Every Manifestation of God is a prophet, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said, but not every prophet is a Manifestation. The word carries more than one kind of work. Some prophets are independent: each founds a religion, reveals a Book, and clothes the world in a new attire, shining with an essential light like the sun. Others are followers and promulgators, recipients of hidden inspiration who uphold a teaching already given, and some are prophets whose sphere is limited to a single place or country, like Isaiah beside Jesus. Bahá’u’lláh describes the many ways a message is received: through a Book and clear proof, through inspired speech, through angelic messengers, through the Spirit speaking within the breast. The Qur’an too speaks of messengers raised in degrees above one another [1]. Such distinctions are not a ranking of worth but a way of honouring each vocation: who brings a new law, who prepares a people, who renews their response. They lead onward into the differences among the Manifestations themselves and into the twofold and threefold station in which divinity and humanity meet.
Master: "Yes and no, namely: each Manifestation has His prophetic mission and His prophetic character, but not each Prophet is at the same time a Manifestation. This, my friends, will immediately be shown, when we look at some of the Prophets and Manifestations separately.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken at the sea shore in June 1910 -- ABU0374)
02
Answer: Prophets are in general of two kinds. Some are independent Prophets Who are followed, while others are not independent and are themselves followers.
The independent Prophets are each the Author of a divine religion and the Founder of a new Dispensation. At their advent the world is clothed in a new attire, a new religion is established and a new Book revealed.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Chapter 43, The Two Kinds of Prophets, 1904 ca. -- AB00347)
03
Answer: There are three kinds of divine Prophets. One kind are the universal Manifestations, which are even as the sun.
… Another kind of Prophets are followers and promulgators, not leaders and law-givers, but they are nonetheless the recipients of the hidden inspirations of God. Yet another kind are Prophets Whose prophethood has been limited to a particular locality. But the universal Manifestations are all-encompassing: They are like the root, and all others are as the branches; they are like the sun, and all others are as the moon and the stars.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Three Kinds of Prophets, 1905 ca. -- AB06566)
04
Among the Messengers are those whom We raise up in truth and send unto the servants with a Book and clear proof; among them are those whom We cause to speak through Our grace and whom We inspire with the wisdom of the Cause from Our presence - for verily We have power over all things; among them are those to whom We reveal through messengers from the angels; among them are those in whose breasts We cause the Spirit to speak with sanctified and wondrous inspirations; and among them are those whom We manifest with all of these and make them the manifestation of all names between earth and heaven.
He said there were two kinds of Manifestations, local like Isaiah, and universal, like Jesus Christ.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Mrs Bingham and Mrs Devin, spoken on 1907-Oct-15 -- ABU3530)
06
In the case of Prophets, some have the power to sway and subdue one country only, such as Syria, some have the power to sway many more countries.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to E.J. Rosenberg et al, spoken around Feb. 1901 -- ABU1858)
07
Teachers are of two kinds: universal and special. The universal Instructors are the Prophets of God, and the special teachers are the philosophers. The philosophers are capable of educating and training a limited circle of human souls, whereas the holy, divine Manifestations of God confer general education upon humanity.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Public address given at Parsons home on 1912-Nov-07 -- ABU0280)
08
Our Lord said it was quite true that all the great Prophets - the Suns of God - are without sin: though the word "prophet" is used in more senses than one by the Jews. A Great Prophet is always one to whom revealed writings have come.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to E.J. Rosenberg et al, spoken around Feb. 1901 -- ABU1695)