Exploring the Contemporary Intellectuals' Approach to Finality of Prophethood

Some contemporary Islamic intellectuals have raised questions about the principle of Khātamiyya (Finality of Prophethood) and its related topics, such as the comprehensiveness and perpetuality of religion and the revelation. This article, by adopting a descriptive-analytical method, sets out to examine and compare the views of contemporary intellectuals including traditionalists such as Motahari and Nasr, and modernists like Lahuri, Shariati, Soroush and Abu Zayd about the three notions of Finality of Prophethood, the comprehensiveness of Islam and revelation. According ot the findings of the research, the approach of contemporary intellectuals to the Finality of Prophethood can be split into two main categories of need-oriented and cause-oriented. In the former approach, one can mention Shahid Motahari and Hossein Nasr, and in the latter approach, the views of Lahuri, Shariati, Soroush and Abu Zayd could be discussed. In the recent approach, contemporary modernist intellectuals hold divergent views. Lahore and Shariati acknowledge the need of today's man to the last religion and scripture despite rational maturity and evolution; however, Soroush and Abu Zayd, in view of the theory of succession of religious experiences and collective wisdom, as well as the rationalism approach, contend that Finality of Prophethood lends credit to the absolute validity of reason and the possibility of criticizing revelation, in light of which the modern human finds relevation unneeded and unnecessary. A perquisite of this approach is secularism and the retreat of religion from reason.