leave off this...

leave off this, surely the decree of your Lord has come to pass, and surely there must come to them a chastisement that cannot be averted.” And when Our messengers came to Lut, he was grieved for them, and he lacked strength to protect them, and said, “This is a hard day.” Also, Prophet Musa's(a.s) mother received revelation, as in noted in Qisas (surah 28), verse 7 where it says, “And We revealed to Musa's mothers, saying: Give him suck, then when you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear nor grieve; surely We will bring him back to you and make him one of the messengers.” Thus, there is no inherent connection between revelation and prophethood.

In other words, it's possible for angels to converse with and give revelation to a person who is not a messenger. Imam al-Sadiq(a.s) says, “Fatimah was called 'Muhaddithah' because the angels descended from heaven and spoke with her in the same way that they spoke with Maryam, daughter of 'Imran.”[^2] In another hadith it says that the angels speak with the Imams.

Imam al-Jawad(a.s) narrates that Imam Ali(a.s) said to ibn Abbas, “I and eleven of my descendents are all muhaddath.”[^3] Also, Imam al-Baqir(a.s) said, “Twelve Imams from the house of Mohammad are all muhaddath.”[^4] Imam al-Sadiq(a.s) narrates from the Messenger of Allah(s.a.w), “Truly among my are twelve people who are muhaddath.”[^5] Imam al-Sadiq(a.s) says, “A messenger sees and speaks with angels; a prophet sees them in his dreams.

Occassionaly prophethood and messengership are found in one person.” When that happens, “muhaddath” refers to that type of person. “A muhaddath is the one who hears the voice but doesn't see [the angel].”[^6] Thusly, there is no inherent relationship between speaking with angels and prophethood, and angels can speak with those who are not prophets.

Therefore it cannot be said that the Shi'a believe that Lady Fatimah(a.s) and the Imams(a.s) are prophets because they say that the angels spoke with them.[^7] It's worth mentioning that in the Sunni books are reports of certain persons who, according to them, spoke with angles. For example, Abu Bakr,[^8] 'Umar,[^9] 'Imraan bin al-Hasein,[^10] Abu al-Mu'aali al-Saalih,[^11] and Zakaariyah al-Naaqid,[^12] and… Did Jibra'il descend (to earth) after the Messenger of Allah's(s.a.w) demise?