Yusuf 12:109

All of the Prophets are Humans and Men

Allah states that He only sent Prophets and Messengers from among men and not from among women, as this Ayah clearly states. Allah did not reveal religious and legislative laws to any woman from among the daughters of Adam. This is the belief of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah. Shaykh Abu Al-Hasan, `Ali bin Isma`il Al-Ash`ari mentioned that it is the view of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah, that there were no female Prophets, but there were truthful believers from among women. Allah mentions the most honorable of the truthful female believers, Maryam, the daughter of `Imran, when He said,

(The Messiah 'Isa, son of Maryam (Mary), was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a Siddiqah truthful believer. They both used to eat food.) 5:75 Therefore, the best description Allah gave her is Siddiqah. Had she been a Prophet, Allah would have mentioned this fact when He was praising her qualities and honor. Therefore, Mary was a truthful believer according to the words of the Qur'an.

All Prophets were Humans not Angels

Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on Allah's statement,

(And We sent not before you (as Messengers) any but men) "They were not from among the residents of the heaven (angels), as you claimed." This statement of Ibn `Abbas is supported by Allah's statements,

(And We never sent before you any of the Messengers, but verily, they ate food and walked in the markets), 25:20

(And We did not create them with bodies that ate not food, nor were they immortals. Then We fulfilled to them the promise. So We saved them and those whom We willed, but We destroyed extravagants), 21:8-9 and,

(Say: "I am not a new thing among the Messengers.") 46:9 Allah said next,

(from among the people of townships), meaning, from among the people of cities, not that they were sent among the bedouins who are some of the harshest and roughest of all people.

Drawing Lessons from the Incidents of the Past

Allah said next,

(Have they not traveled in the land), meaning, `Have not these people who rejected you, O Muhammad, traveled in the land,'

(and seen what was the end of those who were before them) that is, the earlier nations that rejected the Messengers, and how Allah destroyed them. A similar end is awaiting all disbelievers. Allah said in another Ayah,

(Have they not traveled through the land, and have they hearts wherewith to understand) 22:46 When they hear this statement, they should realize that Allah destroyed the disbelievers and saved the believers, and this is His way with His creation. This is why Allah said,

(And verily, the home of the Hereafter is the best for those who have Taqwa.) Allah says, `Just as We saved the faithful in this life, We also wrote safety for them in the Hereafter, which is far better for them than the life of the present world.' Allah said in another Ayah,

(Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe in this world's life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth (i.e. Day of Resurrection). The Day when their excuses will be of no profit to the wrongdoers. Theirs will be the curse, and theirs will be the evil abode (in Hellfire).) 40:51-52)

where it was said: وَمَا أَرْ‌سَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلَّا رِ‌جَالًا نُّوحِي إِلَيْهِم مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَ‌ىٰ : It means that their thinking that it is an angel who should be the messenger and prophet of Allah and that a human being cannot occupy this station is baseless and ineffectual. Quite contrary to this, the case is just the reverse - that is, for human beings, a prophet of Allah has always been a human being. Nevertheless, he is distinct from human beings in general in that the Wahy and message of Allah Ta’ ala comes to him directly. It is never the outcome of an individual effort or act by anyone. It is always Allah Ta` ala Himself who would choose from among his ser-vants the one who, in His knowledge and judgment, is the fittest for this mission. And this selection is based on particular attributes of personal excellence which are not found among human beings at large.

Onwards from here, there is an admonition to those who contravene the instructions given by the maker of the call on behalf of Allah (da` i), and invite the wrath and punishment of Allah upon them. It was said:

أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُ‌وا فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ فَيَنظُرُ‌وا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۗ وَلَدَارُ‌ الْآخِرَ‌ةِ خَيْرٌ‌ لِّلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ

Have they not travelled in the land where they would have seen how was the fate of those before them? And surely the abode of the Hereafter is better for those who fear Allah. Would you, then, still not understand? - 109

And continue to prefer the short-lived comfort of the present world over the everlasting and perfect blessings and comforts of the 'Akhirah.

Messengers are from Men

2. From the word: رِجَالِاً (rijalan : men) in verse 109:

وَمَا أَرْ‌سَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلَّا رِ‌جَالًا نُّوحِي إِلَيْهِم مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَ‌ىٰ

And We did not send before you [ messengers ] other than men from the people of the towns - 109,

We learn that messengers are always men. A woman cannot become a nabiyy (prophet) and rasul (messenger).

Imam Ibn Kathir (رح) has reported the consensus of ` Ulama' that Allah Ta` ala has not made any woman a nabiyy or rasul. Some ` Ulama' have identified some women as being a nabiyy or prophet, for example, Sayyidah Sarah, the wife of Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) ، the mother of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) and Sayyidah Maryam, the mother of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) . The reason is that there are particular words in the Holy Qur’ an about these three respected women which give the impression that angels talked to them as Divinely commanded, gave them good news, or they themselves came to know something through the medium of Divine revelation. But the majority of ` Ulama, though they do accept that the words of such verses prove that these respected women had a high spiritual rank in the sight of Allah Ta` ala, but, according to them, these words are not sufficient as proofs of their being prophets and messengers.

Messengers are from Towns

3. The expression: أَهْلِ الْقُرَ‌ىٰ (men from the people of the towns) appearing in the verse quoted immediately above tells us that Allah Ta` la sends his messengers generally from among those who live in cities and towns. Messengers are not from among those who reside in the country-side and forest lands - because the dwellers of these habitations are generally rustic, hard and less perfect in comprehension and understanding. (Ibn Kathir, Qurtubi others)