Belief In The Messengers

To believe in the Messengers means to believe with certainty that Allah sent a Messenger to each nation, calling them to worship Allah alone, without associating partners with Him, and calling them to disbelieve in all that is worshipped other than Him. We must also believe that every one of the Messengers is truthful, guided, righteous, and obedient to Allah and that they conveyed all that Allah sent them with: they neither hid any part of the message nor did they change any part of it. Allah Almighty says:

Are the Messengers charged with anything but to clearly convey the Message? And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah, and avoid the Taghut (all false deities)." Then of them were some whom Allah guided and of them were some upon whom the straying was justified. So, travel through the land and see what was the end of those who denied (the truth). (Surah An-Nahl 16: 35-36)

Some of the Messengers were better than others:

Those Messengers! We preferred some of them to others; to some of them Allah spoke (directly); others He raised to degrees (of honor); and to 'Iesa, the son of Maryam, We gave clear proofs and evidences, and supported him with Ruhul- Qudus [Jibril (Alayhi Salam)] (Surah Al-Baqarah 2: 253)

The best of the Messengers are five known as Ulul-'Azm, or the Messengers of firm will: Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, 'Iesa, and Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all, and the best of these five is Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam).

To have belief in all of the Messengers is obligatory; whoever disbelieves in one from them, then he has not only disbelieved in them all, but he has also disbelieved in the One Who sent them -- Allah, Allah Almighty says:

Verily, those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers and wish to make distinction between Allah and His Messengers saying, "We believe in some but reject others," and wish to adopt a way in between. They are in truth disbelievers. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating torment. And those who believe in Allah and His Messengers and make no distinction between any of them (Messengers), We shall give them their rewards, and Allah is Ever Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surah An-Nisa’ 4: 150-152)

We must believe in the Messengers in general, meaning that we believe in those that we know of and those that we don't know of. So, we must specifically believe in those Messengers that Allah named, and we must believe that Allah sent Messengers other than the ones He named to us:

And, indeed We have sent Messengers before you; of some of them We have related to you their story and of some We have not related to you their story. (Surah Ghafir 40:78)

It is not a part of faith to raise them above the status that Allah gave to them, for they are human beings and His creatures. They are distinct in that Allah chose them and prepared them to carry His Message. Their nature is that of man; they have no share in the qualities specific to godhood, so they don't know the information of the unseen, except for those matters that Allah has informed them about. Allah ordered Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) to convey to his nation:



Say: "I don't tell you that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor (that) I know the unseen; nor do I tell you that I am an angel. I but follow what is revealed to me by inspiration.” (Surah Al-An’am 6: 50)



The Definition of Nabi (Prophet) and Rasul (Messenger)

Nabi in the Arabic language: It is taken from the word Naba'a, which means news or information. A Prophet is called a Nabi because he informs us about Allah Almighty - i.e., he conveys to us His Orders and revelation. A Prophet is perhaps also called Nabi because Allah informed him.

Rasul in the Arabic language: Rasul is taken from Irsal, which means direction. Therefore the Messengers are thus named because they are directed from Allah. Allah Almighty says:



The Difference between a Nabi (Prophet) And a Rasul (Messenger)

A Rasul is a man who is inspired with a new Shari'ah or set of laws, and he is sent to a transgressing people, conveying to them Allah's Message - for example, the Messengers of firm will (Ulul-'Azm).

A Nabi is a man who is inspired with a message, but the message is to follow the Shari'ah of those who preceded him; he is sent to apply a previously sent Shari'ah (set of laws) - for example, the Prophets from the Children of Israel that came after Musa, (Alayhi Salam). Allah Almighty says:

Verily, We did send down the Tawrah, therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah's Will. (Surah Al-Ma’idah 5: 44)

Prophethood is a Blessing granted by Allah

Prophethood is a blessing that Allah bestows according to His choice:



Therefore Prophethood is not a goal that is achieved through man's striving or working; rather, it is a high and special rank for which Allah chooses - purely by His grace - whomsoever He pleases from His creation. He prepares them to carry the message, He protects them from the effects of the devils, and He protects them from Shirk, as a favor and mercy from Him, not from the efforts they expended. It is a blessing and favor from Allah; He says:

Those were they to whom Allah bestowed His grace from among the Prophets, of the offspring of Adam, and of those whom We carried (in the ship) with Nuh, and of the offspring of Ibrahim and Israel and from among those whom We guided and chose. (Surah Maryam 19:58)

Allah said to Musa:



And Allah said, relating the words of Ya'qub to his son Yusuf, (Alayhuma Salam)



All of the above verses clearly indicate that Prophethood is not achieved by greatness or by actions; rather, it is a blessing and mercy from Allah. He chooses men for that ranking by His Knowledge and Wisdom; it is a ranking that is not achieved by those who wish for it or work for it.

To continue Insha Allah

A Description of the Messengers And their Miracles

1. A Description of the Messengers

The Messengers are good examples in their characteristics and manners; a discussion about their qualities is a long one indeed, but here we will suffice by mentioning the following qualities:

1) Truthfulness: Allah informed us that His Messengers are truthful:



Without a doubt, truthfulness is the core and heart of the message and calling, and with it matters are set straight and deeds reap their fruits. Lying is a defect that the best of creation - the Messengers - are far above.

2) Patience: Calling people to the obedience of Allah and warning them not to go against His Commands is indeed a difficult and rough path to follow, and not everyone can handle it. However, Allah's Messengers, peace be upon them, are the best of creation. They were faced with all kinds of hardship and harm, yet their firm will was not affected, and they continued to call people to the way of Allah. Allah informed us about some of His Prophets and the harm that was inflicted on them because of the message they brought. Allah informed us about the patience and forbearance they exhibited in order to raise Allah's Word above all else. Allah ordered the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) to take example after the Messengers of firm will, when He Almighty said:

Therefore be patient as did the Messengers of firm will and be in no haste about them (disbelievers). On the Day when they will see that (torment) with which they are promised (i.e. threatened, it will be) as if they had not stayed more than an hour in a single day. (0 mankind! This Qur'an is sufficient as) a clear Message (or proclamation to save yourself from destruction). But shall any be destroyed except the people who are rebellious. (Surah Al-Ahqaf 46:35)

2. The Miracles of the Messengers

What is meant by those miracles: The miracles of the Prophets and Messengers are those things that go against the nature or habitual pattern of occurrences; Allah makes those miracles occur at the hand of His Prophets and Messengers, and man is unable and incapable of repeating that occurrence or causing something similar to occur. Such miracles occurred at the hands of Allah's Prophets and Messengers so that the proof upon man becomes final; the proof of those miracles is so binding that man must surrender and believe in what the Messengers came with, regardless of whether the people asked a given Messenger to bring them a miracle or no. Those miracles are called Ayat in the Qur'an.




Belief in Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) as a Prophet and Messenger

Belief in Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) consists of the following:

1) We must believe that he was sent to all of mankind, for Allah Almighty says:



And the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said:



Allah has made the religion complete for us, He has completed His favors upon us, and He is pleased with Islam as a religion for us, the religion that was revealed to Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) who is a mercy for all of mankind and the seal of Prophets and Messengers. He (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) is the Messenger of Allah not only to man but to jinns as well- a giver of glad tidings, a warner, and a caller to Allah, by His Will, and a torch illuminating the way.

Whoever from mankind doesn't accept his message deserves a punishment from Allah - just like his brother disbelievers, for Allah Almighty says:



2) We must believe that he (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) is the final Prophet and Messenger, for Allah Almighty says:

Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last (end) of the Prophets. And Allah is Ever All-Aware of everything. (Surah Al-Ahzab 33: 40)