prophetPROPHET
The most distinctive characteristic between a priest and a prophet is
the personal call received by the latter, although some priests feel
called to their office. This call experienced by the prophet forms the
basis for his authority, which is ultimately derived from a divine being.
Another important distinction between a priest and a prophet is the
personal charisma of the latter, whereas the priest possesses office cha-
risma, a Greek word meaning favor, gift, or gift of grace in the New
Testament. In short, it is a personal magic of leadership that gives the
owner the ability to persuade others of their message, gets others com-
mitted to their cause, and motivates them to act upon the message.
There are two basic types of charisma: office and personal. The former
type tends to be more rational and demands tempered obedience,
whereas personal charisma is due to personal qualifications that appeal
more to the emotions of others, claiming complete loyalty and even
individual surrender.
A prophet is usually called to do something, such as proclaim a reli-
gious doctrine or divine commandment. The Jewish prophet Jeremiah,
for instance, calls for a new covenant (31.31–34) that would fulfill the
intention of the original Sinai covenant made with Moses that is now
broken. It is important to recognize that the prophet is conscious of
being the organ, instrument, or mouth piece of the divine will (Sam.
28.6, 15). This implies that a prophet’s authority is secondary or derived
from a higher source. During the process of receiving a message, proph-
ets encounter visions, voices, dreams, and trances, which can be rev-
elations that arise spontaneously and are received passively by the
prophet. The Islamic prophet Muhammad, who is considered the seal
of the prophets after having received the final and most perfect revela-
tion according to the Islamic tradition, even refers to messages depos-
ited on his heart. Whatever the modes of message, they are not
self-induced by the prophetic figure. And unlike a priest, a prophet
receives no monetary rewards for his work, propagating ideas for their
own sake.
The Islamic doctrine of the role of the prophet teaches that God never
leaves humankind without a prophet, and sends them to all peoples. The
Qur’an refers to a line of prophetic figures from Noah, Abraham, Moses,
David, Solomon, Jonah, and Jesus. The message of these prophets and
Muhammad, last of them, is essentially the same, although there is a
gradual evolution of the messages towards the final and perfect revela-
tion. The Qur’an lists four qualities of a prophet: truthfulness, fidelity,