Prophethood (nubuwwa)

النُّبُوَّة

Nubuwwa comes from the root for height or for news, and nabi is related to both. In law it is an affirmative quality of the prophet together with a relational one, the attachment of the divine address to him. Risala is narrower: it is being sent from God to people, or some of them, to convey the law. Prophecy is established by miracles that break habit and are joined with a challenge, the Qur'an among them. Rules that the Qur'an or Sunna relate from earlier prophets bind us in matters of faith by agreement, and in matters of law the majority hold them binding unless our law sets them aside, whereas the Shafi'is hold them not binding for us. Whoever claims prophecy, for himself or for another, is a liar and an apostate by agreement, since the Prophet ﷺ is the seal of the prophets; one who confirms such a claimant becomes an apostate. Jurists differ on whether a dhimmi who makes the claim is to be asked to repent. ^{1 2 3 4 5}