Aqeedah: Belief in Messengers

A Rasul (Messenger) is:

  • a male adult human who is free and intelligent, to whom Allah has revealed a Sacred Law be it in book form or otherwise, and who was ordered by Him to convey it to the servants
  • a female cannot become a messenger

A Nabi (Prophet) is:

  • a male adult human who is free and intelligent, to whom Allah has revealed a Sacred Law, even though He did not order him to convey it to the creation
  • all Rasuls are Nabis
  • not all Nabis are Rasuls
  • a female cannot become a prophet

Mandatory attributes of rasuls:

  • siddiq (truthful). Always speaks the truth.
  • amanah (trustworthy). Never betrays anybody.
  • tabligh (conveying). Conveys all that Allah asked to convey.
  • fathanah (wise). Have wisdom when dealing with their people.

Inconceivable attributes of rasuls

  • lying 
  • treachery
  • concealment
  • stupidity and dim-wittedness

25 rasuls mentioned in the Quran

  1. Adam
  2. Idris
  3. Nuh
  4. Hud
  5. Salih
  6. Ibrahim
  7. Luth
  8. Ismail
  9. Ishaq
  10. Ya’kub
  11. Yusuf
  12. Ayub
  13. Shuaib
  14. Musa
  15. Harun
  16. Zulkifli
  17. Daud
  18. Sulaiman
  19. Ilyas
  20. Ilyasa
  21. Yunus
  22. Zakariya
  23. Yahya
  24. Isa
  25. Muhammad

Ulul Azmi (great) rasuls

  1. Adam
  2. Nuh
  3. Ibrahim
  4. Isa
  5. Muhammad

Rasuls with Books

  1. Musa (Taurah)
  2. Daud (Zabur)
  3. Isa (Injil)
  4. Muhammad (Quran)