THE ULUL-'AZM PROPHETS (AS)

[Taqavi]

Who are the Ulul-'Azm prophets (AS) and what is their status?

 

To clarify the subject, we first define the word Ulul-'Azm;

Ulul-'Azm in the lexicon:

"Ulū" means owners, and "azm" in the lexicon means a strong and firm will;  Raghīb says that "azm" means deciding to do something;[1] Ibn Manẓūr says about the Ulul-'Azm prophets (AS) that they are those who decided on a matter to which they had pledged, [2] and azm is mentioned in the divine word as follows: "And indeed, We made a covenant with Adam before, but he forgot, and We found in him no firm resolve." [3]  This verse suggests that azm means faithfulness to the covenant.

Ulul-'Azm in terminology:

Allama Tabatabaei defines the word "Ulū al-'azm" as follows:

The meaning of azm in the Ulul-'Azm prophets (AS), mentioned in the verse "So be patient as the possessors of determination among the Messengers were patient," [4] is perseverance in adherence to the initial covenant that was taken from them and that they did not forget. Allah Almighty says: "And when We took a covenant from the Prophets, from you, from Noah, from Abraham, from Moses, and from Jesus, and We took from them a strong covenant." [5] Allah Almighty also says: "And We made a covenant with Adam before, but he forgot, and We found in him no firm resolve." [6]

Each of these prophets has a Sharia and a book. Allah Almighty says: "What We recommended to Noah and what We revealed to you, and what We recommended to Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, We legislated for you from the religion." [7] Allah Almighty also says: "Indeed, this is in the former scriptures, the scriptures of Abraham and Moses." [8] Allah Almighty also says: "And We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light, by which the prophets judged." [9] And other verses that show that the Ulul-'Azm prophets had Sharia, and Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (AS) also had books. What we have mentioned does not contradict the descent of the book to David (AS), where Allah Almighty says: "And We gave David the Zabur," [10] and it does not contradict what is mentioned in the narrations about attributing the book to Adam, Seth, and Idris, because they are books that do not include judgments and laws. [11]

Masbah Yazdi also states that the meaning of the Ulul-'Azm prophets (AS), is those who, in addition to the superior patience and perseverance that mentioned in the Quran, had an independent book and Sharia, and later or contemporary prophets followed their Sharia until another of the Ulul-'Azm prophets (AS) was sent to prophethood. [12]

Names of Prophets with Sharia:

Prophets with Sharia: Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (AS); [13] the names of the Ulul-'Azm prophets are explicitly mentioned in narrations; for example, the words of Imam Sajjad (AS) and Imam Baqir (AS) who said: The Ulul-'Azm prophets are five: Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (AS). [14]

Narrations from Imam Sadiq (AS) [15] and Imam Reza (AS) [16] explain how these Ulul-'Azm prophets became so.  They said that Noah came with Sharia and a book, then Abraham came with a new book and Sharia, and every prophet after Abraham acted according to Abraham's religion until Moses came and brought a new religious book. After him came Jesus, and after Jesus came the Prophet Muhammad, whose halal is halal until the Day of Judgment and whose haram is haram until the Day of Judgment.

The Rank and Status of Prophets with Sharia:

According to the narrations about the status of the Ulul-'Azm prophets, Allah gave these prophets superiority over other prophets and made them the masters and leaders of other prophets. [17] And the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is superior to all prophets, even the Ulul-'Azm prophets. [18]

Points that caused their superiority over other divine prophets are:

- They had a new Sharia, unlike many prophets who followed the Sharia of the prophet before them.

- They had a heavenly book that served as a source of guidance, containing the judgments and laws of their Sharia.

- They stood firm and resolute in the face of problems and had a special position of resistance and perseverance in the face of problems.

- They had a more global and extensive responsibility for guidance and were sent to guide the world, not just a specific nation.

Based on this, it should be said that the Ulul-'Azm prophets have a high status, and the prophet Muhammad (SAW) as a prophet who is over all creatures, [19] is also among them, which shows their high status.

 

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[1] . Al-Mufradat fi Gharib al-Qur'an, Al-Raghib Al-Isfahani, Vol: 1, Page: 565.

[2] . Lisan al-Arab, Ibn Manzur, Vol: 12, Page: 400.

[3] . Taha: 115. «وَلَقَدْ عَهِدْنَا إِلَى آدَمَ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَنَسِيَ وَلَمْ نَجِدْ لَهُ عَزْمًا»

[4] . Ahqaf: 35. «فاصبر كما صبر أولوا العزم من الرسل»

[5] . Al-Ahzab: 7. «واذ أخذنا من النبيين ميثاقهم ومنك ومن نوح وابراهيم وموسى وعيسى وأخذنا منهم ميثاقا غليظا»

[6] . Taha: 115. «ولقد عهدنا إلى آدم من قبل فنسي ولم نجد له عزما»

[7] . Al-Shura: 13. «شرع لكم من الدين ما وصى به نوحا والذي أوحينا اليك وما وصينا به ابراهيم وموسى وعيسى»

[8] . Al-A'la: 19. «إن هذا لفي الصحف الاولى صحف ابراهيم وموسى»

[9] . Al-Ma'idah: 44. «إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ ۚ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ»

[10] . Al-Nisa: 163. «وآتينا داود زبورا»

[11] . Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an, Allamah Tabataba'i, Vol: 2, Page: 141.

[12] . Amoozesh-e Eteghad, Misbah Yazdi, Mohammad Taghi, Page: 239.

[13] . Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an, Allamah Tabataba'i, Vol: 2, Page: 141 / Amoozesh-e Eteghad, Misbah Yazdi, Mohammad Taghi, Page: 239.

[14] . Bihar al-Anwar, Allamah Majlisi, Vol 11, Page 33, Beirut Edition, Wafa.

[15] . Ibid., Vol 11, Page 56.

[16] . Uyoon Akhbar Al-Ridha (AS), Al-Shaykh Al-Saduq, Vol: 1, Page: 86.

[17] . Al-Kafi, Al-Shaykh Al-Kulaini, Vol: 1, Page: 175 / Uyoon Akhbar Al-Ridha (AS), Al-Shaykh Al-Saduq, Vol: 1, Page: 86.

[18] . Uyoon Akhbar Al-Ridha (AS), Al-Shaykh Al-Saduq, Vol: 2, Page: 237.

[19] . Mustadrak Safinat al-Bihar, Al-Namazi, Al-Shaykh Ali, Vol: 3, Page: 166.