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Giving glad tidings of Prophets before sending them

Question

Alsalamu alaykom, Prophets and messengers of God usually give their people a message about the advent of another messenger or prophet following them. Like for instance, Moses PBUH told the jews that Esa PBUH will be sent by God. Does this rule apply to all prophets? Can a prophet be sent without having a previous mention about him? Thank you

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

It is known that our Prophet Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is the last Messenger as Allaah Says (what means): {Muhammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allaah and seal [i.e. last] of the prophets. And ever is Allaah, of all things, Knowing.}[Quran 33:40] Hence, he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did not inform us about another Prophet coming after him, rather, he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, conveyed that there will be no Prophet coming after him and that whoever claims Prophesy after him, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is a deceiving liar.

As regards the Prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, before him  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) we have not come across any evidence neither in the Book of Allaah nor in the Sunnah of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) proving that every Prophet gave glad tiding of another Prophet who would come after him. However, there is evidence that some Prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, gave glad tidings that a Prophet would come after them, like the glad tidings of Moosa (Moses) and ‘Eesa (Jesus), may Allaah exalt their mention, about the Prophethood of Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). Moreover, it is reported in religious texts that all the Prophets gave glad tidings of the coming of the Prophet Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) as Ibn ‘Abbaas  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him stated: “No Prophet was sent except that Allaah took a covenant from him that if Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) was sent while they were alive that he would follow him. Allaah Says (what means) {And [recall, O People of the Scripture], when Allaah took the covenant of the prophets, [saying], “Whatever I give you of the Scripture and wisdom and then there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you, you [must] believe in him and support him.” [Allaah] 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.”}[Quran 3:81]

Allaah also took a covenant from them [Prophets] to instruct their nation that if Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) was sent while they were alive to follow him and support him.

Allaah Knows best.

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