
Joseph 

[Sardar Miyan]

Thanks for your reply. While Finality of Prophethood of Mohammad SA is established what kind of any message the new messengers would give ? If anybody is reminding us to follow Quran he may be Alim or religious leader but we can not treat them as messengers. Whatever Allah telling is in past tense I think. 

[Sardar Miyan]

By the way do you think that the persons like Rashad Khalifa & Ghulam Ahmed Qadiani were messengers? But in my opinion they were not.

[Joseph Islam]

Dear brother Sardar,

I think the question about what 'messengers' can bring is a secondary question. In other words, it is more important to establish whether the Quran confirms a concept of messengers to come or not. That in my humble view is the primary question.
   
We cannot use our inability or lack of comfort to answer a secondary question to 'force' a pre-emptive conclusion over the primary question.

Please allow me to share a few questions which I trust will facilitate this discussion further.

• When the Quran addresses 'Bani Adam', it means generic guidance that has always been applicable irrespective of whether past, present or future. Please see verses 7:26-27; 7:31 as examples. So why in your view is the address in verse 7:35 to 'Bani Adam' restrictive and only applicable to past communities?
• Who were the messengers (plural) at Prophet Muhammad's time? Please see verse 23:51. If Prophet Muhammad was the only messenger during his ministry, why is the address in plural?
• How do you explain God's continuing guidance in verses 2:38 and 20:123 which was promised to all humanity? What about people that come after Prophet Muhammad?
• There have been numerous communities and nations that have come and gone after the death of the Prophet. How do you explain God's promise that for every nation (walikulli ummatin) there is a messenger? Please see verse 10:47.
• How do you explain God's promise that for every people / nation, there is a guide? Please see verse 13:7.
• How do you explain when God speaks to the disbelievers of different nations on the Day of Judgment and says "Came there not to you messengers of your own, reciting to you the revelations of your Lord and warning you of the meeting of this your Day?" (39:71). Which messengers came to the nations after the death of Prophet Muhammad?
• How do you explain that God sends messengers to people in their own language? (14:4) As you know the majority of people today do not speak Arabic and many nations have arisen after the death of the Prophet that do not speak Arabic.
• Who are the messengers that will prevail (Please note the plural) at the time of the Prophet? Please see verse 58:21.
• Why should we reject a direct, clear statement of the Quran that says messengers will come? (7:36).

Just some questions that I feel will facilitate this discussion, God willing.

I cannot comment on the personalities that you have mentioned as I feel it is somewhat unrelated to this topic as we are first trying to establish what the Quran’s position is on this matter. (i.e. the continuation of messengers or not).

I look forward to your responses.

Kind regards,
Joseph.

[Hamzeh]

Asalamun Alikum

I think also brother Joseph, its worth to mention to most people who believe that messengers will not come after the prophet Muhammad (pbuh), that there is a difference between a prophet and a messenger. I think most people assume that messengers bring new revelations. And most people call Muhammad(pbuh) as a Rasulna(our messenger) instead of Nabeeyna(our prophet)

what most people keep in mind is the Quran is the final revelation and that Muhammad (pbuh) is the final prophet.

So when they hear that messengers will continue to come they first think that how can this happen when the final book is the Quran. People don't understand the difference between them.

Also I dont think I heard of anyone to claim to be a messenger of God, all I actually heard was someone claiming to either be the messiah or the mehdi or a prophet, even though they believe in the Quran. And they end up turning there beliefs into a sect or party.

I think a messenger of the revelation is anyone trying to help out people who never heard of the Quran or the message. And spreading the word. maybe translating the message into other languages and working hard. And not holding to be part of any sects or party or also not taking any fees and not doing it for any self interests. Maybe a site like this is a good example. Allahu Ahlam.

Salam

[Reader Comments]

Comments by Sardar Miyan (By Email).
Agreed to be posted.

Assalam , At first instance when I read your reply  to my post I thought (Nauzu billah ) that you don't believe in Khatam-e- Nabuat but after reading your reply to my post I was glad the my fear was wrong. I was just trying to trace reply to my post sometime back asking about this Ayah 7:35 but I could not find so far. Secondly this Ayah appears to be in past tense. Thirdly when the Final message is give to mankind where is the need for anybody else to give any message. Fourthly if it is supposed how could we identify such person in this wide world & who has to do that? I am still not convinced with this idea & no Translator or Mufassir had written about this.

Thanks

[Joseph Islam]

As-salam alaykum

Dear brother Hamzeh, yes I do agree with your general sentiments.

Dear brother Sardar, please see the following article which also discusses the terms 'rasul' and 'nabi' from a Quran's perspective:

END OF PROPHETHOOD - CONTINUATION OF MESSENGERS?
http://quransmessage.com/articles/end%20of%20prophethood%20FM3.htm

I hope this helps, God willing.
Joseph.

[Sardar Miyan]

Salam All , Bro Khaled Zaheer of Al-Mawarid has expressed his opinion as follows:-Khaled Zaheer

Qur'anic verses have to be seen in their context. Verse 7:35 should therefore be seen in
the context of verses 7: 19, 26, 27, & 31. All these verses were a reference to the
address of the Almighty to mankind at the time of Adam alaihissalam

[Joseph Islam]

Dear brother Sardar,

As-salam alaykum

I have an immense amount of respect for brothers / thinkers such as Khalid Zaheer. I do not feel that he is saying anything contradictory, certainly in what you have shared in this thread. I agree that this is an address which originates from Adam and is always applicable.

As I shared in my response to you.

"When the Quran addresses 'Bani Adam', it means generic guidance that has always been applicable irrespective of whether past, present or future. Please see verses 7:26-27; 7:31 as examples. So why in your view is the address in verse 7:35 to 'Bani Adam' restrictive and only applicable to past communities?"

May I respectfully ask whether you have read the article I shared in my last response and if so, what is YOUR own personal view based on the evidence cited. At the end of the day, we must be led by evidence as best we can.

Regards,
Joseph.
 

[Sardar Miyan]

Ayah 7:35
Bro JAI Salam I am forwarding Bro Dr Tanveer Hussain's reply to my qestion on7:35. Dr Tanveer used to be in UK where he develop the Web "quranicteachings "which is friendly based on Salath oriented. He used to contribute on Ourbeacon but after observing different views on Salath he rarely contribues. I have also requested him to become member & enlighten us all with his views. He is also active on Face Book.


Salam brother, Allah's Din has been perfected. His words have been perfected. There is none who will change His words and there will be no change in His words. In other words, Allah's Message to humanity is complete and well-preserved with us; hence no need of Allah's New Messenger with new message. However, anyone can disseminate the Quranic Message anywhere, anytime.

[Joseph Islam]

Dear brother Sardar,

As-salam alaykum

I think we will need to end this thread as I respectfully do not find you to be trying to understand / engage with the arguments that are being raised. You are simply asking others to confirm what you already believe. This is not fruitful for neither you, me or anyone else on this forum / readership.

With utmost respect, in none of the responses you have shared do I find an actual comprehensive assessment of the points being raised.

If you have a strong conviction in what you believe and you are not willing to engage with the arguments for yourself, then I respectfully feel it is best for both you and myself to end this discussion here and with brotherly love to agree to disagree.

However, please may I respectfully share that I have not found anything convincing in what you have respectfully shared which cogently counters what is being asserted.

With respect,
Joseph.

[Sardar Miyan]

Thanks Bro JAI