According to arabic grammer, “Khattam” is noun word and is not derived from a verb as “Khatim”, “Khalid”,”Nasir”. It is not “Isam fail”, and it has four letter in its root.

Mahboob
2010-09-01
15:16

Salam,

Khatam in the meaning of Ring was existed at the time of the Prophet (pbuh) as it is evident from Ahadith. However the point to consider is the development of the word from its original meaning:

Khatm means End. Since seals were put at the end of the letters, Khatam as was derived from Khatm to mean Seal. Since mostly these seals were in the form of a ring that the person would wear, Khatam was developed in meaning to mean ring as well.

Looking at the above development of the word, there is no basis to ignore the original meaning of Khatam in this verse (that is seal) only to arrive on its extended meaning (that is ring). In other words unless there is an evidence (Qarina) in the verse, we have no basis to interpret the word as Ring.

If we think about it, the expression “Muhammad is the Ring of the Prophets” has no sensible meaning. The commentator writes: “As a ring covers a finger, similarly Hazrat Muhammad (pcuh) has accumulated properties of Nabuwat and covers all prophets.” This sentence does not provide any logical comparison. A ring simply covers a tiny bit of the finger, it does not accumulate properties of the person (or the finger) and does not cover the person (or the finger). In the meaning of Ring, the verse means the Prophet (pbuh) was like a ring that other Prophets would wear it! This is both meanimgless and insulting.

In the meaning of seal however (which is the original meaning of the word) the verse simply means that the Prophet (pbuh) was seal of the Prophets, this can only mean that he was the last Prophet (pbuh).

I would like to take the opportunity to raise a few more points as well:

– One needs to ask what the relationship is between the first part of the verse and the second part of it. How the Prophet (pbuh) not being the father of any of the men relates to him being the last Prophet? Zamakhshari in Kashshaf provides an interesting explanation. In his view it would have made sense for people to think that a son of the Prophet (pbuh) would be the next prophet. The verse reminds people that the Prophet (pbuh) does not have any sons and that there is no prophet after him.

– It is important to note that it is not this verse only that stops us from believing in any claims of prophethood after the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Even if this verse was not included in the Qur’an we would still had the same position simply because the Qur’an has not categorically informed us about the coming of any prophet who is supposed to be followed by the followers of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in future. This is aside from the fact that there are a number of reliable Ahadith narrated from the Prophet (pbuh) about him being the final prophet of God.

– The commentator writes: “Hazrat Muhammad (pcuh) is the leader of all prophets.”
Not only this comment has no practical meaning, it is also against the Qur’an. How exactly can the Prophet (pbuh) of Islam be the leader of the prophets who came before him?! The Qur’an has not categorically distinguished a prophet as the leader of other prophets. However if we wanted to derive from the verses of the Qur’an, what prophet practically could be considered as the leader of the prophets after him, then I think that prophet has to be Ibraheem (pbuh):

“And when Ibraheem and Ismail raised the foundations of the House: Our Lord! accept from us Surely You are the Hearing, the Knowing. Our Lord! and make us both submissive to You and raise from our offspring a submissive nation to You. Our Lord! and raise up in them a Messenger from among them who shall recite to them Your communications and teach them the book and the wisdom, and purify them. Surely You are the Mighty, the Wise. And who forsakes the religion of Ibraheem but he who makes himself a fool And most certainly We chose him in this world And in the hereafter he is most surely among the righteous” (2:127 – 130)

“And they say: Be Jews or Christians, you will be on the right course Say: Nay! we follow the religion of Ibraheem, the Hanif And he was not one of the polytheists.” (2:135)

“Most surely the nearest of people to Ibraheem are those who followed him and this Prophet and those who believe And Allah is the guardian of the believers” (3:68)

“Say: ‘Allah has spoken the truth’ Therefore follow the religion of Ibraheem, the upright one; and he was not one of the polytheists.” (3:195)

“And who has a better religion than he who submits himself entirely to Allah? and he is the doer of good and follows the faith of Ibraheem, the upright one And Allah took Ibraheem as a friend” (4:125)

” Say: Surely my Lord has guided me to the right path, a most right religion, the faith of Ibraheem the upright one And he was not of the polytheists.” (6:161)

“Then We revealed to you: Follow the faith of Ibraheem, the upright one And he was not of the polytheists” (16:123)

“And strive hard in (the way of) Allah such a striving as is due to Him, He has chosen you and has not laid upon you any hardship in religion The faith of your father Ibraheem He named you Muslims before and in this, that the Messenger may be a bearer of witness to you, and you may be bearers of witness to the people Therefore keep up prayer and pay the poor rate and hold fast by Allah; He is your Guardian, How excellent the Guardian and how excellent the Helper” (22:78)

“Indeed, there is for you a good example in Ibraheem and those with him when they said to their people: Surely we are clear of you and of what you serve besides Allah; we declare ourselves to be clear of you, and enmity and hatred have appeared between us and you forever until you believe in Allah alone but not in what Ibraheem said to his father” (60:4)

UIUK team

2nd of September, 2010