FAITH IN PROPHETS AND MESSENGERS
The Arabic word «Nabi» (Prophet) comes from the word «Naba» (message). The fourth pillar of faith in Islam is the belief in prophets sent to earth by God. Allah called them «rasul» (messenger) and «nabi» (prophet) in the Qur’an. Muhammad is considered the last prophet after Jesus Christ. According to Islamic belief, no prophets will be sent after this. The Koran mentions 28 prophets. The number of messengers sent by God is stated in a hadith from Abu Umama: One day one of the people asked the Prophet Muhammad: «Was Adam a prophet?» The Prophet replied: «Yes.» «How much time passed between him and Noah?» he asked again. The Prophet replied: «Ten centuries.» «O Messenger of Allah, how many messengers (rasul) were there?» – he asked again. The Prophet replied: «Three hundred and fifteen.» Difference between «rasul» and «nabi». In Islam there is a difference between the concepts of «prophet» and «messenger». Shaykh al-Islam ibn Taymiyyah says: «Every messenger is a prophet, but not every prophet is a messenger.» According to Muslim scholars, the difference between a prophet and a messenger is that the messengers brought new Sharia to the community and were entrusted with the Holy Books, while the prophets invoked the Book before them and confirmed the Sharia of the previous messenger. «Indeed, We have revealed to you what We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him, and We revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the sons (of Israel), Isa, Ayyub, Yunus, Aaron and Solomon, and We gave David a Psalm, and We sent to you the messengers (envoys) mentioned before, but to you was not said, and Allah (indeed) spoke to Moses’’ (Surah Nisa, verses 163—164) Say: We believe in God, we believe in what was revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, To Jacob the sons (of Israel) what was given to Moses and Joshua, and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between them and submit to Him alone.» (Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 136) The Quran says: «Be patient, as patient are messengers of strong spirit!» (Surah Ahqaf, verse 35). These messengers are Noah, Abraham, Moses. This also includes Jesus and the last prophet Muhammad.
FAITH IN Al-MISAK
As we know from the Holy Quran, Allah lined up all the souls of people who would live until the end of the world and asked: Am I not your Lord? They (that is, our souls even before the beginning of life): Of course, we testify that «You are our only Lord.» Thus, humanity promised to worship Allah without associating partners with Him. This promise is popularly called «al-misak». That is why the Kazakh «Since when are you a Muslim?» – answer to the question: «I have been a Muslim since the time of Al-Misak (alimsak).»