A cornerstone belief of the Muslims of today is that Muhammad is the final prophet of God. This belief is based almost entirely on hadiths; human composed teachings disapproved by God in the Quran, and even banned by prophet Muhammad himself. Besides hadith, there is nothing but one Quranic verse that the people of Hadith use to justify their claims. Sectarian scholars played an illusive linguistic game with a word in the misleadingly renowned phrase, “Seal of the Prophets”.
The Grand Misconception: Seal of the Prophets
مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمْ وَلَٰكِن رَّسُولَ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا - 33:40
Muhammad was never the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of God and the Seal of the Prophets and God is all knowing and all wise (33:40)
Seal in this verse has been translated from the Arabic word Khatam (خاتَم), I used the word for the convenience of those familiar with it, but it can also be correctly translated to Emblem, Ring or Insignia. However, it has been misinterpreted as khatim (خاتِم) which is a lexically similar but completely different word in Arabic that literally means Ender (someone who brings an end to something).
So, they use the word Seal to describe it as the end of Prophecy, just like they misinformed Arabs by blurring the meaning of Khatam into Khatim, when they all know that the two words are entirely different, and that their claim defies the Arabic laws for the root verb Khatama (ختَم), which like all three lettered verbs in Arabic, has to to have a lower consonant on the third letter when transformed to its doer noun form. To demonstrate the significance of this rule, here are a few examples:
The phrase Seal of the Prophets (خاتَم النبيين) is akin to saying Seal of Solomon (خاتَم سليمان), in which Seal is used as a perfect noun and not an accusative noun or an adjective, it is the honorary title given to prophet Muhammad by God as an Emblem/Seal of prophethood, and is not derived from nor correlated with being an Ender/Last of the prophets. That being said and out of the way, there is plenty of solid Quranic proof that foretells an upcoming messenger, and he doesn’t fit the description nor the storyline of prophet Muhammad.
The Covenant of the Prophets
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ النَّبِيِّينَ لَمَا آتَيْتُكُم مِّن كِتَابٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنصُرُنَّهُ ۚ قَالَ أَأَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكُمْ إِصْرِي ۖ قَالُوا أَقْرَرْنَا ۚ قَالَ فَاشْهَدُوا وَأَنَا مَعَكُم مِّنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ (3:81)
And as God took the covenant of the prophets; on what I have given to you of Book and wisdom, and then there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you, you must believe in him, and support him. He said: "Have you acknowledged, and taken upon that My commitment?" They said: "We have acknowledged it." He said: "Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses." (3.81)
The verse describes a covenant that God took with his prophets, which entails a messenger being sent to confirm the scripture we have. God further clarifies that the messengers whom He took the covenant with are the ones who were given scripture.
وَإِذۡ أَخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِیثَـٰقَ ٱلَّذِینَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ لَتُبَیِّنُنَّهُۥ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَكۡتُمُونَهُۥ فَنَبَذُوهُ وَرَاۤءَ ظُهُورِهِمۡ وَٱشۡتَرَوۡا۟ بِهِۦ ثَمَنࣰا قَلِیلࣰاۖ فَبِئۡسَ مَا یَشۡتَرُونَ (3:187)
And as God took the covenant of those who were given the scripture, that you shall reveal it to the people and not conceal it, so they left it behind their backs and bought it cheaply, wicked is what they buy. (3:187)
This reassures the status of the foretold messenger as being one who is not given any scripture, but is indeed one who will confirm them and reveal their truths as described in the first verse.
The first of the next two verses further asserts that Muhammad is one of the prophets involved in the covenant, with the verse directed at him and then mentions to him the other four major prophets in Islam. The second verse reveals the other part of the covenant.
وَإِذۡ أَخَذۡنَا مِنَ ٱلنَّبِیِّـۧنَ مِیثَـٰقَهُمۡ وَمِنكَ وَمِن نُّوحࣲ وَإِبۡرَ ٰهِیمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِیسَى ٱبۡنِ مَرۡیَمَۖ وَأَخَذۡنَا مِنۡهُم مِّیثَـٰقًا غَلِیظࣰا (7) لِّیَسۡـَٔلَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِینَ عَن صِدۡقِهِمۡۚ وَأَعَدَّ لِلۡكَـٰفِرِینَ عَذَابًا أَلِیمࣰا (33:8)
And as we took from the prophets their covenant and from you, and from Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus the son of Mary, and we took from them a stern covenant. So that He may question the truthful ones about their truth. And He has prepared for the deniers a painful punishment. (33:7-8)
So according to this, the reason God offered the prophets this covenant is to question those who were genuine in belief but followed misguidance, and fully notarize the punishment he prepared for the disbelievers. These two sides of the covenant seem to be asserted again in verse 17:15 as God says “and it is not Our way to be punishers if We have raised a prophet”.
Aside from the covenant of the prophets, the Quran includes a lot more evidence that backs up the conclusion of the covenant’s messenger as someone who hasn’t yet come, and describes the people whom he will be raised among.
The Prophet of the Covenant
لَقَدۡ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِینَ إِذۡ بَعَثَ فِیهِمۡ رَسُولࣰا مِّنۡ أَنفُسِهِمۡ یَتۡلُوا۟ عَلَیۡهِمۡ ءَایَـٰتِهِۦ وَیُزَكِّیهِمۡ وَیُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ وَإِن كَانُوا۟ مِن قَبۡلُ لَفِی ضَلَـٰلࣲ مُّبِینٍ (3:164)
God has surely conferred favor on the believers, as He raised in their midst a messenger from among themselves who recites to them His verses and makes them pure and teaches them the Book and the Wisdom, while earlier, they were in conspicuous misguidance. (3:164)
Muhammad wasn’t raised among believers, he came from a tribe called Quraish who, along with surrounding Arab tribes, used to worship idols, rocks, and statues. Furthermore, they had no Book that they could be taught from nor were they simply misguided - they were polytheists. A prophet raised among believers who God blames for misguidance, means they were at fault for their misguidance, and hence they had the book that this prophet is sent to teach. To further consolidate this conclusion, we find Quranic verses describing that prophet as someone who wasn’t given new scripture, nor had an angel sent down on him.
The Bookless Prophet
یَسۡـَٔلُكَ أَهۡلُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ أَن تُنَزِّلَ عَلَیۡهِمۡ كِتَـٰبࣰا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَاۤءِۚ فَقَدۡ سَأَلُوا۟ مُوسَىٰۤ أَكۡبَرَ مِن ذَ ٰلِكَ فَقَالُوۤا۟ أَرِنَا ٱللَّهَ جَهۡرَةࣰ فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلصَّـٰعِقَةُ بِظُلۡمِهِمۡۚ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ ٱلۡعِجۡلَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَاۤءَتۡهُمُ ٱلۡبَیِّنَـٰتُ فَعَفَوۡنَا عَن ذَ ٰلِكَۚ وَءَاتَیۡنَا مُوسَىٰ سُلۡطَـٰنࣰا مُّبِینࣰا (4:153)
The People of the Book ask you to bring down upon them a Book from the heavens, but indeed, they have asked Moses greater than that, they said “Make us see God openly.” So, the thunderbolt took them for their wrongdoings. Then, they took to themselves the calf, even after the clear signs had come to them. So, We forgave that and gave Moses an open authority. (4:153)
Prophet Muhammad was never asked for a book, those who were around him from Jews and Christians were well aware of the Quran. Hence, the people of the book here aren’t necessarily Jews or Christians, they are the Muslims who will reject the prophet because he has no book, nor an angel, as the next verse shows.
أَوۡ یَكُونَ لَكَ بَیۡتࣱ مِّن زُخۡرُفٍ أَوۡ تَرۡقَىٰ فِی ٱلسَّمَاۤءِ وَلَن نُّؤۡمِنَ لِرُقِیِّكَ حَتَّىٰ تُنَزِّلَ عَلَیۡنَا كِتَـٰبࣰا نَّقۡرَؤُهُۥۗ قُلۡ سُبۡحَانَ رَبِّی هَلۡ كُنتُ إِلَّا بَشَرࣰا رَّسُولࣰا (17:93)
Or that you have a house made of gold, or ascend to the sky, and we would not believe in your ascension unless you send down to us a book that we may read. Say: “glory to my Lord, am I not but a human messenger”. (17:93)
Besides not having a book, that prophet also seems to be unacknowledged because of not having an angel sent down on him, and God reaffirms the fact that it will not happen.
وَلَوۡ نَزَّلۡنَا عَلَیۡكَ كِتَـٰبࣰا فِی قِرۡطَاسࣲ فَلَمَسُوهُ بِأَیۡدِیهِمۡ لَقَالَ ٱلَّذِینَ كَفَرُوۤا۟ إِنۡ هَـٰذَاۤ إِلَّا سِحۡرࣱ مُّبِینࣱ (7) وَقَالُوا۟ لَوۡلَاۤ أُنزِلَ عَلَیۡهِ مَلَكࣱۖ وَلَوۡ أَنزَلۡنَا مَلَكࣰا لَّقُضِیَ ٱلۡأَمۡرُ ثُمَّ لَا یُنظَرُونَ (6:8)
And if We send down to you scripture written on paper, and they touch it with their hands, still the disbelievers would say, “This is nothing but obvious magic.” And they said: “if only he had an angel sent down on him”, and if We sent down an angel the matter would be closed, and thereafter no further time would be allowed to them. (6:7-8)
These verses couldn’t have been referring to Muhammad, because God himself acknowledges the fact that Gabriel the angel was sent down on him in verse 2:97. All these assertions fit nowhere with what we know about Muhammad, but they do make sense when we have the prophet of the covenant in mind, and we realize that all these descriptions are certainly not contradictions, but verses clearly referring to a different prophet.
A Literate Messenger
وَقَالُوۤا۟ أَسَـٰطِیرُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِینَ ٱكۡتَتَبَهَا فَهِیَ تُمۡلَىٰ عَلَیۡهِ بُكۡرَةࣰ وَأَصِیلࣰا (25:5)
And they said: “The legends of the formers, he wrote them down, and they are read out to him morn and eve”. (25:5)
As mentioned in the Quran and all historical accounts, Muhammad was an illiterate prophet. The reason for this is to preserve the integrity of the Quran, and exonerate the prophet from potential forgery accusations. However, a messenger that won’t get an angel delivering the verses upon his heart and would still have to learn and teach the people the Quran would obviously have to be literate, which is why there are Quranic verses that describe a prophet who reads and writes.
وَمَا كُنتَ تَتۡلُوا۟ مِن قَبۡلِهِۦ مِن كِتَـٰبࣲ وَلَا تَخُطُّهُۥ بِیَمِینِكَۖ إِذࣰا لَّٱرۡتَابَ ٱلۡمُبۡطِلُونَ (29:48)
And you have never been reciting a book before this, nor have you been writing it with your right hand, or else the disablers would have raised doubt. (29:48)
This verse seems to refer to a prophet who never recited from or wrote about a book before the Quran, but Muhammad didn’t recite the Quran as a book because it hadn’t been a book when he became a prophet, nor write down anything, not even after the Quran was revealed, which had several simultaneously existing versions that were written after his death before Uthman unified them, had Muhammad written it down there would not have been any discrepancy.
More verses seem to consolidate the fact that the prophet in question is reading from the Quran as a complete book, this verse tells the prophet to read from a divided Quran.
وَقُرۡءَانࣰا فَرَقۡنَـٰهُ لِتَقۡرَأَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ مُكۡثࣲ وَنَزَّلۡنَـٰهُ تَنزِیلࣰا (17:106)
And a Quran that We have divided so that you may read it to people in portions, and We have sent it down progressively. (17:106)
The phrase “sent it down progressively” is there to either contrast it being currently divided with how it was originally revealed, or it means sent down as in having the true message behind its verses revealed progressively to that prophet. Either way, the Quran already existed before that prophet comes, as inferred from the next verse where God tells him to ask those who read the book before him.
فَإِن كُنتَ فِی شَكࣲّ مِّمَّاۤ أَنزَلۡنَاۤ إِلَیۡكَ فَسۡـَٔلِ ٱلَّذِینَ یَقۡرَءُونَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبۡلِكَۚ لَقَدۡ جَاۤءَكَ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمُمۡتَرِینَ (10:49)
So if you are in doubt about what We have sent down to you, ask those who have read the Book before you. Surely, truth has come to you from your Lord, so never be among those who are suspicious. (10:49)
Some people would rather translate the word “read” in these previous verses to “recite”, that’s because the root Arabic word Q-R-A’ (قرأ) can actually refer to both visual reading or vocal announcement. However, no one could have read nor recited the Quran before Muhammad, and there are actually verses that support the claim that this refers to a prophet who reads from the already complete Quran.
فَتَعَـٰلَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡمَلِكُ ٱلۡحَقُّۗ وَلَا تَعۡجَلۡ بِٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن یُقۡضَىٰۤ إِلَیۡكَ وَحۡیُهُۥۖ وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدۡنِی عِلۡمࣰا (20:114)
So High above all is God, the True King! And do not hasten with the Quran before its revelation to you is concluded, and say, “My Lord, improve me in knowledge.” (20:114)
The verse tells the prophet not to hasten with the book, and this can’t be corroborated with Muhammad, because he received the book gradually through Gabriel over an extended period of time, which means the the prophet this verse is directed to does have access to the whole Quran, and God is advising him not to attempt to proactively understand it before its meanings are revealed to him. This is asserted again in the next few verses.
لَا تُحَرِّكۡ بِهِۦ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعۡجَلَ بِهِۦۤ (16) إِنَّ عَلَیۡنَا جَمۡعَهُۥ وَقُرۡءَانَهُۥ (17) فَإِذَا قَرَأۡنَـٰهُ فَٱتَّبِعۡ قُرۡءَانَهُۥ (18) ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَیۡنَا بَیَانَهُۥ (75:19)
Do not move your tongue with it to take it in a hurry. Indeed, its assemblage and its reading is upon Us. So, if We read it, follow its reading. Then, its revelation is upon Us. (75:16-19)
The verses includes highly ambiguous and interpretive phrases, but the fact remains true that Muhammad was not in control of how fast he received the Quran. According to the previously mentioned verses, the described prophet will have no angel or book sent down on him, so perhaps the way that he receives his revelations is not meant to be known yet.
Given what has been mentioned up to this point, the verses seem to be teaching us about a prophet that will appear among Muslims, has no book, will not get an angel sent down on him, and will only explain the already existing Quran. Conveniently, there is a lot of evidence to consolidate that the conclusion of a post Quranic prophet is indeed true.
A Post Quranic Prophet
The next few verses are very clearly directed at a prophet who exists between people who have had the Quran sent down before him.
وَقُلْ إِنِّي أَنَا النَّذِيرُ الْمُبِينُ (89) كَمَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَى الْمُقْتَسِمِينَ (90) الَّذِينَ جَعَلُوا الْقُرْآنَ عِضِينَ (91) فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسْأَلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ (92) عَمَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ (93) فَاصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ (15:94)
And say: “I am indeed the plain warner”, as We have sent down upon the dividers, those who made the Quran into bits. So, by your Lord, We will question them all, about what they have been doing. Now, proclaim what you are commanded to, and turn away from those who associate things with God. (15:89-94)
The verses speak to the prophet, making a clear distinction between him and the Muhammad, by referring to the people he is warning as ones who have already received the Quran, and made it into bits by taking isolated phrases out of their verses, and verses out of their context, and vowing that they will thus be questioned by God about what they’ve done with His message. There are a lot of other verses directed to the same people surrounding that prophet.
قَدْ كَانَتْ آيَاتِي تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَكُنْتُمْ عَلَىٰ أَعْقَابِكُمْ تَنْكِصُونَ (66) مُسْتَكْبِرِينَ بِهِ سَامِرًا تَهْجُرُونَ (67) أَفَلَمْ يَدَّبَّرُوا الْقَوْلَ أَمْ جَاءَهُمْ مَا لَمْ يَأْتِ آبَاءَهُمُ الْأَوَّلِينَ (68) أَمْ لَمْ يَعْرِفُوا رَسُولَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَهُ مُنْكِرُونَ (69) أَمْ يَقُولُونَ بِهِ جِنَّةٌ ۚ بَلْ جَاءَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لِلْحَقِّ كَارِهُونَ (70) وَلَوِ اتَّبَعَ الْحَقُّ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ لَفَسَدَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ ۚ بَلْ أَتَيْنَاهُمْ بِذِكْرِهِمْ فَهُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِهِمْ مُعْرِضُونَ (23:71)
My verses used to be recited to you, but you used to turn back on your heels. In arrogance, making it a subject of tales at night, talking nonsense. So, is it that they did not ponder over the discourse, or there has come to them something that did not come to their forefathers? Or did they not recognize their messenger and therefore they denied him? Or do they say that he’s inflicted with madness? No, but he has come to them with truth, and it is the truth that most of them dislike. And if the truth followed their desires, the heavens and the earth and all those therein would fall into chaos. No, but We have come to them with their Reminder, and they are turning back from their Reminder. (23:66-71)
The word “reminder” or Zikr (ذكر) in these verses could also be translated to scripture, and so these people are being addressed with what they already have, yet they are being neglectful of it. The same word is used again as the prophet reaffirms that the material of his message came before him in this verse.
أَمِ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦۤ ءَالِهَةࣰۖ قُلۡ هَاتُوا۟ بُرۡهَـٰنَكُمۡۖ هَـٰذَا ذِكۡرُ مَن مَّعِیَ وَذِكۡرُ مَن قَبۡلِیۚ بَلۡ أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا یَعۡلَمُونَ ٱلۡحَقَّۖ فَهُم مُّعۡرِضُونَ (21:24)
Is it that they have adopted gods besides Him? Say: “bring your evidence, this is my Reminder and the Reminder of those before me”. But most of them do not know the truth, so they are averse. (21:24)
According to the verses, that messenger has been predestined to receive the message of the Quran. So, despite it being sent down on the preceding messenger, it was written so that it comprises the message of the prophet that will come after Muhammad. Reminder or Zikr is used again in a way that makes it abundantly clear that the message of that prophet is to explain to the people that which they have.
وَمَاۤ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن قَبۡلِكَ إِلَّا رِجَالࣰا نُّوحِیۤ إِلَیۡهِمۡۖ فَسۡـَٔلُوۤا۟ أَهۡلَ ٱلذِّكۡرِ إِن كُنتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ (43) بِٱلۡبَیِّنَـٰتِ وَٱلزُّبُرِۗ وَأَنزَلۡنَاۤ إِلَیۡكَ ٱلذِّكۡرَ لِتُبَیِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَیۡهِمۡ وَلَعَلَّهُمۡ یَتَفَكَّرُونَ (16:44)
We did not send (messengers) before you other than men whom We inspired to, so ask the people (having the knowledge) of the Reminder, if you do not know. With the Gospels and the Psalms, and We sent down the Reminder to you, so that you may reveal to the people what has been sent down to them, and so that they may ponder. (16:43-44)
Even though many of today’s Muslims read and listen to the Quran regularly, it looks like their aversion to the message of that prophet will lay them off the Quran after having its meanings revealed, which is one of the reasons that prophet will complain to God about their negligence of it.
وَقَالَ ٱلرَّسُولُ یَـٰرَبِّ إِنَّ قَوۡمِی ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ هَـٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ مَهۡجُورࣰا (25:30)
And the prophet said: “O my Lord, my people have deserted this Quran. (25:30)
However, in contrast to those who will turn back from the message, God also mentions those who truly believe in the Quran, affirming that they will receive the truth wholeheartedly.
وَلَقَدۡ وَصَّلۡنَا لَهُمُ ٱلۡقَوۡلَ لَعَلَّهُمۡ یَتَذَكَّرُونَ (51) ٱلَّذِینَ ءَاتَیۡنَـٰهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبۡلِهِۦ هُم بِهِۦ یُؤۡمِنُونَ (52) وَإِذَا یُتۡلَىٰ عَلَیۡهِمۡ قَالُوۤا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦۤ إِنَّهُ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّنَاۤ إِنَّا كُنَّا مِن قَبۡلِهِۦ مُسۡلِمِینَ (28:53)
And We have conveyed (Our) word to them one after the other, so that they may remember. Those to whom We gave the Book before him, they believe in it, and if it is recited to them they say: “we believe in it/him, this is the truth from our Lord, we were indeed Muslims from before it/him”. (28:51-53)
The people mentioned in the verse, who had the book from before, and say that they were Muslims before the messenger came with the truth, can only be referring to Muslims who have had the Quran and witnessed the coming of the foretold messenger.
The Message of the Bookless Prophet
Perhaps the gist of the awaited prophet’s message is the most predictable part, especially to Muslims who have reached the conclusion that Islam can only be taken exclusively from the Quran. The prophet will come to warn people who deviated from God’s book, in a manner more serious than what the most devout Quranists could have imagined. So, in a world were associating external discourse with God’s word became so legitimized that it be became the only accepted norm, this messenger will come to warn people who will not cease, and return Islam to its Quranic grace.
وَأَنْذِرْ بِهِ الَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَنْ يُحْشَرُوا إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ ۙ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِهِ وَلِيٌّ وَلَا شَفِيعٌ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ (6:51)
And warn with it those who fear being gathered before their Lord that they will have no helper nor an intercessor besides Him, may they revere. (6:51)
The verse addresses the supposed intercession by Muhammad that hadithists claim will save devout Sunni Muslims from Hellfire, and God is telling this foretold messenger to warn us about this. This belief became profoundly rooted with modern day Muslims despite the contradiction to it in the Quran apparent in numerous verses, and the serious warnings about such belief.
وَذَرِ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا دِينَهُمْ لَعِبًا وَلَهْوًا وَغَرَّتْهُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا ۚ وَذَكِّرْ بِهِ أَنْ تُبْسَلَ نَفْسٌ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ لَيْسَ لَهَا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيٌّ وَلَا شَفِيعٌ وَإِنْ تَعْدِلْ كُلَّ عَدْلٍ لَا يُؤْخَذْ مِنْهَا ۗ أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ أُبْسِلُوا بِمَا كَسَبُوا ۖ لَهُمْ شَرَابٌ مِنْ حَمِيمٍ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ (6:70)
ِAnd avoid those who have taken their faith as fun and games, deceived by the worldly life. Preach with it (the Quran), lest a soul be seized for what it did, it will have neither a helper besides God, nor an intercessor, and should it justify every (sort of) justification, it will not be accepted from it. Those are the ones who are seized for what they themselves earned. For them there is a drink of boiling water, and a painful punishment, for what they used to deny. (6:70)
The messenger is ordered to avoid those who don’t take their faith seriously, and warn of a painful punishment for the deniers who misused religion for worldly gains. Another instance where this messenger will warn people of things that didn’t exist during the days of Muhammad is the deviation in the names of God, referring to the proclaimed 99 names of which most are made up by hadithists.
وَلِلَّهِ ٱلۡأَسۡمَاۤءُ ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ فَٱدۡعُوهُ بِهَاۖ وَذَرُوا۟ ٱلَّذِینَ یُلۡحِدُونَ فِیۤ أَسۡمَـٰۤىِٕهِۦۚ سَیُجۡزَوۡنَ مَا كَانُوا۟ یَعۡمَلُونَ (180) وَمِمَّنۡ خَلَقۡنَاۤ أُمَّةࣱ یَهۡدُونَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَبِهِۦ یَعۡدِلُونَ (181) وَٱلَّذِینَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔایَـٰتِنَا سَنَسۡتَدۡرِجُهُم مِّنۡ حَیۡثُ لَا یَعۡلَمُونَ (182) وَأُمۡلِی لَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ كَیۡدِی مَتِینٌ (183) أَوَلَمۡ یَتَفَكَّرُوا۟ۗ مَا بِصَاحِبِهِم مِّن جِنَّةٍۚ إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا نَذِیرࣱ مُّبِینٌ (184) أَوَلَمۡ یَنظُرُوا۟ فِی مَلَكُوتِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ مِن شَیۡءࣲ وَأَنۡ عَسَىٰۤ أَن یَكُونَ قَدِ ٱقۡتَرَبَ أَجَلُهُمۡۖ فَبِأَیِّ حَدِیثِۭ بَعۡدَهُۥ یُؤۡمِنُونَ (7:185)
And for God there are the graceful names, so call Him by them, and leave those who deviated in His names, they will be recompensed for what they have been doing. And among those We have created are a people who guide with truth and do justice thereby. And those who denied Our sings, We will lead them gradually (astray) from where they do not know. And I give them respite. My plan is surely firm. Have they not reflected? There is no madness in their companion. He is but a plain warner. Have they not looked into the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and what God has created of things, and that perhaps their appointed time has drawn near? So, in what hadith (discourse) after it (the Quran) do they believe? (7:180-185)
As seen in the last phrase from the mentioned verses, the awaited warner is set to alert people about associating external discourse with God’s word, which is ironically written as “hadith” (حديث) in the Arabic text. This statement about hadiths is also made vividly clear to the messenger in another verse.
تِلْكَ آيَاتُ اللَّهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِالْحَقِّ ۖ فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَ اللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ (45:6)
These are the verses of God that we recite to you with truth, so in what hadith (discourse) after God and his verses do they believe? (45:6)
The usage of the word “after” heavily implies that it is meant to address external material that surfaced after the Quran was fully revealed, which means that again, these verses are directed at the post Quranic prophet.
The Consequences of the Awaited Prophet
There are a bunch of prophecies in the Quran that will only be fulfilled after this prophet emerges, this is especially useful in disproving people who falsely claimed to be the awaited messenger. The most notable of these prophecies are put precisely in a Chapter called “The Clear Proof” -- a name given to that prophet in the verses.
لَمۡ یَكُنِ ٱلَّذِینَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ وَٱلۡمُشۡرِكِینَ مُنفَكِّینَ حَتَّىٰ تَأۡتِیَهُمُ ٱلۡبَیِّنَةُ (1) رَسُولࣱ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ یَتۡلُوا۟ صُحُفࣰا مُّطَهَّرَةࣰ (2) فِیهَا كُتُبࣱ قَیِّمَةࣱ (3) وَمَا تَفَرَّقَ ٱلَّذِینَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَاۤءَتۡهُمُ ٱلۡبَیِّنَةُ (98:4)
Those who disbelieved from the people of the book, and those who associated (things with God), did not desist, until the Clear Proof had come to them. A messenger from God who recites purified pages, containing upright writings. And those who were given the book did not split, except after the Clear proof had come to them. (98:1-4)
The phrase “people of the Book” is used to refer to those who have the Quran, but are not necessarily Muslims (not Jews or Christians as claimed by hadithists). Hence, the verses refer to ‘Muslims’ who have left their faith, and ‘Muslims’ who associated others with God, two demographics that have only quite recently become noticeable to Muslims -- a direct result of Wahhabism and the renewed awareness brought with the reemergence of Quranism. The chapter also says that the prophet will recite to people from “pages”, which is another sign that it’s referring to the post Quranic prophet who will read the Quran from written text. Another observation is that the messenger will cause a split between Muslims, which is expected and decisively corroborated in other verses.
یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوۤا۟ إِن تُطِیعُوا۟ فَرِیقࣰا مِّنَ ٱلَّذِینَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ یَرُدُّوكُم بَعۡدَ إِیمَـٰنِكُمۡ كَـٰفِرِینَ (100) وَكَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ وَأَنتُمْ تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتُ اللَّهِ وَفِيكُمْ رَسُولُهُ ۗ وَمَن يَعْتَصِم بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ هُدِيَ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ (101) يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ (102) وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا ۚ وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ (3:103)
O you who believe, if you obey a group from those who were given the Book, they will turn you into infidels after you have embraced the faith. And how could you disbelieve while you are having the verses of God recited to you, and His messenger is present amidst you? And whoever holds on to God is surely led to the straight path. O you who believe, revere God his due reverence, and let not yourselves die save as Muslims. And Hold fast, collectively, to the cord of God, and do not be divided. And remember the blessing of God upon you, as you have been enemies, then He brought compassion between your hearts, so you became brothers through His blessing, and you were at the brink of a pit from Hellfire. This is how God makes His signs clear to you, so that you may be guided. (3:100-103)
All of these signs and events in the Quran are yet to take place, these verses are not nebulous or allegational, and the people of the Quran are certain that the secrets of the book are not fully revealed, the wisdom behind the ambiguous verses and the many events within it have not yet been precisely explained. A messenger will arrive and confront the failures of our preceding generations, believers will finally unite, and the time for the true interpretation of the Quran will come, and perhaps it is already approaching us.
أَلَمۡ یَأۡنِ لِلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوۤا۟ أَن تَخۡشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمۡ لِذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَا یَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِینَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبۡلُ فَطَالَ عَلَیۡهِمُ ٱلۡأَمَدُ فَقَسَتۡ قُلُوبُهُمۡۖ وَكَثِیرࣱ مِّنۡهُمۡ فَـٰسِقُونَ (57:16)
Has the time not yet come for those who believe that their hearts be humbled for the remembrance of God and what He has revealed of the truth, and that they not be like those to whom the Book was given from before and a long period passed over them so their hearts hardened? And many of them are perverse. (57:16)
