رَسُول
rasūlmasculine
The English word "messenger" can be translated into Arabic as رَسُول (rasūl) or قَاصِد.
Meaning: one who brings messages (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| رَسُول | rasūl | masculine |
| قَاصِد | qāṣid | masculine |
A messenger is one who brings messages.
Which one should you use?
The term رَسُول is most commonly used to refer to a messenger in a religious or divine context, such as a prophet. In contrast, قَاصِد refers more to someone who is traveling toward a specific goal or destination, rather than a divine messenger.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the masculine noun رَسُول is the broken plural رُسُل.
How do you pronounce it?
rasūl
Did you know?
- The word قَاصِد can also be used to describe someone who is 'moderate' in their approach. This stems from the same root meaning to take a direct and balanced path toward a goal.
- While رَسُول means 'messenger', it is distinct from نَبِي, which means 'prophet'. In Islamic theology, a رَسُول is specifically a prophet who was given a new divine law or scripture to deliver to humanity.
- In modern diplomacy, the term رَسُول is rarely used for a government envoy. Instead, more technical terms like مَبْعُوث are used to avoid the divine connotations associated with رَسُول.
Examples in context
- يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، كَيْفَ يَأْتِيكَ الْوَحْيُ ؟O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! How is the Divine Inspiration revealed to you?This sentence is useful for seeing how to address the Messenger of Allah using رَسُول.Tatoeba #9084260 by alkhaldy, translation #9090821 by alkhaldy
- الرسول قد وصل بالخبر السار.The messenger has arrived with good news.
- أَنْتَ رَسُولُ الخَيْرِ لَنَا.anta rasūlu al-khayri lanā.You are a messenger of good to us.
Example conversation
Ziad and Sarah are discussing an old story about a traveler.
- زياد Ziadهَلْ كَانَ الرَّسُولُ فِي القَصَّةِ شَابًّا؟hal kāna ar-rasūlu fī al-qaṣṣati shābban?Was the messenger in the story a young man?
- سارة Saraنَعَمْ، كَانَ رَسُولًا شَابًّا وَقَوِيًّا.naʿam, kāna rasūlan shābban wa qawiyyan.Yes, he was a young and strong messenger.
- زياد Ziadوَمَاذَا كَانَ يَحْمِلُ مَعَهُ؟wa mādhā kāna yaḥmilu maʿahu?And what was he carrying with him?
- سارة Saraكَانَ يَحْمِلُ رِسَالَةً هَامَّةً لِأُمِّهِ.kāna yaḥmilu risālatan hāmmatan li-ummihi.He was carrying an important letter for his mother.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “messenger” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
