Are There Prophets Today? An Islamic Perspective on the Finality of Prophethood

This leads to the most important question: why are there no prophets today? Why did the chain stop? The answer lies in the reasons why prophets were sent in the first place.

Prophets were historically sent for two main reasons:

1. To correct a corrupted message: A previous prophet’s teachings (like the Torah or the Gospel) were altered, forgotten, or intentionally corrupted by people over time. A new prophet was needed to restore the original truth of Tawhid.

2. To deliver a message to a specific people: Most prophets, like Hud, Salih, or Shu’ayb, were sent to their own specific tribe or nation. Their message was limited by time and place.

The message of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and the revelation he brought, the Holy Quran, eliminated both of these needs forever.

1. The Message is Perfectly Preserved

Unlike any scripture before it, the Quran comes with a divine guarantee of its own preservation. Allah Himself promises:

“Indeed, it is We who sent down the Quran, and indeed, We will be its guardian.” (Quran 15:9)

For over 1,400 years, not a single word or letter of the Quran has been changed. It remains today exactly as it was revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ). Because the final message is perfectly preserved and incorruptible, there is no need for a new prophet to come and “correct” it.

2. The Message is Universal and Eternal

Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was not sent to the Arabs alone. He was sent to all of humanity, for all time. Allah describes him as:

“And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a mercy to all the worlds.” (Quran 21:107)

His message is not for one tribe, one nation, or one century. It is the final, universal, and eternal guidance for every human being from his time until the Day of Judgment. Because the message is universal and applies to everyone, there is no need for new, regional prophets to be sent to different nations.

What About Apostles? “Are There Apostles and Prophets Today?”

This is an important clarification. Some people ask, “are there apostles and prophets today?” making a distinction between the two.

In Islamic terminology, the two roles are related:

• Nabi (Prophet): A man who receives revelation from Allah.

• Rasul (Apostle/Messenger): A Nabi who is also commanded to deliver a new sacred law (Shari’ah), like Musa (as) with the Torah or ‘Isa (as) with the Injil.

Therefore, every Rasul (Apostle) is also a Nabi (Prophet).

When the Quran and Hadith state that the Nabi (the general category) is sealed, it automatically means the Rasul (the specific category) is also sealed. There can be no new apostles or prophets.

The only exception, which confirms the rule, is the second coming of Prophet ‘Isa (Jesus). Islam teaches that ‘Isa (as) will return before the end of time. However, he will not return as a new prophet with a new message. He will return as a follower of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), ruling by the law of the Quran, and his role will be to confirm the finality of Islam and defeat the Dajjal (Antichrist). His return is a fulfillment of the prophecies of the final prophet, not the arrival of a new one.

With the door of prophethood sealed, the responsibility of guidance now shifts from new prophets to the scholars(ulama), reformers (mujaddidun), and righteous individuals of the Muslim community, whose job it is to study, preserve, and teach the final message to the world.