Why wasn't sainthood terminated even though prophethood has been terminated?
Why didn't sainthood come to an end?
Why Sainthood Didn't End When Prophethood Did
In order to spiritually emulate Adam the Eminent One, you need to obtain the esoteric knowledge of sainthood that was granted to Adam.
You must remember one thing at all times.
There has never been a prophet who wasn't already a saint.
God first makes them saints and then grants prophethood.
So prophethood is basically a rank.
Nothing more.
What matters is sainthood.
Sainthood is the name for establishing a connection with God.
So the most important thing is to establish a connection with God.
So every prophet and messenger first becomes a saint and then a prophet or a messenger.
It is sainthood that enables them to receive divine inspiration upon their spiritual hearts.
It is due to sainthood that their inner spiritual faculty is awakened and enlightened, thus becoming capable of prophethood.
Sainthood is the foundation and prophethood is a rank.
That's all it is.
Why wasn't sainthood terminated even though prophethood has been terminated?
The reason why sainthood did not come to an end is that it is the means to be connected with God.
Now, sainthood will be terminated upon the arrival of Imam Mehdi (as).
What does this mean?
There are two types of sainthood.
One type of sainthood is called 'wilayat' (which [in Urdu] has an accent under the 'w')
and the other is 'walayat' (which has an accent above the 'w')
The one which has the accent above the 'w' - walayat - is related to the higher realms.
The one which has the accent under the 'w' - wilayat - is related to [the terrestrial realm, i.e. this phenomenal world].
So, the sainthood of 'above (higher realms)' and 'below (terrestrial realm)' - these are the two types of sainthood.
In one type of sainthood, one is connected to God.
The other type of sainthood is just a rank.
It is known as Faqr e Bakaram.
The sainthood of Faqr e Bakaram - the one which is just a rank - has been terminated.
Whereas, the sainthood which has to do with establishing a connection with God has not been terminated.
How can it be terminated?
It has not come to an end.
For instance, Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (ra) was entitled 'Ghaus e Azam (The Greatest Saint)'
however, he was from the same system but he was assigned as a Ghaus - he was simply awarded an elevated rank.
He reached an elevated level of spirituality
but still, he was only awarded the rank of Ghaus.
It was the same system.
Which system?
He was the leader of the Qutub, Abdaal and other [inferior in rank] saints.
There is a famous incident attributed to him in which he transformed a thief into a Qutub.
Since he is the leader of the Qutub, it isn't a miracle if he awarded this rank to someone.
There are three subordinates called 'Qutub' under every Ghaus [in the esoteric cabinet of sainthood].
Anyone can be granted this rank of Qutub as it does not require enlightenment.
Like many pose to be elevated spiritual personalities, in the way that we have many in England
especially in Bradford, Manchester and Birmingham.
Someone is posing to be Syed ul Aqtab, and what not, they don't even know what it means.
Someone is posing to be Qutub ul Aqtab. There is no such thing as a Qutub ul Aqtab. When one progresses from the rank of Qutub, one becomes a Ghaus.
Someone claims to be Syed ul Auliya, another claims to be something else.
This is the peak of ignorance.
So, the most important thing is sainthood
and sainthood is the enlightenment of our spiritual sensory system (lataif) and the establishment of a connection between our spiritual heart (qalb) and God.
When this has happened, the process is complete, you are now connected to God.
Thereafter, whomsoever God chose [among the saints] to grant prophethood to became prophets
and whoever was chosen for messenger-hood became messengers.
However, sainthood is the most important thing.
Therefore, the one who spiritually emulates Adam would be one who has obtained the spiritual benevolence of Adam's sainthood.
One who obtains the sainthood granted to Adam is spiritually emulating Adam.
If you are granted the sainthood in the way it was granted to Abraham you are spiritually emulating Abraham.
If you attain the sainthood granted to Prophet Muhammad (saw), you are spiritually emulating Muhammad (saw)
You are a part of the legacy of Muhammad (saw).
There was a saint from Lahore around 25 years ago,
Abu Muhammad Yusuf. He lived in Lahore.
He declared, 'I am part of the legacy of Muhammad (saw)'.
The Wahhabis filed a report of blasphemy against him.
He was imprisoned under the law of blasphemy against the Prophet (saw).
And someone murdered him while he was in jail.
He was [from the same system of sainthood].