Prophets are appointed by God Almighty to reform people and guide them to their Creator. Through their high moral and spiritual conduct they bring people back on to the path of righteousness. What distinguishes prophets from saints and other men of religion is the great frequency with which God communicates with them and the fact that God gives them intimation of future events.
A Muslim believes that prophets appeared in all nations of the world. This includes the Israelite prophets mentioned in the Holy Quran and the Bible as well as the prophets of other religions such as Zoroaster (as), Krishna (as), Ram Chandar (as) and Buddha (as).
Prophethood commenced with Prophet Adam (as) and reached its pinnacle with the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa).
According to Islam, no new law-bearing prophet can now appear. However, Prophethood as an institution has not ceased.
According to the Holy Quran and other Islamic sources there can be a prophet after Prophet Muhammad (sa) provided he follows the Shariah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) and is completely subordinate to him – since Islam is the perfect religion.
Like followers of all previous religions, Muslims were also to drift away from the true teachings of Islam in the Latter Days. There would therefore be a need for a prophet to rekindle the true teachings and spirit of Islam and put mankind back to the ‘right path’ and this is why according to Islam only law-bearing prophethood ended with Prophet Muhammad (sa) but not prophethood itself.
This interpretation is not only in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Quran and hadith, but is also in conformity with the understanding of great Muslim scholars.
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), claimed to be a prophet within the Shariah (Law) of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa). He writes:
“This status and title has been bestowed on me only because I am a true follower and servant of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him." (Tajalliyat-e-Ilahiyyah, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 20, p. 411)
He stated at another place:
"Wherever I have denied being a prophet or a messenger of God, I have denied only in the sense that I have not brought an independent Law, nor am I an independent prophet; but I am a messenger and a prophet of God in the sense that, by acquiring spiritual blessings in following in the footsteps of the Holy Prophet (sa) and getting his name, I have been granted by God, through Him abundant knowledge of the future, without any new law. I have never denied being called such a prophet. God has indeed called me a prophet and a messenger in the same sense." (Eik Ghalati Ka Izalah, pp. 6-7, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 18 pp. 210-211)
He stated at another instance:
“Bear in mind that the charge levelled against me and my Jamaat, that we do not believe the Holy Prophet (sa) to be Khatamun-Nabiyyin, is a great calumny. The strength, certainty, understanding and solid conviction with which we believe the Holy Prophet (sa) to be Khatamun-Nabiyyin is millions of times more potent than the belief of others. They lack the capacity, and they have no inkling as to the true meaning and significance of Khatm-e-Nubuwwat. They have only inherited a word from their ancestors, but they do not comprehend the meaning or the significance of the belief in Khatm-e-Nubuwwat. On the other hand, with God-given insight (of which Allah is All-Aware), I believe the Holy Prophet (sa) to be Khatamun-Nabiyyin. God has manifested to me the truth of Khatm-e-Nubuwwat in such a profound way that I enjoy this elixir of heavenly wisdom in a manner beyond the imagination of those who have not partaken of this fountainhead." (Malfuzat, Vol. 1, pp. 227-228)
