Prophethood: Difference between revisions

'''Al-Nubuwwa''' (Arabic: {{ia|النُبُوَّة}}) or '''Prophethood''' is a divine selection of a person to whom divine teachings are [[wahy|revealed]] in order to lead people to the path of perfection and happiness. The main features of the prophets include the reception of [[wahy]] (revelation), the power to perform [[miracles]], and [['Isma|infallibility]].

The necessity of prophethood and the rise of prophets is emphasized in the [[Qur'an]], [[hadiths]] from the [[Infallibles (a)]], and [[Theology|theological]] texts. Reasons given for its necessity include giving an ultimatum to human beings, their essential need for revelations, and their need for a community. According to the Qur'an, all the prophets shared common goals, such as calling to [[monotheism]] and [[resurrection]], pursuit of justice, teaching and training people, purification of their souls, [[taqwa|piety]], and liberating people from their burdens and shackles.

The doctrine of prophethood counts as a [[principle of religion]], the belief in which is considered as a necessary condition of being a Muslim. In [[Islam]], the doctrine refers to the prophethood of the [[Prophet Muhammad (s)]] and other prophets referred to in the Qur'an or the Prophet Muhammad's (s) [[tradition]]. The prophethood began with [[Adam (a)]], and according to explicit [[verse]]s of the Qur'an, it ended with the Prophet Muhammad (s). This belief is shared by [[Shi'a]]s and [[Sunni]] Muslims. By an appeal to Quranic verses and [[hadith]]s from the [[Infallibles (a)]], the Shi'as believe that after the end of prophethood, [[God]] has selected the [[Imams (a)]] to protect and explain the [[religion]].

According to the Qur'an, prophethood is a divine selection of certain people to whom divine teachings are revealed in order to guide people to the path of perfection and happiness. The belief in prophethood is an essential element of Islam as well as other divine religions. The word, "nubuwwa" and its cognates in Arabic have been used to mean different things, such as giving news, heights, going out of a place, a clear path, and a secret voice.

According to the majority of scholars, there are differences between a "Nabi" (prophet) and "Rasul" (Divine messenger): while every "Rasul" is also a "Nabi", not all "Nabis" are "Rasuls". A "Rasul" receives revelations in both waking and sleeping times, but a "Nabi" only receives them while dreaming. Moreover, a revelation to a "Rasul" is more transcendent than the one to a "Nabi", since a revelation to a "Rasul" is delivered by [[Jabra'il]], while a revelation to a "Nabi" is delivered by other angels or by an [[inspiration]] to the heart or through a true dream. However, some people take "Rasul" and "Nabi" to be synonymous.

The Qur'an has emphasized the necessity of prophethood due to the human needs, including their need for justice, purification, and learning. This is explained by the fact that human beings cannot realize justice in their communities on their own and without guidance by prophets, since the realization of justice in all aspects of life requires the clarification of its various instances by the prophets. Moreover, it requires that a justice-based law guarantees the rights of all people in all aspects. It also requires a just, fair enforcer who is not under the influence of his psychological desires and personal needs. Since all these conditions require prophethood, they are considered as reasons for its necessity. Prophethood is also considered as a preliminary for other human needs, such as education and training.

The necessity of prophethood has been expressed in hadiths in different ways. In reply to a question, [[Imam al-Sadiq (a)]] referred to the impossibility of a direct relation between God and people and considered the prophets to be messengers who should be among people to let them know about divine commands and prohibitions. In another hadith, [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] considered the reasons for prophethood to include the confirmation of the human intellect, revival of [[fitra]] (human initial nature), prevention of ignorance, as well as reminding divine blessings.

In Islamic mysticism, philosophy, and [[kalam]]: in the Islamic philosophy, the necessity of prophethood has been explained in mundane, this-worldly terms. They take prophethood to be necessary because human beings are social and civil creatures, and a social life requires prophets. In Islamic theology or kalam, the necessity of prophethood is explained, ''inter alia'', by the [[Principle of Kindness]] (Qa'ida al-Lutf). According to this principle, since God is required to help His servants to obey Him and to avoid sins, He is required to send prophets. In Islamic mysticism, the necessity of prophethood is explained in terms of a heavenly outlook according to which the existence of a [[Perfect Man]] (al-Insan al-Kamil) is necessary, and thus, prophethood is necessary. In other words, Muslims mystics take the prophet to be a complete manifestation of the [[Greatest Name]] (al-Ism al-A'zam) of God, and thus, maintain that the presence of such a person is necessary.

According to Quranic verses, all prophets shared some goals, including the call for [[monotheism]] and [[resurrection]], establishing justice, education and training, purification and piety, as well as liberating people from their burdens and shackles.

The call to monotheism is taken to be the most important goal of prophets. According to the [[Qur'an]], all prophets called people to believe in monotheism and avoid polytheism and idolatry.

According to the Qur'an, the call to resurrection was also a goal of prophets. They warned people about a life after death in which all human actions will be examined, and so, everyone has to be careful about what they do in order to avoid being tortured in the [[Afterlife]].

The Qur'an takes justice to be another goal of prophets. They fought social corruptions and tried to establish justice in their communities. The prophet [[Saleh]]'s fight with extravagance and wastefulness, [[Lot]]'s fight with sexual deviations, and [[Shoaib]]'s fight with fraudulent transactions and economical corruptions are instances of attempts made by prophets to establish social justice, as mentioned in the Qur'an.

Purification of the soul and piety are also goals of prophets which, according to the Qur'an, play a significant role in the salvation of the human being. Purification is mentioned as a goal of prophets in at least three Quranic verses. [[Taqwa|Piety]] is also mentioned in various Quranic verses as a goal of prophets. In [[Sura al-Shu'ara']] and [[Sura al-Saffat]], there are verses with the same composition implying that prophets such as [[Noah]], [[Hud]], Saleh, Lot, Shoaib, and [[Elijah]] have recommended their people to observe piety.

Prophets have certain characteristics, such as the direct or indirect reception of [[Wahy]] (revelation), performing [[miracles]] to prove their prophethood, as well as [['Isma]] (infallibility).

"Wahy" (or revelation)—the conveyance of God's words to prophets—is, according to the Qur'an, a common characteristic of all prophets, including Noah, [[Ibrahim (a)]], [[Isma'il (a)]], [[Jesus]], and [[Muhammad (s)]]. God conveys religious doctrines and orders to guide people to prophets through [[Jabra'il]] or without any mediation.

Miracle refers to an extraordinary act performed by prophets to prove their prophethood—such acts are the ones that cannot be done by ordinary people. Various verses of the [[Qur'an]] refer to miracles by prophets. The majority of Muslim and [[Shiite]] theologians believe that miracles are directly performed by God. On the contrary, the majority of Muslim philosophers maintain that prophets can perform miracles because of the extraordinary power of their souls.

According to Shiite theologians, infallibility is a grace bestowed by God, and according to philosophers, it is an internal power within the prophets which helps them avoid sins or disobedience of God, although they have the power to do so.

Some Shiite [[muhaddiths]], such as [[al-Shaykh al-Saduq]], believe that prophets become infallible from the beginning of their prophethood. According to al-Saduq, the prophet might make inadvertent mistakes ("Sahw"). However, [[al-Shaykh al-Mufid]], a prominent student of al-Shaykh al-Saduq, criticized his teacher's view, considering the theory of inadvertent mistakes to fail to acknowledge the place of prophets. Al-Shaykh al-Mufid takes the infallibility of [[the Prophet Muhammad (s)]] to be superior and more wide-ranging than that of other prophets.

The first prophet was [[Adam (a)]] who was created, together with his wife, [[Eve]], in Eden, and was ousted from there because of eating the "Forbidden Fruit". And the last prophet was Muhammad (a) who was born in 570 in [[Mecca]].

5 prophets are considered as [[Ulu l-'Azm]], that is, they brought a new religion with new rulings. Other prophets propagated the religion of their Ulu al-'Azm predecessors. Prophets have different degrees. The Qur'an has only mentioned 26 prophets.

 

In most of the hadiths, the number of prophets is said to be 124000, 313 of which are "Rasul". According to other hadiths, there were 8000 prophets. According to [[al-'Allama al-Majlisi]], these 8000 people were prominent prophets.