✍ Written by: Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amrpuri (حفظه الله)
Excerpt from the book (PDF link available)
"Indeed, Allah sent His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ as the Seal of the Prophets, after whom there is no prophet or messenger. He is the one who follows all previous prophets."
Tafsir Ibn Kathir: 3/70
Allama Ibn Abi al-‘Izz al-Hanafi (792 AH):
"It is obligatory to follow the messengers and what was revealed to them. Allah ended the chain of messengers with Muhammad ﷺ and made him the last prophet. His message is for all jinn and mankind until the Day of Resurrection."
Sharh al-‘Aqeedah al-Tahawiyyah, p. 73
﴿وَ مَاۤ اَرْسَلْنٰكَ اِلَّا كَآفَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ...﴾
"We have not sent you but as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind..."
Qadi ‘Iyad (544 AH):
"There is consensus among the Ummah that this verse should be understood in its apparent meaning — that the Prophet ﷺ was sent to all humanity."
Al-Shifa: 2/271
② Surah Al-A'raf [7:158]
﴿قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا﴾
"Say: O mankind, I am the Messenger of Allah to all of you."
Ibn Kathir:
"This includes Arabs and non-Arabs, the red and black races — a mark of the Prophet’s universal prophethood and his status as the Seal of the Prophets."
Tafsir Ibn Kathir: 3/489
③ Surah Al-Ahzab [33:40]
﴿مَا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ... وَ خَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ﴾
"Muhammad ﷺ is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets."
Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (310 AH):
"He is the one who closed the door of prophethood, sealed it completely; no prophet will appear after him until the Day of Resurrection."
Tafsir al-Tabari: 19/121
Ibn ‘Atiyyah (541 AH):
"These words are a clear and general text that no prophet will come after Muhammad ﷺ."
Tafsir Ibn ‘Atiyyah: 4/388
"Belief in Muhammad ﷺ as the Seal of the Prophets is necessary for faith. Anyone who believes that there's a way to Allah apart from following him is a disbeliever."
Al-Furqan: 21
"This universal prophethood, sealed with Muhammad ﷺ, is a divine mercy and completion of proof upon mankind."
Al-Jawab al-Sahih: 5/405
Alusi al-Hanafi (1270 AH):
"The finality of prophethood is proclaimed by the Qur'an, confirmed by the Sunnah, and agreed upon by the Ummah. Whoever denies it is a disbeliever and, if persistent, should be executed."
Ruh al-Ma‘ani: 22/32
➊ With Kasrah (خاتِم): As an active participle — "the one who ends"
➋ With Fathah (خاتَم): As a noun of tool — "a seal"
Both imply:
Hence, no new prophethood (whether legislative or non-legislative, real or symbolic) can arise after him.
Tafsir al-Tabari: 22/12–13
"Anyone who claims a prophet can come after Muhammad ﷺ — other than ʿIsa ibn Maryam — is undoubtedly a disbeliever."
Al-Fasl: 3/130
Qadi ʿIyad (544 AH):
"Those who claim another prophet, or consider themselves as such, or promote philosophies or mysticism to reach ‘prophethood’ — all such people are clear disbelievers by consensus."
Al-Shifa: 2/285-286
Excerpt from the book (PDF link available)◈ Belief in the Finality of Prophethood (Khatm-e-Nubuwwah)
Allah Almighty fulfilled His promise of sending prophets, culminating in the final and eternal prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ, who is the Last Prophet until the Day of Judgment. After him, no prophet — whether metaphorical (ظلی), symbolic (بروزی), or actual — can come.◈ Statements of Classical Scholars
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (774 AH):"Indeed, Allah sent His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ as the Seal of the Prophets, after whom there is no prophet or messenger. He is the one who follows all previous prophets."
Tafsir Ibn Kathir: 3/70Allama Ibn Abi al-‘Izz al-Hanafi (792 AH):
"It is obligatory to follow the messengers and what was revealed to them. Allah ended the chain of messengers with Muhammad ﷺ and made him the last prophet. His message is for all jinn and mankind until the Day of Resurrection."
Sharh al-‘Aqeedah al-Tahawiyyah, p. 73◈ Verses of the Qur'an on the Finality of Prophethood
① Surah Saba [34:28]﴿وَ مَاۤ اَرْسَلْنٰكَ اِلَّا كَآفَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ...﴾
"We have not sent you but as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind..."
Qadi ‘Iyad (544 AH):
"There is consensus among the Ummah that this verse should be understood in its apparent meaning — that the Prophet ﷺ was sent to all humanity."
Al-Shifa: 2/271② Surah Al-A'raf [7:158]
﴿قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا﴾
"Say: O mankind, I am the Messenger of Allah to all of you."
Ibn Kathir:
"This includes Arabs and non-Arabs, the red and black races — a mark of the Prophet’s universal prophethood and his status as the Seal of the Prophets."
Tafsir Ibn Kathir: 3/489③ Surah Al-Ahzab [33:40]
﴿مَا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ... وَ خَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ﴾
"Muhammad ﷺ is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets."
Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (310 AH):
"He is the one who closed the door of prophethood, sealed it completely; no prophet will appear after him until the Day of Resurrection."
Tafsir al-Tabari: 19/121Ibn ‘Atiyyah (541 AH):
"These words are a clear and general text that no prophet will come after Muhammad ﷺ."
Tafsir Ibn ‘Atiyyah: 4/388◈ Unanimity of the Ummah and Scholarly Consensus
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (728 AH):"Belief in Muhammad ﷺ as the Seal of the Prophets is necessary for faith. Anyone who believes that there's a way to Allah apart from following him is a disbeliever."
Al-Furqan: 21"This universal prophethood, sealed with Muhammad ﷺ, is a divine mercy and completion of proof upon mankind."
Al-Jawab al-Sahih: 5/405Alusi al-Hanafi (1270 AH):
"The finality of prophethood is proclaimed by the Qur'an, confirmed by the Sunnah, and agreed upon by the Ummah. Whoever denies it is a disbeliever and, if persistent, should be executed."
Ruh al-Ma‘ani: 22/32◈ Linguistic Meaning of "Khatam al-Nabiyyin"
The word "Khatam" (خاتم) is recited in two ways:➊ With Kasrah (خاتِم): As an active participle — "the one who ends"
➋ With Fathah (خاتَم): As a noun of tool — "a seal"
Both imply:
- The last in the line of prophets
- The sealer of prophethood
- The one who closes the door of divine revelation
Hence, no new prophethood (whether legislative or non-legislative, real or symbolic) can arise after him.
Tafsir al-Tabari: 22/12–13◈ Rebuttal of False Interpretations
Some falsely claim that “al” in "al-Nabiyyin" (النَّبِيِّينَ) is not for generality. However:- In Arabic, such use generally includes all members of the group.
- Unlike other verses that have contextual cues, no such limiting clue exists here.
- Thus, the verse clearly means there can be no prophet after Muhammad ﷺ.
◈ Anyone Claiming Prophethood After Muhammad ﷺ is a Disbeliever
Ibn Hazm (456 AH):"Anyone who claims a prophet can come after Muhammad ﷺ — other than ʿIsa ibn Maryam — is undoubtedly a disbeliever."
Al-Fasl: 3/130Qadi ʿIyad (544 AH):
"Those who claim another prophet, or consider themselves as such, or promote philosophies or mysticism to reach ‘prophethood’ — all such people are clear disbelievers by consensus."
Al-Shifa: 2/285-286