First of all, we’d like to clarify that it is one of the articles of faith to believe in all Allah’s prophets and messengers; those who are mentioned in the Qur’an and those who are not mentioned to us. So, Islam commands us, Muslims, to show all due respect to all Allah’s prophets and messengers and to believe in them all.
The prominent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Nadvi, Director and Imam of Al-Falah Islamic Center, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, states: “There are many definitions and comparisons made by various scholars regarding nabi and rasool. One common and mostly accepted one is that rasool is the messenger who got a book and communicates a shari`ah, whereas nabi is one who received a wahi and followed the scripture of the rasool.
Allah says in the Qur’an that every nation had a guide (hadi), which is in reference to guidance from Allah. There is no authentic hadith that tells us about the exact number of prophets and messengers sent to humanity.
As to who was first, definitely Adam was named first as a Prophet, and then Noah, but whether he was a nabi or rasool, it is not confirmed. If Adam was not a rasool, then most likely Nuh was the first.”