Last prophet
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The term Last Prophet is used in religious contexts to refer to the last person through whom God speaks, after which there is to be no other.
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[edit] Islam
The phrase, Last Prophet, is used primarily in Islam, where it refers to Muhammad, whom Muslims hold to be the final prophet in the monotheistic Abrahamic tradition. Muhammad is similarly called the Seal of the Prophets.
[edit] Judaism
Classical Judaism teaches that there will be no prophet greater than Moses, and all the other prophets mentioned in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) were inferior to Moses and his prophecies. This was enunciated by Maimonides in the Jewish principles of faith about the status of Moses:
- Moses was superior to all prophets, whether they preceded him or arose afterwards. Moses attained the highest possible human level. He perceived God to a degree surpassing every human that ever existed... God spoke to all other prophets through an intermediary. Moses alone did not need this; this is what the Torah means when God says "Mouth to mouth, I will speak to him. (The Siddur.)
The last of the twelve minor prophets (canonically) (and the final book of the Christian Old Testament) is commonly attributed to a prophet by the name of Malachi.
[edit] Other religions
Other religious traditions have used this or similar terms. Mani, founder of the Persian faith Manichaeism, also claimed to be the Seal of the Prophets and the last prophet.
In Mandaeanism, John the Baptist is considered the last prophet.
[edit] Jainism
Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, also claimed to be the last prophet in a series of 24 Tirthankars.
