Preference of the word ‘Khatam’ over ‘Khatim’

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) states that there was an individual who used to teach Hazrat Ali’s (ra) sons, Hassan (ra) and Hussain (ra). Once, Hazrat Ali (ra) passed by his sons and heard their tutor teaching them to pronounceخَاتِمَ‭ ‬النبيين [Khatiman Nabiyyeen]. Hazrat Ali (ra) said, “Do not teach my sons to sayخَاتِمَ النبيين ; rather, teach them to say‭ ‬خَاتَمَ النبيين [Khataman Nabiyyeen]” in other words, with a fathah [a diacritical mark] above the latter ta as opposed to a kasrah [a diacritical mark] under it. “Despite the fact that both pronunciations are possible; however, I prefer for it to be pronounced as خَاتَمَ النبيين because it means the ‘Seal of the Prophets’ whereas خَاتِمَ‭ ‬النبيين would mean ‘the one who ends prophethood.’ Thus, teach my sons [to pronounce it] with a fathah above the letter تاء[ta].” ‬‬‬

(Farizah-e-Tabligh aur Ahmadi Khawatin, Anwar al-Ulum, Vol. 18, p. 404)