Discover the meaning of the term Mursal (مرسل) in Islamic vocabulary.
Contents :
Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 2 min readIn hadith: what a Follower or the Follower’s Follower relates to the Prophet without naming the Companion who conveyed the hadith from the Prophet, saying only: the Messenger of Allah said.
In hadith: what has its chain’s last link omitted, so the chain runs to the Follower or his Follower, who says: the Messenger of Allah said so, or did so, without naming the Companion through whom the hadith came.
Taken from irsal, the loosening of restriction. The moursal hadith: that from whose chain a Companion dropped, per the majority of hadith masters. Also said: whose chain is cut, or the narrator’s word « the Messenger of Allah said », which the usulists adopted so as to include the mousal, the monqati’ and the mou’dal.
That the Follower say: the Messenger of Allah said or did so, without naming the Companion.
Among the faqihs: chain-interrupted, per the judge’s word: « he said, upon him prayer and salvation », without his hearing it from him, in the established case.
﴿تِلْكَ ءَايَـٰتُ ٱللَّهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ وَإِنَّكَ لَمِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ﴾
« These are the verses of Allah which We recite to you, [O Muhammad], in truth. And indeed, you are from among the messengers. »
Surah البقرة : 252
﴿وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌۭ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَا كُذِّبُوا۟ وَأُوذُوا۟ حَتَّىٰٓ أَتَىٰهُمْ نَصْرُنَا ۚ وَلَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَكَ مِن نَّبَإِى۟ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ﴾
« And certainly were messengers denied before you, but they were patient over [the effects of] denial, and they were harmed until Our victory came to them. And none can alter the words of Allah. And there has certainly come to you some information about the [previous] messengers. »
Surah الأنعام : 34
﴿وَمَا نُرْسِلُ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ ۖ فَمَنْ ءَامَنَ وَأَصْلَحَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ﴾
« And We send not the messengers except as bringers of good tidings and warners. So whoever believes and reforms - there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. »
Surah الأنعام : 48
﴿فَلَنَسْـَٔلَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَنَسْـَٔلَنَّ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ﴾
« Then We will surely question those to whom [a message] was sent, and We will surely question the messengers. »
Surah الأعراف : 6
﴿قَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتُضْعِفُوا۟ لِمَنْ ءَامَنَ مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَـٰلِحًۭا مُّرْسَلٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ ۚ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلَ بِهِۦ مُؤْمِنُونَ﴾
« Said the eminent ones who were arrogant among his people to those who were oppressed - to those who believed among them, "Do you [actually] know that Salih is sent from his Lord?" They said, "Indeed we, in that with which he was sent, are believers." »
Surah الأعراف : 75
﴿فَعَقَرُوا۟ ٱلنَّاقَةَ وَعَتَوْا۟ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِمْ وَقَالُوا۟ يَـٰصَـٰلِحُ ٱئْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ﴾
« So they hamstrung the she-camel and were insolent toward the command of their Lord and said, "O Salih, bring us what you promise us, if you should be of the messengers." »
Surah الأعراف : 77
This term appears in 40 verses of the Quran.