This episode briefly introduces the concept of prophecy, its history in the Near East (including the well-developed tradition of Biblical prophets), and the way the Qur'an positions itself vis-à-vis this history. We also discuss the terms nabi and rasul as well as the prominent figures of Abraham and Moses.
Sources and Recommended Readings:

The Qur'an: a Beginner's Guide   by Farid Esack

Major Themes of the Qur'an   by Fazlur Rahman

The Koran: a Very Short Introduction    by Michael Cook

The Cambridge Companion to the Qur'an    by Jane McAuliffe (editor)

The Blackwell Companion to the Qur'an    by Christopher Buck (editor)

The Qur'an: a New Translation   by Tarif Khalidi

The Qur'an: an Introduction   by Abdullah Saeed

The Qur'an in its Historical Setting    by Gabriel Said Reynolds (editor)

Approaching the Qur'an: the Early Revelations   by Michael Sells

La Pensée Arabe        by Mohammed Arkoun