Intro
MGA used the word Rasul and Nabi for himself over 100 times from 1880 to 1901. In the fall of 1891 and via Al-Haq Mubahathah Dehli (published in 1905) he quoted 3:81 of the Quran (3:82 in the Qadiani Quran) and argued that all prophets had made a promise to follow Muhammad (saw) and be his ummati’s. In a recent livestream, Bro Imtiaz explained in full detail how MGA was twisting this verse to include himself. In the same year, via Izala Auham, MGA argued that Eisa (As) could never be an Ummati of Muhammad (Saw)(naozobillah), since Eisa (as) is a Rasul and a Rasul can never be an Ummati. The same argument was made again in Barahin-i-Ahmadiyya V-5 (published in Oct-1908).
In 1890-91, in Izala Auham (see the refs in the below), MGA argued over and over again that a prophet could never be a follower of another prophet. MGA and his team of writers quoted the Quran, 4:64 (4:65 in the Ahmadi Quran) as evidence. In fact, in the same book, MGA claims that his God called him an Ummati and Nabi in the Barahin i Ahmadiyya (about 7-10 years earlier), however, he didn’t give the exact reference. In the same year (1891 in Delhi, see the announcement here), MGA published an announcement to the effect that anyone who claims to be a prophet is a Kafir, obviously, MGA only meant a prophet like all the prophets mentioned in the Quran (independent-prophets). However, 10 years later, after the publishing of ‘Eik Ghalti Ka Izala”, Nov. 1901, MGA and his team totally abandoned this view. They claim that MGA discovered that an Ummati can become a Prophet (see Haqiqatun Nubuwwat by Mirza Mahmud Ahmad and Qaul al Fasl {1915}, see also Qazi Muhammad Nazeer, 1966, “Truth Prevails”), he also claimed to be greater and better than Esa (as) in this exact time frame.
Also in 1891, MGA argued via 3:81 of the Quran (3:82 in the Qadiani Quran) that prophets and Rasul’s don’t follow other prophets.
In 1901, via “Correction of an Error”, MGA finally argued that Nabi=Rasul. Check out my essay on Ibn Taymiyyah on the differences between a Nabi (Prophet) and Rasul (Messengers).
In the Quran, 25 prophets are mentioned, however, only 12 of them are called Rasul (Messenger). 46:35 of the Quran tells us about the Ulu l-‘Azm, it is widely held that the term refers to the five Rasul’s who were fully rejected by their people and made to have strong determination, they are Prophet Noah (as), Ibrahim (as), Musa (as), Jesus (as), and Muhammad (saw). In 1902, MGA claimed to be greater than Esa (as), he also claimed to be the second coming of all of these messengers.
The 12 Rasul’s that are mentioned in the Quran are as follows: Noah (as), Ibrahim (as), Ishmael (as)(see 19:54), Joseph (40:34), Moses (as)(See 19:51), Jonah (as) (see 37:139), David (as)(See 2:251-253), Shu‘aib (as)(see 26:176-179), Salih (as)(see 7:77), Elias (as)(see 37:123), Hud (as)(see 26:123-126), Jesus (as)(See 2:87, 5:111, 61:6, 4:157, 57:27, 2:254) and Muhammad (saw)(called a messenger countless times). Simply, every messenger is a prophet [Nabi], but not every Prophet is a Rasool [Messenger]. All Rasools were Nabi but all Nabis were not Rasool’s. Adam (as) was never called a Rasul by Allah, since Adam (as) wasn’t sent to any people, nor was he opposed and almost killed. There are authentic hadith report that there were roughly 300 Rasul’s and 124,000 prophets. Thus, Rasul and Nabi cannot be the same or interchangeable, since in 3-4 verse of the Quran, some are called, “messengers and prophets”, thus, if they meant the same thing, it would be improper grammar (See 19:54, Ishmael [as]). 33:40 of the Quran also proves that Messengers are different than prophets, since Allah calls Muhammad (Saw) a messenger and the ender (sealer) of prophets, thus, ending the chain of messengers and prophets. 22:52 also differentiates between Messengers and Prophets, if they really meant the same, again, the Quranic grammar would be in question.
In the Quran, Chapter 72:26-28, Allah clearly says that he doesn’t reveal the secrets of the unseen to anyone, only a messenger of his. Allah did not include Nabi’s into this statement, thus, only Rasul’s (Messengers) get knowledge of the unseen, whereas Prophets (Nabi’s) do not. This is the closest that the Quran comes to talking about law-bearing vs. non-law-bearing prophets. However, Ahmadi’s don’t believe this. Ahmadi’s believe that Rasul=Nabi and vice versa. Why do they believe this? Since MGA said so in “Correction of an Error” [1901]. MGA doesn’t seem to have said this before 1901, or after. Remember, in the Barahin-i-Ahmadiyya, MGA was calling himself a Rasul, however, he wasn’t being fully clear in terms of his beliefs on this specific topic until 20 years later. Yasir Qadhi tells us that there were a minority group of scholars who did in-fact write that Rasul=Nabi, however, he didn’t give the reference.
Prophets are accepted, whereas Messengers are initially wholly rejected and their people are given harsh punishment by Allah. Messengers are treated as liars (see 15:80 and see 23:44), messengers are called crazy and madmen (see 54:9), messengers are mocked (See 13:32), those who abuse the messengers will feel a terrible chastisement (see 9:61). A Messenger is also called “a bearer of glad tidings and a warner has indeed come to you (see 5:19)”. In 40:78, Allah tells us that he hasn’t revealed all of the messengers that he sent to us. In 17:15, Allah says that he never punishes a people before he sends a messenger.
Continue reading “Nabi vs. Rasul in Ahmadiyya Kufree theory” →
