What is the difference between NABI and RASUL?

Question

In English, we use the name prophet, but in Quran two different names are used for prophets: rasul and nabi.

What is the difference between rasul and nabi?

Answer 1

A loose definition in English is that a Nabi (pl. Anbiya) is a Prophet, and a Rasul (pl. Rusul) is a Messenger. Linguistically, a Nabi is someone who has been given revelation or news (of an important nature, immediately concerning themselves or their communities). A Rasul, linguistically, is someone given a message to deliver.

There are two main classical opinions (of course) about whether there is a difference between the two terms or not.

The first opinion is that the two terms are interchangeable - that every Nabi is a Rasul and every Rasul is a Nabi. The second is that there is a difference.

The evidence for the first opinion are the various ayaat in the Qur'an that talk about Rusul only, e.g. 2:285. The evidence for the second opinion are mainly two:

1. The hadith of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari: The Prophet (saws) was asked about the number of Anbiya and Rusul. He (saws) replied that there were 124,000 Prophets among whom 315 were Messengers. This hadith is collected in Musnad Ahmad and the collections of at-Tabarani, and ibn Hibban.
2. Allah SWT Himself mentioned Rusul and Anbiya separately in 22:52 - and a principle of Arabic grammar is that when two similar things are mentioned together with a waw then attention is being drawn to the difference between the two.

However there is a strong rebuttal to the second opinion as well:

1. Hadith Abu Dharr is munkar - is has one chain with a weak narrator, and the other 3 chains omit the "315 where Messengers" phrase.
2. Re. 22:52, the answer is that the two words describe the same quality of the same person, like saying something is both tall and long.
3. Finally, how do you define a "new message"? There is no clear definition. 'Isa (as) is called a Rasul in the Qur'an, but his message was largely the same as Musa (as)'s message. Allah SWT referred to Yusuf (as) as a Messenger, but he didn't come with any new message.

And the other points of evidence are rebutted similarly.

In the end it's all about how you define things. And the tl;dr version of this answer is that there is no clear well-defined difference between the two terms.

And Allah knows better :)

Answer 2

Asalamu wa alaikum,

It is said that a Nabi is the one whom Allah send the revelation to, like the Quran and the other Books. A Rasul is one who was not sent a Book, or revelation, but was sent to remind the people and bring them back to what The Book says. In my opinion Nabi and Rasul have the same missions but the words have different meanings as mmost people say, and that is why you ask.

Answer 3

Rusul OR Mursil has the same meanings as courier. Courier of some scripture or religious text.

It is believed that they come with some scriptures. Rusul is specific term as compared to Nabi. Every Rusul is Nabi as well.

It is believed that there are many Rusul but only five Rusul are quoted in Quran.

1. Muhammad
2. Ibrahim (Abraham came with scrolls/Suhuf)
3. Musa (Moses)
4. Dawood (David)
5. Eesa (Jesus)

And Nabi (Prophet), on the other hand, is a chosen person by God to bring reforms to some society, culture or region either on the bases of his own carrying scripture being as Rusul or on the bases of his preceded Rusul.

Answer 4

All the prophets (messengers of Allah) were called Nabi. But those who came with books were called Rasool. These books were given to establish a new Shariat (codes of law) by Allah. Nabi was also the messenger of Allah, but he was not given any new Shariat and followed the shariat of earlier Rasul. The Rasul is higher in rank than a Nabi. A Prophet is always a Nabi by birth, but a prophet become Rasul when he officially receives the post and declares it.

Out of 25 Prophets mentioned in the Holy Quran, among about 124000 Nabis, Six were Rasul, and are called Ulu l-azm prophets, meaning those who possess a quality of determination and firmness.
The sex Rasuls and Ulul-azm Prophets are:
1 - Hazrat Nooh (Allehessalam)
2 - Hazrat Ibrahim (Allehessalam)
3 - Hazrat Dawud (Allehessalam)
4 - Hazrat Musa (Allehessalam)
5 - Hazrat Isa (Allehessalam)
6 - Hazrat Muhammad (Sallallah allehe wa aalehi wasallam)

Simply, every messenger is a prophet [Nabi], but not every Prophet is a Rasul [Apostle]. All Rasules were Nabi but all Nabis were not Rasuls.

For more information, check out:
Sunni forum

Answer 5

Rasuls (peace be upon them) came with new shariah or rulings. The core creed did not change. It remained the same from the advent of Adam(peace be upon him). But Allah subhanuhu wa taala sent new rulings or altered some previous ruling with the Rasuls. For example, Saturday was holiday for the people of Musa (peace be upon him). But it was changed to Sunday through Isa (peace be upon him). And now it's Friday. The rules of different ibadat(worship) like fasting changed through Rasuls in different ages according to the will of Allah subhanuhu wa taala.

Rasuls preached their own shariah. And all other prophets or Nabis(peace be upon them) preached the current shariah revealed to the previous Rasul.

This is according to my knowledge but I do not have any reference.

Answer 6

Rasul is the one to whom the revelation is given and Nabi only gives the message. Every Rasul has to be Nabi but every nabi is not rasul. For example, to pass 8th standard, we have to pass the 2nd standard first. So here, 2nd standard is the Nabi and 8th standard is Rasul.