سورة مريم

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): Musa (peace be upon him) lived 126 years and Harun lived 130 years.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Zurarah said: I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) about the verse وَ کَانَ رَسُولًا نَّبِیًّا [and he was a messenger, a prophet] and said, "Inform me of the difference between a rasul (messenger) and a nabi (prophet)." He said, "The nabi is the one who sees in his dream and hears the voice, but does not see the angel. As for the rasul, he sees the angel and speaks with him." I said, "What is the position of the Imam?" He said, "He hears the voice, but does not see the angel and does not observe the angel with his eyes." Then he recited this verse: وَ مَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِکَ مِنْ رَسُولٍ وَ لَا نَبِیٍّ وَ لَا مُحَدَّثٍ [We did not send any messenger before you, nor any prophet, nor any muhaddath (one spoken to)]. (Hajj/52)

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Zurarah narrated from Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): "What is the difference between a rasul (messenger), a nabi (prophet), and a muhaddath (one spoken to)?" He said, "The rasul is one upon whom Jibra'il descends and speaks with him face to face; he sees him just as you see one of your friends. But the nabi sees in a dream, like the dream of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), and like the dreams of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) in which Jibra'il would come. Some prophets possess both the rank of risalah (messengership) and nubuwwah (prophethood); the noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) was both a rasul and a nabi — Jibra'il would descend upon him, he would see him and speak with him, and he would also see him in dreams. The nabi hears the speech of the angel in such a way that he speaks with him, but the muhaddath hears but does not see him, and he does not come in his dream."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Burayd narrated from Abu Ja'far (peace be upon him) that I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) regarding this verse: وَ مَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِکَ مِنْ رَسُولٍ وَ لَا نَبِیٍّ [We did not send any messenger before you, nor any prophet] and "nor any muhaddath", "May I be sacrificed for you, this is not our recitation. Tell us who the rasul, the nabi and the muhaddath are." The Imam (peace be upon him) said, "The rasul is the one to whom the angel appears and speaks with him; the nabi is the one who sees in his dream, and sometimes nubuwwah and risalah are combined in one person; and the muhaddath is the one who hears the voice but does not see the form." I said, "May Allah keep you in well-being. How does he know that what he saw in his sleep is true and that it is from the angel?" He said, "Allah grants him the ability to recognize it. Indeed Allah has sealed the scriptures with your Book and sealed the prophets with your Prophet."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): The rasul is the one upon whom the angels descend and bring him the message from Allah; but the nabi is the one who sees in a dream — whatever he sees in the dream is reality. As for the muhaddath, he is the one who hears the speech of the angel and it reaches his ear and is cast into his heart.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): Zurara said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about the rasul (messenger). He said: "A rasul is one who sees in a dream and also observes the angel." I said: "So a nabi (prophet) may not be a rasul?" He said: "Yes, he sees in a dream and hears the voice, but does not see [the angel]." I said: "How is the station of the Imam?" He said: "He hears the voice but does not come face to face [with the angel] and does not see [him]."

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): Isma'il ibn Marrar said: Hasan ibn Abbas Ma'rufi wrote a letter to Imam Rida (peace be upon him): "May I be your ransom, inform me: what is the difference between a rasul (messenger), a nabi (prophet) and an imam?" The Imam (peace be upon him) wrote or said: "The difference between these three is that the rasul is the one upon whom Jibra'il (peace be upon him) descends, and while the revelation is sent down upon him he sees the angel of Allah and hears his voice. Of course, this meeting can take place in a dream, like the vision of Ibrahim (peace be upon him). The nabi may see the angel and hear his voice, and it is also possible that sometimes he does not see and does not hear. But the imam is one who hears the speech of the angel of revelation but does not see him."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): The knowledge of prophethood enters into the limbs of the Imam (peace be upon him).

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Regarding the halal and the haram, come to our door [and we are the refuge for the divine rulings]. But as for the station of prophethood — no, we are not prophets.