Nabī
/ˈnɑː.bi/noun
A prophet, especially a prophet in Islamic terminology.
Did you know?In Islamic theology, nabī refers to a prophet who receives divine guidance, while rasūl usually emphasizes a messenger sent with a revealed scripture or mission.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*n-b-ʾ
“A root associated with announcing, reporting, or delivering news”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
נָבִיא (nāḇīʾ)
“Prophet or spokesperson for God”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
نَبِيّ (nabiyy)
“Prophet; one who receives divine revelation”
Medieval Islamic scholarship
Arabic
نَبِيّ (nabī)
“A prophet within Islamic theological vocabulary”
Modern English
English
nabi
“A prophet, particularly in Islamic usage”