1.1. Definition of the nabi (prophet) in linguistic terms
The Arabic word nabi, meaning prophet, refers to one who tells people about Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. It is derived from the word naba’, which refers to news of great benefit. The word nabi appears in a grammatical form that refers to the doer of an action; thus it means the teller of news about Allah and His message. Or it may be that what is meant is a direct object, meaning that he is the one whom Allah tells of His commands and prohibitions. Some of the scholars said that it is derived from the words nabwah and nabawah, which refer to height or elevation, which is indicative of the high status of the prophet.

1.2. Definition of the rasul (messenger) in linguistic terms
The rasul (messenger) it is the one who is sent with a message to deliver. This word appears in a grammatical form that refers to a direct object. It was also said that he is the one who keeps receiving messages from the one who sent him.

1.3. The difference between the rasul (messenger) and nabi (prophet) in Islamic terminology
One of the views regarding the difference between a Prophet and Messenger is that the one to whom the angel comes in a clear manner and instructs him to call people to Allah is a Messenger, whereas the one to whom the angel does not come – rather he sees in his dream that he is a Messenger, or one of the Messengers tells him that he is a Messenger of Allah – is a prophet, and is not a Messenger. Or it was said that the Messenger is the one to whom a new system of law is revealed, and the prophet is one who is sent to affirm the system of laws of the one who came before him. Or it was said that the difference between the messenger and the prophet is that the Messenger is one who is sent to convey revelation and has a book, and the prophet is one who is sent to convey the revelation he receives, whether he has a book or not. Or it was said that the difference between them is that the Messenger is one who is sent to disbelievers who oppose him and disbelieve in him, whether he comes with a new system of law or affirms that of the one who came before him, whereas the prophet is one who is sent to believers and supporters to implement the system of law of the Messengers who came before him, so he is like the scholars who convey the message of the messengers.