An
Interview
with Hojjatul Islam Sheikh
Muhammad Jawad Fazel Lanknarani
(may Allah grant him long life)

Scenario of desecration of the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) began by European and Western media in early 2006.  Danish newspapers initiated the conspiracy but other European and Western media followed suit by repeating the ugly act hurting thereby the feelings of more than one billion Muslims. Fortunately immediate and strong reactions were shown by Muslims worldwide and the global community. Even non-Muslims joined Muslims in condemning this conspiratorial move. On the other hand, Iran's supreme leader Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei declared the year 1385 A.H. (solar year) as the year of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).  In view of these two events, Qalam periodical managed the following interview with Hojjatul Islam Sheikh Jawad Fazel Lankarani, one of the prominent lecturers of Al-Hawzah Al-Elmiyah (the Islamic Seminary) of Qom.  The interview reads as follows:

In the inception we would like to thank you sincerely for giving us your precious time. Given that this year has been named as the year of Prophet Muhammad, our first question is that, what do you think is the duty of religious scholars, seminarians and cultural organizations? What are they supposed to do?

Sheikh Jawad Fazel Lankarani: First of all, I would like to thank you and your colleagues for giving me the opportunity and managing this interview. I wish to send my greetings to all Afghan Ualamas (scholars) and zealous people who have been making great and sincere efforts and struggles to protect Islam. May Allah grant them success and prosperity.  

Indeed, we were pleased to hear the supreme leader Grand Ayatollah Khamenei declare this year as the year of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Naturally such a beautiful name for this year creates responsibility for scholars, clerics, intellectuals and all those who are involved in preaching the Islamic culture.  All of us must do our level best to know the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and make him known to others. Here I may request all Afghan intellectuals, clerics and researchers to further increase their practical and scientific efforts with respect to the extensive aspects and dimensions of the life and traditions of the Holy Prophet (pbuh).  I pray to Almighty Allah to grant us success in understanding, following and applying the religion as well as the tradition of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), with which he has entrusted us.

As you know Danish newspapers were the first to insult the Holy Prophet of Islam whereas other European and Western media followed suit and repeated the same shameful act, where do you think the root of the desecration lies? Why did the Western press commit such a grave act of sacrilege in the first place?  How do you assess the reaction shown by the Muslim world?

Sheikh Jawad Fazel Lankarani: Certainly, Muslims of the entire world were affected deeply seeing Danish and other European and Western newspapers insult the most revered figure of humanity, one who is known by all historians as standing at the pinnacle of human dignity and virtues. In the period of ignorance, he shone like a sun guiding people in the right path and saving them from going astray. Irrespective of his being a prophet, he is the dearest and closest of all human beings to God. In fact, desecration of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) is not desecration of him alone but desecration of Islam and the everlasting perfect religion. Thus this incident was affecting and since God's tradition is this (ظˆظ…ع©ط±ظˆظڈط§ ظˆ ظ…ع©ط±ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‡ ظˆط§ظ„ظ„ظ‡ظڈ ط®غŒط± ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ…ط§ع©ط±غŒظ†) (The unbelievers plotted and God planned, but God is a much better planner; (3:54)), they themselves suffered as a result of the plot which they had cooked up for Muslims. It created a wave of anger, awareness and vigilance in the Muslim world resulting in unity among them. We can take very good advantage from this Muslim unity against the infidels. Of course, as you know, when they obtained no result from their conspiracy they hatched yet another plot which was the Samarra incident.  They blasted the Shrine to create discord among religions, discord between Shia and Sunni.

Obviously, based on the shared belief of all religions one of the missions of every prophet was to give news of the seal of prophets, i.e. the final prophet.  Not only should he himself believe in him but he should also give glad tidings of his prophethood and his perfect religion to the people and society of his time. Later on I will further explain this point but what I want to reiterate here is that all followers of divine religion should believe in the finality of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) based on the teachings of their own religion because all messengers and prophets of God including those sent with books were obliged to give the news of the coming of the final prophet to their followers.  Don't you think we can draw the conclusion that desecration of our prophet is desecration of all prophets?  We sure do. We conclude that desecration of our prophet actually means refutation of Moses, Jesus, Abraham, Noah and finally God, the Almighty.

The obvious conclusion which we can draw is that the enemies, in order to fight religion and God, insulted our prophet who is the most perfect manifestation of divine attributes. Therefore, all should understand that this is not an ordinary sacrilegious act at all. Rather it is a preplanned plot aimed at eradication of religion from the human society. The enemies of Islam and God and their evil agents have reached the conclusion that in order for them to gain hegemony over the people, the first and most important thing they should do is eradicate religion from among the people. They cannot gain hegemony over people and reach their wicked objectives insofar as the people believe in religious  and moral values. Therefore, they have to eradicate religion to remove the obstacle from their way. For this they may adopt various strategies; sometime they begin attacking religious expressions and sometime their strategy requires them to target the very basis of religion; so they desecrate the prophets and God.

Almighty Allah says in the holy Quran as such:

ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ظˆظژظ…ظژظ„ظژط§ط¦ظگظƒظژطھظژظ‡ظڈ ظٹظڈطµظژظ„ظ‘ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژط¨ظگظٹظ‘ظگ ظٹظژط§ ط£ظژظٹظ‘ظڈظ‡ظژط§ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط¢ظ…ظژظ†ظڈظˆط§ طµظژظ„ظ‘ظڈظˆط§ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظٹظ’ظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط³ظژظ„ظ‘ظگظ…ظڈظˆط§ طھظژط³ظ’ظ„ظگظٹظ…ظ‹ط§

(God showers His blessings upon the Prophet and the angels seek forgiveness for him. Believers, pray for the Prophet and greet him with, "Peace be with you." (33:56))

Obviously, the Quran explicitly orders the believers to send greetings to the Prophet (pbuh) because in addition to the great motto of monotheism "There is no god but Allah" the Quran and traditions have emphasized strongly that we should send greetings to the Prophet (pbuh). This indicates that the Prophet (pbuh)'s reverence should always be preserved and safeguarded.  Indeed we purify ourselves and gain proximity to him by greeting the Prophet (pbuh) but besides that God wants Prophet's reverence to remain preserved.

In order to further explain my point, I want you to see what Muawiyah did during his life time. One of Muawiyah's important aims was to stop people from testifying to the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh); he wanted to extinguish the testimony.  We see that over the history the Jews (now the Zionists) who have long been inimical to Islam have been seeking the destruction of Islam. They have been trying to abolish the sanctity of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) by whatever possible means in their hands.  Therefore, the recent act of sacrilege was bitter but it was not something new because this has been a practice by the enemies of Islam ever since it came into existence.  Muslims should take that fully into consideration.  

As I mentioned earlier also, Muslims' zeal is further aroused and their resolution to defend religious sanctities is strengthened as a result of such outrageous acts. Of course, in such circumstances it is our duty to confront them. We must know that they will not desist from such blasphemous acts and they will repeat it whenever they find an appropriate opportunity.  You see that in the history the Christian bishops sat together and in order to oppose Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) they began to ask some questions and raise doubts about him. These ignorant bishops were trying to use such things as a weapon against Islam. What I would like to insist on here is that the Muslims must maintain vigilance and awareness against such matters.

The Holy Prophet of Islam has been introduced to the humanity as the seal of prophets. That is, there will be no other prophet after him until the Day of Judgment. Would you kindly explain this to Qalam readers?

Sheikh Jawad Fazel Lankarani: In regards to "finality", there are many verses which explicitly or implicitly (connotatively) refer to Prophet Muhammad's being the seal and final of all prophets. The holy Quran says:

ظ…ظ‘ظژط§ ظƒظژط§ظ†ظژ ظ…ظڈط­ظژظ…ظ‘ظژط¯ظŒ ط£ظژط¨ظژط§ ط£ظژط­ظژط¯ظچ ظ…ظ‘ظگظ† ط±ظ‘ظگط¬ظژط§ظ„ظگظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژظ„ظژظƒظگظ† ط±ظ‘ظژط³ظڈظˆظ„ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط®ظژط§طھظژظ…ظژ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژط¨ظگظٹظ‘ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظˆظژظƒظژط§ظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ط¨ظگظƒظڈظ„ظ‘ظگ ط´ظژظٹظ’ط،ظچ ط¹ظژظ„ظگظٹظ…ظ‹ط§

(Muhammad is not the father of any of your males. He is the Messenger of God and the last Prophet. God has the knowledge of all things. (33:40))

This verse is an explicit reference to the finality of the Holy Prophet of Islam (pbuh). He is not your father but the last of all prophets. There is much to be said about this verse. The Quran stresses that the word 'messenger' should be used combinedly with the word 'God' when it refers to the Prophet (pbh) because Gabriel is also God's messenger. The verse states that the only messenger of God who is the final of prophets is the Prophet of Islam. We should know him as such.

There are other Quranic evidences proving the finality of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The Quran says:

ظˆظژظƒظژط°ظژظ„ظگظƒظژ ط¬ظژط¹ظژظ„ظ’ظ†ظژط§ظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظڈظ…ظ‘ظژط©ظ‹ ظˆظژط³ظژط·ظ‹ط§

(We have made you (true Muslims) a moderate nation. (2:143))

A moderate nation is one that does not go to extreme. This is a favor from the Almighty Allah on the Muslim nation because no other nation in the entire human history has been favored as such. The only nation which is a moderate nation is the Muslim nation, the nation of our prophet. Obviously, this verse also means that a moderate nation is a nation which has reached perfection and is moderate in all aspects. The implication is that no other nation can be superior to the nation of the Prophet of Islam (pbuh).

If there were other prophets after the Prophet of Islam, there should be other nations superior to the nation of Islam. In other words, finality has a dual characteristic both for Prophet of Islam as well as for the Muslim nation. If this nation were the moderate nation, our prophet would not have been the seal of prophets. If our prophet were not the seal of prophets, the Muslim nation would not have been a moderate nation. Therefore, finality is a special favor from God.

Muslims should understand that they have been chosen as the moderate nation. ظˆظژظƒظژط°ظژظ„ظگظƒظژ ط¬ظژط¹ظژظ„ظ’ظ†ظژط§ظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظڈظ…ظ‘ظژط©ظ‹ ظˆظژط³ظژط·ظ‹ط§. There is much to be said in Tafsir (commentary of the Quran) about what "moderate nation" is.  Surely, a nation which is capable of receiving this Shari'ah is also capable of implementing it.  This is a nation which can understand the message brought for it by the prophet. If a nation understands the Sharia but cannot apply it, is not a moderate nation.  That is to say, if we had an obligation which the Holy Prophet had brought us but we could not implement it, we as the nation of Islam would not have been a moderate nation.

Moderate nation is a comprehensive title; it includes both phases of receiving the laws and implementing them. Thus, there is a vivid implication about finality in this verse.  Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the seal of prophets because God ordained his nation to be a moderate nation and that is a great favor from God, the Exalted. The Holy Prophet (pbh) says: ظ…ط§ ظ…ظ† ط´ظٹ ظٹظ‚ط±ظŒط¨ظƒظ… ط§ظ„غŒ ط§ظ„ط¬ظ†ظŒظ‡ ظˆ ظٹط¨ط§ط¹ط¯ظƒظ… ظ…ظ† ط§ظ„ظ†ط§ط± ط§ظ„ط§ ظˆ ظ‚ط¯ ظ†ظ‡ظٹطھظƒظ… ط¹ظ†ظ‡ ظˆ ط£ ظ…ط±طھظƒظ… ط¨ظ‡^[1] "Moderate Nation" has been interpreted in these two phrases. Moderate nation involves those things which are in the best interest of human beings, and which have been explained by our prophet for the prosperity of human beings. It means that the Prophet's religion is a perfect religion, his sharia a perfect sharia.

'Seal of prophets' means that the previous prophets each had brought a sharia which was limited but the sharia brought by the Holy Prophet (pbuh) is a complete religion in which all good and bad aspects of things have been mentioned. The nation to whom these instructions have been declared is a "moderate nation". Thus, as I explained earlier, finality is deduced from the aforementioned verse as well as from the saying of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). Of course, there is much to be said about finality and I only referred to its Quranic root.

As I mentioned before also, our prophet confirmed the sharia of the previous prophets, the previous prophets also gave glad tidings of his sharia.  There is a deep link between our prophet's confirmation and other prophets' glad tidings. That is to say, without taking notice of the link, we cannot understand the meaning of finality. According to the verse of the holy Quran, a faithful individual must have faith in God, angels and all of the prophets who have been sent for the guidance of humanity. A Muslim cannot say he is a Muslim if he does not believe in Moses (a.s.) or Jesus (a.s.). Followers of Jesus and Moses also cannot deny the Prophet of Islam (pbuh) because they gave glad news of his prophetic mission.  The Qurans says:

ظˆظژط¥ظگط°ظ’ ظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظژ ط¹ظگظٹط³ظژظ‰ ط§ط¨ظ’ظ†ظڈ ظ…ظژط±ظ’ظٹظژظ…ظژ ظٹظژط§ ط¨ظژظ†ظگظٹ ط¥ظگط³ظ’ط±ظژط§ط¦ظگظٹظ„ظژ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظگظٹ ط±ظژط³ظڈظˆظ„ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظٹظ’ظƒظڈظ… ظ…ظ‘ظڈطµظژط¯ظ‘ظگظ‚ظ‹ط§ ظ„ظ‘ظگظ…ظژط§ ط¨ظژظٹظ’ظ†ظژ ظٹظژط¯ظژظٹظ‘ظژ ظ…ظگظ†ظژ ط§ظ„طھظ‘ظژظˆظ’ط±ظژط§ط©ظگ ظˆظژظ…ظڈط¨ظژط´ظ‘ظگط±ظ‹ط§ ط¨ظگط±ظژط³ظڈظˆظ„ظچ ظٹظژط£ظ’طھظگظٹ ظ…ظگظ† ط¨ظژط¹ظ’ط¯ظگظٹ ط§ط³ظ’ظ…ظڈظ‡ظڈ ط£ظژط­ظ’ظ…ظژط¯ظڈ

(Jesus, son of Mary, said to the Israelites, "I am the Messenger of God sent to you. I confirm the Torah which is in existence and give you the glad news of the coming of a Messenger who will come after me named Ahmad.") (61:6).

It was not mere glad news. Jesus (a.s.) was obligated to gave the news of the coming of our prophet after him. His followers should also believe in our prophet. If they were to say that they did not accept what he told about the future, they would not be his followers. That is to say, Jesus' followers had to have faith in our prophet and his finality. Just as in our time no one can say that he believes in the Prophet of Islam (pbuh) but he does not believe in him as the final of prophets; that is incombinable.

You just said that there are many verses and narrations which explicitly or implicitly prove the finality of the Great Prophet (pbuh. Certainly, there is no doubt about it but there are some spurious arguments made by individuals who say that finality is subject to rational objection because rationally the coming of another prophet is not impossible. What is your point of view about these spurious arguments and their proponents?

Sheikh Jawad Fazel Lankarani: In my point of view, these individuals have not understood the meaning and reality of finality. They have not understood the reality of religion and what sharia is. If they are asked what Islamic Sharia is, they cannot give a proper answer. They cannot interpret and grasp the saying of the Holy Prophet "ظ…ط§ ظ…ظ† ط´ظٹ ظٹظ‚ط±ظŒط¨ظƒظ… ط§ظ„غŒ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‡ ط§ظ„ط§ ط§ظ…ط±طھظƒظ… ط¨ظ‡. Those who are raising such skepticism and doubts cannot tell what this saying actually means. I said a while ago, an individual cannot be a Muslim, if he says he does not believe in finality. One who does not accept finality does not accept Prophet Muhammad (pubh) also because the Quran explicitly states that he is the last of all prophets.  The similitude of such a person is the same as that of a person who says, "I believe in God but not in monotheism."  Therefore, it is very important to understand that belief in finality is part of the fundamentals of all religions because all divine prophets from Adam, Noah and Abraham to Moses and Jesus had the obligation to give people the good news of the coming of the Prophet of Islam (pbuh).

The question arises here as to whether those glad tidings had been only mere news?!  Prophet Noah knew that his followers would never see the seal of prophets; Jesus, Moses and Abraham knew that their followers would never see the seal of prophets. Then what did the glad news mean to them? What sense did it make? What was it for? In fact, the glad news meant that they had to believe that their religion was not a complete religion and that a complete religion would be brought by the last prophet in whom they had to believe. Disbelief in him meant disbelief in the prophets of their own time. Therefore, belief in finality is not particular to Muslims; followers of all divine religions should believe in finality of the Prophet of Islam as per the requirement of their religion.  I advise clerics, students of religion, intellectuals and seminarians to further contemplate over the reality of sharia. If we understand the reality of sharia, then it would be easy to understand the finality of our prophet (pbuh).

Is the issue of finality a contractual issue?  Is finality a mere assumption for the Prophet (pbuh)? Was there any possibility of coming of another prophet after the Prophet of Islam (pbuh)? (Possibility of occurrence, not existential possibility) When a light is turned on in a home and everywhere is bright, there is no need to bring in another light. Therefore, it is not possible to occur.  It is not an assumption but a real matter. That is to say, when a nation is a moderate nation, and when a sharia is a complete sharia, the prophet should also be the last prophet.  It gives no sense to think of the possibility of the coming of another prophet.  

As for the rational possibility of another prophet and the arguments that go along with it, it is necessary to say that after him (the Holy Prophet) human beings have not been left to decide with their own intellects. If we are to ask the intellect itself, there are a lot of things that will remain unknown to it until the Day of Judgment.  There is no intellect to reach the unknown entirely. Is there any? No. If one claims that that intellect can conceive and know everything, then one should doubt the veracity of such a claim, but what is true is that the intellect itself admits that it cannot. Therefore, such an obligation is obviously false.  Had it been true, there would be no need for religion in the first place and people would gain rational evolution with the passage of time. Day by day they would understand and learn more about good and bad, vice and virtue. In fact, God did not leave humans dependent solely on their intellects because its ability to understand things is limited. There are things which remain permanently beyond the reach of the intellect. We believe religion helps the intellect flourish and gain perfection.  If God did not send religion from the outset of man's creation, his intellect would never reach one millionth of the prosperity he has gained thus far.  How could man discover moral virtues and values? He would never have found them, if there did not exist a sharia. The intellect is incapable of showing men the ways of knowing God. The intellect only says that God is there but how to gain knowledge of and proximity to Him, the intellect is unable to tell.  Therefore, the spurious arguments made about the intellect are utterly invalid and baseless.

Conclusion:  The finality of the Holy Prophet of Islam is certain and undeniable. It is one of the essentials of the religion of Islam. Denying finality is tantamount to denying prophethood of the Holy Prophet of Islam.  

At the end, I would like to advise all clerics, intellectuals and writers to avail of the existing opportunity and make further research and studies into the life, moral and manners of Prophet Muhammad who is the best example in all aspects.  The Quran says, "The Messenger of God is certainly a good example for those of you who have hope in God and in the Day of Judgment and who remember God very often." (33:21)

I wish to thank you and all those who are working for Qalam periodical trying to preach and promulgate Islam and the teachings of the Holy Prophet (pbuh).  I pray to Almighty Allah to grant you success.

(The End) *

[1]. Majlisi, Muhammad Baqir, Behar al-Anwل؛­r, Vol.2, pg.171
* Translated by Javed Akbari