Muhammad is the last of the prophets and the messengers among people

In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful

Having been in direct contact with “rational monotheists” and “Ahmadis”, I saw a common foothold in these directions of Islam – the belief that after Muhammad, God’s messengers can come to people. They build their statement on the interpretation of the following passage:

Muhammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the messenger of God and last (hataama) of the prophets! And ever is God, of all things, Knowing! (33:40)

The only difference between them is that the “ratmons” believe that “the messenger” and “the prophet” – are different situations, and the “Ahmadis” consider this to be the sides of the same coin.

At 33:40 there is the word “haatama”, meaning – to seal, to finish, to close, to end. For an unbiased understanding, consider all the passages from the Quran, where the root of the “hatama” is used:

God has set a seal (hatama) upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. And for them is a great punishment! (2:7)

Say, “Have you considered: if God should take away your hearing and your sight and set a seal (hatama) upon your hearts, which deity other than God could bring them [back] to you?” Look how we diversify the signs; then they [still] turn away! (6:46)

Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] passion, and God has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal (hatama) upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after God? Then will you not be reminded? (45:23)

As can be seen from the meaning of the above excerpts, we are talking about the final decision regarding a certain object.

One of the arguments of the “ratmons” and “Ahmadis” is the following passage that serves to give someone the status of the messenger:

When God took a covenant from the prophets,

“This is what I give you of the Prescription and judgement. Then there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you. You will surely believe him and help him”, He asked, “Have you acknowledged and taken upon that My obligation?”

They said, “We have acknowledged it!”

He said, “Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses.” (3:81)

Another passage is considered as its logical continuation:

And We made a covenant with the prophets: with you (Muhammad), with Noah, with Abraham, with Moses and Jesus, the son of Mary. We concluded rigid covenant with them. (33:7)

The logic is that not all the messengers were prophets. The covenant was only taken from the prophets, including Muhammad. Therefore, after the last prophet, the messenger should appear, otherwise this covenant will not concern Muhammad himself.

However, having carefully examined the terms of the covenant, we see that the prophets were obliged to believe and help the messenger who came to them. It turns out that the messenger should appear during the life of any of the prophets. On the example of the dynasty of Abraham, the terms of the contract were evident. Abraham’s son was a prophet; his grandson was also a prophet, etc. But we know from the Quran that there were prophets, during whose life there were no other messengers sent. How in this case to understand the ayat?

The fact is that God’s maintainers can also act as the messengers:

God chooses from the maintainers messengers and from the people. Indeed, God is Hearing and Seeing! (22:75)

The Creator in the Quran insists on believing in His maintainers. This is one of the fundamental prescriptions of the Supreme concerning faith:

O you who have believed! Believe God and His messenger and the Prescription that He sent down upon His messenger and the Prescription which He sent down before. And whoever closes himself from God, His maintainers, His Prescription, His messengers, and the last day has certainly gone far astray! (4:136)

Now it is perfectly clear that the promised messenger to Muhammad is God’s maintainer. We know that the Quran was sent down to Muhammad through the Spirit (Jibril), who also acted as the messenger of God to the prophet:

Say, “Who was an enemy to Jibril (Gabriel)?”

It is [none but] he who has brought the Literature (Quran) down upon your heart, by permission of God, confirming that which was before it and as guidance and good tidings for the believers.” (2:97)

He sends down the maintainers, with the Spirit and His command, upon whom He wills of His servants, “Warn that there is no deity except Me! So beware of Me!” (16:2)

The Exalted above degrees, Owner of the abiding; He places the Spirit with His command upon whom He wills of His servants to warn of the day of meeting. (40:15)

After Muhammad there is no and there will be no messengers from people to humanity. Muhammad is the last of the prophets and the messengers among people!