The number of Messengers (Rusul) is less than the number of Prophets (Nabiyoon)...

The number of Messengers (Rusul) is less than the number of Prophets (Nabiyoon); and every Rasul received a book, while some Nabees received a book. In addition, since he has to convince his people to accept a new religion with new practices, a Rasul’s work is much harder than that of a Nabi. This is on top of the fact that people’s needs, minds, and abilities have changed; and accepting a new religion is not an easy task.

This is while a Nabi’s new religious instructions are for himself (unless he is a Rasul). Surely a Nabi invites people toward Allah (SWT): however, he does not set any new practices for the people. So, in essence, if a Nabi is NOT a Rasul, the people that he invites to Allah (SWT) would be ordered to follow the custom and practices of a previous Rasul. Among the Rusul, however, there are five individuals who are higher than the others.

As you might know, the only difference between those five and other Rusul is that they are assigned universally (for the whole mankind at their time), while the rest of Rusul were locally (just for one city or area). My recollection is that the word ‘Alameen and/or Jamee’an has been used in Quran for Prophet Jesus (PBUH) supporting this idea. Once a Bahai claimed that the Rusul (who came before Bab were only those five who had book. But the rest were Nabi.

This is not correct since Quran states that Dawood had Zabur and yet he is not counted among those five great Messengers. So he is Rasul because he brought a book for people. Imam/Muhaddath Imam means a person who is appointed by God as a leader and as a guide (6) to whom obedience is due, and whom people should follow. Messengers are Warners and Imams are Guides. (7) Imams are the Stars of Guidance. (8) Imam does not receive divine revelation about Sharia (divine law).

He does not receive any commands concerning new religous practices, and so on. However, he may be informed of the events about the past and future. Another difference between Rasul and Nabi and Muhaddath (i.e., Imam) is on how they communicate with the angels, and is given in Usul Kafi:(9). Rasul sees and hears the angel in awakness and sleep. Nabi hears the angel and sees him while asleep, but does not see him while awake though hears the speech.

Imam (muhaddith) is the one who hears the angel in awakness while does not see him in awakness or sleep. In the previous part we quoted from Quran that Mary (PBUH) had communication with angels.