1. Islam distinguishes between two types of messengers - Nabi, which refers to a prophet, and Rasool, which refers to a messenger given a new religious law (sharia) by God. 2. There were several thousand Nabis but only a few Rasools, including Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them), who were given new sharias. 3. A Rasool receives messages directly from God through visions or conversations with angels while awake, while a Nabi receives messages conveyed by angels in dreams.

2.  Belief in the Prophets (Peace be upon them) of
Allah (SWT) is one of the required pillars of faith.
Muslims are obliged to believe in all the Prophets
(Peace be upon them) because they all preached
the same message and their respect is mandatory
upon every Muslim.
 Allah (SWT) says Surah Al- Baqrah Chapter#02
verse#136 Say ye:
َ‫م‬ ۡ‫ي‬ِ‫ع‬ ٰ‫م‬ ۡ
‫س‬ِ‫ا‬َ‫و‬ َ‫م‬ ٖ‫ه‬ ٰ‫س‬ ۡ‫ب‬ِ‫ا‬ ً
ٰۡٓ‫ن‬ِ‫ا‬ َ‫ل‬ِ‫ز‬ۡ‫و‬ُ‫ا‬ ۡٓ‫ا‬َ‫م‬َ‫و‬ ‫َا‬‫ى‬ ۡ‫ي‬َ‫ن‬ِ‫ا‬ َ‫ل‬ِ‫ز‬ۡ‫و‬ُ‫ا‬ ۡٓ‫ا‬َ‫م‬َ‫و‬ ِ ‫ه‬
‫اّٰلل‬ِ‫ب‬ ‫ا‬َّ‫ى‬َ‫م‬ٰ‫ا‬ ‫ا‬ۡٓ ۡ‫ى‬ُ‫ن‬ ۡ‫ى‬ُ‫ل‬
ۡٓ‫ا‬َ‫م‬َ‫و‬ ً ٰ
‫س‬ ۡ‫ي‬ِ‫ع‬َ‫و‬ ً ٰ
‫س‬ ۡ‫ى‬ُ‫م‬ ًَِ‫ج‬ ۡ‫و‬ُ‫ا‬ ۡٓ‫ا‬َ‫م‬َ‫و‬ ِ‫ط‬‫ا‬َ‫ب‬ ۡ
‫س‬َ ۡ
‫اۡل‬ َ‫و‬ َ‫ب‬ ۡ‫ى‬ُ‫م‬ ۡ
‫َع‬‫ي‬َ‫و‬ َ‫ك‬ ٰ
‫ح‬ ۡ
‫س‬ِ‫ا‬َ‫و‬
ٍ‫د‬َ‫ح‬َ‫ا‬ َ‫ه‬ ۡ‫َي‬‫ب‬ ُ‫ق‬ِّ‫س‬َ‫ف‬ُ‫و‬ َ
‫ۡل‬ ۚ ۡ
‫م‬ِ‫ه‬ِّ‫ب‬َّ‫ز‬ ۡ
‫ه‬ِ‫م‬ َ‫ن‬ ۡ‫ى‬ُّ‫ي‬ِ‫ب‬َّ‫ى‬‫ان‬ ًَِ‫ج‬ ۡ‫و‬ُ‫ا‬
‫م‬ُ‫ه‬ ۡ‫ى‬ِّ‫م‬
ُ‫ه‬ ۡ
‫ح‬َ‫و‬َ‫و‬
ٗ
‫ه‬َ‫ن‬
َ‫ن‬ ۡ‫ى‬ُ‫م‬ِ‫ه‬ ۡ
‫س‬ُ‫م‬
‫‏‬
‫‏‬
‫‏‬
 "We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to
us, and to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the
Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that
given to (all) prophets from their Lord:We make
no difference between one and another of them:
And we bow to Allah (in Islam)."

3.  God sent to every nation a prophet, mostly
from amongst them, to call them to worship
God alone and to shun false gods. As Allah
Says in Quran Surah An Nahl Chapter#16
Verse #36
۟‫ىا‬ُ‫ب‬ِ‫ى‬َ‫ح‬ْ‫َٱج‬‫و‬ َ َّ
‫ٱّٰلل‬ ۟‫وا‬ُ‫د‬ُ‫ب‬ ْ‫ٱع‬ ِ‫ن‬َ‫أ‬ ‫ا‬
‫ىۡل‬ ُ
‫س‬َّ‫ز‬ ٍٍۢ‫ة‬َّ‫م‬
ُ
‫أ‬ ِّ‫م‬ُ‫ك‬ ًِ‫ف‬ ‫َا‬‫ى‬ْ‫ث‬َ‫ع‬َ‫ب‬ ْ‫د‬َ‫م‬َ‫َن‬‫و‬
ِ‫ه‬ْ‫ي‬َ‫ه‬َ‫ع‬ ْ‫ث‬َّ‫َم‬‫ح‬ ْ‫ه‬َّ‫م‬ ‫م‬ُ‫ه‬ْ‫ى‬ِ‫م‬َ‫و‬ ُ َّ
‫ٱّٰلل‬ ‫َي‬‫د‬َ‫ه‬ ْ‫ه‬َّ‫م‬ ‫م‬ُ‫ه‬ْ‫ى‬ِ‫م‬َ‫ف‬ ۖ َ‫ىت‬ُ‫غ‬ٰ‫ـ‬َّ‫ٱنط‬
ُ‫ة‬َ‫ب‬ِ‫م‬ٰ‫ـ‬َ‫ع‬ َ‫ان‬َ‫ك‬ َ‫ف‬ْ‫ي‬َ‫ك‬ ۟‫وا‬ُ‫س‬ُ‫ٱوظ‬َ‫ف‬ ِ‫ض‬ْ‫ز‬َ ْ
‫ٱْل‬ ًِ‫ف‬ ۟‫وا‬ُ‫س‬‫ي‬ِ‫س‬َ‫ف‬ ۚ ُ‫ة‬َ‫ه‬ٰ‫ـ‬َ‫ه‬َّ‫ٱنض‬
َ‫يه‬ِ‫ب‬ِّ‫ر‬َ‫ك‬ُ‫م‬ْ‫ٱن‬
‫‏‬
 And verily,We have sent among every
Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger
(proclaiming): "Worship Allah (Alone), and
avoid (or keep away from) Taghut (all false
deities i.e. do not worship Taghut besides
Allah)."

4.  Muslims believe in those prophets mentioned by
name in Islamic sources, such as Adam, Noah,
Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, David, Solomon, Moses,
Jesus, and Muhammad, may the mercy and
blessings of God be upon him, to name a few. A
general belief is held in those not mentioned by
name, as God says: Surah Al Ghafir Chapter#40
verse #78
‫م‬ُ‫ه‬ْ‫ى‬ِ‫م‬َ‫و‬ َ‫ك‬ْ‫ي‬َ‫ه‬َ‫ع‬ ‫َا‬‫ى‬ْ‫ص‬َ‫ص‬َ‫ل‬ ‫ه‬َّ‫م‬ ‫م‬ُ‫ه‬ْ‫ى‬ِ‫م‬ َ‫ك‬ِ‫ه‬ْ‫ب‬َ‫ل‬ ‫ه‬ِّ‫م‬ ‫ا‬‫ا‬
‫ًل‬ ُ
‫س‬ُ‫ز‬ ‫َا‬‫ى‬ْ‫ه‬ َ
‫س‬ْ‫ز‬َ‫أ‬ ْ‫د‬َ‫م‬َ‫َن‬‫و‬
ِ‫ن‬ْ‫ذ‬ِ‫إ‬ِ‫ب‬ َّ
‫ۡل‬ِ‫إ‬ ٍ‫ة‬َ‫ي‬‫ا‬َٔ
‫ـ‬ِ‫ب‬ ًَِ‫ج‬ْ‫َأ‬‫ي‬ ‫ن‬َ‫أ‬ ٍ‫ل‬‫ى‬ ُ
‫س‬َ‫س‬ِ‫ن‬ َ‫ان‬َ‫ك‬ ‫َا‬‫م‬َ‫و‬ ۗ َ‫ك‬ْ‫ي‬َ‫ه‬َ‫ع‬ ْ
‫ص‬ُ‫ص‬ْ‫م‬َ‫و‬ ْ‫م‬َّ‫ن‬ ‫ه‬َّ‫م‬
َ‫ىن‬ُ‫ه‬ِ‫ط‬ْ‫ب‬ُ‫م‬ْ‫ٱن‬ َ‫ك‬ِ‫ن‬‫َا‬‫ى‬ُ‫ه‬ َ‫س‬ِ‫س‬َ‫خ‬َ‫و‬ ِّ‫َك‬‫ح‬ْ‫ٱن‬ِ‫ب‬ ًَِ‫ض‬ُ‫ل‬ ِ َّ
‫ٱّٰلل‬ ُ‫س‬ْ‫م‬َ‫أ‬ َ‫ء‬ۡٓ‫ا‬َ‫ج‬ ‫ا‬َ‫ذ‬ِ‫إ‬َ‫ف‬ ۚ ِ َّ
‫ٱّٰلل‬
‫‏‬
 “And, indeed We have sent prophets before you
(O Muhammad), of some of them We have related
to you their story, and of some We have not related
to you their story...”

5.  We can identify the following main reasons for sending
prophets:
 (1) Guiding humanity from the worship of created
beings to the worship of their Creator, from being in a
state of servitude to the creation to the freedom of
worshipping their Lord.
 (2) Clarifying to humanity the purpose of creation:
worshipping God and obeying His commands, as well as
clarifying that this life is a test for each individual, a test
of which its results will decide the type of life one will
lead after death.
 (3) Showing humanity the right path that will lead them
to Paradise and to salvation from Hellfire.
 (4) Establishing proof against humanity by sending
prophets, so people will not have an excuse when they
will be questioned on the Day of Judgment.They will not
be able to claim ignorance to the purpose of their

6.  (5) Uncovering the unseen „world‟ which
exists beyond the normal senses and the
physical universe, such as the knowledge of
God, existence of angels, and the reality of
the Day of Judgment.
 (6) Providing human beings practical
examples to lead moral, righteous, purpose-
driven lives free of doubts and confusion.
Innately, human beings admire fellow human
beings, so the best examples of
righteousness for humans to imitate are those
of God‟s prophets.
 (7) Purifying the soul from materialism, sin,
and heedlessness.
 (8) Conveying to humanity the teachings of
God, which is for their own benefit in this life
and in the Hereafter.

7.  In Islam, there are two types of messengers which are
used by the Quran, the Rasool and the Nabi. Both
positions are regarded highly by Islam’s followers.
While most if not all messengers were Nabi, only a
few were both a Nabi and a Rasool.The difference
lies in the responsibilities that each is given.
 Rasool is defined as a messenger, an individual who
was given a new Sharia or code of law by Allah
(God).The message is received by the Rasool as a
vision while he is asleep or as a conversation with
angels while he is awake.


8.  A Rasool is born a Nabi but becomes officially a Rasool
the instant he receives the position and makes it known.
Of the several thousand Nabis and the 25 prophets that
are mentioned in the Quran, there are five Rasools who
are called Ulul azm:
Hazrat Nooh(as) who received the Sharia which was
followed by other prophets until Hazrat Ibrahim(as).
Hazrat Ibrahim(as) who received the Sharia followed by
other prophets until Hazrat Musa(as).
Hazrat Musa(as) who received the Sharia followed by
other prophets until Hazrat Isa(as).
Hazrat Isa(as) who received the Sharia which was
followed until the time of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad(sws).
Prophet Muhammad(sws) who received the most perfect
Sharia which is to be followed until the last day of the
world.

9.  1.“Rasool” is an Islamic word for “messenger” while
“Nabi” is the Islamic as well as the Hebrew word for
“prophet.”
2.There are several thousand Nabis while there are only a
few Rasools.
3.While both the Rasool and the Nabi are tasked with
sharing the message of Allah to His people, a Rasool
holds a higher position while a Nabi holds a lower
position.
4.A Rasool is always a Nabi while a Nabi may or may not
become a Rasool.
5.While a Rasool receives a new Sharia from Allah, a Nabi
does not and only follows the Sharia of the Rasool before
him.
6.A Rasool receives messages through visions
and communication with angels while awake while a Nabi
receives messages which are conveyed to him by angels
in his sleep.

10. The hadith of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari:The
Prophet (saws) was asked about the
number of Anbiya and Rusul. He (saws)
replied that there were 124,000 Prophets
among whom 315 were Messengers.This
hadith is collected in Musnad Ahmad and
the collections of at-Tabarani, and ibn
Hibban.