33:28 O prophet, say to your wives, “If you are seeking this life and its vanities, then let me compensate you and allow you to go amicably.
33:29 “But if you are seeking GOD and His messenger, and the abode of the Hereafter, then GOD has prepared for the righteous among you a great recompense.”
The next verse is the famous verse discussing Muhammad as the seal and finality of the prophets. It is worth noting that the term “l-nabiyīna” ( ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ) here is plural and not singular indicating that Muhammad is the seal or final of all the prophets.
33:40 Muhammad was not the father of any man among you. He was a messenger of GOD and the final prophet. GOD is fully aware of all things.
The last verse that is brought forth to challenge that when Muhammad is referenced as a prophet (nabi) in the Quran, it is only for when he was alive is the following:
66:8 O you who believe, you shall repent to GOD a firm repentance. Your Lord will then remit your sins and admit you into gardens with flowing streams. On that day, GOD will not disappoint the prophet and those who believed with him. Their light will radiate in front of them and to their right. They will say, “Our Lord, perfect our light for us, and forgive us; You are Omnipotent.”
66:3 The prophet had trusted some of his wives with a certain statement, then one of them spread it, and GOD let him know about it. He then informed his wife of part of the issue, and disregarded part. She asked him, “Who informed you of this?” He said, “I was informed by the Omniscient, Most Cognizant.”
66:8 O you who believe, you shall repent to GOD a firm repentance. Your Lord will then remit your sins and admit you into gardens with flowing streams. On that day, GOD will not disappoint the prophet and those who believed with him. Their light will radiate in front of them and to their right. They will say, “Our Lord, perfect our light for us, and forgive us; You are Omnipotent.”
The first thing to note is that Surah 66:8 is situated between verses where the Prophet Muhammad is directly addressed, indicating that this reference pertains to when he was alive. Additionally, the opening statement of 66:8 uses the expression “O you who believe,” which includes the Prophet among those being addressed. The verse then speaks of a proposed future outcome contingent upon the believers (including Muhammad) turning in repentance. It suggests that if they do so, then “perhaps” ( عَسَىٰ) God will enact a future outcome. This nuance might not be clear in translation but becomes evident in a word-by-word breakdown of the Arabic text.
Thus, while this verse addresses the Prophet during his lifetime and outlines a hypothetical outcome based on repentance, its application changes after his death. Following the Prophet’s passing, the “perhaps” becomes an absolute, as the righteous who die are admitted straight to Paradise. Therefore, this verse is temporally bound to the period of the Prophet’s life.