The Characteristics of the Noble Prophets (ﷺ)
To guide His servants and to protect them from the deceit and cunning of devils and tyrannical forces, Allah Almighty selected certain noble individuals, who are known as Prophets and Messengers. Among them, Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) was the first human being as well as the first Prophet, and the final link in this chain is the noble personality of the Seal of the Prophets, Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (ﷺ).
The characteristics of the Prophets are as follows:
(1) Perfect Humanity:
Allah Almighty says:
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًۭا نُّوحِىٓ إِلَيْهِم مِّنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ ۗ أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۗ وَلَدَارُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ خَيْرٌۭ لِّلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوْا۟ ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ ١٠٩
We did not send before you (messengers) other than men from the people of the towns whom We inspired with revelation. Have they not traveled in the land where they could have seen how was the fate of those before them? And surely the abode of the Hereafter is much better for those who fear Allah. Would you, then, still not understand? (12:109)
Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, has always sent a human being as a Prophet or Messenger for the guidance of His servants. They were neither angels nor jinn. However, they were exalted above ordinary human beings. Despite being human, they were not superhuman, and every Prophet always acknowledged this fact.
Allah, the Exalted, says:
قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ بَشَرٌۭ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌۭ وَٰحِدٌۭ ۖ فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ لِقَآءَ رَبِّهِۦ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًۭا صَـٰلِحًۭا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِۦٓ أَحَدًۢا ١١٠
Say, “Surely, I am but a human being like you; it is revealed to me that your God is the One God. So the one who hopes to meet his Lord must do righteous deed and must not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord.” (18:110)
قَالَتْ لَهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ إِن نَّحْنُ إِلَّا بَشَرٌۭ مِّثْلُكُمْ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَمُنُّ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ ۖ وَمَا كَانَ لَنَآ أَن نَّأْتِيَكُم بِسُلْطَـٰنٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ١١
Their prophets said to them, “We are no more than a human being like you, but Allah bestows His favour upon whom He wills from among His servants. It is not for us to bring you an authority without Allah’s permission, and in Allah the believers must place their trust. (14:11)
After all, it is only a human being who can fully understand the circumstances, problems, and natural needs of another human being. That is why Allah Almighty has always sent prophets and messengers from among humans themselves.
In Surah Bani Isra’il, it is stated:
قُل لَّوْ كَانَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَلَـٰٓئِكَةٌۭ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَئِنِّينَ لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَلَكًۭا رَّسُولًۭا ٩٥
Say, “Had there been angels (living) on the earth, walking about in peace, We would have certainly sent down an angel from the heavens as a messenger.” (17:95)
(2) Wahbiyyat
ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ ٤
It is Allah’s bounty that He gives to whomsoever He wills, and Allah is the Lord of the great bounty. (62:4)
Allah, the Exalted, says:
وَإِذَا جَآءَتْهُمْ ءَايَةٌۭ قَالُوا۟ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ حَتَّىٰ نُؤْتَىٰ مِثْلَ مَآ أُوتِىَ رُسُلُ ٱللَّهِ ۘ ٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُۥ ۗ سَيُصِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُوا۟ صَغَارٌ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَعَذَابٌۭ شَدِيدٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَمْكُرُونَ ١٢٤
When a sign comes to them, they say, “We shall never come to believe unless we are given the like of what was given to the messengers of Allah.” Allah knows best where to place His message. Those who committed sin shall soon suffer from disgrace before Allah and face severe punishment for the mischief they have been making. (6:124)
No person can attain this rank solely on the basis of their own efforts, abilities, or talents. It is a special gift and grace from Allah. It is not granted as a result of someone’s virtuous deeds. Those who claimed prophethood without Allah’s support and help were unsuccessful, and their end was a terrible one.”
Preaching of Divine Commands: 3
An important characteristic and duty of the Prophets is that they convey Allah’s commands and ordinances accurately to His servants. A Prophet does not speak on his own accord; rather, he is a spokesperson of Allah Almighty. As stated in the Holy Qur’an.
وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ ٣
He does not speak out of (his own) desire. (53:3)
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْىٌۭ يُوحَىٰ ٤
It is but revelation revealed (to him). (53:4)
(4) Infallibility
The Prophets (عليهم السلام) are infallible. Their every word and action takes place under the supervision of God. Their character is immaculate. No deed of a Prophet is driven by personal desires. Their infallibility is above all forms of doubt and suspicion. They are protected from satanic and tyrannical assaults. Allah Himself safeguards them.
(5) Nece “ssity of Obedience:
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآءُوكَ فَٱسْتَغْفَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابًۭا رَّحِيمًۭا ٦٤
We did not send any Messenger but to be obeyed by the leave of Allah. Had they, after having wronged themselves, come to you and sought forgiveness from Allah, and had the Messenger prayed for their forgiveness, they would certainly have found Allah Most-Relenting, Very-Merciful. (4:64)
In Surah An-Nisa, Allah the Almighty says:
مَّن يُطِعِ ٱلرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ ٱللَّهَ ۖ وَمَن تَوَلَّىٰ فَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًۭا ٨٠
Whoever obeys the Messenger obeys Allah, and whoever turns away, then, We did not send you to stand guard over them. (4:80)
Allah, the Exalted, says:
لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِى رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌۭ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًۭا ٢١
There is indeed a good model for you in the Messenger of Allah – for the one who has hope in Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah profusely. (33:21)
The Prophets first act upon the divine commands themselves and then guide their communities accordingly. They explain the commandments and the message of Allah, and invite people towards the same message they have received. They serve as role models for their communities.
(7) Consistency Between Words and Actions:
There is never the slightest contradiction between the words and actions of the noble Prophets. The very commandments of Allah that they convey to the people are practically demonstrated through their own lives. They perform each deed themselves, ensuring that none of their actions contradict what they preach.
(8) Trustworthiness and Truthfulness:
The noble Prophets are truthful and trustworthy. They convey the commandments of Allah to humanity exactly as they are, without alteration. They do not speak of their own accord; they only say what Allah has commanded them to say. As Allah the Exalted states:
وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ ٣
He does not speak out of (his own) desire. (53:3)
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْىٌۭ يُوحَىٰ ٤
It is but revelation revealed (to him). (53:4)
(9) Modesty and Shame (Ḥayā):
The Prophets are the embodiment of modesty and shame. Never does any immoral act emanate from the Prophets. They surpass all of humanity in their sense of modesty and chastity. Even their adversaries bear witness to their innocence and modesty.
(10) Expositors of the Book of Allah:
The word shāriḥ means one who explains, interprets, clarifies, and elucidates. Allah Almighty reveals the Book or Scriptures to the Prophets, and they present and explain the message of Allah to their respective nations.
As Allah Almighty states:
بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَٱلزُّبُرِ ۗ وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ٤٤
(We sent them) with clear signs and scriptures. And We sent down the Reminder (The Qur’ān) to you, so that you explain to the people what has been revealed for them, and so that they may ponder. (16:44)
(11) The Message of Tawheed (Oneness of Allah):
The fundamental purpose behind the arrival of all the Prophets was to invite people towards the worship of one Allah alone.
Allah, the Exalted, says:
وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍۢ رَّسُولًا أَنِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتَ ۖ فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ هَدَى ٱللَّهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِ ٱلضَّلَـٰلَةُ ۚ فَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ٣٦
We did raise a messenger among every people, with the message: “Worship Allah and stay away from the Rebel (the Satan).” Then, there were some among them whom Allah guided, and there were others against whom deviation (from the right path) was established. So, travel on earth and see how was the fate of those who rejected (the prophets). (16:36)
