FRIDAY (13/10/2023) NOTES FROM THE QURAN - ARSAL, RASUL, RISALA

 

Note : Non Muslims can skip this. Its too technical.

I have not written this column for quite a few Fridays. Maybe someday I can tell you why. Because I really have a humongous amount of material from the Quran that may be of interest to many people. The content is really quite mind boggling - and might I add - even for non-Muslim readers. Or even if you are atheists (a word which by definition must be an oxymoron).

Today some quick notes about the words ARSAL, RASUL and RISALA as they appear in the Quran. They are all rooted in the same word R-S-L

1. ARSAL means sent out or despatch out. Like despatching out a messenger.
2. RASUL means the messenger, the one who is carrying a message.
3. RISALA refers the message itself.

 

1. Lets look at ARSAL first:

Surah 7:6   فَلَنَسْـَٔلَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَنَسْـَٔلَنَّ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ

7:6  Then We will surely question those to whom [a message] was sent (URSILA), and We will surely question the messengers (MURSALEEN)

Here two forms URSILA (was sent) and MURSALEEN (those who were sent aka messengers - plural) are used.

Sura 2:119        إنا أرسلناك بالحق

Sura 2:119  Verily We have sent (ARSAL) thee in truth


2.  Then we come to RASUL or the messenger.   In Arabic literature the word Rasool (رسول) literary means "messenger", “informant”, “envoy”, “carrier”, “arriver”, “delivery”, “mission”, “delegation”.

Sura 2:101       ولما جاءهم رسول من عند الله

Sura 2:101     And when there came to them a messenger (RASUL) from Allah

3.  Finally the word RISALA / RISALATI  refers to the message itself, or the mission or that which was despatched with a messenger. In Malay a risalah used to refer to a magazine.

Sura  7:62     أبلغكم رسالات ربي

Sura 7:62 I deliver to you the messages (RISALATI) of my Lord

Sura 7:93   وقال يا قوم لقد أبلغتكم رسالات ربي

Sura 7:93 ".. . and said, "O my people, I had certainly conveyed to you the messages (RISALATI) of my Lord"

 

RASUL is the messenger, RISALA is the message that a RASUL brings with him and ARSAL is the action of despatching or sending out a messenger.

 The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.