What Is the Difference between Nabi and Rasul and Is Knowing It Important?
Question:
Dear Sir, I need to understand the difference between a Nabi and a Rasul. Is it only an academic discussion? or does it matters seriously in the understanding of our DEEN?.
Thanks and regards
Answer:
Javed Ahmad Ghamidi differentiates between Nabi (prophet) and Rasul (messenger) as follows:
"Prophets are personalities whom the Almighty reveals divine guidance so that they can guide people. However, not every prophet is a messenger. Messengerhood is a position bestowed to only some prophets. According to its details furnished by the Qur’an, a rasul decides the fate of his addressees and implements the judgement of God on them in this very world." (Islam: A Comprehensive Introduction, English translation of Mizan, p. 52)
If we accept the above differentiation, that goes beyond what traditionally many Muslims believed to be the difference between Nabi and Rasul, then it definitely has serious effect on our understanding of religion.
In a broad categorisation, the effects are in two aspects:
1. Separating between God's Sunnah and the Shari'ah
2. Seeing the era of the Rasuls (messengers) as a proof for the truth
I explain each briefly:
- Separating between God's Sunnah and the Shari'ah:
As stated in the above quoted paragraph one of the responsibilities of a Rasul is to implement God's judgement on his nation in this world, which is then normally followed by punishing the Kuffar. This punishment in most cases, as described in the Qur'an, is done through angels by means of natural calamities. However in cases where the Rasul has enough followers (like Musa or our Prophet - pbut), the punishment is carried out by the Rasul and his followers. What actually happens is that the Rasul, with the support of the Almighty, after so may years of preaching, makes the truth to become crystal clear for his nation (Itmam al-Hujjah). The nation also receives warning after warning on what will happen to them if they arrogantly reject what they know is the truth. At the end of this process the lines of the believers and rejecters will be clearly separated and after the final warning, a miniature day of judgement is illustrated on the face of the earth upon that nation.The rejecters will be punished by being killed or becoming subjugated to the believers. At the same time the believers will reach prosperity and power in the land.
The above is the Sunnah of the Almighty as described in the Qur'an (and in the Bible) and is specifically for the time of the Rasul. The directives of the Qur'an to the Messenger (pbuh) and the companions that relate to this Sunnah are NOT part of the Shari'ah and therefore in no way apply to our time.
In my view if one reads the Qur'an without any prejudice and sectarian assumptions one will easily come to understand that these particular directives are not general ones and are only applicable at the time of the messenger. However as you may agree there are some who do not pay enough attention to this and therefore mix up what relates to God (Sunnah of God) with what relates to servant of God (Shar'iah) and therefore, in the words of my colleague and good friend, Shehzad Saleem, try to 'play God'.
- Seeing the era of the Rasuls (messengers) as a proof for the truth:
The above may give an impression that the era of Rasul and the verses of the Qur'an about this era are now irrelevant and redundant for us.
This is not true!
While the directives of the Almighty for the era of Rasul are specific to that era, the era of Rasul itself serves as a witness to the truth for the other nations and latter generations:
The people of Quraysh were reminded about the history of the nations before them who were destroyed due to this Sunnah of the Almighty. In other words a history that was known to them was served as a witness to the truth and a means of warning for them. In the same way, the history that is known to us (with regard to the extra ordinary worldly victory, success and dominance of Bani Ishmael at the latter stages of the life of the Messenger (pbuh) and in the era immediately after him) serves as a witness to the truth for us. It also serves as a warning on what may happen to us in the hereafter if we arrogantly reject the truth and Good News (Bisharah) on what reward we may get in the hereafter if we adhere to the truth.
Moreover, the Qur'an, from the very early time of its revelation, compared and connected the warning of the Messenger (pbuh) to the warnings of previous messengers. By referring to the rewards and punishments of the previous nations who had messengers sent to them, the Qur'an promised a similar destiny for the rejecters and believers in Arabia. This all came true in the most accurate way.
This itself is one of the most concrete proofs for the authenticity of the Qur'an and therefore the truth of whatever the Qur'an informs us about.
So to conclude, understanding the function of Rasul as opposed to Nabi, is not only important for our understanding of religious directives but is also very important for our faith and belief in the truth of the message of the Qur'an and the hereafter.
Please do let me know if any of the above requires further clarification.
-----------------
March 2013
Dear Sir, I need to understand the difference between a Nabi and a Rasul. Is it only an academic discussion? or does it matters seriously in the understanding of our DEEN?.
Thanks and regards
Answer:
Javed Ahmad Ghamidi differentiates between Nabi (prophet) and Rasul (messenger) as follows:
"Prophets are personalities whom the Almighty reveals divine guidance so that they can guide people. However, not every prophet is a messenger. Messengerhood is a position bestowed to only some prophets. According to its details furnished by the Qur’an, a rasul decides the fate of his addressees and implements the judgement of God on them in this very world." (Islam: A Comprehensive Introduction, English translation of Mizan, p. 52)
If we accept the above differentiation, that goes beyond what traditionally many Muslims believed to be the difference between Nabi and Rasul, then it definitely has serious effect on our understanding of religion.
In a broad categorisation, the effects are in two aspects:
1. Separating between God's Sunnah and the Shari'ah
2. Seeing the era of the Rasuls (messengers) as a proof for the truth
I explain each briefly:
- Separating between God's Sunnah and the Shari'ah:
As stated in the above quoted paragraph one of the responsibilities of a Rasul is to implement God's judgement on his nation in this world, which is then normally followed by punishing the Kuffar. This punishment in most cases, as described in the Qur'an, is done through angels by means of natural calamities. However in cases where the Rasul has enough followers (like Musa or our Prophet - pbut), the punishment is carried out by the Rasul and his followers. What actually happens is that the Rasul, with the support of the Almighty, after so may years of preaching, makes the truth to become crystal clear for his nation (Itmam al-Hujjah). The nation also receives warning after warning on what will happen to them if they arrogantly reject what they know is the truth. At the end of this process the lines of the believers and rejecters will be clearly separated and after the final warning, a miniature day of judgement is illustrated on the face of the earth upon that nation.The rejecters will be punished by being killed or becoming subjugated to the believers. At the same time the believers will reach prosperity and power in the land.
The above is the Sunnah of the Almighty as described in the Qur'an (and in the Bible) and is specifically for the time of the Rasul. The directives of the Qur'an to the Messenger (pbuh) and the companions that relate to this Sunnah are NOT part of the Shari'ah and therefore in no way apply to our time.
In my view if one reads the Qur'an without any prejudice and sectarian assumptions one will easily come to understand that these particular directives are not general ones and are only applicable at the time of the messenger. However as you may agree there are some who do not pay enough attention to this and therefore mix up what relates to God (Sunnah of God) with what relates to servant of God (Shar'iah) and therefore, in the words of my colleague and good friend, Shehzad Saleem, try to 'play God'.
- Seeing the era of the Rasuls (messengers) as a proof for the truth:
The above may give an impression that the era of Rasul and the verses of the Qur'an about this era are now irrelevant and redundant for us.
This is not true!
While the directives of the Almighty for the era of Rasul are specific to that era, the era of Rasul itself serves as a witness to the truth for the other nations and latter generations:
The people of Quraysh were reminded about the history of the nations before them who were destroyed due to this Sunnah of the Almighty. In other words a history that was known to them was served as a witness to the truth and a means of warning for them. In the same way, the history that is known to us (with regard to the extra ordinary worldly victory, success and dominance of Bani Ishmael at the latter stages of the life of the Messenger (pbuh) and in the era immediately after him) serves as a witness to the truth for us. It also serves as a warning on what may happen to us in the hereafter if we arrogantly reject the truth and Good News (Bisharah) on what reward we may get in the hereafter if we adhere to the truth.
Moreover, the Qur'an, from the very early time of its revelation, compared and connected the warning of the Messenger (pbuh) to the warnings of previous messengers. By referring to the rewards and punishments of the previous nations who had messengers sent to them, the Qur'an promised a similar destiny for the rejecters and believers in Arabia. This all came true in the most accurate way.
This itself is one of the most concrete proofs for the authenticity of the Qur'an and therefore the truth of whatever the Qur'an informs us about.
So to conclude, understanding the function of Rasul as opposed to Nabi, is not only important for our understanding of religious directives but is also very important for our faith and belief in the truth of the message of the Qur'an and the hereafter.
Please do let me know if any of the above requires further clarification.
-----------------
March 2013