Zamakhshari (467--538 A.H.) in Tafseer-i-Kashshaf, Qazi Baidawi (died 685 A.H.) in Anwarul Tanzil, Imam Razi (543--606 A.H.) in Tafseer-i-Kabir, Vol. 3, page 343, Imam Nawawi (631-676 A.H.) in Sharh-i-Muslim, Vol. 2, page 189, Sharh-i-Muslim, Vol. 18, page 75, Alauddin Baghdadi (d. 725 A.H.) in Tafseer-i-Khazin, page 471--472, Taftazani (722--792) in Sharh Aqaid-i-Nasafi, page 1; Ibn-e-Hajar Asqalani (d. 449 A.H.) in Fateh-ul-Bari, Vol. 6, pages 315, 117, Badruddin Aini (d. 855 A.H.) in Umdat-ul-Qari, Vol. 16, page 40, Qastalani (851--923 A.H.) in Irshad-ul-Sari, Vol. 6, page 18, Ibn-e-Haisami (909--973 A.H.) in Fatawa Hadisia, pages 128-129, Sh. Abdui Haq Mohaddis Dehlvi (958-1052 A.H.) in Ashat-ul-Lamaat, Vol. 4 page 373, Zarqani (d.1162 A.H.) in Sharh-Mawahib-ul-Ladunnia,Vol. 3, page 116, favour the view that there is no repugnance between the Quran and the traditions about the second coming of Jesus.

These elucidations have been made by the eminent Scholars, Jurists, Traditionists and Commentators of every Muslim country consistently in every age. A glance at their dates of birth and death will show that they included eminent authorities in every century of the history of Islam from the first to the 13th century Hijra.

The Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) also confirmed this meaning of the 'last of the Prophets' in many of his traditions, some of which are reproduced as under :-

(1) The Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) said, "The children of Israel were guided by the Prophets. When a Prophet died, another succeeded him. However, there will be no Prophet after me; there will be only Caliphs. (Bukhari: Kitab-ul-Anbiya Vo1.2 page 257, printed Darul Maarifah, Beirut, Lebanon).

(2) The Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) said, "My position in relation to the Prophets who came before me can be understood by a parable: A person constructed a great build and decorated and adorned it well, but in a corner he left niche or an empty space, for just one brick. The went round the building and wondered at its beauty, said: Why was not a brick laid here! So, I am that and I am the last of the Prophets. (That is, with my advent the edifice of Prophethood has been completed. Now is no empty niche, which may have to be filled by another Prophet)". (Bukhari: Kitab-ul-Manaqib, Vol. 2, page 270, printed Darul Maarifah, Beirut).

Four traditions on the same subject have been reported in Muslim (Kitab-ul-Fadail) with the following additional words in the last Hadith:"" "So, I came and I closed the chain of the Prophets". The same tradition in these very words is found in Tirmidhi: Kitab-ul-Manaqib, Chapter Fadail-un-Nabi.

In Musnad Abu Daud Tayalisi, this tradition is reported on the authority of Jabir bin Abdullah, and its last words are to the effect "" Through me the Prophethood was brought to a close.

In Musnad Ahmad traditions on the subject with a slight difference in wording have been reported on the authority of Ubayy bin Ka'b, Abu Sa'id Khudri and Abu Hurairah.

(3) The Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) said: "I have been distinguished from the other Prophets in six matters (i) I have been endowed with eloquent speech, (ii) I am made awe inspiring, (iii) Booty has been made lawful for me, (iv) The whole earth has been made a Mosque for me as well as a means of obtaining purity, (v) I have been appointed a Messenger for the entire world, and (vi) The office of prophets ceases with me. (Muslim, Vol. 2, page 249, printed Darul Kutub, Beirut).

(4) The Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) said: "The line of Prophethood and Messengership has come to an end: After me there will neither be a Prophet nor Messenger. (Tirmidhi, Vol. 2, page 53, printed H.M. Saeed Company, Karachi).

(5) The Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) said: "I am Muhammad, I am Ahmad, I am the eraser; disbelief will be erased through me, I am the assembler, the people will be assembled in the plain of Resurrection behind me, and I am the last one after whom there is no Prophet. (Muslim, Vo1.2; page 261, printed Delhi).

(6) The Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) said: "Allah has sent no Prophet who did not warn his people of the coming of Dajjal (the antichrist; but he did not come in their times). Now I am the last of the Prophets and you are the last community. Now he shall appear among you". (Ibn-e-Majah, Vol. 2, page 178).

(7) Abdur Rehman bin Jubair says: I heard Abdullah bin Amr bin Aas saying that the Holy Prophet (P.8.H.) one day came to us in a manner as though he was taking his leave. He said thrice: I am Muhammad (P.B.H.), the un-lettered Prophet, then said: and no Prophet will come after me". (Musnad Ahmad: Traditions from Abdullah bin Amr bin Aas) .

(8) The Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) said: "There is no Prophethood after me; there will only be harbingers of good news. He was asked, "who are the harbingers of good news, 0 Messenger of Allah"? He replied: "A true vision", or said "A righteous vision". (That is, there is no possibility of Divine Revelation now. At the most a person may receive an inspiration, which will be in the form of a true vision). (Abu Daud, Vol. 2, page 316).

(9) The Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) said: "if a Prophet had to come after me, it would have been 'Umar bin il-Khattab". (Tirmidhi, Vol. 2, page 209, printed H.M. Saeed & Company, Karachi).

(10) The Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) said to Hadrat Ali: "You are to me as Aaron was to Moses, with the exception that there is no Prophet after me". (Muslim, Vol. 2, page 278, printed Delhi).

Bukhari and Muslim have related this tradition in connection with the Tabuk Expedition. Two traditions on this subject are related in Musnad Ahmad on the authority of Sa'ad bin Abi Waqqas, the last sentence of one of which is to the effect; "But there is no Prophethood after me". The detailed traditions related in this connection by Abu Daud Tayalisi, Imam Ahmad and Mohammad bin Ishaq show that on the eve of his departure for the Tabuk Expedition the Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) had decided to leave Hadrat Ali behind for the defence and protection of Madina. The hypocrites thereupon had an opportunity to pass discourteous remarks about him. He went to the Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) and asked him : "O Messenger of Allah, are you leaving me behind among the women and children"? On this occasion the Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) consoled him, saying: "You are to me as Aaron was to Moses".

That is, just as Prophet Moses, on his departure for Mount Tur, had left Prophet Aaron behind to look after the children of Israel, so he was leaving him behind for the defence of Madina". But apprehending that Hadrat Ali's comparison with a Prophet might cause mischief later, the Holy Prophet (P.B.H.): immediately added the exception "there will be no Prophet after me"

(11) It has been related by Thoban that the Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) said "..... ..and that 30 imposters will appear in my community each one of whom will claim to be a Prophet, whereas I am the last Prophet; there is no Prophet after me". (Abu Daud, Vol. 2, page 202).

Abu Daud related another tradition on this subject in Kitab-al-Malahim on the authority of Abu Hurairah. Tirmidhi also related these two traditions on the same authority and that of Thoban. The second tradition is to the effect: "So much so that about 30 imposters will arise, each of whom will claim to be a Messenger of Allah".

(12) The Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) said : "There have been before you among the children of Israel people, who were spoken to (by God) though they were not Prophets. If there be such a one in my Ummah, he would be Umar". (Bukhari, Kitab al-Manaqib, Vol. 2, page 282, printed Darul Maarifah, Beirut).

A tradition on this subject reported in Muslim has the word Muhaddath () instead of yukallamun () but both mean the persons who are spoken to by God, or are spoken to by the unseen.

(13) The Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) said : "There is no Prophet after me, and there is no Ummah (of any other Prophet) after my Ummah". (Baihaqi, Vol. 5, page 197).

(14) The Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) Mid : "I am the last Prophet and my Mosque is the last Mosque (of a Prophet) (i.e. the Prophet's Mosque of Madina)". (Muslim : Kitab al-Hajj, page 202).

(15) It is related from Irbaz bin Saria that the Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) said : "I was the last of the Prophets when Adam had not yet been born". (Mustadrak of Hakim, Vol. 2, page 418, printed at Hyderabad, Deccan).

(16) It is related that Hazrat Ali addressing the Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) said : "0 Messenger of Allah, your death stopped the thing which was not stopped by the death of anyone else that is Prophethood, revelation from Allah and other prophetic information". (Nahjul Balaghah, Vol. 2, page 255, printed at Egypt).

(17) It is related that Abu Jafar and Abu Abdullah said: "indeed Allah finished the divine books with your book (Holy Quran) and terminated (the line of) Prophets with your Prophet (Muhammad P.B.H.). (Usul-e-Kafi, Vol. 1 page 103, printed Nol Kishwar).

These traditions have been reported by a large number of the companions and related by many traditionists with many strong chains of authorities. A study of these shows that the Holy Prophet (P.B.H.) had on different occasions in different ways and in "different words affirmed that he was the last of the Prophets, that no Prophet would come after him, that Prophethood had been finalised in him, and that the people who claimed to be Messengers and Prophets after him would be imposters. There can be no more authentic, reliable and conclusive explanations of the Quranic word Khatam-un-Nabiyin than this. The Holy Prophet's (P.B.H.) statement by itself is authoritative and decisive but when it explains a text of the Quran, it becomes all the more authenticated and conclusive. The question is; who can be better qualified to understand and explain the Quran than the Holy prophet (P.B.H.) himself? Thus, if a person gives a different meaning to Khatam-e-Nubuwwat (Finality of Prophethood) how can he be held worthy of any attention or consideration, much less worthy of being believed in-and followed.

This is an established principle but I may cite from Al-Iman by Ibne-Taimiya.

"And it must be understood that when the Holy -Prophet (P.B.H.) relates any meaning or explanation of the words of the Quran and the Sunnah, no weight will be given to the dictionary meaning or any other meaning and explanation". (Al-Iman by Ibn-e-Taimiya, page 271).

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