There are 75 instances of Nabiy (prophet) in singular form and Nabiyyeen (prophets) in plural form in the Quran found in 72 verses across 20 surahs. Out of 75 instances in 34 instances found in 32 verses across 9 surahs God has addressed Muhammad as a prophet involving him at activities with his contemporaries, are detailed below to better understand his role and also as a great teaching of God for the believers to avoid misinterpretation of the messages in any of the relevant verses:
[3:161] And it has not been for a prophet that he should defraud (wa-maa kaana li’nabiyyin an yaghulla). And whoever defrauds will bring with what he had defrauded on a day of the Resurrection. Then every soul is repaid for whatever it has earned, and they will not be wronged.
[7:157] Those who follow the messenger, the gentile prophet (alladheena yattabi`uuna al-rasuula al-nabiya al-ummiya) whom they (Jews and Christians) find written with them in the Torah and the Gospel. He (the gentile prophet) commands them with the right and forbids them from the evil; and he makes lawful for them the good things and makes unlawful upon them the bad things; and he relieves from them their burdens 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.
Note: Muhammad has been a gentile messenger prophet who had no knowledge of the previous scripture, and the successful were those who had followed the light sent down to him.
[7:158] Say, “O people; indeed, I am to you all a messenger of God – the One to Him belongs a dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no god except He. He gives life and causes death.” So, you shall believe in God and His messenger, the gentile prophet (fa-aaminuu bi-allahi wa-rasuulihi al-nabiyi al-ummiyi), who believes in God and His words, and shall follow him so that you may be guided.
Note: Here there is a confirmation that those who have followed the prophet were the guided ones.
[8:64] O you prophet (Muhammad), there has your sufficiency from God (yaa’ayyuhaa al-nabiyu has’buka allahu) and whoever has followed you of the believers.
[8:65] O you prophet, you shall urge the believers to the fighting (yaa’ayyuhaa al-nabiyu harridi al-mu’mineena `alaa al-qitaali). If there would be twenty steadfast among you, they will defeat two hundred, and if there would be a hundred among you, they will defeat a thousand of those who have disbelieved, because of that they are a people who do not understand.
[8:67] It has not been for a prophet that there would be prisoners of war for him unless he battles in the land (maa kaana li’nabiyyin an yakuuna lahu asraa hattaa yuth’khina fee al-ardi). You desires materials of the world, while God desires the Hereafter. And God is Almighty, Wise.
[8:70] O you prophet, say to whoever is in your hands of the prisoners of war (yaa’ayyuhaa al-nabiyu qul liman fee ay’deekum mina al-as’raa), “If God knows any good in your hearts, He will give you better than what has been taken from you and will forgive for you. And God is Forgiving, Merciful.”
[9:61] And among them those who hurt the prophet (wa-minhumu alladheena yu’dhuuna al-nabiya), while they say, “He is all ears.” Say, “All ears is good for you. He believes in God and trusts on the believers, and there is mercy for those who have believed among you.” And those who hurt a messenger of God, for them there is a painful punishment.
[9:73] O you prophet, you shall strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites (yaa’ayyuhaa al-nabiyu jaahidi al-kufaara wa-al-munaafiqeena), and shall be stern on them. And their abode is Hell and it has been miserable is the destination.
[9:113] It has not been for the prophet and those who have believed (maa kaana lil’nnabiyyi wa-alladheena aamanuu) that they would ask forgiveness for the idol worshipers, even if they have been their nearest kins, after what has become clear to them that they are dwellers of the Hellfire.
[9:117] Certainly, God has turned with mercy upon the prophet, and the emigrants and the helpers (laqad taaba allahu `alaa al-nabiyyi wa-al-muhaajireena wa-al-ansaari) who have followed him at time of the difficulty what had done about to deviate hearts of a party of them, then He had turned with mercy upon them. Indeed, He is with them Kind, Merciful.
[33:1] O you prophet, you shall fear God (yaa’ayyuhaa al-nabiyu ittaqi allaha), and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed, God has been Knower, Wise.
[33:6] The prophet is closer to the believers than of their selves, and his wives are their mothers (al-nabiyu awlaa bi-al-mu’mineena min anfusihim wa-azwaajuhu ummahaatuhum). Possessors of the relationships of them are closer to another in God’s scripture than the believers and the emigrants except that you do to your friends being a kind. That has been to be written in the scripture.
[33:7] And when we had taken from the prophets their covenant, and from you (Muhammad) (wa-idh akhadhnaa mina al-nabiyeena meethaaqahum wa-minka), and from Noah, and Abraham, and Moses, and Jesus, son of Mary. And we had taken from them a solemn covenant.
Note: Here is a reference to the verse, 3:81 and a confirmation that the covenant had been taken from every prophet including Muhammad, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.
[33:28] O you prophet, say to your wives (yaa’ayyuhaa al-nabiyu qul li-azwaajika), “If you have committed to desire the life of the world and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and will release you a fair release.
[33:30] O wives of the prophet, if whoever from you commits of a proven immorality, the two-fold punishment will be doubled for her (yaa’nisaa-a al-nabiyyi man yati minkunna bi-faahishatan mubayyinatin lahaa al-adhaabi di’fayni). And it has been that is easy for God.
[33:32] O wives of the prophet, you have not been like anyone among the women (yaa’nisaa-a al-nabiyyi las’tunna ka-ahadin mina al-nisaa-i), if you have feared (God), then you do not be soft in the speech lest the one who has disease in his heart may move with desire, and you shall say a word being a right one.
[33:38] There has not been any discomfort upon the prophet in what God has ordered for him (maa kaana `alaa al-nabiyyi min harajin feemaa farada allahu lahu). It is God’s system about those who had passed away before. It has been God’s command being a destined decree.
[33:40] Muhammad has not been a father of anyone of your men, but has been a messenger of God and a seal of the prophets (wa-laakin rasuula allahi wa-khaatama al-nabiyyeena). And God has done as Knower of everything.
Note: Muhammad has not been a father of any men but what he has been was a messenger of God and a seal of the prophets (the final edition of scripture) as the seal can only be placed on the document not on the person.
[33:45] O you prophet; indeed, we have sent you a witness, and a bearer of good news, and a warner (yaa’ayyuhaa al-nabiyyu innaa arsalnaaka shaahidan wa-mubashiran wa-nadheeran).
Note: God has sent down the Quran to him, which is a witness, a bearer of good news and a warner.
[33:50] O you prophet; indeed, we have made lawful for you your wives to whom you have given their dowry (yaa’ayyuhaa al-nabiyu innaa ah’lalnaa laka azwaajaka allatee aatayta ujuurahunna), and whom is already yours from whom God has granted to you, and daughters of your paternal uncles, and daughters of your paternal aunts, and daughters of your maternal uncles, and daughters of maternal aunts who have emigrated with you, and a believing woman if she has given herself to the prophet if the prophet has intended to marry her (wa-im’ra-atan mu’minatan in wahabat nafsahaa lilnnabiyyi in araada al-nabiyu an yastankihahaa), is only for you other than the believers. Certainly, we have known what we have made obligatory upon them about their wives and whom is already theirs that it would not be a discomfort upon you. And God has been Forgiving, Merciful.
[33:53] O you who have believed, you do not enter the prophet’s homes except that permission is given to you (laa-tad’khuluu buyuuta al-nabiyyi illaa yu’dhana lakum) for a meal without awaiting its preparation. But when you have been invited, then you shall enter; then when you have eaten, then you shall leave, and not staying for a conversation. Indeed, that have been to hurt the prophet (inna dhaalikum kaana yu’dhee al-nabiyya), and he shies from you, while God does not shy for the truth. And when you have asked them (prophet’s wives) something, then you shall ask them from behind a screen. That are purer for your hearts and their (prophet’s wives) hearts. And it has not been for you that you hurt a messenger of God. And it is not that you should marry his wives after him ever. Indeed, that have been a gross offense at God.
[33:56] Indeed, God and His angels do favor on the prophet (inna allaha wa-malaa-i-katahu yusalluuna `alaa al-nabiyyi). O you who have believed, you shall do favor to him, and shall greet a befitting greeting.
Note: God and His angels had supported the prophet, while He commanded the contemporary believers to support him as well and to regard him as he should be regarded, which does not mean a command from God for the believers to offer prayer for him.
[33:59] O you prophet; say to your wives, and your daughters, and wives of the believers to put cover on them with their garments (yaa’ayyuhaa al-nabiyu qul li-azwaajika wa-banaatika wa-nisaa-i al-mu’mineena yud’neena `alayhinna min jalaabeebihinna). That is appropriate that they can be recognized, so that they may not be harmed. And God has been Forgiving, Merciful.
[49:2] O you who have believed, you do not raise your voices above the voice of the prophet (laa-tarfa`uu aswaatakum fawqa sawti al-nabiyyi), nor do you be loud to him in the speech like the loudness of yourselves to other that it nullifies your deeds, while you do not perceive.
[60:12] O you prophet, when has come to you the believing women pledging to you on that (yaa’ayyuhaa al-nabiyu idhaa jaa-a ka al-mu’minaatu yubaayi`naka `alaa an) they will neither associate anything with God, nor will they steal, nor will they commit adultery, nor will they kill their children, nor will they bring of slander they invent it between their hands and their feet, nor will they disobey you in what is right, you shall accept their pledge and shall ask forgiveness of God for them. Indeed, God is Forgiving, Merciful.
[65:1] O you prophet, when you have divorced the women (yaa’ayyuhaa al-nabiyu idhaa tallaqtumu al-nisaa-a), then you shall divorce them on their waiting period and shall count the waiting period, and shall fear God, your Lord. You do not drive out them from their houses, nor do they leave except that they commit of a proven adultery. And that is of God’s limits. And whoever transgresses God’s limits, then he has done wrong to himself. You may not know; it may be God will bring about something better after that.
[66:1] O you prophet, why do you prohibit what God has made lawful for you to seek pleasure of your wives (yaa’ayyuhaa al-nabiyu lima taharrimu maa ahalla allahu laka tabtaghee mardaata az’waajika)? And God is Forgiving, Merciful.
[66:3] And when the prophet has confided a matter to one of his wives (wa-idh asarra al-nabiyu ilaa ba`di az’waajihi hadeethan); then when she has informed of it and God has made it known to him (prophet), he has made known a part of it and has avoided a part from (it). Then when he has informed her of it, she has told “Who has informed you of this?” He said, “Has informed me the Knower, the Cognizant.”
[66:8] O you who have believed, you shall repent to God a sincere repentance. It has been your Lord that He removes your evil deeds from you and admits you into gardens flowing the rivers of their underneath. A day God will not disgrace the prophet and those who had believed with him (yawma laa-yukh’zee allahu al-nabiya wa-alladheena aamanuu ma`ahu). Their light will radiate before of them and on their right; they will say, “Our Lord, perfect our light for us, and forgive for us; indeed, You have power over everything.”
[66:9] O you prophet, you shall strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and shall be stern on them (yaa’ayyuhaa al-nabiyu jaahidi al-kufaara wa-al-munaafiqeena wa-ugh’luz `alayhim). And their abode is Hell and it has been miserable is the destination.
Mathematical confirmation
There are 34 instances of prophet found in 32 verses across 9 surahs in the Quran where God has addressed Muhammad as a prophet involving him in activities with his contemporaries, and if the surah and verse numbers of the set of the verses are added, the sum is a multiple of 19 => 1900 (19X100) as shown details in the table below, which is an explicit proof being a means for the believers of any generation of people not to fall into idol worshiping of Muhammad focusing on him avoiding misinterpretation of these verses or any other verses like these in the Quran, and the prophet’s interaction and communication with his contemporaries can be best understood from the surah al-Ahzaab:
Note: God has addressed Muhammad as a prophet involving him in lifetime activities with his contemporaries was an opportunity for the contemporary believers to respect, honor and support him in addition to following the message sent down to him when he has been among them but when he has not been among the believers down the generations is an an opportunity for them to follow the message he has left for them avoiding misinterpretation of any of these verses of the Quran.
Conclusion
Muhammad as a prophet has recited all the words of God sent down to him from his Lord as a guidance for the people, while as a believing person he has to prepare himself for the Hereafter striving in the cause of God believing and following these words as well to perfect his belief and practices obeying his Lord. But still there are disputes around us for misinterpretation and misconception of certain verses in the Quran to focus on him to be his commands as well as he is being closer to the believers and the believers are asked to support and honor him, while we find a great teaching of God in this set of mathematically confirmed verses in the Quran for referring him as a prophet involving him in activities with his contemporaries at his lifetime to avoid these disputes.
The core message from these verses indicates that he has enjoined certain orders to the people of the previous scripture, the believing men and women, and the idol worshipers seem to be his commands, while he relieves from them their burdens and shackles imposed upon them those who have believed in him, and have honored him, and have helped him, and have followed the light with him sent down to him have been the successful ones is very straightforward to misinterpret it to make focus on him, but if we think that he has recited those commands as a prophet from God’s words when he has been among them, then there should not have any confusion in the hearts of the believers that those commands are from God, which He has confirmed referring him as a prophet in those verses.
Now it is a fact from the circumstantial evidence that the misinterpretation of these verses along with some other verses like these in the Quran has made the majority of those who claim themselves Muslims idol worshipers corrupting their faith and practices for making focus on Muhammad accepting him as a soothsayer or a poet, instead of focusing on him accepting him as a prophet to perfect their faith and practices, while God has warned in the Quran that He has sent down the Quran, the final edition of His scripture to Muhammad with guidance and proofs, and laws and limits, and truth and justice, and wisdom and balance, and those who do not uphold it, their prayers and practices are show off and mockery to Him, which they cannot realize until they see their retribution when death comes to them. But God being merciful on His servants has given a means to prevent them from nullifying their works to make them losers in the Hereafter if they can reflect accepting it a blessing from Him.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (10/06/2023).