Hadith
Jubayr ibn Mutim reported from his father that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:
“I have several names: I am Muhammad; I am Ahmad (the one who praises Allah most); I am al-Mahi (the Effacer), through whom Allah effaces disbelief; I am al-Hashir (the Gatherer), at whose feet people will be gathered; and I am al-Aqib (the Last), after whom there will be not be anyone else.”
عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرِ بْنِ مُطْعِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ إِنَّ لِي أَسْمَاءً أَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ وَأَنَا أَحْمَدُ وَأَنَا الْمَاحِي الَّذِي يَمْحُو اللَّهُ بِيَ الْكُفْرَ وَأَنَا الْحَاشِرُ الَّذِي يُحْشَرُ النَّاسُ عَلَى قَدَمَىَّ وَأَنَا الْعَاقِبُ الَّذِي لَيْسَ بَعْدَهُ أَحَدٌ
Sahih Muslim 2354B
Ponder This Hadith
The Prophet ﷺ explicitly defines al-ʿĀqib as “the one after whom there will be none.” If a continuous chain of divinely guided Imams were meant to follow him with binding religious authority, why would he describe himself in terms of finality – and define it so clearly? Would he not, instead, have emphasized continuity through Imams just as explicitly?