The broad meaning of Khatam-e-nubawat is that the chain of Prophets started from Hazrat Adam and many prophets were sent one after another. Some had their own divine books and permanent shariahs and some followed books and shariahs of their predecessors. This chain of prophets ended on Hazrat Muhammad. A comprehensive and eternal book was revealed on Prophet Muhammad and he was given a complete shariah. The shariah of Prophet Muhammad cancelled and replaced all the previous shariahs. (codes of conduct) There is no other prophet after him. It is said by Allah
ما كان محمد ابا احد من رجالِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ رَسُولَ اللهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِينَ (الاحزاب :40)
Translation: Muhamma is not the father of (any) one of your men but (he is) the messenger of Allah and last of the prophets.
(Khatam-e-Nabawat)
Literal Meaning:
The meanings of khatam in Arabic are to seal, to close, to take to an end, to complete some work and get free.
Explanatory Meanings:
In explanatory terms Khatam-e-nabawat means that the chain of prophets and their nabawat and risalat started from Hazrat Adam. Almost, one hundred and twenty four thousand prophets were sent for hidayat and guidance of mankind. At the end, Hazrat Muhammad was sent as rasul. Deen got completed on him and his shariah cancelled all the previous shariahs. There is no other prophet after Muhammad
i. Broad Meanings of Khatam-e-nabawat:
Khatam-e-nabawat is understood in the sense that the chain of prophets that started from Hazrat Adam and many prophets came one after another, that chain completed and ended on Khatam-Al-Mursleen Hazrat Muhammad. There is no other nabi or rasul after him till the day of judgment. Further, there is no need of any nabi or
rasul left now because.
He was sent as rasul for all human beings and his risalat is general and his teachings are sufficient for everyone.
He completed deen and his shariah is complete. Therefore, there is no need of another prophet....
There was neither a difference in his teachings nor a change in his revealed book. Everything, from zer to zabr, (A to Z) and all letters of this Quran have been secured even on paper and on hearts of hufaaz too.
The teachings of Hazrat Muhammad are the fountain head of righteousness for all mankind. There can be no nabi after him.
ii. Khatam-e-Nabawat in the light of Quran:
Allah says in holy Quran:
ما كان محمد ابا احد من رجالِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِينَ (الاحزاب (40)
Translation: Muhammad is not the father of (any) one of your men but (he is) the messenger of Allah and last of the prophets.
It is known from this verse that Allah has mpleted and ended nabuwat and risalat by sending Muhammad and the door of nabuawat has been sealed for ever.
iii. Khatam-e-Nabawat in light of Ahadees-e-Mubarakah:
According to a hadees, our prophet said:
Translation: "Prophets guided Bani Israel, when one prophet died, the second one used to be his successor but there is no prophet after me"..
,
لو كَانَ بَعْدِى لَكَانَ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ .
Translation: "Were there any prophet after me, he would have been Umar bin al Khatab".
iv. Hazur (SA) said in another hadees:
Translation: The instance of me and the prophets before me is such as a person built a beautiful building but left space of a brick empty in one corner and I am that brick".'
Rasul-e-Akram said in address of Hijatul-widah that أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّهُ لَا نَبِيَّ بَعْدِى وَلَا أُمَّةَ بَعْدَكُم .
Translation: "Beware people! remember there is no nabi after me and there is no Ummah after you", Prophet said..
أَنَا خَاتَمُ النَّبِيِّينَ لَا نَبِيَّ بَعْدِي
Translation: "I am the last prophet. There is no other prophet after me".
"Farma a gaey yeh hadi........ la nabiya badi"
v. Ijma - e - Ummat:
All Sahabah had a consensus on it that there could be no prophet after Muhammad. This was the reason that during era of the first caliph Hazrat Abu Baker Al Siddique, When a woman named Sajjah, Musailmah Kazab and Aswad Ansi falsely claimed their nabuwah, then he) did Jihad against them. Likewise all muslims of the world unanimously believe that Hazrat Muhammad is the last messenger of Allah.
