The Qur'an and the Doctrine of the Supremacy of Prophets, Methods, Contexts, and Nature

Explaining the approach of the Qur'an to the supremacy of prophets, with emphasis on the typology of the expression method of the Qur’anic verses, studying the reason for the supremacy and superiority of the prophets in the Qur'an, studying the approach of the commentators in dealing with this issue, and determining the example of the supreme prophet from the Qur'an's perspective are the central issues of the present study that criticizes the rival theory and scrutinizing .the core issues. The results of the study showed that the doctrine of the supremacy of prophets is expressed in various Quranic verses in two explicit and implicit methods and the forms of references, providing evidences and argumentation. The development and process of this doctrine has been non-detailed in Mecca and detailed in Medina. There are three ethical, propagational and epistemological grounds for answering the question of the Qur'an’s dealing with this doctrine. The two approaches of "silence" and "explanation" are common in the analysis of the nature of the supremacy of prophets. Against the explanatory approach, t three hypotheses are probable: prophets’ supremacy is historical, is granted and is granted-exigent. The author has accepted the third hypothesis for its advantages as a criterion viewpoint. Although the Qur'an stipulates the existence of a kind of superiority among some of the prophets, there is no clear indication of the supremacy and prominence of a particular prophet compared to other prophets; however, in Islamic narrations, Prophet Mohammad's supremacy is emphasized over the previous prophets, and theologians and traditionalists have claimed consensus in this regard. Also, some of the interpretive theories have accepted that the verse "«ورفع بعضهم درجات» " implies the supremacy of Prophet Muhammad.