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A famous
Saying of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, narrated by Nawas
ibn Sam`an and recorded in the Hadith collection Sahih
Muslim, refers to the Messiah to come as nabi
(prophet) of God. If Hazrat Mirza had indeed claimed to
be a prophet, he would not have considered this
occurrence of the word nabi to be metaphorical, as
he wrote: ``The
epithet `prophet of God' for the Promised Messiah, which
is to be found in Sahih Muslim etc. from the
blessed tongue of the Holy Prophet, is meant in the same
metaphorical sense as that in which it occurs in Sufi
literature as an accepted and common term for [the
recipient of] Divine communication. Otherwise, how can
there be a prophet after the Last of the Prophets?''
(Anjam
Atham, footnote, p. 28)
``And it should also be
remembered that in Sahih Muslim the word nabi
has occurred with reference to the Promised Messiah, that
is to say, by way of metaphor.''
(Ayyam
as-Sulh, p. 75)
``These words are by way
of metaphor, just as in Hadith also the word nabi
has been used for the Promised Messiah. And he who
discloses news of the unseen, having received it from
God, is known as nabi in Arabic. The meanings in
Islamic terminology are different. Here only the
linguistic [root] meaning is intended.''
(Arba`in
no. 2, p. 18, footnote)
``Similarly, the Promised
Messiah being called nabi in Hadith, is not meant
in a real sense. This is the knowledge which God has
given me. Let him understand, who will. This very thing
has been disclosed to me that the doors of real
prophethood are fully closed after the Last of the
Prophets, the Holy Prophet Muhammad. According to the
real meaning, no new or ancient prophet can now come.''
(Siraj
Munir, p. 3)
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