Seal of the Prophets
Editorial introduction
Bahá’u’lláh calls Muhammad the Seal of the Prophets with unreserved reverence, the one for whom God made the world a ring upon His finger, after whom no one may claim the station of prophethood. He also announces that the verse naming Muhammad the Seal has found its consummation in the Day when mankind stands before the Lord of the worlds. To hold those two statements together without hurrying past their tension is the task of this subject. What does completion mean, and what does it leave open? The Qur’án’s own wording, read in parallel translations, is where the disagreement actually lies [1], and the tradition in which Muhammad likens himself to the final brick in a beautiful house gives finality a positive content that deserves to be heard in its own terms [2]. Against that stands the Íqán’s argument that the Prophets share one station, so that He Who is first is also last, and the claim that at the moment of manifestation no allusion profits and the Sovereign is known only through Himself. The inquiry continues into the life of Muhammad, the character of Islam, and the ways prophecy is fulfilled.
O Radi! The Seal of the Prophets - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him - came with divine proof and heavenly evidence from the Dayspring of power with boundless favors, having no purpose save to exalt the blessed Word of Divine Unity and guide the servants to that which would benefit and preserve them.
And blessings and peace be upon the Seal of the Prophets, through whom the fragrance of divine unity was diffused throughout the world and the banner of power was raised amidst the nations, and upon His family and companions, through whom God transformed disbelief into faith, vain imaginings into certitude, darkness into light, ignorance into knowledge, and discord into harmony, and through whom the hearts of those who turned to Him found peace while the limbs of those who turned away trembled.
And prayers and peace be upon the Seal of the Prophets, he for whom God made this world like a ring upon his finger which He turns however He pleases, and upon his family and companions who, by His command, aided the Faith of God until the banner of faith was raised upon the highest realm of possibility.
And from among humanity He sent forth certain souls who were sanctified from the conditions, veils, allusions and indications of creation, dispatching them with the royal seal of "I am the Truth" and sending them to guide mankind. … And this holy, blessed, and exalted chain ended with the Seal of the Prophets and King of the Chosen Ones, through whom the gate of heaven was opened and the Nightingale of Eternity sang upon the branches of the Divine Lote-Tree that which the Tongue of Grandeur had spoken before the existence of all things: Verily there is no God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
See that which the All-Merciful hath revealed therein: 'Verily He is the Messenger of God, and the Seal of the Prophets.'"
To this We reply: "Indeed thou speaketh the truth. We do testify that through Him, Messengership and Prophethood have both been sealed and any one claiming after Him this most exalted station is in manifest error.
And likewise they argued that 'Seal of the Prophets' is God's word and is explicitly revealed in the Qur'an, and it is certain that God is truthful and His Prophet is truthful.
Glory be to God! The people of the Furqan, despite what hath appeared from the Tongue of Grandeur - that He is verily the Messenger of God and the Seal of the Prophets - assert that the breezes of revelation and the fragrances of inspiration have been cut off after His Holiness, and this blessed word concludeth with His exalted saying: "The Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds."
They have not yet understood the meaning of "Seal of the Prophets" as revealed in the Qur'an, for it is clear and evident that after the ending of Prophethood, both implicitly and explicitly, the appearance of God is mentioned and recorded in the Divine Book.
… One day, amongst the companions, both resident and pilgrim, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these words: "This is the Day which hath been announced in His saying, exalted be He: 'The Day when thy Lord shall come.' Those who are possessed of insight can perceive that if, in this Day, any soul should cling to or seek after any one of the Names, he would be accounted among the idolaters."
Verily We have given glad-tidings unto all people that the great and blessed verse "but He is the Apostle of God and the Seal of the Prophets" hath been fulfilled in the Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds.
In this day the Sun of Truth, from the horizon of the prison of 'Akka, speaketh this most sublime Word: I say in truth, the blessed word "but He is the Apostle of God and the Seal of the Prophets" found its consummation in "the Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds."
Now consider the firm ordinances of the Furqan, among which is the mention of the "Seal", in His exalted words "but He is the Apostle of God and the Seal of the Prophets." Consider also the words of the Letters and the Gates concerning the appearance of the Qa'im. Yet at the time of His wondrous manifestation all these sayings were set aside by a single word, as thou thyself bearest witness that the Prophet hath been from the beginning that hath no beginning and will continue unto the end that hath no end, as mentioned in the words of the Exalted One - may the life of all else be a sacrifice unto Him.
… In brief, at the time of manifestation nothing profiteth or hindereth, as hath been mentioned, for the Sovereign of Manifestation is known through His own Self.
The Supreme Bab was the promised one of the Koran, with regard to the question of the Seal of the Prophets. Mohammed was known as the Seal of the Prophets. (The Mohammedans think this title means that no prophet will appear after Mohammed.)
They clung to a verse from Thy Book and crucified Thy Beauty and aimed arrows of lead at Him, saying "This one has claimed prophethood and contradicted the clear texts of the Qur'an: 'Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but He is the Messenger of God and the Seal of the Prophets.'"
The Shah instead of knowing the Blessed Perfection by His Glory went to the learned men and asked their opinion, and as they were His enemies, they would not say anything good of Him, but replied that Prophethood was ended by Mohammed, for he was the "Seal of the Prophets," and "this man who lays claim to revelation is a liar and should be killed."
Consequently if the Mohamadans believe that their prophet is the 'seal of the prophets' they have simply followed in the same footsteps of the Jews and the Christians and must repudiate their own religion because others have a prior claim to such assertions.
To Indian boys' question:
Koran--about the last of the Prophets: "The meaning is this,--For instance, take this teapot. It, in its beauty, is of itself in appearance. It is the last of its kind."
He is the Most Holy, the Most Great
Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God and the God of earth and heaven! I beseech Thee by the Dawning-Places of Thy Revelation, and the Manifestations of Thy Inspiration, and the Day-Springs of Thy Cause, and by Him through Whom Thou didst seal Prophethood and Messengership from Thy presence, to aid me to act according to what Thou hast commanded me in Thy perspicuous Book.
the Muhammadans were accustomed to think Mahomet the greater because of his title "Seal of the Prophets," but in the time of Jesus spirituality and spiritual life was far greater.
For thought and discussion