398. Nabi and Rasool are one and the same

We are using the words Nabi and Rasool to mean the same.

Let us try to understand whether these words mean the same or if there is a difference in their meanings.

The origin of the word Nabi is Nab-a meaning the announcer (ie.,) the one who brings and announces messages from God. This is how the messengers of Gao came to be known as Nabis.

The meaning of the word Rasool means a person who delivers the message from others and not of his own. Since Rasool receives messages from God is also known as a messenger.

Since all the Nabis, received messages from Almighty are also known as Rasools.

Since all the Rasools, delivered all the messages from God to people without fail they are also known as Nabis. 

The one who happens to be a Rasool (i.e.) the one who receives messages from God, is also a Nabi, and he should reach the messages to the people, these two tasks are intertwined with each other. There is no difference between the two. . 

But certain people differentiate between the two, by saying Nabi is one who has not revealed a scripture, and that Rasool is the one who has been endowed with one.

They cite the following verses 2:129, 2:151, 2:252, 3:164, 3:184, 4:136, 5:15, 5:67, 5:83, 6:130, 7:35, 9:97, 35:25, 39:71, 57:25, 62:2, of the Quran that say the Rasools were endowed with scriptures, to substantiate their argument,

But, since the verses 2:136, 2:213, 3:79, 3:81, 3:84, 5:81, 19:30, 37:112-117, 29:27, 45:16, 57:26 of the Quran say the Nabis were also revealed scriptures, their arguments fall through.

Some argue that Rasools would be given exclusive scriptures, while a nabi would elaborate on the scripture given previously to the one before him.

They cite verses 9:33, 10:47, 17:15, 48:28, 61:9 of the Quran that say Rasools are revealed exclusive scriptures to substantiate their claim. This is wrong on their part.

Because verses 19:49, and 66:8 say the Nabi was also revealed as an exclusive scripture. And moreover the verses 7:157, 7:158, 9:61, 19:51, 19:54, 43:6 of the Quran reveal that the Rasool and Nabi are one and the same.

There is just one verse (22:52) in the Quran that more or less conveys the message Rasool and Nabi are different from each other. But even this one verse of the Quran does not fit into the argument put forth by these people. 

There is a phrase in this (22:52) verse of the Quran as ‘the messengers or the prophets whomever we sent are not the same’. These people cite this verse to substantiate their claim that Rasool and Nabi are not the same. If we accept this argument of theirs to believe that Rasool and Nabi are different from each other, then we will be pushed to a corner where we have to reject numerous verses that deny a difference between the two.

In conversations held between humans there is a convention of using two different words at a time to arrive at a single meaning, especially when conveying directly opposite ideas this finds more prominence. This trend is seen in all the languages including Arabic.

For example we make use of phrases like ‘I do not have any friends nor any partners’. And I do not have any relations nor any bondage etc. To convey the pressure on the meaning of the word that is being used.

If the words Nabi And Rasool are seen in the same perspective they are in consonance with the other verses that reveal the meaning Rasool and Nabi are the same.