Note 14

[ BACK ] Regarding exactly this verse, Hazrat Mirza has written that the word rasul is used in it in a broad sense and includes saints as well as the prophets. He writes:

1. "God says: 'He does not make His unseen known to anyone except a rasul whom He chooses'. The word rasul is general, and included within it are rasul, nabi and muhaddas." (A'inah Kamalat Islam, February 1893, p. 332)

2. "The Holy Quran says: 'He [God] does not make His unseen known to anyone except a rasul whom He chooses', i.e. to disclose unseen matters perfectly is only the work of those who are rasul; others are not given this status. By rasul are meant those persons who are sent from Almighty God, whether it is a nabi, or a rasul, or a muhaddas and mujaddid." (Ayyam as-Sulh, August 1898, p. 171)

3. "God says: 'He does not make His unseen known to anyone except a rasul whom He chooses'. That is to say, Almighty God does not inform anyone of His secrets in an open manner except those who are rasul, i.e. those persons who are appointed with wahy risalat or wahy wilayat, and are considered as being from God." (Al-Haq Mubahasa Ludhiana, October 1891, p. 117)

So if someone is described as being a rasul under this verse, then that person is not necessarily a prophet, but can be a saint (muhaddas or wali).