From Prophet Adam to Prophet Muhammad these figures were handpicked by Allah to guide humanity, but have you ever stopped to ask: What sets a prophet apart from a messenger in Islam? The Quran mentions 25 prophets by name, but among them, a few are elevated as messengers. If you’ve ever wondered what sets these two apart, this article will uncover their unique missions, roles, and responsibilities as defined in the Qur’an and Hadith. By exploring these differences, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation of the wisdom behind their divine selection.
Exact Number of Prophets and Messengers
Before we head to the differences between them, it’s important to know about the number of prophets in Islam. Allah mentioned only 25 prophets by name in the Quran. However, a hadith is often quoted about the number of prophets and messengers but its exact reference is disputed among scholars. The hadith does not appear in the most authentic collections like Sahih al-Bukhari or Sahih Muslim. Instead, it is found in secondary or less rigorously authenticated sources, such as Musnad Ahmad or other compilations of narrations. The hadith goes –
“The number of prophets sent by Allah is 124,000, and the number of messengers is 313.
However, this narration is generally classified as weak (da’if) by scholars of hadith due to issues in its chain of transmission. While it is frequently quoted to emphasize the vast number of prophets sent to humanity, it should be understood as a traditional estimate rather than an exact number.
References from the Quran
Let’s begin by reflecting on some verses from the Quran –
“Muhammad is not a father of any of your men, but he is a messenger of Allah and the last of the prophets. And Allah has the Knowledge of everything. [33:40]
“And mention in the Book (the story of) Moses. He was truly a chosen man, and was a messenger and a prophet. [19:51]
“So after he had left them and what they worshipped besides Allah, We granted him Isaac and Jacob, and made each of them a prophet. [19:49]
From these verses, you can observe that both Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Prophet Musa (Moses, PBUH) are described as both prophets and messengers of Allah. In contrast, Prophet Ishaq (Isaac) and Prophet Yaqub (Jacob) are mentioned in the Qur’an only as prophets, but not as messengers. This distinction leads to an important question: What sets a prophet apart from a messenger in Islam?
In Islam, prophets (Nabi) and messengers (Rasul) were chosen by Allah to guide humanity. They have shared missions but differ in their roles and responsibilities. Let’s explore their differences, characteristics, and examples.
Prophets (Nabi)
A prophet is someone who receives divine revelation from Allah to guide their people. However, they do not bring a new law, scripture, or set of commandments. Rather, they uphold and continue the teachings of a previous messenger or scripture.
Example of prophets:
- Prophet Harun (Aaron): He was a prophet sent to support his brother, Prophet Musa (Moses), and help him preach the Torah.
- Prophet Yusuf (Joseph): He guided people based on the teachings of earlier prophets and demonstrated unwavering faith in Allah.
Messengers (Rasul)
A messenger is a prophet who is given a new set of laws, commandments, or a divine scripture to guide their people. Messengers were sent when existing teachings were corrupted or forgotten.
Example of messengers:
- Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): He is the final prophet and messenger, sent with the Quran, which is the ultimate guide for all humanity.
- Prophet Musa (Moses): He was sent with the Torah and tasked with leading the Children of Israel out of oppression.
- Prophet Isa (Jesus): He was sent with the Injil (Gospel) to guide the people and rectify the corrupted teachings of earlier scriptures.
Both prophets and messengers share the mission of guiding people to worship Allah alone. They warn against disobedience and offer hope through repentance. Their efforts aim to establish justice, morality, and spiritual development among people.
Every messenger is a prophet, but not every prophet is a messenger. This distinction highlights the unique roles they play in fulfilling Allah’s divine plan for humanity’s guidance and spiritual growth.
Differences
| Prophets (Nabi) | Messengers (Rasul) |
| Do not bring new scriptures or laws. | Bring new divine revelations, scriptures, or laws (the Torah, the Qur’an). |
| They uphold and continue existing divine guidance. | They bring new messages, laws, and guidance. |
| Focus on reinforcing and reminding people within a believing community. | Sent to broader communities, often to those who have deviated or rejected previous guidance. |
| Not all prophets are messengers. | All messengers are prophets. |
| Typically have a localized mission specific to a region or community. | Often sent with a universal or broader message for multiple nations or a global audience (e.g., Prophet Muhammad). |
List of Prophets and Messengers in Islam
| Name | Messenger | Notes |
| Adam | Yes | The first human, created by Allah, tested with Iblis and forgiven after repentance. |
| Idris (Enoch) | No | A prophet known for his wisdom, taught sciences and was raised to the heavens alive. |
| Nuh (Noah) | Yes | Preached monotheism for 950 years, built an ark, and survived the great flood with believers. |
| Hud (Heber) | Yes | Warned the arrogant ‘Ad people to worship Allah; they were destroyed by a violent storm. |
| Salih | Yes | Sent to Thamud, showed the she-camel as a miracle, but they killed it and faced destruction. |
| Ibrahim (Abraham) | Yes | Challenged idol worship, survived Nimrod’s fire, built the Kaaba, and almost sacrificed Ismail for Allah. |
| Lut (Lot) | Yes | Warned Sodom of their sins; his wife betrayed him; the city was destroyed by fire. |
| Ismail (Ishmael) | Yes | Son of Ibrahim, abandoned in Makkah with Hajar, blessed with Zamzam water, accepted being sacrificed, and helped Ibrahim build the Kaaba. |
|
Ishaq (Isaac) |
No | Son of Ibrahim, promised child of Sarah, continued his father’s mission and fathered Yaqub (Jacob). |
| Yaqub (Jacob) | No | Fathered 12 sons, including Yusuf, lost eyesight grieving Yusuf, and was later reunited with him. |
| Yusuf (Joseph) | Yes | Sold into slavery, imprisoned falsely, interpreted Pharaoh’s dream, became Egypt’s minister, and forgave his brothers. |
| Shuayb (Jethro) | Yes | Warned Madyan against cheating in trade; they rejected him and were destroyed by an earthquake. |
| Ayyub (Job) | No | Lost health, wealth, and family, but remained grateful; Allah restored everything as a reward. |
| Dhulkifl (Ezekiel) | No | Known for piety, fairness in judgment, and fulfilling his promises; guided people to righteousness. |
| Musa (Moses) | Yes | Led Israelites out of Egypt, received the Torah, parted the Red Sea, and faced Pharaoh. |
| Harun (Aaron) | Yes | Supported Musa in preaching, guided Israelites during his absence, and condemned idol worship of the golden calf. |
| Dawud (David) | Yes | Defeated Goliath, became a king, received the Zabur (Psalms), and ruled with wisdom. |
| Sulayman (Solomon) | No | Ruled a vast kingdom, commanded jinn and animals, built Al-Aqsa Mosque, and judged with unparalleled wisdom. |
| Ilyas (Elias) | Yes | Opposed Baal worship, revived the dead as miracles, and faced rejection from a corrupt community. |
| Al-Yasa (Elisha) | No | Took over Ilyas’s mission, healed the sick, and guided people back to Allah after apostasy. |
| Yunus (Jonah) | Yes | Fled his mission, swallowed by a whale, repented, and returned to guide his people successfully. |
| Zakariya (Zachariah) | No | He cared for Maryam, prayed for a child despite age, and fathered Yahya by Allah’s miracle. |
| Yahya (John the Baptist) | No | Lived ascetically, warned of sins, affirmed Isa’s prophethood, and was martyred for opposing a tyrant. |
| Isa (Jesus) | Yes | Born miraculously to Maryam without a father, performed miracles, preached the Injil, and ascended alive by Allah’s will. |
| Muhammad | Yes | Final prophet, received the Qur’an in Hira, migrated to Medina, conquered Makkah, and united Arabia under Islam. |
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