However, these 512 instances are very critical to understand the duties of the messengers who are blessed with God’s messages can broadly be grouped into 3: 130 as the verb, 341 as the noun and 41 as the participle as shown in the table below to review each group separately to better understand the message coded in the relevant verses as well as to make distinction between the terms to avoid misinterpretation:
Note: The above table is populated with data obtained from the corpus.quran.com while 1 instance of rasuul in the verse, 9:128 has not been included in the table as the two verses, 128 and 129 of Surah 9: Bara`ah (Ultimatum) do not belong to the Quran even though these two verses are still found in the standard edition of Quran.
Out of 331 instances of rasūl in the Quran, 82 instances in 63 verses across 4 surahs along with 10 instances of risālat in 10 verses are reviewed, while reviewing of the instances of rasūl is continuing to help us to make a clear distinction between the closely related terms: risaalat, rasuul and mur’sal as well as to make a distinction between the terms, rasuul and nabiy. However, 58 instances of rasuul in 53 verses across 4 surahs are reviewed below:
Instances of rasūl
[6:10] And certainly, there has been mocked with messengers before yourself (wa-laqadi us’tuh’zi-a bi-rusuli min qablika), so has surrounded those who had ridiculed from them, what they have done to mock with it.
[6:34] And certainly, there has been rejected messengers before yourself (wa-laqad kudhibat rusulun min qablika), while they have been patient for what they have been rejected, and they have been harmed until had come to them our help. And there is none who can change to God’s words; and certainly, has come to you a news of those who are sent.
[6:61] And He is the Supreme over His servants, and He sends guardians over you until when the death has come to anyone of you – has taken him our messengers (hattaa idhaa jaa-a ahadakumu al-mawtu tawaffat’hu rusulunaa), and they do not fail.
[6:124] And when has come to them a proof, they said, “We will not believe until we are given like what has been given to God’s messengers (lan nu’mina hattaa nu’taa mith’la maa uutiya rusulu allahi).” God is best Knower of where He should place His message. It will afflict those who have committed crimes – a humiliation from God and a severe punishment for what they have done to plot.
[6:130] O group of the jinn and the human, does not come to you messengers from you to narrate My revelations to you (a’lam yatikum rusulun minkum yaqussuuna `alaykum aayaati-i), and to warn you a meeting of your day of this? They said, “We have borne witness against ourselves.” And has deluded them the life of the world, and they have borne witness against themselves that they have been disbelievers.
[7:35] O Children of Adam, if there comes to you messengers from you to narrate My revelations to you (immaa yatiyannakum rusulun minkum yaqussuuna `alaykum aayaati-i); then whoever has feared and has reformed, then there is no fear for them nor do they grieve.
[7:37] Then whoever has more evil than whoever has invented a lie about God or has denied in His revelations? Those – there reaches them their portion of the scripture until when has come to them our messengers to take them in death (hattaa idhaa jaa’at’hum rusulunaa yatawaffawnahum), they said, “Where is whomever you have done to call on other than God?” They said: “They have strayed from us,” and they have borne witness against themselves that they have been disbelievers.
[7:43] And we have removed whatever is in their breasts of hate. There flows the rivers of their underneath, and they said: “All praise is for God, the One who has guided us to this, and we have not had to receive guidance if not that God had guided us. Certainly, there had come our Lord’s messengers with the truth (laqad jaa’at rusulu rabbinaa bil-haqqi).” And they have been addressed that this is the Paradise, you have been made to inherit it for what you have done to accomplish.”
[7:53] Do they wait except for its fulfillment? A day comes its fulfillment, will say those who had forgotten it before: “Certainly, had come messengers of our Lord with the truth (qad jaa’at rusulu rabbinaa bil-haqqi). So are there any intercessors that they may intercede for us or are we sent back that we can do other than that which we had done to accomplish?” Certainly, they have lost their souls, and has strayed from them for what they had done to invent.
[7:61] He (Noah) said: “O my people, there has not been any misguidance in me rather I am a messenger from Lord of the worlds (laysa bi-i dalaalatun wa-laakinni-i rasuulun min rabbi al-aalameen).”
[7:67] He (Hood) said: “O my people, there has not been any foolishness in me rather I am a messenger from Lord of the worlds (laysa bi-i safaahatun wa-laakinni-i rasuulun min rabbi al-aalameen).”
[7:101] That is of the towns we narrate through you of its news. And certainly, had come to them their messengers with the clear proofs (wa-laqad jaa’at’hum rusuluhum bil-bayyinaatin), then they have not done that they would believe in what they had denied before. Thus that God stamps on hearts of the disbelievers.
[7:104] And said Moses: “O Pharaoh, indeed, I am a messenger from Lord of the worlds (inni-i rasuulun min rabbi al-aalameen).”
[7:157] Those who follow the messenger, the gentile prophet (alladheena ittabi`uuna al-rasuula al-nabiya al-ummiya) whom they find with them written in the Torah and the Injeel. He commands them with the right and forbids them from the evil, and makes lawful for them the good things and makes unlawful for them the bad things, and removes their burden and the shackles, which has been upon them. So, those who have believed in him, and have honored him, and have helped him, and have followed the light with him, which has been sent down. Those – they are the successful ones.
[7:158] Say, “O the people, I (Muhammad) am a messenger of God to you all, the One to whom belongs dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no god except He, who gives life and causes death.” So, you shall believe in God and His messenger, the gentile prophet (fa-aaminuu bil-lahi wa-rasuulihi al-nabiyi al-ummiyi), who believes in God and His words, and shall follow him so that you may guide.
[8:1] They ask you about the spoils of war. Say: “The spoils of war belong to God and the messenger (al-an’faalu lillahi wal-rasuuli).” So you shall fear God and shall make fair that between yourselves, and shall obey God and His messenger if you have been believers (wa-atee`uu allaha wa-rasuulahu in kuntum mu’mineen).
[8:13] That is of that they have opposed God and His messenger (dhaalika bi-annahum allaha wa-rasuulahu), and whoever opposes God and His messenger (wa-man yushaaqiqi allaha wa-rasuulahu), then indeed, God is severe in the retribution.
[8:20] O you who have believed, you shall obey God and His messenger (atee`uu allaha wa-rasuulahu), and you do not turn away from him while you hear (wa-laa-tawallaw `anhu wa-antum tas’ma`uuna).
[8:24] O you who have believed, you shall respond to God, and to the messenger (is’tajeebuu lillahi wa-lilrrasuuli) when he has called you to what will give you life. And you shall know that God comes between a person and his heart, and that to Him you will be gathered.
[8:27] O you who have believed, you do not betray God and the messenger (laa-takhuunuu allaha wal-rasuula), nor do you betray your trust, while you know.
[8:41] And you shall know that what you have obtained as spoils of war from anything, then that one-fifth of it shall be for God and for the messenger (fa-anna lillahi khumusahu wa-lilrrasuuli), and for the near relatives and the orphans and the poor and the traveling alien, if you have believed in God and in what we have revealed to our servant, a day of the Criterion, a day has met the two armies. And God has power over everything.
[8:46] And you shall obey God and His messenger (wa-atee`uu allaha wa-rasuulahu), and you do not dispute lest you would lose your courage and would depart your strength, and shall be patient. Indeed, God is with the patient ones.
[9:1] An ultimatum from God and His messenger (baraa-atun mina allahi wa-rasuulihi) to those whom you have made a treaty of the idolaters.
[9:3] And an announcement from God and His messenger to the people on a day of the great Pilgrimage (wa-adhaanun mina allahi wa-rasuulihi ilaa al-nasi yawma al-haji akbaru) that God is free from obligation of the idolaters and His messenger (anna allahu bareeon mina al-mush’rikeena wa-rasuuluhu). So, if you have repented, then it is better for you, and if you have turned away, then you shall know that you have no escape from God. And you shall give news of a painful punishment to those who have disbelieved.
[9:7] How would be a treaty for the idolaters with God and with His messenger (kayfa yakuunu lil’mush’rikeena `ahdun `inda allahi wa-`inda rasuulihi) except those whom you have made a treaty near the Sacred Masjid? As long as they have been upright to you, so long you would be upright to them, and God loves the righteous.
[9:13] Would you not fight a people who have broken their oaths and have determined to drive out of the messenger (wa-hammuu bi-ikh’raaji al-rasuuli), and they have attacked you first? Do you fear them? While God is more worthy that you should fear Him if you have been believers.
[9:16] Or have you thought that you would be left, while God would not make evident of those among you who have strived, nor do they take other than God nor His messenger nor the believers as intimates (wa-lam yattakhidhuu min duuni allahi wa-laa rasuulihi wa-laa al-mu’mineena waleejatan)? And God is Cognizant of what you do.
[9:24] Say: “If it has been your fathers, and your sons, and your brothers, and your spouses, and your relatives, and wealth you have earned it, and the commerce you fear its decline, and homes you delight them are more beloved to you than God and His messenger and striving in His cause (ahabba ilaykum mina allahi wa-rasuulihi wa-jihaadin fee sabeelihi), then you shall wait until God brings by His command. And God does not guide the people who are the disobedient.”
[9:26] Then God has sent down His tranquility upon His messenger and upon the believers (thumma anzala sakeenatahu `alaa rasuulihi wa-`alaa al-mu’mineena), and He has sent down soldiers you do not see them. And He has punished those who have disbelieved, and that is a recompense of the disbelievers.
[9:29] You shall fight those who do not believe in God nor in the last day, nor do they forbid what God has forbidden and His messenger (wa-laa-yuharrimuuna maa harrama allahu wa-rasuuluhu), nor do they acknowledge a religion of the truth of those who have been given the scripture; until they pay the tax from willingness, while they are subdued.
[9:33] He is the One who has sent His messenger with the guidance and a religion of the truth (huwa alladhee arsala rasuulahu bil-hudaa wa-deeni al-haqqi) that He would prevail it over the religion of any of it, even if has disliked the idolaters.
[9:54] And what has prevented them that their spending is not accepted from them except that they have disbelieved in God and in His messenger (wa-maa mana`ahum an tuq’bala min’hum nafaqaatuhum illaa annahum kafaruu bil-lahi wa-bi-rasuulihi), nor do they come to the Contact Prayer except while they are lazy, nor do they spend except while they are unwilling.
[9:59] And if that they had been satisfied with what God has given them and His messenger, and they would have said (wa-law annahum raduu maa aataahumu allahu wa-rasuuluhu wa-qaaluu), “Our sufficiency is God; God will give us from His bounties and His messenger (sa-yu’teenaa allahu min fadlihi wa-rasuuluhu). Indeed, we are turning hopes to God.”
[9:61] And among them those who hurt the prophet, and they say: “He is all ears!” Say: “All ears is good for you. He believes in God, and he has trust for the believers and has mercy for those who have believed among you.” And those who hurt God’s messenger, for them there is a painful punishment (wa-alladheena yu’dhuuna rasuula allahi la-hum `adhaabun aleemun).
[9:62] They swear by God to you that they can please you; while God and His messenger are more worthy that they should please Him if they have been believers (wa-allahu wa-rasuuluhu ahaqqu an yurduuhu in kaanuu mu’mineena).
[9:63] Do they not know that anyone whoever opposes God and His messenger (a-lam ya`lamuu annahu man yuhaadidi allaha wa-rasuulahu) is that a fire of Hell for him being a dweller in it? That is the greatest humiliation.
[9:65] And if you have ask them, surely, they will say: “We have only done to talk and to play.” Say: “Is it with God, and His revelations, and His messenger you have done to mock (a-bil-lahi wa-aayaatihi wa-rasuulihi kuntum tastahzi-uuna)?”
[9:70] Does not come to them a news of those who were of their before, a people of Noah and Aad and Thamud, and a people of Abraham, and dwellers of Median, and the overturned cities? Had come to their messengers with the clear proofs (atath’hum rusuuluhum bil-bayyinaati). Then it has not been God that He would wrong them rather they had done to wrong to themselves.
[9:71] And the believing men and the believing women are allies one of them to other. They enjoin with the truth and forbid from the wrong, and they observe the Contact Prayer and give the Obligatory Charity, and they obey God and His messenger (wa-yutee`uuna allaha wa-rasuulahu). Those – God will have mercy on them; indeed, God is Almighty, Wise.
[9:74] They swear by God that they have not said, while certainly, they have said a word of the disbelief and they have disbelieved after their submission, and they have planned of what they could not attain. And they had not resented except that God would enrich them and His messenger from His bounty (wa-maa naqamuu illaa an aghnaahumu allahu wa-rasuuluhu min fadlihi). So, if they repent, it would be better for them, and if they turn away, then God will punish them a painful punishment in the world and the Hereafter, and for them in the earth there is no protector nor a helper.
[9:80] Whether you (prophet) ask forgiveness for them, or you do not ask forgiveness for them, if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times, then God will not forgive them. That is of that they have disbelieved in God and His messenger (dhaalika bi-annahum kafaruu bil-lahi wa-rasuulihi), and God does not guide the people who are the disobedient.
[9:81] There has rejoiced those being remained behind in their staying behind a messenger of God (fariha al-mukhalafuuna bi-maq`adihim khilaafa rasuuli allahi), and they have disliked to strive with their wealth and their lives in God’s path; while they said: “You do not go forth in the heat.” Say: “Fire in Hell has more intense heat,” if they would have done to understand.
[9:84] And let not pray at burial upon any of them ever, who has died, nor do you stand by his grave. Indeed, they have disbelieved in God and His messenger, and have died, while they were disobedient (innahum kafaruu bil-lahi wa-rasuulihi wa-maatuu wa-hum fasiquuna).
[9:86] And when has been revealed a surah that you shall believe in God and shall strive with His messenger (aaminuu bil-lahi wa-jaahiduu ma`a rasuulihi), has asked your permission possessors of the wealth among them and said: “Leave us to be with those who sit.”
[9:88] But the messenger and those who have believed with him have strived with their wealth and their lives (laakini al-rasuuli wa-alladheena aamanuu ma`ahu jaahaduu bi-amwaalihim wa-anfusihim), and those – for them are the good things and those – they are the successful ones.
[9:90] And there has come those who make excuses of the Arabs that is granted permission for them and has sat of those who had denied God and His messenger (wa-qa`ada alladheena kadhabuu allaha wa-rasuulahu). A painful punishment will strike those who have disbelieved among them.
[9:91] It has not been any blame on the weak, nor on the sick, nor on those who do not find anything to spend when they have been sincere to God and His messenger (idhaa nasahuu lillahi wa-rasuulihi), nor on the good doers with any way. And God is Forgiving, Merciful.
[9:94] They make excuses to you when you have returned to them. Say, “You do not make excuse; we do not believe you. Certainly, God has informed us of your news. And God will see your deeds and His messenger (wa-sa-yaraa allahu amwalakum wa-rasuuluhu); then you will be brought back to Knower of the unseen and the seen, when He will inform you of what you have done to accomplish.”
[9:97] The Arabs are worse in disbelief and hypocrisy, and more likely that they do not know limits of what God has revealed through His messenger (wa-ajdaru allaa ya’lamuu huduuda maa anzala allahu `alaa rasuulihi). And God is Knower, Wise.
[9:99] And among the Arabs whoever believes in God and the Last Day, and takes whatever he spends as means of nearness with God and providing support to the messenger (wa-yattakhidha maa yunfiqu qurubaatin `inda allahu wa-salaawati al-rasuula); yes, indeed, it is a means of nearness for them. God will admit them into His mercy. Indeed, God is Forgiving, Merciful.
[9:105] And say: “You shall do, then God will see your deed and His messenger and the believers (i`maluu wa-sa-yaraa allahu amwalakum wa-rasuuluhu wal-mu’minuuna). Then you will be brought back to Knower of the unseen and the seen, when He will inform you of what you have done to accomplish.”
[9:107] And those who have taken masjid for harm and disbelief, and division among the believers, and as a station for whoever has warred against God and His messenger before (wa-ir’saadan wa-liman haaraba allahu wa-rasuulahu min qablu), while surely, they swear, “We have not intended except the good,” and God bears witness that indeed, they are surely liars.
[9:120] It has not been for the people of the city and whoever their around of the Arabs that they should remain behind from a messenger of God and they should not prefer of their lives to his life (yatakhallafuu `an rasuuli allahi wa-laa-yarghabuu bi-anfusihim `an nafsihi). That is of that neither thirst nor fatigue nor hunger afflicts them in a way of God, nor do they step any step that angers the disbelievers, nor do they inflict any infliction on enemy, except that has been recorded for them righteous deed in it. Indeed, God does not let go waste a reward of the good-doers.
Summary
- Prophet has been ridiculed and mocked, like the messengers who had come before him.
- The news has come here of those who have been sent while there is no change in God’s word.
- God is Supreme over His servants and He sends guardians over us until death when His messengers take us while they do not fail to do that.
- When the clear proof has come to us the disbelievers who wanted to have the same given to the messenger will suffer a humiliating punishment.
- Those who have denied God’s revelations will confess on a day His messengers come to them to take them in the death that they have been disbelievers.
- God has sent His messengers to Children of Adam to narrate His revelations, then whoever has feared and reformed, there is no fear for him nor does he grieve.
- Whoever has more evil than he has invented lie about God and has denied in His revelations. When has come His messenger to take them in death and said to them, “Where is whomever you have called on rather than God,” while they said, “They have strayed from us,” and they have borne witness against themselves that they have been disbelievers.
- The dwellers of the Paradise said, “All praise is for God, the One who has guided us to this, and had sent His messengers with the truth to make it inherit for what we have done to accomplish.”
- A day of our meeting with God said those who had forgotten it, “Had come His messengers with the truth, are there any intercessors for us or are we sent back to do what we have missed?” But they have lost their souls and have strayed from them for what they had done to invent.
- God has sent His messengers with the clear proofs to the cities He had destroyed, while they would believe in what they had denied; thus, He stamps on their hearts for being the disobedient.
- Among the people of the scripture those who follow the messenger, the gentile prophet, and those who believe in him and follow the light sent down to him are the successful ones.
- God has commanded all of us to believe in Him, and believe and follow His messenger, the gentile prophet who believes in God and His words that we may guide us.
- The spoils of the war belong to God and the messenger. Thus, the believers shall fear God and shall make a fair distribution of it, and shall obey God and His messenger if they are believers.
- God throws terror in the hearts of the disbelievers as they oppose God and His messenger, and whoever opposes Him and His messenger, He will punish him as He is severe in the retribution.
- The believers shall obey God His messenger, and they do not turn away when hear from him.
- The believers shall respond to God and to the messenger when he has called them, and God comes between a person and his heart and to Him they will be gathered.
- The believers do not betray God and the messenger nor do they betray their trust knowingly.
- The believers should know that one fifth shall be for God and for the messenger, and for the near relatives and the orphans and the poor and the traveling alien of what is obtained as spoils of the war, if they have believed in God and what is revealed to His servant and a day of Criterion.
- Those who obey God and His messenger do not lose courage and strength being God with them.
- An ultimatum from God and His messenger to those with whom the believers have made a treaty of the idolaters.
- And an announcement from God and His messenger to the people on a day of the great Pilgrimage that God has no obligation to the idolaters and His messenger, if they have repented, is better for them but if they have turned away, no escape for them and disbelievers from God.
- God has set a term of a treaty made with the idolaters. As long as the idolaters have been upright with the believers, so long they have been upright with them while God loves the righteous.
- God wants to fight a people who have broken their oaths and planned to drive out the messenger.
- God has decreed fighting for the believers to expose those who have strived in His path or who have taken other than God or His messenger or the believers as intimates.
- To those more beloved are their relatives, wealth, commerce, and homes than God and His messenger and striving in His cause are disobedient while God does not guide the disobedient.
- God has sent down tranquility upon His messenger and the believers, and has supported with invisible soldiers to punish the disbelievers, which is a recompense for the disbelievers.
- The believers will fight those who do not believe in God, nor in Last Day, nor do they forbid what God has forbidden and His messenger, nor do they acknowledge a religion of the truth of those who have been given the scripture
- He is the One who has sent His messenger with the guidance and a religion of the truth that He would make it prevail over the religion of any of it.
- The spending of those who have disbelieved in God and His messenger are not accepted from them and also from those who come to the Salat prayer lazily and spend while they are unwilling.
- Those who have been satisfied with what God has given them and His messenger, they have said that God will give us more from His bounties expecting hopes from Him.
- Those who hurt the prophet say he is all ears while God has said all ears is good for him as he believes in God and trusts in the believers and has mercy for them while those who hurt God’s messenger, there is a painful punishment for them.
- Hypocrites swear by God to please the believers while God and His messenger are worthy of it.
- Whoever opposes God and His messenger will be in a fire of Hell being a dweller in it.
- God knows those who have mocked with Him and His revelations and His messenger.
- God has sent messengers to communities with the clear proofs in the past and has destroyed them while He did not wrong them rather they had wronged themselves.
- The believing men and women are allies, who enjoin with truth and forbid from wrong, observe salat and give zakah while they obey God and His messenger – those will have God’s mercy.
- Those who have said a word of disbelief after submission could not plan to attain, if they repent, it would be better for them but if they turn away, will be punished in the word and in the Hereafter.
- Even if the prophet ask forgiveness seventy times, God will not forgive them as they have disbelieved in Him and His messenger, He does not guide the disobedient people.
- Those who remained behind of God’s messenger and disliked to strive with their wealth and their lives in the cause of God would be in the fire of Hell.
- There is no funeral prayer nor standing by the graves of those who have disbelieved in God and His messenger, and have died as disbelievers.
- The messenger and those who believed with him shall strive with their wealth and their lives in the cause of God to be the winners in the Hereafter.
- The painful retribution will strike the Arabs who made excuses and had come to the messenger to be permitted for them to stay behind and those who denied God and His messenger.
- God will see your deeds and His messenger, and you will be brought back to Knower of the unseen and the seen, when He will inform you of what you have done to achieve.
- The Arabs are worse in disbelief and hypocrisy while it is more likely that they do not know limits.
- God will admit into His mercy of those among the Arabs who believe in Him and the Last Day, and spend and support the messenger as a means of their nearness with Him.
- Those who have taken masjid for harm and disbelief, and division, and as a station to fight God and His messenger swear to have their good intention but God bears witness that they are liars.
- The people of Madinah and whoever around them of the Arabs should not stay behind from a messenger, nor should they prefer their way to his way but God never fail to reward the righteous.
The instances of rasuul in surah 8 and 9 should be reviewed paying attention to the prophet when he has been among the contemporary people to deal with the spoils of war and war policies to help avoid misconception around us making focus on what is given him to do the right thing for ourselves.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (10/01/2021).