Islamic conception of Nabi is quite different. As a matter of fact the
term "prophethood" as understood in English is not equivalent to
the term "nubuwwah" which the Qur'an uses in this context. The
Nabi is not a "prophet" or a soothsayer. His function is not
divination but the communication of the Revelation which has been
vouchsafed to him. "Prophecy" as understood by the Jews is
completely irrelevant to the mission of the Nabi. He fulfils his
mission if he communicates the Wahi as he has received it, without
adding to or taking away anything from it. His purpose is not to
prognosticate but to offer moral guidance to man in the light of
Divine Revelation. This is clear from another term which is applied
to a Nabi. He is "Rasool" or messenger. He bears a message from
God telling man how he can lead a good life and how he can achieve
perfection. The Qur'an is explicit on this point:
O Children of Adam! Whenever messengers come to you from among
you, who narrate to you My Revelation, then whosoever follows it and
amends, there shall come no fear upon them nor shall they grieve
(7:35).
It should be noted that the purpose of Wahi is not to compel man
to choose any particular way. Wahi merely informs him which way
leads to his growth and development and which to his
disintegration, and leaves him free to choose for himself. Wahi
imparts the requisite knowledge to man who is then free to act upon
it or not. Says the Qur'an:
Say: it is the truth from Allah. Then whosoever will let him believe, and
whosoever will let him reject (18:29).
Let us clearly grasp the Qur'anic conception of Wahi. Wahi is a
gift of God, which He bestows on the man whom He selects. Wahi
is not a prize which a man can win for himself through his own
efforts. By developing his latent powers, man cannot qualify himself
for nubuwwah. The Nabi does not discover truth; it is disclosed to
him by God. The Qur'an, therefore, defines Revelation as ''sending
down" or "nuzool":
Verily we have sent down to thee the Book with truth (39:2).
The point to bear in mind is that the reception of Wahi is an
intense and vital experience, but it is not an experience which has
been induced by subjective factors. The Nabi does not objectify his
personal experience. He is intensely and vividly aware of his
Divine Guidance^98