These are distinguished people endowed with superior traits. They have been granted divine purity without requiring any special effort on their part. No material or spiritual veil or obstacle can sully them with mental or spiritual impurities. The following are the traits shared by all prophets:
a. Truthfulness: Prophets are completely trustworthy in carrying out their prophethood. They are honest and distinguished, their characters are absolutely dependable. Under no circumstances can they commit a betrayal; God will only give the duty of revelation and the honorable task of prophethood to His dependable servants, not to traitors. He chooses His prophets from among the honest and faithful people.
b. Trustworthiness: Prophets speak the truth when declaring divine rules, orders, and restrictions and when giving information. Otherwise, it would be impossible for them to convince people and guide them; lying is a great sin and it cannot be associated with the prophets, each of whom is an epitome of trustworthiness and purity.
c. Intellect: Prophets have superior intelligence, a powerful memory, and the ability to convince. In order for them to carry out their prophethood, which is honorable and noble, yet a great burden, they have to possess such unusual intelligence, traits, and abilities. Otherwise, they would not be able to render conclusive proof to their people nor struggle effectively to convince them, leading those who believe to the Straight Path.
d. Infallibility: Prophets are protected from committing anything unlawful, any error or sin. If they were able to commit sins or crimes or behave contrary to their purity, it would then not be sinful for people to follow them and also to do evil things.
e. Justness: All prophets represent God’s justness and behave justly.
f. Invitation: They invite people to Unity, prayers, good morals, peace and happiness, honesty and altruism, and forbid them from all evil.
g. Prophets are the most noble and prominent members of their community.
h. The prophets are able to perform miracles that prove their veracity.
i. Unlike soothsayers, who prefer black, mainly a symbol of evil, prophets prefer to wear light-colored clothes.
God informs the prophets, who possess these basic traits, either directly or through angels. This process, which has several levels and stages, as a whole is called revelation. Prophethood includes traits such as possessing a superior nature, prominence in the community, protection of purity and morals, and these are supported by an infallible and superhuman revelation.
