“Do not level false allegations against me that I have
claimed to be a prophet in the real sense. Have you not read
that a muhaddas [saint] too is a mursal [messenger]?…
It is true that, in the revelation which God has sent upon this
servant, the words nabi, rasul and mursal occur
about myself quite frequently. However, they do not bear their
real sense. …
We believe and acknowledge that, according to the real meaning
of nubuwwat [prophethood], after the Holy Prophet Muhammad
no new or former prophet can come. The Holy Quran forbids the
appearance of any such prophets. But in a metaphorical sense
God can call any recipient of revelation as nabi or mursal.
Have you not read those Sayings of the Holy Prophet in which occur
the words: rasulu rasul-illah [‘messenger of the Messenger
of God’]? The Arabs to this day call even the message-bearer
of a man as a rasul, so why is it forbidden for God to
use the word mursal [messenger] in a metaphorical sense
too? …
I say it repeatedly that these words rasul and mursal
and nabi undoubtedly occur about me in my revelation from
God, but they do not bear their real meanings. And just as these
do not, similarly the Promised Messiah being called nabi
in Hadith is not meant in a real sense. This is the knowledge
which God has given me. Let him understand, who will. This very
thing has been disclosed to me that the doors of real prophethood
are fully closed after the Khatam an-nabiyyin, the Holy
Prophet Muhammad. According to the real meaning, no new prophet
nor an ancient prophet can now come.”
(Siraj Munir, pages 2–3, published March 1897; underlining
is ours.)
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