Maulana Qasim Nanotwi's View of Prophethood
The founder of the Deobandi sect, Mawlana Qasim Nanotawi, has famously denied the interpretation of Khatam an-Nabuwwah (Seal of Prophethood) which is believed in by the general public of the Muslims, in favor of a more nuanced and gnostic understanding. In his infamous book Tahdhir an-Nas, Qasim Nanotawi said:
بلکہ اگر بالفرض بعد زمانہ نبوی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کوئی نبی پیدا ہو تو پھر بھی خاتمیت محمّدی میں کچھ فرق نہ آئے گا۔چہ جائیکہ آپ کے معاصر کسی اور زمین میں یا فرض کیجئے اسی زمین میں کوئی اور نبی تجویز کیا جائے۔
Translation: “Rather, if, hypothetically, after the time of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihi wasallam) another Prophet is born, even then it will make no difference to the Khaatamiyyat-e-Muhammadi (Seal of Prophethood of Muhammad) – similarly if another Prophet is his contemporary in another Earth, or even on this Earth another Prophet is made.”Reference: Tahdhir-un-Nas (Idara al-Aziz); p.85
Additionally the Founder of Darul Ulum Deoband, Mawlana Qasim Nanotwi explained the true meaning and reality of the word Khaatam as having an alternate meaning apart from chronological finality:
سو جس میں اس صفت کا زیادہ ظہور ہو جو خاتم الصفات ہو یعنی اس سے اوپر اور صفتممکن اظہور یعنی لایق انتقال وعطائے مخلوکات نہ ہو۔ وہ شخص مخلوکات میں خاتمالمراتب ہوگا اور وہی شخص سب کا سردار اور سب سے افضل ہوگا۔
Translation: "Therefore, the person who possesses this attribute, which is Khaatam as-Siffaat (Seal of Attributes), to a greater degree of manifestation, that is, there is no attribute above it or which has the possibility of being manifested and granted into the creation – such a person, among the creation, is the Khaatam al-Maraatib (Seal of Stations), and that person is the master of all and the most superior of all."
Reference: Intisar-ul-Islam; p.48
Again, Muhammad Qasim Nanautawi (d.1880), wrote concerning the status of Khaatam-an-Nabiyyeen (Seal of the Prophets) and the appearance of Prophets who are in subordination to it:
ایسے ہی خاتم مراتب نبوت کے اوپر اور کوئی عہدہ یا مرتبہ ہوتا ہی نہیں جو ہوتا ہے اسکے ماتحت ہوتا ہےTranslation: “There is no status above that of the Khaatam (Seal) of the stations of Prophethood. Whoever becomes (a Prophet) is subordinate to it.”Reference: Mubahisah Shahjahanpur; p.25
Furthermore, Maulana Qasim Nanotwi explains how there is no excellence if the Prophet(saw) is the last and commented about the common or general understanding of the significance of Khaatam an-Nabuwwah of the Muslim public. He wrote:
سو عوام کے خیال میں تو رسول اللہ صلعم کا خاتم ہونا بایں معنے ہے کہ آپ کا زمانہ انبیاء سابق کے زمانہ کے بعد اور آپ سب میں آخر نبی ہیں۔ مگر اہل فہم پر روشن ہوگا کہ تقدم یا تاخیر زمانے میں بالذات کچھ فضیلت نہیں پھر مقام مدح میں ولكن رسول الله وخاتم النبيّين فرمانا اس صورت میں کیونکر صحیح ہوسکتا۔
Translation: “The public imagine that RasulullahSAWS being Khaatam literally means that his time is after the time of all the previous prophets, and he is the Last Prophet of all. However, the people of understanding will be enlightened as to the fact that there is no excellence or virtue, in essence, of being either the 'first' or 'last'. Then in what form is it correct to attribute a praiseworthy station of excellence in the verse “but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets” (33:40)?”
Reference: Tahdhir-un-Nas (Dar-ul-Isha'at); p.4-5
