"The Most Gracious, teacher of the
Quran" 55:1-2
With this promise in mind, one has to remember that the teaching of God
is the BEST teaching, and the knowledge given by God is the most accurate
knowledge. All the teachings or knowledge given by the human beings can be
compared to that given by God and only those teachings which agree with the
teachings of God can be accepted as truth, irrespective of how many scholars
agree or disagree with it. As God promised, those who will not accept the
words of God in the Quran will not have access to understanding the Quran.
They have shields placed around their hearts and deafness in their ears.6:25,
17:46 and 18:57
"Who is more wicked than one who is reminded of
the proofs of His Lord, then disregard them, while unaware of his sin ?
Consequently, we place shields on their hearts, to prevent them from
understanding (Quran), and deafness in their ears. Thus, if you invite them
to the guidance, they can NEVER EVER be guided." 18:57
One of the issues that always comes up when discussing the Quran is the
issue of the definition of the Prophet (Nabi) and the definition of the messenger
(Rasoul). As a believer would imagine, NO ONE can define these better than
the One who sent them both, the prophets and the messengers. It is interesting
to note that the definition of the prophet and messenger is very clear in
the Quran. Most of the scholars, and their followers, however, do not accept
the definition given by God and instead accept the definition they gave
themselves or given in the dictionary by older scholars.
Believing in God means to believe Him and accept His teaching and His
word. Choosing the scholars or the dictionary over God reflects a disbelief
in God and His word (Quran). God called this kind of practice, idol-worship.
"They have set up their religious leaders and scholars
as lords; instead of God....." 9:31
God's Definition of
PROPHET and MESSENGER
(Nabi and Rasoul)
In 3:81 God described exactly the function of the Prophet (Nabi) and the
function of the Messenger (Rasoul). Both definitions come in the middle of
a very important verse that is dealing with the Messenger of the Covenant.
For the sincere believer both definitions are clear and well described by
the Teacher of the Quran, the Most Gracious.
"God took a covenant from the PROPHETS, saying,
"I will give you the SCRIPTURE AND WISDOM. Afterwards, a MESSENGER will come
to CONFIRM all existing scriptures. You shall believe in him and support
him." He said, "Do you agree with this, and pledge to fulfill this covenant?"
They said, "We agree." He said, "You have thus borne witness, and I bear
witness along with you." 3:81
Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall translated 3:81 as follows:
"When Allah made (His) covenant with the PROPHETS,
(He said): Behold that which I have GIVEN you of the SCRIPTURE AND KNOWLEDGE.
And afterward there will come unto you a MESSENGER, CONFIRMING that which
ye possess. Ye shall believe in him and ye shall help him. He said:
Do ye agree, and will ye take up My burden (which I lay upon you)in this
(matter)? They answered: We agree. He said: Then bear witness. I will be
a witness with you."
Verse 3:81, among many other verses, provides the definitions of "Nabi"
(Prophet) and "Rasoul" (Messenger). Thus, "Nabi" is a messenger of God who
delivers a new scripture, while "Rasoul" is a messenger commissioned by God
to confirm existing scripture; he does not bring a new scripture. According
to the Quran, every "Nabi" is a "Rasoul," but not every "Rasoul" is a "Nabi."
It is not logical that God will give a scripture to a prophet, then ask him
to keep it exclusively for himself, as stated by some Muslim "scholars" (2:42,
146, 159).
The Quranic definition of Prophet, and how all the prophets were given
Scripture to deliver, is also confirmed in the following verse:
"The people used to be one community when God sent
THE PROPHETS as bearers of good news, as well as warners. HE SENT DOWN WITH
THEM THE SCRIPTURE, bearing the truth, to judge among the people in their
disputes" 2:213
Those who are not sufficiently familiar with the Quran tend to think that
Aaron was a "Nabi" as stated in 19:53, who did not receive a scripture. This
claim can only be made by those who do not believe the Quran, since God
ascertains in 2:213 that all the prophets were sent with the Scripture.
Moreover, the Quran clearly states that Aaron received what Moses did ;
both received a scripture or a statute book (21:48, 37:117).
In other terms ALL THE PROPHETS are MESSENGERS, but NOT ALL the MESSENGERS
are PROPHETS.
MORE PROOFS from the
Quran
PROPHETHOOD AND
SCRIPTURE:
Whenever God mentions prophethood in the Quran, He mentions scripture
and sometimes wisdom. The association of prophethood and scripture
cannot be missed except by those blocked by God from seeing the truth. The
following are some examples:
"Never would a human being whom GOD blessed with
the scripture and prophethood say to the people, "Idolize me beside GOD."
Instead, (he would say), "Devote yourselves absolutely to your Lord alone,"
according to the scripture you preach and the teachings you
learn." 3:79
"Those were the ones to whom we have given the
scripture, wisdom, and prophethood. If these people disbelieve, we will
substitute others in their place, and the new people will not be
disbelievers." 6:89
"We granted him Isaac and Jacob, we assigned to
his descendants prophethood and the scriptures, we endowed him with his due
recompense in this life, and in the Hereafter he will surely be with the
righteous." 29:27
"We have given the Children of Israel the scripture,
wisdom, and prophethood, and provided them with good provisions; we bestowed
upon them more blessings than any other people." 45:16
"We sent Noah and Abraham, and we granted their
descendants prophethood and the scripture. Some of them were guided,
while many were wicked." 57:26
MESSENGER PROPHET and not, PROPHET
MESSENGER:
The first example for messenger prophet comes from 7:157, and 7:158 where
God described the Prophet Muhammed as, "the messenger the prophet" and not
as "the prophet the messenger," not a coincidence, [God does not have
coincidences]. The reason is that not every messenger is a prophet and therefore
the word PROPHET is used to further define and clarify the description of
that messenger.
"follow the messenger, the prophet (gentile
prophet) (Muhammed), whom they find written in their Torah
and Gospel . . .
" 7:157
"..........therefore you shall believe in God and
His messenger, the prophet (gentile prophet), who believes in God and His
words. Follow him, that you may be guided." 7:158
MOSES, THE MESSENGER
PROPHET:
In 19:51, Moses was described by God as a messenger prophet (Rasoulan
Nabyya), and NOT as a prophet messenger (Nabyyan Rasoula).
ISMAIL, THE MESSENGER
PROPHET
In 19:54, Ismail is described with the same words, 'Rasoulan Nabyyan'.
The reason is that, NOT every Rasoul (Messenger) is a Nabi (Prophet),
BUT every Prophet (Nabi) is a Messenger (Rasoul), so God defined the word
Rasoul by adding to it Nabyya. God does not make mistakes and He does not
choose His words haphazard, it is meant to be in this order.
OTHER EXAMPLES are found in the Quran to clarify this
description:
HUMAN BEING
MESSENGER:
"Am I more than a human messenger (Basharan
Rasoula)" 17:93
Notice, " a human messenger" and NOT "a messenger human (Rasoulan
Bashara)."
The reason is that not every Bashar (human) is a Rasoul (messenger) while
every Rasoul (messenger) from among us is a Bashar (human).
17:94, has the same expression again, human messenger (Basharan Rasoula),
not (Rasoulan Bashara)
ANGEL MESSENGER:
" . . . we would have sent to them from the sky
an angel messenger (Malakan Rasoula)" 17:95
Notice, "an angle messenger" and NOT "a messenger
angel (Rasoulan Malaka). The reason is that not every angel is a messenger
but every messenger FROM God's soldiers is an angel.
SAINT PROPHET:
In 19:41, God described Abraham as "a Siddiqan Nabyya (Saint Prophet)"
and NOT as a Nabyyan Siddiqa, (Prophet Saint). The reason is that not
every Siddiq (Saint ) is a prophet, while every prophet is a siddiq.
If God would say, Abraham was a Nabbyan Siddiqua (prophet saint), this
would indicate that not every prophet is a saint while every saint is a
prophet.
In 19:56, God described the prophet Idris the same way, as a Siddiquan
Nabyya (Saint prophet).
NO WHERE in the whole Quran does God use these terms different. God never
described a prophet as a prophet messenger ( Nabbyan Rasoula), or prophet
saint (Nabyyan Siddiqua).
'MESSENGER NOR A PROPHET'
:
Perhaps one of the strongest indications in the Quran that the words prophet
and messenger do not have the same meaning, is found in the following
verse:
"We did not send before you any MESSENGER NOR A
PROPHET, without having the devil interfere in his wishes. GOD then nullifies
what the devil has done. GOD perfects His revelations. GOD is Omniscient,
Most Wise." 22:52
If the words prophet and messenger had the same meaning God would not
be saying "MESSENGER NOR A
PROPHET" ...... would He ? Had the two words
had exactly the same meaning , then mentioning one of them would have been
sufficient.
---------------------------------------
The Quran is clear that EVERY PROPHET (NABI) IS A MESSENGER (RASOUL) BUT
NOT EVERY MESSENGER IS A PROPHET.
Now that we have the definition of Prophet (Nabi) and Messenger (Rasoul)
by God Almighty Himself, the Teacher of the Quran, NO SCHOLAR's opinion can
change that fact. We, however are FREE to side with God or side with the
scholars. Generations before you did just that and were described by God
in the Quran in 9:31:
"They have set up their religious leaders and
scholars as lords, instead of God . . . "
This kind of
idol-worship is leading only to one place, and it is not Heaven"
info@submission.org
