We have some Baha’is who say, that the Qur’an says that Muhammad (pbuh) was the last prophet but it doesn’t say that he was the last messenger! This is the objections which have been raised by many bahais.

In reply to this, we would say that the Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) explicitly has said many times that he was the last prophet as well as the last messenger. He has even said that no new community of believers will be raised by God after his nation, the muslims.

In addition, we tell Bahais that being a prophet is a pre-requisite to being a messenger. You cannot be a messenger without also being a prophet. In reply to this, The Bahai’s say that the messengership might occur together with prophethood but they are separate things and that, yes, Bab and Bahaullah were messengers but not prophets.

So, then we ask our creative Bahai friends, what is the difference between messenger and prophet and the asnwer he gives goes something like this: messengers have revealed books and a code of law while prophets have no revealed book and only follow the messenger under his shadow and confirm him. So we say fine, then explain the followng:

1. David is referred to only as a prophet in the Qur’an though the Psalms (a book) was revealed to him.
2. Ishmael, Lot, Aaron, Hud, Salih, Shu’ayb, as well as Joseph are all referred to as messengers. Please tell, what book was revealed to them and what code of law? In the case of Aaron he was in the shadow of Moses and Ishmael and Lot were in the shadow of Abraham.
3. [al-A`raf 7:67.16] He (Hud) said: O my people (the ‘Ad) ! There is no foolishness in me, but I am a messenger from the Lord of the Worlds.
4. [Maryam 19:54.21] And make mention in the Scripture of Ismael. Lo! he was a keeper of his promise, and he was a messenger (of Allah), a prophet.
5. [ash-Shu`ara’ 26:141] (The tribe of) Thamud denied the messengers (of Allah) ash-Shu`ara’ 26:142] When their brother Salih said unto them: Will ye not ward off (evil) ?[ash-Shu`ara’ 26:143.6] Lo! I am a faithful messenger unto you,
6. [ash-Shu`ara’ 26:160] The folk of LOT denied the messengers (of Allah),[ash-Shu`ara’ 26:161] When their brother Lot said unto them: Will ye not ward off (evil) ?[ash-Shu`ara’ 26:162.6] Lo! I am a faithful messenger unto you
7. [ash-Shu`ara’ 26:176] The dwellers in the wood (Madaa’en) denied the messengers (of Allah),[ash-Shu`ara’ 26:177] When Shu’ayb said unto them: Will ye not ward off (evil) ?[ash-Shu`ara’ 26:178.6] Lo! I am a faithful messenger unto you
8. [Ta Ha 20:46] He said: Fear not. Lo! I am with you twain (Moses and Aaron) , Hearing and Seeing. [Ta Ha 20:47.12] So go ye unto him and say: Lo! we are two messengers of thy Lord. So let the children of Israel go with us, and torment them not. We bring thee a token from thy Lord. And peace will be for him who followeth right guidance.

As you can see this little theory of Bahais that messenger is the one who bring book once again doesn’t stand up to the test put forward by the Bahais themselves.

Now we would explain further that Holy Prophet(pbuh) was not only the prophet but he was the messenger of Allah also, in the light of traditions, prayers and salutations of Bahaullah and also in bahai’s scriptures.

Prayers and Salutations of Baha’ullah: –

"I beseech Thee … by Him Whom Thou hast ordained to be the Seal of the Prophets and of Thy Messengers."
Baha’u’lláh, Prayers 29

Bahai’s Book :-

Bahaullah writes,

“Just as you read in the Book that when Allah has completed Prophethood through His beloved (The Holy Prophet of Islam (pbuh)), He has given the glad tidings to the servants of His meeting and this is a certain thing.”

Maaedae’ Aasmani, volume 4, page 260

“Blessings and salutations be on the Holy Prophet of Islam (pbuh) – the leader of the universe, the nourisher of the nations, the one by whom Messengership and Prophethood was terminated and upon his progeny and his companions; a perpetual and never-ending blessing and salutation.”

Baha’u’lláh, Ishráqát 293

So, it is the belief of Baha’ullah that through Holy Prophet, prophethood and messengership both came to an end.

Bab believe in Holy Prophet as last messenger and his book as last book and also said that halal and haram of Holy Prophet would be till the day of judgement.

Ref : Asraar-ul Aasar pg 181

Note: Since the laws of Holy Prophet would be till the day of Qayamat, obviously no messenger would come with new code of laws after him.

Bahai justify their claims and say that every prophet is khatim of his previous prophet. In reply to their justification, we would say why bahais still believe Holy Prophet as Khatemun Nabiyyeen. Since according to their claim, they should believe in the Khatemiyat of Bahaullah as after Holy prophet, Bab was their prophet and then Bahaullah. So, their belief in Holy Prophet as Khatemun nabiyyeen is useless.

Secondly, Khatimiyyat is specifically applied to Holy Prophet(sawa) in Holy Quran and it was not used for any other prophet as accepted by bahai’s preacher, Ishraq Khawri.

So, the arguments of bahais are mute as Baha’u’llah admitted Muhammad (pbuh) to have ended both prophethood and Messengerhood.

Now let us see what Syed Kazim Rashti, Shaikh Ahmed Ahsai and Shoqi Afandi has said about finality of Holy Prophet(sawa) as all these personalities are well accepted by all the bahais and even their leaders such as Baha’ullah has praised them a lot.

Bahaullah in his book “Al Iqaan” has praised Shaikh Ahmed Ahsai and Syed Kazim Rashti and called them “Noorain”.

Ref: Iqaan.

Bahaullah has also praised Shaikh Ahmed Ahsai at another place in his book “Iqtedaraat”,

Ref: Iqtedaarat Page 210.

In the book Jawame’ul Kalam Shaikh Ahmed Ahsai has accepted that Holy Prophet (SAWA) is the last prophet and last messenger as well.

Ref: Jawame’ul Kalaam page 7

In the same book, “In Risalat e Sultaniya”, Shaikh Ahmed Ahsai has said: Since Holy Prophet was sent as last prophet this is the best proof that he is superior to all other prophets.

Ref: Jawame’ul Kalaam Pg 247

Syed Kazim Rashti in his will has said: Mohammad is the messenger of God. All laws have been abrogated except Islam which would remain till Qayamat.

Though this world is advancing and progressing but it could not be independent of prophethood of Holy Prophet since the chain of prophethood came to an end with his existence. Therefore, after his raising no one else could be prophet in any way.

Ref : Majme’at -ul Risaa’el page 281

In the same Article Syed Kazim Rashti has said that prophethood came to an end with the existence of Holy Prophet(sawa) and everyone has to follow his laws till Qayamat.

Ref: -Majme’at -ul Risaa’el page 147

Shoqi Afandi narrated a fatwa of the scholars of Egypt which states: Mohammad is the last prophet and also the last messenger. No religion or laws would be there after him. Quran is the last book of Allah.

Ref: – Qarne Badee pg 135

Traditions: –

The Holy Prophet (pbuh) said, “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.”

Ref: Sahih Bukhari, Kitabe‘Manaqeb.

This means that by the advent of Holy Prophet (pbuh), the edifice of guidance has been completed and perfected and there is no place / need for another prophet and the successors of Holy Prophet(pbuh) would be only caliphs. It means neither any prophet or messengers or anyone is going to be successors of prophets. Only caliph is going to be his successor after him.

A similar tradition is also narrated in Sahih Tirmizi – Kitabe’ Manaqeb, chapter of Fazle’ Nabi and Kitabe’ Adab al Ittesaal.

The Holy Prophet (pbuh) said, “The chain of prophethood and messengership has been terminated in me. Now there will not be any new prophet or messenger.”

Tirmizi, Musnad Ahmed Ibne Hambal

This tradition also implies that there is no scope for any prophet or messenger till the Day of Judgement.

In this way, there are several traditions narrated by the companions of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and these traditions are with successive chains and through several narrators. In the same way, through the ages, traditionalists and authors have brought these traditions in their books. A study of these traditions shows us that at different times, occasions, words and ways, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) made it amply clear that there is no prophet after him. And that the chain of prophethood has been terminated upon him. In addition to this, he (pbuh) warned his community that if any person claimed prophethood after him, then that person is a liar and a fraud and one should therefore avoid him as he said in the following tradition: –

Soubaan narrates that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said, “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 – Kitabul Fitan, Tirmizi)

We have used above Bahai sources also to establish that even Mirza Hussain Ali, Bahaullah believed in the finality of Prophethood and Messengership of the Holy Prophet of Islam (pbuh).

So, the arguments of the Bahais to establish Bahaullah as a Prophet hold no water. In fact, they are not even conforming to the guidelines of Mirza Husain Ali himself. Referring to such discussions, makes it very clear that, contrary to Bahaullah’s claim as such, the Bahais find themselves incapable of establishing Bahaullah as the promised ‘One Whom Allah will Manifest.’ They have therefore, attempted to tamper with Islamic sources – an approach which is obviously incorrect and not in the right spirit of arriving at a conclusion.

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