Asalaam O Alaikum,

Jazak Allah for your question my brother. This is what I have always understood from this verse.

Muslim is the one who submits his will to the Will of Allah i.e accepts Islam and Mumin is the one who has attained to Iman i.e. Faith. In order to become a Mumin one has to become a Muslim 1st. In order to understand the difference between Muslim and Mumin we need to understand Islam and Iman.

Islam (Submission to the will of God) and Iman (Faith) complement each other. As a sheikh once said that it's a circle within a circle. The circle of Iman lies within the circle of Islam. Therefore one has to enter the circle of Islam 1st in order to enter Iman.

It also holds the position of a heart within a body. The body symbolizes as Islam but the heart inside the body is symbolized as Iman. If there was no heart the body would be lifeless and life would be meaningless.

The Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) said 'There is a piece of flesh inside the body which if it is good then the whole body is good, but if it is corrupt then the whole body will suffer. That piece is the Heart.'

The emotional attachment towards anything personal in ones life is dependent upon it being closer to ones Heart. The Iman begins to enter the heart once we decide to submit our will to the Will of Allah i.e. accept Islam and begin following His Guidance.

The circle of Islam is to give Shahadah i.e. testify that LA ilaha IL Allah Muhammadur Rasool Allah (There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger). To pay Zakat (Charity), Pray 5 times salaah (prayers and worship), Fast in month of Ramadaan and perform Hajj and Umrah if one can. These are 5 pillars.

In order to taste the sweetness of Iman one has to accept the 5 pillars and follow them with sincerity. 

Asalaam O Alaikum Rayhansharif,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

I see that your understanding of the word �Obey the Messenger� means obedience to God Al Mighty and the Quran only. To support that you quoted the following Verses:

�And obey God and obey the messenger and be cautious; but if you turn back, then know that the sole duty of the messenger is the deliverance (of the message)" 5:92

"And obey God and obey the messenger, but if you turn back, then upon Our messenger is the sole duty of the clear delivery (of the message)" 64:12

By quoting the above Verses you mean obedience to Messenger is obedience to the word of God and since the word of God is only found in the Quran therefore that is the final meaning of this.

I would necessarily differ due to the obvious fact that the obedience according to the majority of this Ummah (Nation of Prophet Muhammad), majority of scholars and according to their understanding of the Quran is that it is obedience to his own words, i.e. Hadith and Sunnah.

The majority of the Muslims for the past 14 centuries have been understanding the above words of Allah as follows:

The verses you quoted above explicitly order us to �Obey Allah� and �Obey The Messenger�. Allah (swt) could have said �Obey Allah and His Messenger� in the above Verses. But He, Allah Al Mighty explicitly mentions �Obey the Messenger� separately and independently. Due to this the fact has been established that the order given by the Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) is the same as given by Allah (Swt).

There are other Verses of the Quran as well such as the one you quoted about the farewell pilgrimage in Surah Taubah Verse 3. These Verses mention words �Obey Allah and His Messenger� which could very well mean the words of Allah (swt), which every Muslim is duty bound to follow i.e. the Holy Quran. But that does not mean that it only limits the meaning of these Quranic Words as obedience to Allah�s words only and not the words of the Messenger which are outside of the Quran. For if that was the case then there are other Verses of the Quran that support the independent authority of the Prophet (sallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) such as:

�And We have sent down unto You the Message (Quran) so that you may Explain clearly to mankind what was sent down to them, and so that they may give thought.� (An-Nahl, 16:44)

God revealed the Quran and the Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) explained it to us. The words Explain clearly to mankind ((litu bayyaina lin�nas) means nothing but his independent words, his hadith.

�Allah did confer a great favor on the Believers when He sent among them a Messenger from among themselves, who rehearses unto them the Signs (Verses) of Allah, purifies them, instructs them in Scripture, and teaches them Wisdom, whereas previously they had been in plain error.� (Al-i-Imran, 3:164)

�the words of Allah, the Most Gracious in the above Verses �Purifies them��. �instructs them in scripture� ��teaches them wisdom� �.are all his explanation of the Quran and his living the Quran in his own life and becoming an example for those around him and the future generations to come. It his example that Allah Al Mighty orders us to follow:

There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often. (Al Ahzab, 33:21)

Not to forget that the Salaat is mentioned 67 times in the Quran yet there is no evidence of exactly how to pray. Similarly Quran mentions call to prayer (Azan) but does not mention the details.

Therefore commands come in the Quran, but the details and explanation comes from the Messenger (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam). I hope and pray that InshA�Allah this helps you to look at the greater side of the picture.

Wa Alaikum Salaam. I hope InshA'Allah this helps you understand the topic better. Your replies are quoted between the arrows (<<>>).

>>>Reply - Probably you could not read the verse �O you who believe! Obey Allah and Obey the Messenger and do not turn back from HIM <anhu> while you hear� (8:20)

Here the believers are identified to be those who were listening to the Messenger who delivers the Qur�anic laws to them, as the singular pronoun �ANHU� (from him) indicates. This confirms that Allah and His Messenger are not two separate sources of law to be obeyed, but that the source of Divine law to be obeyed is ONLY Allah and ONLY the people are able to hear these divine laws through the LIPS of His Messenger.<<<

You know I would ask you how can you hold this position (limiting the prophethood to 23 years) yet profess belief in the Quran while it says:

�We did not send you except as Mercy for everybody in the universe. (21:107)

No doubt the Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) was explaining the Quran to the people before him, but to claim that he is only to be listened by them and not future generations contradict the Quran:

�And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a giver glad tiding and a warner to all mankind.� (Saba, 34:28)

>>>First: Do these verses authorise the hadith as an additional source besides the Quran?
The words in 16:44 clearly state that the messenger can only make things clear to the people by means of what is revealed to him (Quran). This is also confirmed in 6:114 which states that the only source of law is the book. In addition, the messenger is prohibited from adding his own teachings to the message he received from God. If he does he would be committing a great error that would incur a severe punishment from God (see 69:44-46).<<<<

The Verse 6:114 cannot be taken in isolation. If you took it in isolation, you will not understand the role that the Prophet continues to play throughout the entire Muslim history. It needs to be understood along with the following Verses:

But nay, by your Sustainer! They do not (really) believe unless they make you (O Prophet) a judge of all on which they disagree among themselves, and then find in their hearts no bar to an acceptance of your decision and give themselves up (to it) in utter self-surrender! (4:65)

Whoever pays heed to the Apostle pays heed to God thereby; and as for those who turn away � We have not sent you to be their keeper. (4:80)

They clearly indicate even for a simple mind that the Prophet needs to be obeyed even in our times as the Quran is best exemplified in his life. Once again, a claim that the Prophet was only to be obeyed by first generation would constitute a contradiction of the clear message in the Quran that the Messenger (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) was sent for all generations till the end of the world.

>>>>One of the very clear messages of the Quran is that the moment anyone upholds any kind of personal teachings which are not authorised in the Quran they immediately become guilty of idol worship and are promised severe retribution:

"They follow idols who decree for them religious laws never authorized by God. If it were not for the predetermined decision, they would have been judged immediately. Indeed, the transgressors have incurred a painful retribution." 42:21<<<<

The above Verse and similar to it that are mentioned in the Quran are to warn those who assign divine authority to manmade laws even though they are in clear contradiction to the revelations sent by God and made very clear through His chosen ones called the Prophets.

Our beloved Prophets instructions that have reached us through authentic chain of narrations called Hadith, contain guidance under divine inspiration like the Quran.

>>>>>It remains to remind ourselves with the clear command in 45:6:

�These are God's revelations (Quran) that We recite to you truthfully. In which hadith other than God and His revelations do they believe?� 45:6<<<<

The last part of 45:6 can also be translated as such:

Then in what statement after Allah and His verses will they believe?

In what other tiding, if not in God�s messages, with they, then believe?

You in your English translation did not translate but kept the Arabic word �Hadith� in the Verses as is, just to prove your point of view. The word �Hadith� means words. They could be God�s Hadith or the Prophet�s Hadith. But by quoting the above Verses it does not mean that Gods Hadith is the only hadith to be followed and not the Prophet�s hadith for that will contradict all the other Verses of the Quran that explicitly order us to Follow and Obey the Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam).

>>>>And in 72:21 the messenger is commanded to proclaim to all people:
�I possess no power to harm you nor to guide you� 72:21

The messenger is a tool and a medium between God and the people, but the messenger cannot change what is in the heart nor can he implant belief into any heart nor can he guide anyone, he can only pass the message:
"The sole duty of the messenger is to deliver the message (Quran)" 5:92<<<<

Agreed. The Prophet cannot guide, guidance only comes from Allah (swt). But again, these Verses and all that you quoted in your post need to be understood against the background of the Quran as a whole and not in parts or in isolation. The Quran says that:

(20:114) (Know) then (that) God is sublimely exalted, the Ultimate Sovereign, the Ultimate Truth, and (knowing this) do not approach the Quran in haste

>>>>>In 60:4 and 60:6 God gives us the exact context of how Abraham and those with him have set a good example, that being; in denouncing the idol worshippers and their deeds, and also in seeking God and the last day. This is identical in context to 33:21 where God gives us the exact context of how Muhammad had set a good example, that being; in seeking God and the last day, and in constantly thinking about God.
3- A very significant observation in 60:4 is in the words �laqad kana lakum� which mean: you have been given. The word �you� addresses all readers of the quran, which includes us today. What this means is that Abraham and those who were with him have set a good example for all readers of the Quran. And since we do not have any hadith and sunna for Abraham, let alone those who were with him, thus the good example can only be derived from the context given in the Quran (good example in seeking God and the last day .. etc).
4- Ultimately, if the phrase �usswaton hasana� in 33:21 constitutes a lawful duty on us to follow the hadith and sunna which are attributed to Muhammad , then the same phrase in 60:4-6 necessitates that we should also dig up any tales or stories about Abraham and his followers and copy their sunna!<<<<<<

Agreed. All Prophet�s are good examples for all mankind, which includes the nation of Muhammad (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam). Since we don�t have Abrahim�s hadith and Sunnah then what should we do? Follow tales? Let�s see what Allah (swt) says.

As the final revelation was given to the Muslims in the Quran (which remains unchanged even after 15 centuries) and the living example of that guidance is in the life of Muhammad (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) we have to follow him.

You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. (3:110)

And thus We have willed you to be a community of the middle way, so that (with your lives) you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind, and that the Apostle might bear witness to it before you. (2:143)

Even though Allah (swt) refers to Abrahim (a.s) and other Prophets as an example to follow He makes it clear that final revelation i.e. Quran can distinguish how their lives truly were as their actual scriptures got corrupted long time ago. Now it is the Muslims who can truly bear witness to their messages and become the best example for mankind. And in order to achieve that goal they need to stick to the example of our Blessed Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) and follow him i.e. his Hadith and Sunnah. That is what it is meant by �Apostle might bear witness to it before you.�

>>>>>Reply :- As I said earlier, all the details of Salat are given the Qur�n, may be it differs with you,. Regarding Azan, it simply means an announcement for prayer. The words in 62:9 speak of "when the call for Salat has been announced on Friday". These words simply speak of an announcement that is made, in any shape or form, to let it be known that the time of the Salat is due.
In the days when the Quran was revealed, they only had the human voice to make such an announcement, but today the announcement for the time of the Salat can be made by means of the radio, T.V., Internet, or even phone text. Most people in any case just look at a table they downloaded or bought from a bookshop.
The Quran never specified that a human voice must be used to make the announcement and certainly the Quran does not spoke of a ritual called the Adhan!
For some reason, someone along the way invented the ritual called the Adhan, and that it must be uttered according to a specific wording!<<<<<

The fact that the Azan is consistently being called in the cities of Makkah and Madinah, the cradle of Islam, for the past 15 centuries is as clear as a daylight that this has been ordained for this nation from the time of the Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) by himself. Not to forget the fact that there are authentic hadith that explain how it was taught to us. Also there is a Unity in one Azan being called out loud so it reaches all the ears around it. The Azan being invented as a ritual outside of Islam would claimed by someone who follows the way of error as the Prophet himself said �the majority of my Ummah will never agree on an error.� The majority agrees upon the Azaan and has, regardless of whichever school of thought it is. To claim that is an innovation, you have to give proof.

I hope inshA�Allah this helps you see the entire picture of Islam and avoid focusing on bits and pieces.

>>>The answer is NO. When we read the Quran we note two important matters:
1- God commands Muhammad to say that he is not any different from other messengers:
�Say (O Muhammad), "I am not different from other messengers�. I have no idea what will happen to me or to you. I only follow what is revealed to me. I am no more than a clear warner." 46:9

If Muhammad was superior to all other messengers, would God command him to say that he is not any different from other messengers?<<<<

The answer is yes he is the leader of all the Prophets and Messengers that have ever existed and that leadership position does make him superior to other Prophets. As to the Verses you quoted above is a warning to followers of Muhammad that however great a Prophet or a Messenger is, they are always at the Mercy of Allah (swt) and not independent of the authority of their Lord Who chose them as guides for mankind. Also the above verse expresses a true Prophetic attitude expected from a true Prophet of God to his followers that it is only obedience to God and His Mercy that will help them succeed and not descendancy nor being known as follower of such and such Prophet. The above verse in no way implies Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu alaihi wassallam) being lesser.

The echo of the message in the above verse can be heard in a Hadith:

No one�s deeds will ever admit him to Paradise.� They said, �Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?� He said, �No, not even me, unless Allah showers me with His Mercy� (Bukhari and Muslim)

>>>>>>God tells us in the Quran that He favoured some messengers above others. A number of names are mentioned and they include Moses, Jesus and others, but Muhammad is not one of them which once again would not support the claim that he was superior to all others. The following verses are significant:
�These messengers; we favoured some above the others, some spoke to God (Moses) and we raised some of them to higher ranks. And we gave Jesus, son of Mary, profound miracles and supported him with the Holy Spirit� 2:253

The above verse speaks of how Moses was favoured by the fact that he spoke directly to God, also the words �higher ranks�may refer to Idris (see 19:57); then we have Jesus who was also favoured among other messengers since he was constantly accompanied by the Holy Spirit Gabriel.
The same message is repeated in 17:55 without the mention of Muhammad�s name:

� �. And we favoured some prophets over others and we gave David the �zabur� (psalms).� 17:55<<<<<<

You quoted all the above Verses in which each Messenger of Allah (swt) was honored by Allah due to some special blessings they had been given. Such as the speech to Moses (alaihi Salaam) and giving kingdom to Suleiman (alahi Salaam) etc. But Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu alaihi Wassallam) was given the leadership when Allah (swt) gathered all the Prophets in the spiritual realm before he sent them to earth and took covenant to support him if he arrives in their age:

(3:81) And (remember), when Allah took the covenant of the prophets, [saying], "Whatever I give you of the Scripture and wisdom and then there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you, you [must] believe in him and support him." [ Allah ] said, "Have you acknowledged and taken upon that My commitment?" They said, "We have acknowledged it." He said, "Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses."

Ali Ibn Abi Talib and his cousin Abdullah Ibn Abbas (r.a) said �Allah never sent a Prophet but after taking his pledge that if Muhammad were sent in his lifetime, he would believe in and support him.� Abdullah Ibn Abbas (ra) was the first Quran commentator in Islamic history and he learned everything directly from the Prophet. Allah commanded each Prophet to take a pledge from his nation that if Muhammad were sent in their lifetime, they would believe in and support him. It is this reason why Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) said that �If Musa was here he would have no choice but to follow me.�

Those who ignore such verses are ignorant of the fact the Prophet Muhammad was the leader of the entire chain of Prophethood. Worst is the case of those who reject authentic traditions that support the above claim.

Infact the 3:81 makes it clear that if Muhammad existed in any time period, deserves to be obeyed, rather than all other Prophets. That is why Muhammad (sallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) led all the prophets in prayer during the night of Isra when they gathered in Bayt Al Maqdis (Jerusalem). His leading the prayer symbolized his leadership.

(17:01) Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al- Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.

The fact that Prophet Muhammad is the best example as compared to other Prophets is also due to the fact that in his life there is an example for all people. All other prophets did not succeed in all aspects of life. For example Jesus (a.s) lived all his life in celibacy, and for that reasons, there is no example in his personal life to be followed with regard to the married life. Solomon (a.s) lived a kindly life, and so there is nothing in his life to be followed by a poor man. Moreoever the other religions had separated politics and religion therefore their lifestyles are incomplete for the nations.

Even a Christian accepts the fact that Prophet Muhammad succeeded in all aspects of life. Michael H Hart wrote book called �100 Most Influential People� in which he designated Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) to be # 1.

Sadly you being a Muslim does not understand his unique Sunnah and position.

>>>>>>In fact, the Quran prohibits the acceptance of any hadith other than the Quran which is described as the best hadith:

"These are God's revelations (Quran) that We recite to you truthfully. In which hadith other than God and His revelations (Quran) do they believe?" 45:6

�God has brought down the best Hadith; a book that is consistent in its frequent repetitions.� 39:23

� ��. Which Hadith, other than this (Quran), do they believe in?� 7:185

�So in which hadith, other than this (Quran), do they believe?�77:50<<<<,

See the following English translations of 45:6:

These are the verses of Allah which We recite to you in truth. Then in what statement after Allah and His verses will they believe?

Those are the signs of Allah that We recite to you with the Truth. In which discourse then, after Allah and His signs, (will) they believe?

Such are the Signs of Allah, which We rehearse to thee in Truth; then in what exposition will they believe after (rejecting) Allah and His Signs?

Where does these verses imply that the Prophet�s words should not be followed who himself was a walking Quran? Since Allah has explicitly mentioned throughout the Quran that the words of the Prophet should also be obeyed, your interpretation of the above would mean that Allah contradicted himself. Which is considered a blasphemy in Islam. Also it is quite evident that the above Verse is a warning to the disbelievers who rejects the Verses of Allah and not to the believers. To imply that they are a warning to the believers who follow the Quran and Hadith is absurd. This is an absolute example of a misinterpretation of the holy text to suit one�s own desires and wishes.

>>>>>1- The words�until they make you judge� clearly indicate that the instructions in 4:65 applied to the time of the Prophet and not today, for how can we seek a dead man to judge our personal disputes? Let us say two men disputed among themselves with regards to some conditions or terms of a joint business arrangement between them, how can they go to the grave of the Prophet to ask him to judge their dispute?

2- In addition, the words �the disputes which arise between them� indicate that the contemporaries of the Prophet were going to him to arbitrate in the disputes that arose on a personal level between people. The words clearly speak of everyday type of disputes that always arise between people and not only disputes of a religious nature.<<<<

Those who reject the hadith literature will never understand the meaning of �until they make you the judge�. It clearly implies turning towards the Quran and the Sunnah.

(49:7) And know that God's Apostle is among you: were he to comply with your inclinations in each and every case, you would be bound to come to harm [as a community].

Even a simple minded reader would agree that since the Prophet is not physically present among us, his being �among you� means his example, his Sunnah being among us is an example for our behavior towards ones another. Similarly the meaning of �until they make you the judge� (4:65) is his blessed words and actions.

>>>>>.Fourth: What is the significance of the words �to all the worlds� in 21:107?

The words in 21:107 address Prophet Muhammad and describes the mercy sent with him as a mercy �to all the worlds�. When we compare this to 19:21 which speaks about the mercy sent with Jesus, we find that in 19:21 the words �all the worlds� are not used.
This distinction has not escaped the eyes of those who made the above claim using it to further support their ascertain that Muhammad was superior to all other messengers since he was sent as a mercy to �all the worlds� coupled with the that the phrase has not been mentioned in the Quran in connection with other messengers.

However, after we have witnessed all the Quranic verses reviewed under the Third section above, the reason for this distinction becomes clear. We now know that the mercy sent with a messenger is embodied in the scripture he delivers and not in his person (11:17, 7:154, 16:89, 17:82).<<<<<

Understanding the Quran in Isolation leaves you with confusion again. Allah (swt) makes it abundantly clear that the Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) has earned the highest station in the paradise and the hereafter which none before him ever attained neither will be attained by any one!

(17:79) And from [part of] the night, pray with it as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station (Al Maqam Al Mahmud).

What is Al Maqam Al Mahmud? Since those who reject hadith will never figure out. But those who Obey Allah and Obey the Messenger will always know.

It is the highest station of praise and glory of Prophet Muhammad. It is the station of intercession for the entire mankind that no Prophet will be able to do except for him. He will be chosen to intercede and many among the mankind will be forgiven by Allah because of His intercession and therefore he (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) is also a mercy for the entire creation as Allah will bestow His Mercy through His beloved.

Salaam Rayhan,

My dear brother take your time to reply. Below is my reply only to your post that you did today. I selected each point you made today and replied to those.

>>>>Reply :- I never said that the verse in concerned 46:9 says that prophet Muhammad was lesser than other prophets. But it is also true that you will not find any verse in the Quran, which says that Prophet Muhammad was the leader of all the prophets. If you find, please show me.<<<<

The below is from your previous post.

>>>If Muhammad was superior to all other messengers, would God command him to say that he is not any different from other messengers?<<<

>>>>The above verse speaks of how Moses was favoured by the fact that he spoke directly to God, also the words �higher ranks�may refer to Idris (see 19:57); then we have Jesus who was also favoured among other messengers since he was constantly accompanied by the Holy Spirit Gabriel.
The same message is repeated in 17:55 without the mention of Muhammad�s name<<<<

In the above words you clearly implied that Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) was lesser or equal to them. Which according to several verses of the Quran, in fact the chore message that Quran delivers, is obviously a misunderstanding. The truth is that he is the best there ever has been and will remain the best, as Allah (swt) Himself has raised him to the Al Maqam Al Mahmud (The Raised and Praised Station) (17:79) unlike any other Prophet or Messenger.

>>>>>"God took a covenant from the prophets, saying, "I will give you the scripture and wisdom. Afterwards, a messenger will come to confirm all existing scriptures. You shall believe in him and support him." He said, "Do you agree with this, and pledge to fulfil this covenant?" They said, "We agree." He said, "You have thus borne witness, and I bear witness along with you." 3:81<<<<<<

The difference is in the underlined part of your quoted Verse (above) and mine is below (underlined) that I quoted earlier. You give your explanation based on your own understanding without keeping in mind the explanation of the best generation. But our�s i.e. Majority of the Muslims have the best generation of Muslims, the first generation of the Companions of the Prophet themselves explaining that it was a covenant made with all the Prophets/Messengers in the spiritual realm with Allah (swt) that they will support Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) if he comes in their age. Clearly honoring him above all!

(3:81) And (remember), when Allah took the covenant of the prophets, [saying], "Whatever I give you of the Scripture and wisdom and then there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you, you [must] believe in him and support him." [ Allah ] said, "Have you acknowledged and taken upon that My commitment?" They said, "We have acknowledged it." He said, "Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses."

Secondly such a similar covenant had been taken from all the Children of Adam (a.s) before they were even sent on earth.

�When your Lord took from the children of Adam, from their loins, their offspring and made them bear witness concerning themselves. �Am I not your Lord?�  They said, �Yes indeed�� [7:172]

The Prophetic covenant that Allah took from all the prophets about Prophet Muhammad is similar to it. You cannot overlook this fact. That is why I mentioned earlier that your approach to the Quran is bit hasty.

>>>>Verse 3:81 provides the definitions of "Nabi" (Prophet) and "Rasoul" (Messenger). "Nabi" is a messenger of God who delivers a new scripture, while "Rasoul" is a messenger commissioned by God to confirm existing scripture. Some messengers deliver a new scripture and in that case they are also prophets, but many other messengers do not deliver a new scripture. As a result, every "Nabi" is a "Rasoul," but not every "Rasoul" is a "Nabi".<<<<

Let me correct you here my dear brother. The words in the above 3:81, in Arabic I would like to add as I put in the translation for you as well:

And, when Allah took the covenant of the prophets (Nabiyyina), [saying], "Whatever I give you of the Scripture and wisdom and then there comes to you a messenger (Rasoolun) confirming what is with you, you [must] believe in him and support him."

All the Prophets/Messengers made this promise to Allah (swt). The fact that even today if you read the Bible (though not in its original form anymore) there are indications of Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) in several places. Quran confirms this about those who are well versed in their own scriptures:

They [some Jews] know him like they know their own sons (2:146)

So the fact is that Muhammad is prophesied in all the scriptures, even non biblical, unlike any other Messenger or Prophet that has lived.

Secondly your definition that �Nabi (Prophet) delivers a scripture while Rasool (Messenger) confirms existing scripture.� Is a bit misunderstood.

Who is a Nabi (Prophet) and Who is a Messenger (Rasool)?

Every Messenger is a Prophet but every Prophet is not a Messenger. How? Because every Prophet earns Prophethood but is not necessarily given a scripture or a book. But every Messenger, who without a doubt is a Prophet by virtue of Prophethood bestowed on him, is also given a scripture. That is why he is referred to as a Rasool i.e. Messenger, one who is given a Message or a Book. For example, Musa (alaihi Sallam) was a Messenger (given Prophet hood and a Book) and Haroon (alaihi Sallam) was only a Prophet (Nabi) not a messenger, as he wasn�t given a separate book. He confirmed the message of Musa (alaihi Sallam).

Muhammad (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) was not only given Prophethood but was also given the final scripture that will live till the end of the world. Therefore he was a Rasoool, in that sense of the term.

The above explanation can also be understood in the following tradition of the Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) in Musnad Ahmed Collection �From Adam to me, Allah sent a hundred and twenty four thousand Prophets, of whom three hundred and fifteen were Messenger (i.e. were entrusted with a Book).� (Hadith 21257)

For majority of Muslims, Hadith traditions explain the Quran very well. Those who choose to ignore that fact don�t really understand. The above Hadith itself is a factual statement that since Allah (swt) chose more Prophets than Messengers and Books is because living examples (Sunnah) is much more important than anything else. Therefore to claim that delivering a Book is only what a Prophet is chosen for is an incorrect belief.

>>>>According to 33:40, Muhammad was the last of all prophets. There will be no prophets to come after him. And since it is only the prophets who deliver the scripture, it follows that the Quran is the final scripture to be sent by God. We must also be aware that 33:40 clearly states that Muhammad was �a messenger of God� and not �the seal of the messengers�. God is very deliberate with His choice of words. If Muhammad was also the last of all messengers, then why does God call him only �a messenger of God�?<<<<

(33:40) [And know, O believers, that] Muhammad is not the father of any one of your men, but is God's Apostle and the Seal of all Prophets.

Muhammad Asad gives the following explanation on the highlighted word:

�the last of the prophets, just as a seal (khatam) marks the end of a document; apart from this, the term khatam is also synonymous with khitam, the "end" or "conclusion" of a thing: from which it follows that the message revealed through Muhammad the Qur'an must be regarded as the culmination and the end of all prophetic revelation�

Khatam means the seal and not what you described. In fact all scholars of the Ummah for the past 15 centuries have held on to this explanation of the term Khatam as Seal. The people in our times or those who reject hadith haven�t discovered something which Muslims for centuries were unaware of.

>>>>The Quran is clear that every prophet (nabi) is a messenger (rasoul) but not every messenger is a prophet.

Now that we have the definition of Prophet (Nabi) and Messenger (Rasoul) from God Almighty Himself, the Teacher of the Quran, no scholar's opinion can change that fact. However, we are all free to side with God or side with the scholars. Generations before us made the wrong choice and were described by God in the Quran as follows:

"They have set up their religious leaders and scholars as lords, instead of God . . . " 9:31

This act of placing the scholars as idols besides God can lead to one place, and it is not Heaven.<<<<<

I hate to differ with you but I am forced to because of your incorrect understanding of the Book of Allah (swt) while claiming to be knowing it perfectly.

The fact that Quran itself orders the Muslims to go to those more knowledgeable breaks the understanding you have about following scholarship.

"So ask the people of remembrance, if you do not know" (16:43).

"A band from each community should stay behind to gain instruction in religion and to warn the people when they return to them, so that they may take heed" (9:122).

An Authentic Hadith confirms the above Verses �Prophethood will end with my departure. The children of Israel had Prophets. After me there will be no Prophets, there will be scholars.�

Surah Taubah, Verse 31 is not a warning not to obey scholars, it is a warning against following those who distort the meaning of the text.

>>>>Reply:- Where did you find here that �Muhammad (sallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) led all the prophets in prayer during the night of Isra when they gathered in Bayt Al Maqdis (Jerusalem)�. Brother, don�t listen or believe fairy tells like this.<<<<<

Do you even know what the words Isra means and its different shades of meaning? First understand the words of the Quran then the Hadith of Isra Wa�al Miraj. They are in agreement and that is what the Muslims have been following.

>>>If we discuss on Quranic topics, then it will be fruitful to all of us.<<<

How can I discuss when you quote Quran out of context? Your post is a clear example of how Muslims can be misled in Islam if either they take Quran out of context or/and reject hadith of our beloved Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam).

You can take your time to reply to other questions that we asked including the question on what evidence do you reject the Hadith literature.