IS THERE A MURSHID (RELIGIOUS GUIDE) AFTER THE PROPHET (PHUB)?

14 centuries ago, our Prophet (PHUB), the Sultan of Hearts, recited the Holy Qur'an to all the Companions. -He purified their souls. -He taught the spirit of the Holy Qur'an. -He taught wisdom. -He taught beyond wisdom.

Al-Baqarah-151: Thus We have sent among you a Messenger (a Prophet) from among you so that he may read (and explain) to you Our Verses and purify you (and eliminate all your vicer souls’ hearts) and teaches you the Book and Wisdom and teaches you that which you did not know (beyond Wisdom).

There is an institution of learning and practice before us. When the Prophet (PHUB) passed away, none of the Companions said, "He was my one and only Murshid, I will not follow (depend on) anyone else but him." They first depended on Hazrat Abû Bakr. When he passed away, they depended on Hazrat Umar, then Hazrat Usman, then Hazrat Ali. They are called "Rightly Guided Caliphs", the caliphs who had the authority to guide. The tâbiîn (Successors) who came after the Companions followed the Companions. The generations after them followed the tâbiîn (Successors)

Our Prophet (PHUB) is the last Prophet (Ahzâb-40). There will be no more prophets after him. But Allah says that the mission of Irshad (messengership) will continue until the Day of Judgment.

In every age, the imam of the time is the highest level religious guide (Murshid). All prophets are the Imam of the time they lived in. In times when there are no prophets, Allah Almighty appoints one of the rasuls of the Nation as the imam of the time. 

As-Sajdah-24: And We made of them Imams (religious leaders) who by Our Command to Return (return the spirits of people to Allah until death) because they were the owners of Patience and believed with certainty (absolutely true faith at the level of Hakkul Yakin) in Our verses.

The Imam of the time is the one who returns his spirit to Allah. The rasuls of the nation and the saint guides are the ones who are conducive to guidance (the reaching of one's spirit to Allah before death). Allah says that He sends His Messengers to every people in every age without interruption and that He will not torment without sending Messengers.

Al-Mu'minun-44: Then We sent Our Messengers in succession. Whenever its Messenger came to a nation, they belied him; then We (destroyed them) one after another and We made them stories. May the unbelieving people be far away (from the Mercy of Allah).

An-Nahl-36: And I swear, We have raised (brought to life, charged with a duty) in every nation a Messenger. For them (wishing to return the spirit of Allah) to become servants to Allah and saved from the Tâgût (from the people-devils and jinns-devils). So, there were some of them whom (those who have wished to reach Allah upon the call of the Messenger) Allah delivered to Return (returned their spirit to Himself) and of them were some upon whom astray was justified (who did not wish). So, travel in the land. Then see what the end of the refuted was.

Al-Isra-15: Whoever turned (spirit to Allah), he turned only for his own soul (as he has cleansed his soul) And the one who is in astray, then the responsibility for the fact that he remained in astray only is upon himself. The bearer of a burden (sin) cannot bear the burden (sin) of another. And We never tormented (punished) until We sent a Messenger.

Ibrahim-4: And We did not send any Messenger but with the language of his people, so that he might explain to them clearly (by their own language). Therefore, Allah leaves in astray whom He wills (those who do not wish to reach Him) and He Return whom He wills (those who wish spirit to reach Him). And He is the Majestic, the All-Wise.