Al-Nubuwwah (Prophethood)
“Certainly We raised an apostle in every nation [to preach:] ‘Worship Allah, and keep away from the Rebels (false gods).’” (Qur’an 16:36)
It is through the message they each brought that the will of Allah was revealed to humans and has been since the beginning of time. Prophets allow humans to receive instructions on how to fulfil Allah’s will.
Prophets don’t sin. Allah always calls people to obey His prophets and also says not to obey those who disobey Him. Hence, Shi’a Muslims argue that prophets cannot be people who sin since Allah cannot call humans to obey people who sin. It is important to point out, however, that there are instances in the Qur’an where they do an action that seems like a sin to us but it is not.
Prophets are fully human, and are perfect exemplars or role models for others on how to put the guidance into practice. They are free from sin, error or doubt and so their exemplary lives can be relied upon. This is not limited to just revelation but in the general religious sense too.
All Muslims share the belief that Muhammad is a prophet of Allah. However, this does not mean that they believe that he was the founder of Allah’s religion. Instead, he was the last in a long chain of prophets, all of whom taught the consistent message of Tawhid and what Allah expects from His followers.
Of these prophets, 25 are named in the Qur’an but this is not the complete list which reaches 124,000, the first being Adam and the last being Muhammad.
Prophets are sent as teachers, as moral guides, masters of ethics and as people who warn against divine punishment and invite towards divine reward. The mission of prophets is to ensure that all human societies, regardless of language and culture, grasp fully the nature of actions and the consequences that follow them. Shi’a Muslims, like other Muslims, regard highly the predecessors of Prophet Muhammad, and regard figures like Adam, Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses) and (Isa) Jesus as prophets and messengers of God who are given the utmost reverence.