The difference between "Prophet" and "Messenger"
(according to the Quran)
"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. 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 definition of the Prophet (Nabi) and the definition of the Messenger (Rasoul). No one can define these words better than God, after all it was God who sent all prophets and messengers. The definition of the words prophet and messenger is very clear in the Quran. However, most of the scholars and their followers do not accept the definition given by God and instead accept the definition they devised themselves or the one which they have inherited from their predecessors. Choosing the teachings of the scholars above the words of God reflects a disbelief in God and His word (Quran). Against this is a clear warning in the Quran:
"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 defined the exact duty of the Prophet (Nabi) and also the duty of the Messenger (Rasoul):
"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 fulfil this covenant?" They said, "We agree." He said, "You have thus borne witness, and I bear witness along with you." 3:81
Verse 3:81, among many other verses, provides the definitions of "Nabi" (Prophet) and "Rasoul" (Messenger). "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".
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" who did not receive a scripture. They claim that the Torah was given to Moses and not to Aaron! This claim can only be made by those who do not believe the Quran, since God ascertains that the Torah was given to both Moses and Aaron (21:48, 37:117).
We conclude from the above that all prophets are messengers, but not all messengers are prophets.
More Proofs from the Quran
Prophethood and scripture:
Whenever God mentions prophethood in the Quran, He mentions scripture. The following are some examples:
"Never would a human being whom God blessed with the scripture and prophethood say to the people, "Idolise 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 do 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. However when God speaks of a prophet God does not need to put the word messenger after (prophet) since it is understood that every prophet is also a messenger..
"follow the messenger, the gentile prophet (Muhammed), whom they find written in their Torah and Gospel . . . " 7:157
"..........therefore you shall believe in God and His messenger, the 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". In other words, Ismail was a messenger and also a prophet. God does not make mistakes and He does not place His words in a haphazard sequence, 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".
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 angel messenger" and not "a messenger angel (Rasoulan Malaka). Here the reason is that not every angel is a messenger.
Siddiqan, prophet:
In 19:41, God described Abraham as "a Siddiqan Nabbiyan" and not as a Nabbiyan Siddiqan.
The word Siddiqan comes from the word SIDQ which is used numerously in the Quran and it means truth (see 26:84 and 39:33 as examples). As a result, the Siddiqoon (plural of Siddiqan) are those who will testify to the truth on Judgement Day, they are also witnesses on Judgement Day..
We can see that a person can be a Siddiqan without being a prophet, but every prophet will be testifting to the truth as a witness on Judgement Day and thus a Siddiqan.
In 19:56, God described the prophet Idris the same way, as a Siddiqan Nabbiyan.
"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.
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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) from God Almighty Himself, the Teacher of the Quran, no scholar's opinion can change that fact. However, we are all free to side with God or side with the scholars. Generations before us made the wrong choice and were described by God in the Quran as follows:
"They have set up their religious leaders and scholars as lords, instead of God . . . " 9:31
This kind of idol-worship is leading only to one place, and it is not Heaven.