Rasul with a Book, Nabi without a Book

19. Surah Maryam

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَاذْكُرْ فِي الْكِتَابِ مُوسَى...   

19: 51.  Also mention in the Book (the story of) Moses:

...إِنَّهُ كَانَ مُخْلَصًا وَكَانَ رَسُولًا نَّبِيًّا ﴿٥١﴾

for he was specially chosen, and he was a Messenger (and) a Prophet.

C2503. Moses was;

-        especially chosen, and therefore prepared and instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, in order that he might free his people from Egyptian bondage; there may also be a reference to Moses' title of Kalim Allah, the one to whom Allah spoke without the intervention of angels: see 4:164, and n. 670;

-         He was a prophet (nabi), in that he received inspiration; and

-         he was a messenger (rasul) in that he had a Book of Revelation, and an Ummah or organized Community, for which he instituted laws. (R).

Other versions:

19: 51 [Maryam, Mecca 44 ]

Asad And call to mind, through this divine writ, Moses. Behold, he was a chosen one, and was an apostle [of God], a prophet.

Yusuf Ali Also mention in the Book (the story of) Moses: for he was specially chosen and he was an apostle (and) a prophet.

Pickthall And make mention in the Scripture of Moses. Lo! he was chosen, and he was a messenger (of Allah), a Prophet.

Transliteration Wadz kur fil kita_bi musa_ in nahu_ ka_na mukhlashaw wa ka_na rasu_lan nabiy ya_

[Asad’s note 37: The mention of Moses and other prophets in this context serves to reinforce the statement that all of them—like Jesus—were but mortal servants of God whom He had inspired with His message to man (cf. verse 30 above). As regards the distinction between the tems “prophet” and (nabi) and apostle (rasul), see the opening clause of 22:52 and the corresponding note 65: ( According to most of the commentators, the designation “ apostle” (rasul) is applied to bearers of divine revelations which comprise a new doctrinal system of dispensation; a “prophet” (nabi), on the other hand, is said to be one whom God has entrusted with the enunciation of ethical principle on the basis of an already-existing dispensation, or a of principles common to all divine dispensations. Hence, every apostle is a prophet as well, but not every prophet is an apostle.]

[ Ali’s notes: 2503 Moses was (1) especially chosen, and therefore prepared and instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, in order that he might free his people from Egyptian bondage; there may also be a reference to Moses's title of Kalimullah, the one to whom Allah spoke without the intervention of angels: see iv. 164, and n. 670; (2) he was a prophet (nabi), in that he received inspiration; and (3) he was a messenger (rasul) in that he had a Book of Revelation, and an Ummat or organized Community, for which he instituted laws. (19.51)