The Evidence
Section 6:
Terms nabi and rasul for
non-prophets
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Translator’s Note:
The words nabi (‘prophet’) and
rasul (‘messenger’ or ‘apostle’) are
well-known to every Muslim. These terms are generally understood
in the technical sense assigned to them by Islamic theology and
Shari‘ah. But in Islamic literature these terms have also been
used in a broad, literal (i.e. original linguistic) sense, or in
a non-technical metaphorical sense, to refer to those who are not
prophets. In this Section it is first shown that Hazrat Mirza Ghulam
Ahmad has clearly distinguished between the technical
and linguistic meanings of nabi and rasul,
and also between the real and
metaphorical use of these words. In the proper, technically-defined
sense of these words, no prophet can come after the Holy Prophet
Muhammad. In the literal root sense, or as a metaphor, these terms
can be used for any saint, and it is only in this sense that
Hazrat Mirza applied them to himself, as we show in this Section.
The Section then turns to the concept of muhaddas,
and gives extracts from the writings of Hazrat Mirza to show that
such a saint can be called nabi and rasul
in the broad, non-real senses noted above. Views of other
religious scholars are also cited to support the same conclusion.
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6.1: Distinction between literal and
technical meanings
a. Rasul
As regards the literal (root or dictionary) meaning of the word rasul,
Hazrat Mirza explained:
- “A person who is sent is called rasul in Arabic.”
(Arba‘in, No. 2, footnote, p. 18)
- “Risalat in Arabic lexicology means to be sent.”
(Letter dated 17 August 1899; published in Al-Hakam, vol. iii,
no. 29, August 1899)
- “Rasul means a Divine elect who is sent.” (Siraj
Munir, p. 40)
As regards the technical meaning of rasul, Hazrat Mirza wrote:
- “According to the explanation of the Holy Quran, rasul
is he who receives the commands and beliefs of the religion through
the angel Gabriel.” (Izala Auham, p. 534)
- “It is part of the concept and essence of rasul that
he receive religious knowledge through angel Gabriel.” (ibid.,
p. 614)
b. nabi
Hazrat Mirza gave the root meaning of nabi as follows:
- “Nubuwwat means ‘to make prophecies’.”
(Ruhani Khaza’in, No. 2, vol. i, p. 140)
- “He who discloses news of the unseen received from God is
called nabi in Arabic.” (Arba‘in, No. 2, footnote,
p. 18)
- “Nabi here has only been used to mean ‘one who
makes prophecies through knowledge received from God’, or ‘one
who explains hidden matters’.” (Letter dated 17 August 1899;
published in Al-Hakam, vol. iii, no. 29, August 1899)
Regarding the technical meaning, he wrote as follows:
- “In the terminology of Islam, nabi and rasul
mean persons who bring an entirely new law, or abrogate some aspects
of the previous law, or are not included among the followers of the
previous prophet, having a direct connection with God without benefit
from any prophet.” (ibid.)
- “If a person makes a claim to nubuwwat, it is necessary
in that claim that ... he form a religious nation (ummah) which
considers him to be a nabi and regards his book as the book
of God.” (Ainah Kamalat Islam, p. 344)
The above are the literal and technical meanings of the words nabi
and rasul as given by Hazrat Mirza, upon which are agreed the Muslim
religious authorities. All prophets of the past times fulfil the technical
meanings, while Hazrat Mirza applied to himself the literal meanings,
and throughout his life denied applying to himself the technical
meanings.
c. Denial of technical sense and affirmation of root sense
Having defined the meanings given above, Hazrat Mirza denied claiming
to be a nabi or rasul in the technical sense of these
terms, but affirmed that these terms applied to him in the root or
literal sense. He wrote:
- “This humble one has never, at any time, made a claim
of nubuwwat or risalat [prophethood or messengership]
in the real sense. To use a word in a non-real sense, and to employ
it in speech according to its broad, root meaning, does not imply
heresy (kufr).” (Anjam Atham, footnote, p. 27)
- “These words [i.e. nabi, rasul] do not bear their real
meaning, but have been used according to their literal meaning in
a straight-forward manner.” (Majmu‘a Ishtiharat,
vol. i, p. 313)
- “It is obvious that he who is sent by God is His envoy, and
an envoy is called rasul in Arabic. And he who discloses news
of the unseen received from God is called nabi in Arabic. The
meanings in Islamic terminology are different. At this place, only
the literal meaning is intended.” (Arba‘in, No. 2,
footnote, p. 18)
6.2: Metaphorical and proper (real)
use
Just as Hazrat Mirza has made it clear that the words nabi and
rasul have been used about him not in their technical sense,
but in terms of their root or literal meanings, similarly he has distinguished
between the real and metaphorical use of these words. He has discussed
at length the terms haqiqat (‘real’) and majaz
(‘metaphorical’) which are concepts in the art of diction and
language.
If a term is used in the same sense, and with the same meaning, as
that for which it was devised or defined, it is haqiqat or reality.
Its use in some other sense is majaz or metaphorical. For example,
the word lion is defined to apply to a certain animal. If this
term is used for such an animal, this use is haqiqat or in the
real sense, meaning that it is an actual lion. If, however, the term
lion is used of a brave man, it is majaz or in the metaphorical
sense, meaning that metaphorically he is a lion. Other examples are
words such as moon and angel, which are used in their
real sense, but are also applied metaphorically to human beings to denote
beauty or piety.
From these examples, the issue in question is very easy to understand.
The terms nabi and rasul have been defined to denote the
real prophets and messengers of God. If they are used for such a person,
it is haqiqat or by way of reality, meaning that he is actually
a prophet. If, however, nabi and rasul are applied to
a non-prophet, i.e., to a saint, it is majaz or metaphorical,
meaning that he is a metaphorical prophet, i.e. a saint. Similarly,
if the Divine revelation to a prophet (known as wahy nubuwwat)
addresses him as nabi or rasul, it means that he is actually
a prophet. But if God bestows these titles upon some saint in his revelation
(known as wahy wilayat), it means that he is metaphorically a
prophet, i.e., a saint.
Regarding this, Hazrat Mirza wrote:
- “It is true that, in the revelation which God has sent
upon this servant, the words nabi, rasul and mursal
[a variant of rasul] occur about myself quite frequently. However,
they do not bear their real sense. ... according to the real meaning
of nubuwwat [prophethood], after the Holy Prophet Muhammad
no new or former prophet can come. The Holy Quran forbids the appearance
of any such prophets. But in a metaphorical sense God can call any
recipient of revelation as nabi or mursal. ... I say
it repeatedly that these words rasul and mursal and
nabi undoubtedly occur about me in my revelation from God,
but they do not bear their real meanings. ... This is the knowledge
that God has given me. Let him understand who will. This very thing
has been disclosed to me that the doors of real prophethood are fully
closed after the Last of the Prophets, the Holy Prophet Muhammad.
According to the real meaning, no new prophet or ancient prophet can
now come.”
(Siraj Munir, p. 3)
- “By virtue of being appointed by God, I cannot conceal those
revelations I have received from Him in which the words nubuwwat
and risalat occur quite frequently. But I say repeatedly that,
in these revelations, the word mursal or rasul or nabi
which has occurred about me does not carry its real meaning.”
(Anjam Atham, p. 27, footnote)
- “Sometimes the revelation from God contains such words [nabi,
rasul] about some of His saints in a metaphorical and figurative
sense; they are not meant by way of reality. This is the whole issue
which the foolish and prejudiced people have dragged in a different
direction. The epithet ‘nabi of God’ for the Promised
Messiah, which is found in the Sahih Muslim etc. from the blessed
tongue of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, is in the same metaphorical sense
as that in which it is used in Sufi literature as an accepted and
common term for [the recipient of] Divine communication. Otherwise,
how can there be a prophet after the Last of the Prophets?”
(ibid., p. 28, footnote)
Saints in the Muslim world prior to Hazrat Mirza were also given the titles
nabi and rasul in their Divine revelations in a metaphorical
sense, but no one took this as a claim on their part to be prophets. In
precisely the same metaphorical way do these words occur in Hazrat Mirza’s
revelations and writings. So he too is in the category of saints (wali),
and cannot be considered as including himself in the category of
prophets. He wrote:
“At this point, most of the ordinary people stumble and slip,
and thousands of saints and holy men and prophets are mistakenly raised
by them to the Divine pedestal. The fact is that when spiritual and
heavenly terms reach the public, they cannot get to the bottom of
them. Ultimately, they distort them somewhat and take metaphor to
be reality, thus becoming involved in serious error and misguidance.”
(Government Angrezi aur Jihad, p. 26)
6.3: Use of nabi and rasul
for saints
It has been shown above that there is a distinction between the technical
definition of the terms nabi and rasul, and the use of these
words in accordance with their root meanings or as a metaphor. In a non-technical
sense these words are applicable to saints (wali or muhaddas).
I. HAZRAT MIRZA’S VIEWS
- “Remember that in the word of God, the term rusul
[pl. of rasul] is used for the singular and also for non-prophets.”
(Shahadat al-Quran, pp. 20 – 21)
- “The word rasul is a general term and includes the
messenger, the prophet (nabi) and the saint (muhaddas).”
(Ainah Kamalat Islam, p. 322)
- “By rasul are meant those persons who are sent by God,
whether nabi, or rasul, or muhaddas or mujaddid.”
(Ayyam as-Sulh, footnote, p. 171)
- “If the rank of muhaddas is called a metaphorical prophethood
or displaying an aspect of prophethood, does this imply a claim to
prophethood?” (Izala Auham, p. 422)
- “In a metaphorical sense, God can call any recipient of revelation
as nabi or mursal.” (Siraj Munir, p. 3)
- “Sometimes the revelation from God contains such words [nabi,
rasul] about some of His saints in a metaphorical sense.”
(Anjam Atham, footnote, p. 28)
- “It is true that I have said that elements of prophethood
are found in tahdees [station of muhaddas], but this
is the case potentially, not actually. So the muhaddas is potentially
a prophet, and if the door of prophethood were not closed, he would
be actually a prophet.” (Hamamat al-Bushra, p. 81; new
edition p. 290)
- “God speaks to muhaddases just as He speaks to prophets
(nabi), and He sends muhaddases just as He sends messengers
(rasul). The muhaddas drinks from the same fountain,
from which the prophet drinks. So there is no doubt that he [the muhaddas]
would be a prophet if the door of prophethood had not been closed.”
(ibid., p. 82; new edition pp. 291 – 292)
- “In terms of being sent by God (mursal), the prophet
(nabi) and the saint (muhaddas) are on a par. And just
as God has named prophets as mursal [‘sent ones’],
so has He also named the saints as mursal.” (Shahadat
al-Quran, p. 27)
- “By rusul [pl. of rasul] are meant those who
are sent, whether a messenger or prophet or muhaddas. As our
Leader and Messenger [Holy Prophet Muhammad] is the Last of the Prophets
(Khatam al-anbiya), and no prophet can come after him, for
this reason muhaddases have been substituted for prophets in
this Shari‘ah.” (ibid., pp. 23 – 24)
Hazrat Mirza has, it will be seen, given much explanation of the words
nabi and rasul, to the effect that the word rasul
is a broad term and is used for saints just as it is used for prophets,
and the word nabi is used non-technically for saints just as it
is used in its technical sense for prophets. If a person uses these words
about himself, his own explanation should be sought from his writings
to see if he has used them for actual prophethood or used them metaphorically
to mean muhaddas.
It should be remembered that at no time did Hazrat Mirza claim real
prophethood; on the contrary, he always used these words about himself
in the root sense or as metaphors. And besides, he has made so abundantly
clear the root vis-a-vis the technical meanings of these words,
and their real vis-a-vis metaphorical use, that no person should
stumble by these terms and erroneously believe him to be claiming to
be a prophet.
II. EARLIER AUTHORITIES ON USE OF NABI AND RASUL
Recognised Muslim theologians and saints have expressed the following
views on the use of nabi and rasul in a broader sense:
1. Shah Wali-ullah of Delhi (d. 1763 C.E.) writes:
“Remember that the Saying of the Holy Prophet which mentions
a large number of prophets includes muhaddases in its count.”
(Al-Khair al-Kaseer, Urdu translation, p. 246)
The Saying referred to is the well-known one which mentions the number
of prophets (nabi) that ever appeared as 124,000. Shah Wali-ullah
says that the Holy Prophet has used the word nabi here to include
those who were merely muhaddas.
2. Maulana Sana-ullah of Panipat, a classical commentator of
the Quran, writes in his commentary:
“Rasul has a broad significance, applying both to men
and angels. ... Some scholars say that, as a general metaphor, the
word rasul is applied to saints as well.”
(Tafsir Mazhari, published by H. M. Saeed Company, Karachi,
vol. 12, p. 139-140)
3. Sayyid Muhammad Ismail Shaheed (d. 1831 C.E.) wrote:
“Muhaddases too are called rasul.”
(Abqaat, Urdu translation by Manazir Ahsan Gilani, published
in A.P., India, p. 402)
4. Maulana Mufti Kifayat-ullah, a theologian of this century
who was head of the Jami‘at al-‘Ulama, India, defined
a muhaddas as follows:
“A muhaddas is he who receives the word of God by special
revelation. Some scholars consider such a one to be a prophet of a
low rank, and others consider him to be a saint of a high order.”
(Majalis al-Abrar, by Shaikh Ahmad Rumi, translated by Maulana
Mufti Kifayat-ullah, footnote by the translator, p. 48 of the edition
published by Darul Ishaat, Karachi, August 1978.)
5. Allama Khalid Mahmud, a present-day theologian, has commented
as follows on the writings of Maulana Jalal-ud-Din Rumi:
“In this respect, the Maulana refers to every spiritual leader
who follows the Sunna as metaphorically a prophet.”
(‘Aqidat al-Umma fi ma‘ni khatam an-nubuwwat, published
by Idara Hifz-i Muarif-i Islamia, Lahore, 3rd ed., 1965, p. 112)
6. Mulla Ali Qari wrote in his famous classical work:
“To be a metaphorical prophet does not constitute kufr
nor an innovation.”
(Sharh Shifa, vol. ii, p. 518)
6.4: Summary
On the basis of the extracts from the writings of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam
Ahmad given in Sections 5 and 6, the following conclusions are clear:
- Hazrat Mirza denied claiming to receive wahy nubuwwat,
and affirmed that he received wahy wilayat.
- Hazrat Mirza denied claiming to be a prophet in the
technical sense, and affirmed that this term applied
to him in the root sense.
- He affirmed that he was a muhaddas in the technical
sense, and denied the application of this word to him in a
root sense.
- The root (literal) meaning of nabi in the Arabic
language is the same as the technical meaning of muhaddas
in Islamic theology.
- The person termed muhaddas in Islamic theology and Hadith
is called a metaphorical prophet in the spiritual side of
Islam (Tasawwuf).
- Hazrat Mirza denied claiming to be an actual and real prophet,
and affirmed that this word applied to him in a metaphorical
sense.
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