Risalah
Literal Meaning:
The literal meaning of Risalah is to convey message and the conveyer of message is called Rasul.
Explanatory meaning:
In Islamic term, that person is called 'Rasul' who is sent by Allah to mankind. for preaching of His commandments and he should also be holder of the book.
Meaning of word 'Nabi':..
The literal meaning of word "Nabi' is the informer. As nabi informs people of Allah's commandments and sayings, therefore, he is known as nabi.
Difference between 'nabi' and 'Rasul':
A Rsaul is given new book or shariah but a nabi preaches about shariah or book of previous rasul. Every rasul is nabi but every nabi is not rasul.
Broad meanings of Risalat:
Anbiya and Rasul are the most truthful and righteous people of their societies. And Allah sends his commandments to them through 'wahee'.
Literal meaning of 'wahee':
The literal meanings of wahee' are to inculcate or put something secretly in the heart and to give signals'.
i. Explanatory meanings of wahee:
In Islam wahee means Allah's message which he revealed through any angel to His Rasul or put directly into his heart or made him listen that from behind a curtain. It is said by Allah
ورای حجاب اورسيلَ رَسُولًا فَيُوحَى بِإِذْنِهِ مَا يَشَاءُ (الشورى: 51) وما كان لبشر أن يُكَلِمَهُ اللهُ إِلَّا وَحْيا أَوْ مِنْ وَرَاى حِجَابٍ
Translation: And it is not for any human being that Allah should speak to him except by revelation or from behind a partition or that He send a messenger. to reveal by His permission, what He wills.
ii. Rasuls were sent to every nation:
Allah has sent to every nation a nabi or rasul.
Allah says in Quran:
ولقد بَعَثْنَا في كُل أُمَّةٍ رَسُولا) انحل: 36)
Translation: "And we certainly send into every nation a messenger"..
iii. Total number of Prophets
According to some traditions, the total number of Prophets is almost one hundred and twenty four thousands. However, some Prophets have been mentioned in Quran, whose number is twenty six. Names of all have not been mentioned.
Allah says in Quran:
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلًا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ قَصَصْنَا عَلَيْكَ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ لَمْ نَقْصُصْ عَلَيْكَ (المومن (78)
:
Translation: And we have already sent messengers before you. Among them are those (whose stories) we have related to you and among them are those (whose stories) we have not related to you"
iv. The Last Rasul:
In chain of Prophets, the last individual is Hazrat Muhammad, who is the seal of Prophets, now, the mankind till the day of judgment is required to follow him However, it is mandatory on every Muslim to believe in prophet hood of all prophets It is not allowed to differentiate among them.
Allah says:
لا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِة ( البقره : 285 )
Translation: "We make no distinction between any of His messengers".
It is must to believe that all prophets were truthful and pious and all prophets must be respected. It is not allowed at all to believe in some prophets and disbelieve in some prophets. It is known as kufr. (Disbelief)
It is said by Allah:
ان الَّذِينَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِاللهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَ اللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيَقُولُونَ نُؤْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍ وَنَكْفُرُ بِبَعْضٍ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَّخِذُوا بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلًا أُولَبِكَ هُمُ
الكفرُونَ حقا.
(سورة النساء 150-151)
Translation: Indeed, who disbelieve in Allah and its messengers and wish to discriminate between Allah and messengers and say, "We believe in some and disbelieve in other", and wish to adopt a way in between those are the disbelievers, truly."
v. Need of Rasul:
Allah has sent Rasul for hidayat ( guidance) of people from among them. As, human beings could be prophets for the guidance of mankind. This wisdom is revealed as."
Allah Says:
وَانْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِكرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ (احل: 44)
Translation: And we revealed to you the message that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them.
The Prophet Muhammad had to present himself according to Quranic principles. It was not only conveying message but to direct rightly mankind was also his responsibility. The message of Allah could be sent through angels even; however conveying message merely couldn't fulfil the purpose. It was essential for the completion of this great cause that an individual among mankind would convey this message, who despite of being a perfect person should be a human being too. He would have faced hardships and necessities as common individual of his Ummah faces them. Moreover, he should present a society as an example whose collective system should show the interpretation of Allah's message.
