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Muslims identify the Prophets of Islam (Arabic: نبي) as those humans chosen by God to teach mankind. Muslim's believe that every prophet was a Muslim and their respective believing followers were Muslims as well[1][2]. Each prophet, in Muslim belief, preached the same main belief of worshiping God (which in Arabic is translated as Allah) and in the avoidance of idolatry and sin. Each came to preach Islam at different times in history and some, including Jesus, told of the coming of the final law-bearing prophet and messenger of God, who would be named Muhammad. Each prophet directed a message to a different group of people, and thus would preach Islam in accordance with the times. Although many lay Muslims and many Western scholars and writers hold the view that Islam began with Muhammad in Mecca, this contradicts the Qur'an, which makes it clear that Muhammad simply was the last prophet who preached the same faith that Adam preached to his children.
Islamic tradition holds that God sent messengers to every nation[3]. Muslims believe that God finally sent Muhammad to transmit the message of the Qur'an, the holy book which, according to Islam, is universal in its message. The reason the Muslims believe the Qur'an is universal and will remain uncorrupted is because they feel that previous Islamic holy books, namely the Torah given to Moses; the Psalms given to David; and the Gospel given to Jesus, were for a particular time and community and because they feel that, even if the books were corrupted, many prophets were still to come who could tell the people of what was correct in the scripture and warn them of corruptions. Muhammad therefore, being the last prophet, was vouchsafed a book which, in Muslim belief, will remain in its true form till the Last Day.
Contents |
Etymology
In both Arabic and Hebrew, the term nabī (plural forms: nabiyyūn and anbiyāʾ) means "prophet". Forms of this noun occur 75 times in the Qur'an. The term nubuwwa (meaning "prophethood") occurs five times in the Qur'an. The terms rasūl (plural: rusul) and mursal (plural: mursalūn) denote “messenger” or "apostle" and occur more than 300 times. The term for a prophetic “message”, risāla (plural: risālāt) appears in the Qur'an in ten instances.[4]
The Syriac form of rasūl Allāh (literally: "messenger of God"), s̲h̲eliḥeh d-allāhā, occurs frequently in the apocryphal Acts of St. Thomas. The corresponding verb for s̲h̲eliḥeh — s̲h̲alaḥ, occurs in connection with the prophets in the Old Testament[5][6][7][8].
Prophets and messengers in the Bible
The words "prophet" (Arabic: nabi, نبی) and "messenger" (Arabic: rasul, رسول) appear several times in the Old Testament and the New Testament.
The following table shows these words in different languages:[9]
| Arabic | Arabic Pronunciation | English | Greek | Greek pronunciation | Strong Number | Hebrew | Hebrew pronunciation | Strong Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| نبی | Nabi | Prophet | προφήτης | prophētēs | G4396 | נביא | nâbîy' | H5030 |
| رسول | Rasule | Messenger, Apostle | ἄγγελος, ἀπόστολος | ä'n-ge-los, ä-po'-sto-los | G32, G652 | שליח,מלאך | mal·äk', shä·lakh' | H4397,H7971 |
In the Old Testament the word "prophet" (Hebrew: navi) occurs more commonly, and the word "messenger" (Hebrew: mal'akh) refers to angels (Arabic: ملائكة, Malāīkah), But the last book of the Old Testament, the Book of Malachi, speaks of a messenger that some commentators interpret as a reference to the future prophet John the Baptist.[10]
In the New Testament, however, the word "messenger" becomes more frequent, sometimes in association with the concept of a prophet.[11]
"Messenger" can refer to Jesus, to his Apostles and to John the Baptist.
It seems that in the New Testament a messenger can have a higher rank than prophets: Jesus Christ said about John the Baptist:
But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Prophets and messengers in Islam
The table below charts the named Qur'anic prophets, and reference key elements of there role in Islam. Muslims believe that many prophets existed, including many not mentioned in the Qur'an. The Qur'an itself refers to at least four other prophets but does not name them[12][13].
^a Identification with Biblical prophet uncertain.
For Ahl al-Kitab (followers of the Holy Books), see People of the Book.
Distinguishing between prophets and messengers
The Qur'an, like the quoted passage from the New Testament, may rank a messenger higher than a prophet. For example, whenever both titles appear together, "messenger" comes first. Crucially, a messenger delivers a new religious law (Sharia) revealed by God, whereas a prophet continues an old one.[citation needed] God sends both prophets and messengers as givers of good news and as admonishers of their people. A messenger will become the witness that God will take from that community on the Day of Judgment (see the following sura; Yunus;[52] An-Nahl;[53] Al-Mu’minoon;[54] Ghafir;[55] An-Nisa;[56] Al-Qasas[57]).
Muslims distinguish between celestial and human messengers. In the Qur'anic world, God calls the angels 'messengers' but not prophets. The human messengers, however, also function as prophets — though not every prophet serves as a messenger. Angels always carry "orders" to the human prophets or messengers on what to say, what to do, and so forth. For example, Gabriel - the angel - delivered the Qur'an to Muhammad, the prophet and messenger.
Prophethood in Ahmadiyya Islam
Unlike Orthodox Islam, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community does not recognize any difference between a messenger (rasul) and a prophet (nabi). Ahmadiyya belief regards the terms encountered in the Qur'an to signify divinely appointed individuals - "warner" (nazir), "prophet" (nabi), "messenger" (rasul) - as generally synonymous. Ahmadis however categorise prophets as law-bearing ones and non-lawbearing ones. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community also recognizes Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835–1908) as a Prophet of God, and also sees him as the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi of the latter days and view it[58] in accordance with the prophecies of Muhammad.
Status of prophets
The Qur'an speaks of the prophets as being the greatest human beings of all time[59]. A prophet, in the Muslim sense of the term, is a person whom God specially chose to teach the faith of Islam[60]. Before man was created, God had specifically selected those men whom He would use as prophets. This does not, however, mean that every prophet began to prophesy from his birth. Some were called to prophesy late in life, in Muhammad's case at the age of 40 and in Noah's case at 480[61]. Others, such as John the Baptist, was called to prophesy while still in young age[62] and Jesus prophesied while still in his cradle[63].
The Qur'anic verse 4:69 lists various virtuous groups of human beings, among whom prophets (including messengers) occupy the highest rank. Verse 4:69 reads:[4]
All who obey Allah and the messenger are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah - of the prophets (who teach), the sincere (lovers of Truth), the witnesses (who testify), and the Righteous (who do good): Ah! what a beautiful fellowship!
Religion of the prophets
In Muslim belief, every prophet preached Islam. The beliefs of charity, prayer, pilgrimage, worship of God and fasting are believed to have been taught by every prophet who has ever lived[65]. The Qur'an itself calls Islam the 'religion of Abraham'[66] and refers to Jacob and the Twelve Tribes of Israel as being Muslim[67]. Isaac, Ishmael, Jesus, Noah, Moses and the Disciples of Jesus are just some of the other figures referred to as Muslims in the Qur'an[68]. The Qur'an says:
The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah - the which We have sent by inspiration to thee - and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: Namely, that ye should remain steadfast in religion, and make no divisions therein:...
Prophets and scriptures
The Revealed Books are the records which Muslims believe were dictated by God to various Islamic prophets throughout the history of mankind. All these books, in Muslim belief, promulgated the code and laws of Islam. The belief in all the revealed books is an article of faith in Islam and Muslim's must believe in all the scriptures to be a Muslim. Muslims believe the Qur'an, the final holy scripture, was sent because all the previous holy books had been either corrupted or lost[70]. Nonetheless, Islam speaks of respecting all the previous scriptures, even in their current forms, a rule which is frequently overlooked by lay Muslims[71]. The Qur'an mentions some Islamic scriptures by name, which came before the Qur'an:
- Torah: According to the Qur'an, the Torah was revealed to Moses[72], but Muslims believe that the current Pentateuch, although it retains the main message[73], has suffered corruption over the years. Moses and his brother Aaron used the Torah to preach the message to the Children of Israel. The Qur'an implies that the Torah is the longest-used scripture, with the Jewish people still using the Torah today, and that all the Hebrew prophets would warn the people of any corruptions that were in the scripture[74]. Jesus, in Muslim belief, was the last prophet to be taught the Mosaic Law in it's true form.
- Psalms: The Qur'an mentions the Psalms as being the holy scripture revealed to David. Scholars have often understood the Psalms to have been holy songs of praise[75]. The current Psalms are still praised by many Muslim scholars[76], but Muslims generally assume that some of the current Psalms were written later and are not divinely revealed.
- Gospel: The Gospel was the holy book revealed to the prophet Jesus, according to the Qur'an. Although many lay Muslims believe the Injil refers to the entire New Testament, scholars have clearly pointed out that it refers not to the New Testament but to an original Gospel, written by God, which was given to Jesus[77]. Therefore, according to Muslim belief, the Gospel was the message that Jesus, being divinely inspired, preached to the Children of Israel. The current canonical Gospels, in the belief of Muslim scholars, are not divinely revealed but rather are documents of the life of Jesus, as written by various contemporaries, disciples and companions. These Gospels, in Muslim belief, contain portions of Jesus's teachings but don't represent the original Gospel, which was a single book written not by a human but by God[78].
- Scrolls of Abraham: The Scrolls of Abraham are believed to have been one of the earliest bodies of scripture, which were vouchsafed to Abraham[79], and later used by Ishmael and Isaac. Although usually referred to as 'scrolls', many translators have translated the Arabic Suhuf as 'Books'[80]. The Scrolls of Abraham are now considered lost rather than corrupted, although some scholars have identified them with the Testament of Abraham, an apocalyptic piece of literature available in Arabic at the time of Muhammad.
- Scrolls of Moses: These scrolls, containing the revelations of Moses, which were perhaps written down later by Moses, Aaron and Joshua, are understood by Muslims to refer not to the Torah but to revelations aside from the Torah. Some scholars have stated that they could possibly refer to the Book of the Wars of the Lord[81], a lost text spoken of in the Hebrew Bible[82].
Prophets as 'Brothers'
Scope of the prophetic mission
Reception of the prophets
R. Joseph Hoffmann compares the different Abrahamic prophetic traditions and attitudes to prophecy:
... Like Christianity, [Islam] claimed to be a common heir of the Abrahamic traditions. Unlike Judaism, it taught that much of that tradition had been corrupted by false prophets and evildoers. Like Christianity, it claimed a continuum with the prophets of old; unlike Christianity it made little use of any specific passages of the Hebrew bible, did not incorporate it into its own sacred library, and did not regard the finality of Muhammad’s prophethood to be based on any adumbration in the books of the Jews or Christians.... Islam alone found error not merely in interpretation but in the sources themselves. The idea of error was both tied to and a consequence of the doctrine of finality: Muhammad is the prophet of God in a conclusive and indubitable sense. What is contained in the book revealed to him is true beyond question.—R. Joseph Hoffmann[83]
Mohd Nuri Al-Amin Endut et al. notes the role in Islamic philosophy of prophetic wisdom in counterpoint to the role of reason.[84]
Table of prophets/messengers in the Qur'an
The following table lists the prophets mentioned in the Qur'an. Biblical versions of names also appear where applicable:
We did aforetime send messengers before thee: of them there are some whose story We have related to thee, and some whose story We have not related to thee. It was not (possible) for any messenger to bring a sign except by the leave of Allah: but when the Command of Allah issued, the matter was decided in truth and justice, and there perished, there and then those who stood on Falsehoods.—Qur'an, sura 40 (Ghafir), ayah 78[85]
| Name (Arabic & Arabic Translit.) | Name (Biblical) | Main Article(s) | Number of times mentioned by name |
|---|---|---|---|
| آدم Adam |
Adam | 25 | |
| Adam, the first human being, ranks as the first prophet of Islam. | |||
| إدريس Idris |
Enoch | 2 | |
| Idris lived during a period of drought inflicted by God to punish the people of the world who had forgotten God. Idris prayed for salvation and for an end to the suffering, and so the world received rain.[citation needed] | |||
| نوح Nuh |
Noah |
Main articles: Islamic view of Noah and Noah
|
43 |
| Although best known for his role in the story of the Deluge, Nuh became a primary preacher of monotheism in his day. Muslims believe his faith in God led to his selection for building the Ark[citation needed]. | |||
| هود Hud |
n/a |
Main articles: Hud (prophet) and Eber
|
7 |
| Muslims believe that only Hud, for whom the eleventh chapter of the Qur'an takes its name, and a few other people survived a great storm, similar to the Deluge five generations earlier. God inflicted the storm to punish the people of ʿĀd who had forgotten about God. | |||
| صالح Saleh |
n/a |
Main article: Saleh
|
9 |
| According to the Qur'an, God ordered Saleh to leave behind his people, the tribe of Thamud, after they disbelieved and disobeyed God's order to care for a special camel and instead killed it. In Saleh's and his followers' (believers') absence, God punished the people with a loud noise from the skies that killed his people instantly. Note that Saleh does not equate to the Shelah mentioned in the Old Testament. | |||
| إبراهيم Ibrahim |
Abraham |
Main articles: Islamic view of Abraham and Abraham
|
69 |
| Muslims regard Ibrahim as one of the significant prophets, because they credit him with rebuilding the Kaaba in Mecca. His family, including his son Ishmael, also receives credit for helping create the civilization around Mecca that would later give birth to the final prophet of Islam, Muhammad. Significantly, Ibrahim almost sacrificed his son Ismail (Ishmael) to God in an event now commemorated annually by Eid al-Adha. Among all the prophets, he first named believers "Muslims" - meaning "those with full submission to God".[citation needed] | |||
| لوط Lut |
Lot |
Main articles: Islamic view of Lot and Lot (Bible)
|
27 |
| Muslims know Lut best for attempting to preach against homosexuality in Sodom and Gomorrah, in addition to encouraging his people to believe in the Oneness of God, although his community mocked and ignored him. Islam also denies[citation needed] the acts which the Old Testament attributes to Lut, like drinking and becoming drunk, and having intercourse with and impregnating his two daughters. | |||
| إسماعيل Isma'il |
Ishmael |
Main articles: Islamic view of Ishmael and Ishmael
|
12 |
| Muslims regard Ismaïl, first-born son of Ibrahim, as a notable prophet in Islam for his near-sacrifice in adulthood. As a child, he - with his mother, Hajar (Hagar) - searched for water in the region around Mecca, leading God to reveal the Zamzam Well, which still flows to this day[update]. | |||
| إسحاق Is'haq |
Isaac |
Main articles: Islamic view of Isaac and Isaac
|
17 |
| According to Islamic tradition, Ishaq, the second-born son of Ibrahim, became a prophet in Canaan. He and his brother Ismaïl carried on the legacy of Ibrahim as prophets of Islam. | |||
| يعقوب Yaqub |
Jacob |
Main articles: Islamic view of Jacob and Jacob
|
16 |
| The Qur'an portrays Yaqub as "of the company of the Elect and the Good".[86] He continued the legacy of both his father, Ishaq, and his grandfather, Ibrahim. Like his ancestors, he deliberately worshipped God exclusively. | |||
| يوسف Yusuf |
Joseph |
Main articles: Islamic view of Joseph and Joseph (son of Jacob)
|
27 |
| Yusuf, son of Yaqub and great-grandson of Ibrahim became a prominent advisor to the pharaoh of Egypt after he interpreted the pharaoh's dream which predicted the economic future of Egypt. He spent a large part of his life away from his eleven brothers, who showed jealousy of Yusuf because their father favored him. They took him out one day, telling their father that they would play and have fun, but they planned to kill him. Instead, they threw him down a well and told their father Yaqub that a wolf had eaten him. According to Islam, Yusuf received the gift of half of the beauty granted to mankind. | |||
| أيوب Ayyub |
Job |
Main articles: Islamic view of Job and Job (Biblical figure)
|
4 |
| According to Islamic tradition, Ayyub received the reward of a Fountain of Youth, which removed all illnesses, except death, for his service to God in his hometown outside Al Majdal. Legend recounts that Ayyub suffered an illness for 18 years as test of patience carried out by God. | |||
| شعيب Shu'ayb |
Jethro |
Main articles: Shoaib and Jethro (Bible)
|
11 |
| According to Islam, God appointed Shu'ayb, a direct descendant of Ibrahim[citation needed], to guide the people of Midian and Aykah, who lived near Mount Sinai. When the people of the region failed to listen to his warnings, God destroyed the disbelievers' villages. Although the Qur'an and the reported speeches of Muhammad mention that Musa married one of Shu'ayb's daughters, the Old Testament tells the same story of a man named Jethro. Some scholars[who?] regard Jethro in the Old Testament as distinct from Shu'aib in the Qur'an. | |||
| موسى Musa |
Moses |
Main articles: Islamic view of Moses and Moses
|
136 |
Moses, whom the Qur'an refers to more than to any other prophet, had the distinction of revealing the Tawrat (Torah) to the Israelites. The Qur'an says Musa realized his connection with God after receiving commands from him during a stop at Mount Sinai. He later went on to free the enslaved Hebrews after the Egyptian pharaoh (see Islamic view of Pharaoh and Haman) denied God's power. Musa subsequently led the freed Hebrews for forty years through the desert after they refused to obey God's command and enter the Holy Land.
On another trip to Mount Sinai during this long journey, Musa received the Tawrat and the Ten Commandments. At the end of his life, according to Islamic tradition[citation needed], Musa chose to die to become closer to God instead of taking up an offer that would have extended his life. |
|||
| هارون Harūn |
Aaron |
Main articles: Islamic view of Aaron and Aaron
|
20 |
| Harun (Aaron) served as an assistant to his older brother Musa (Moses). In Islam, he, like Musa, received the task of saving the Israelites from the Egyptian pharaoh. He would often speak for Musa when Musa’s speech-impediment prevented him from doing so himself. | |||
| ذو الكفل Dhul-Kifl |
most likely Ezekiel | 2 | |
| The status of Dhul-Kifl as a prophet remains debatable within Islam, although all parties to the debate can agree[citation needed] in seeing him as a righteous man who strived in the way of God. Some studies[which?] identify Dhul-Kifl with Obadiah, mentioned in the Old Testament as taking care of a hundred prophets: see 1 Kings.[88] | |||
| داود Dawud |
David |
Main articles: Islamic view of David and David
|
16 |
| In Islam, God revealed the Zabur (Psalms) to Dawud (David). Dawud also has significance as the conqueror of Goliath. Note that Islamic tradition and the Bible differ in their accounts of the story of King David and Uriah. | |||
| سليمان Sulayman |
Solomon |
Main articles: Islamic view of Solomon and Solomon
|
17 |
| Sulayman (Solomon) learned a significant amount from his father David before God made him a prophet. According to Islamic tradition, Sulayman received power to manipulate nature (including the jinn) and the power to communicate with and control animals. Known for his honesty and fairness, he also headed a kingdom that extended into southern Arabia.[citation needed] | |||
| إلياس Ilyas |
Elijah |
Main article: Elijah
|
2 |
| Ilyas, a descendant of Harun (Aaron), took over control of the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula after the kingdom of Sulayman (Solomon) collapsed. Islamic tradition says he attempted to convince the people of the peninsula of the existence of only one God, but when the people refused to listen they were smitten by Allah with a drought and famine. | |||
| اليسع al-Yasa |
Elisha | 2 | |
|
Al-Yasa (Elisha) took over the task of leading the Israelites after the death of Ilyas (Elijah). He attempted to show the king and queen of Israel the power of God, but they dismissed him as a magician. Subsequently, the Assyrians could make people burn[clarification needed] and inflict significant damage on them. |
|||
| يونس Yunus |
Jonah |
Main articles: Islamic view of Jonah and Jonah
|
4 |
| Islamic tradition states that God commanded Yunus (Jonah) to help the people of Nineveh towards righteousness. However, Nineveh's people refused to listen to his message, so Yunus decided to abandon trying to help them and left. A sea creature (probably a blue whale) then swallows Yunus, and realizing he has made a mistake by giving up on his people, Yunus repents. The sea creature spits him out; Yunus then returns to Nineveh, attempting once more to lead his people to righteousness, and this time they follow him.[89] | |||
| زكريا Zakariyya |
Zechariah |
Main articles: Islamic view of Zechariah and Zechariah (priest)
|
7 |
| A descendant of Sulayman, Zakariya (Zachariah), became a patron of Maryam (Mary) the mother of 'Isa (Jesus). According to the Qur'an, he prayed to God asking for a son, since his sterile wife al-Yashbi (Elizabeth) could not provide one. God granted his wishes, temporarily lifting his wife's sterility and allowing her to give birth to Yahya ibn Zakariyya (John).[90] | |||
| يحيى Yahya |
John the Baptist |
Main articles: Yahya ibn Zakariyya and John the Baptist
|
5 |
| Of Yahya (John), cousin to Isa, Islam says that, throughout his lifetime, he captivated audiences with his powerful sermons which preached Abrahamic monotheism. (The Qur'an does not mention baptism.) | |||
| عيسى Isa |
Jesus |
Main articles: Jesus in Islam and Jesus
|
25 |
God sent one of the highest-ranked prophets in Islam, ʿĀbdallah ʿIsā al-Masīḥ Ibn Miriam, (Jesus the Messiah) to guide the Children of Israel. The Qur'an makes the nature of Jesus very clear, portraying him not as the physically begotten son of God, but rather as a nabi and rasul (messenger) of God:
'Isa performed many miracles with the permission of God, for example: raising the dead, creating a bird from clay, and talking as an infant. Islamic traditions[which?] state that he abstained from drinking alcohol. Tradition also states that he received a revelation, the Injil (Gospel), though according to Islam, it subsequently suffered from distortion[by whom?]. Muslims believe that no crucifixion of 'Isa took place, meaning he did not die on the cross. Muslims believe that God raised Isa up to himself and that Isa will return to Earth to fight the Masih ad-Dajjal (the False messiah or antichrist) and to break the cross. The Qur'an and Saheeh Hadith tell a consistent story.
From Hadith:
|
|||
| محمد Muhammad |
Main articles: Muhammad in Islam and Muhammad
|
5 | |
| Habib u'l A'zam, Imam u'l Anbiya Sayyidina Muhammad ibn 'Abdullah, (53 B.H.-11 A.H.; 571-632 AD)[93] ranks as the last prophet in Islam ("seal of the prophets"), with a message to all humanity. Muslims shun idolatry of any of the prophets, as their messages from God hold the most weight. Muhammad appeared on earth as the son of his father Abd Allah ibn Abd al Muttalib and of his mother Aminah bint Wahb. Born in Mecca in 571 AD (53 BH), Muhammad spent the first part of his mature years as a well-travelled merchant. He would often spend time in the mountains surrounding Mecca in prayer contemplating the situation within the city. At the age of forty, during one of those trips to the mountain, Muhammad began to receive and recite verses from God which, in recorded form, make up the Qur'an. He quickly spread the message which he received, converting a few others in the city, including his wife. When oppression became intolerable for his followers, Muhammad first asked his fellow Muslims to move to Medina, and later he himself migrated to Medina away from the oppressors in Mecca. Muhammad served not just as a prophet, but as a military leader who helped defeat the Meccans in 624 during the Battle of Badr. He continued to lead the Muslims as Islam spread across the Arabian Peninsula. He performed the first hajj in 629 and established Islam in the form that Muslims still practise it. Others continued Muhammad's legacy after his death in 632, accepting the position of caliph ("successor") to Muhammad. The Five Pillars of Islam were established[by whom?] from Muhammad's hadith after his death. | |||
Other prophets
The Qur'an mentions only 25 prophets by name but also tells that God sent many other prophets and messengers, to all different nations that have existed on Earth. Many verses in the Quran discuss this:
- "We did aforetime send messengers before thee: of them there are some whose story We have related to thee, and some whose story We have not related to thee. ..."[85]
- "For We assuredly sent amongst every People a messenger, ..."[94]
Historic narratives[which?] suggest there existed a prophet named Khaled bin Sinan in pre-Islamic Arabia.
The Qur'an mentions Luqman in the sura named after him, but does not clearly identify him as a prophet or a wali. The most widespread Islamic belief[citation needed] views Luqman as a wise man, not as a prophet or as a wali. Legend recounts that Luqman had a dream, and in that dream he faced the choice between becoming a King and a wise man, and he chose the second.
Numerous other historical figures may rank as prophets, but debate and contention surround this matter. Such figures include:
- Al Khidr
- Daniel
- Uzair
- Dhul-Qarnayn
- Alexander the Great of Macedon - Debated as 'Dhul-Qarnayn' by some
- Cyrus the Great of Persia - Debated as 'Dhul-Qarnayn' by some
- Isaiah
- Jeremiah
- Mani
- Socrates[95]
- Krishna[96]
- Confucius[97]
- Gautama Buddha
- Laozi
- Zoroaster
- Rama
- Akhenaten
Muslims[which?] will argue that one cannot identify these personages as prophets for certain, since the Qur'an does not mention them by name. Those[who?] in favour of counting such men as prophets often argue[citation needed] that they came with the word of God, but that it later became corrupted[by whom?], which accounts for the differences between Islam and the various religions and philosophies associated with each man.
The Ghurabiyya Shia sect regarded Ali as a prophet at the same time as Muhammad, seeing his prophethood as ended when Muhammad died. However, they believed that Ali should have become the sole Prophet, but that the angel Gabriel mistakenly gave the divine message to Muhammad.
Maryam mother of 'Isa
A few scholars (such as Ibn Hazm)[98] see Maryam as a nabi and a prophetess, since God sent her a message via an angel. The Qur'an, however, does not explicitly identify her as a prophet. Islamic belief regards her as a holy woman, but not as a prophet. The Qur'an usually refers to 'Isa as 'Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus, son of Mary), the matronymic indicating that Jesus had no father.
Similarly there is another lady mentioned in the Quran who spoke explicitly with the angels and received God's message. Sarah (wife of Abraham) laughed when she was informed by the angels visiting her home, that she would conceive at the age of 100, which may qualify as a prophecy.
The world of Islam sees Maryam as a very holy and important woman. She alone of all the women in all of Islam has a sura attributed to her: Sura Maryam, the nineteenth sura of the Qu'ran.
See also
- Ilah
- Names of God
- Major prophets in the Bible
- Nevi'im (Prophets in Judaism)
- Twelve Minor Prophets
- Table of prophets of Abrahamic religions
- Nubuwwah
- Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament
- Termagant
- Legends and the Qur'an
- False prophet
Notes
- ^ Qur'an 2:132-133
- ^ Qur'an 2:131
- ^ Qur'an 10:47
- ^ a b Uri Rubin, Prophets and Prophethood, Encyclopaedia of the Qur'an
- ^ Exodus 3:13-14 Exodus 4:13
- ^ Isaiah 6:8
- ^ Jeremiah 1:7
- ^ A.J. Wensinck, Rasul, Encyclopaedia of Islam
- ^ Strong's Concordance
- ^ Albert Barnes under Malachi 2:7 and 3:1
- ^ Hebrews 3:1; John 17:3; Matthew 11:10; Mark 1:2; Ephesians 3:5, 4:11; First Epistle to the Corinthians 28:12
- ^ Qur'an 2:247
- ^ Qur'an 36:12
- ^ Ibn Kathir, Stories of the Prophets, Story of Adam
- ^ Qur'an 19:56
- ^ Stories of the Prophets [2] Idris & Noah (pbut) [Sh. Shady Al-Suleiman]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Qur'an 6:89
- ^ Qur'an 26:107
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Qur'an 6:89
- ^ Qur'an 26:105
- ^ a b c d Qur'an 26:162
- ^ Qur'an 7:65
- ^ Qur'an 7:73
- ^ Qur'an 19:41
- ^ Qur'an 9:70
- ^ a b Qur'an 2:124
- ^ Qur'an 87:19
- ^ Qur'an 22:43
- ^ Qur'an 26:160
- ^ a b Qur'an 19:54
- ^ a b Qur'an 19:49
- ^ a b Qur'an 21:73
- ^ Qur'an 26:178
- ^ Qur'an 7:85
- ^ a b Qur'an 19:51
- ^ Qur'an 53:36
- ^ a b Qur'an 43:46
- ^ Qur'an 19:53
- ^ Qur'an 20:47
- ^ Qur'an 17:55
- ^ Qur'an 37:123
- ^ Qur'an 37:124
- ^ a b c d Qur'an 37:139
- ^ Qur'an 10:98
- ^ Qur'an 3:39
- ^ a b c d Qur'an 4:171
- ^ Qur'an 19:12
- ^ Qur'an 19:30
- ^ Qur'an 57:27
- ^ Qur'an 61:6
- ^ a b Qur'an 33:40
- ^ Qur'an 10:48
- ^ Qur'an 16:38
- ^ Qur'an 23:46
- ^ Qur'an 40:5
- ^ Qur'an 4:45
- ^ Qur'an 28:75
- ^ Claim to Mahdi and Messiah
- ^ Wheeler, Historical Dictionary of Prophets in Islam and Judaism, Prophets
- ^ Wheeler, Historical Dictionary of Prophets in Islam and Judaism, Prophets
- ^ Wheeler, Historical Dictionary of Prophets in Islam and Judaism, Noah
- ^ Qur'an 19:12
- ^ Qur'an 19:30-33
- ^ Qur'an 4:69
- ^ Wheeler, Historical Dictionary of Prophets in Islam and Judaism, Prophets
- ^ Quran 3:67
- ^ Quran 2:123-133
- ^ Wheeler, Historical Dictionary of Prophets in Islam and Judaism
- ^ Qur'an 42:13
- ^ Concise Encyclopedia of Islam, Cyril Glasse, Holy Books
- ^ Concise Encyclopedia of Islam, Cyril Glasse
- ^ Qur'an 53:36
- ^ Qur'an 87:18-19
- ^ Qur'an 5:44
- ^ Encyclopedia of Islam, Psalms
- ^ Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation and Commentary; Martin Lings, Mecca; Abdul Malik, In Thy Seed
- ^ Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation and Commentary, Appendix: On the Injil
- ^ Encyclopedia of Islam, Injil
- ^ Qur'an 87:19
- ^ Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'an; Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation and Commentary
- ^ Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation and Commentary
- ^ Numbers 21:14
- ^ Hoffmann, R. Joseph (2009-05-11). "Measuring the Books: Truth Claims in Islam and its Others". Butterflies and Wheels. ButterfliesandWheels.com. http://www.butterfliesandwheels.com/articleprint.php?num=403. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
- ^ Mohd Nuri Al-Amin Endut; Mohd Fauzi Hamat & Shahrina Bt M Nordin, "Al-Ghazali's Epistemological Thought on The Sources of Knowledge and Its Significance in The Development of Malay Thought", in Ahmad Sunawari Long et al., Islam: past, present and future: International seminar on Islamic thoughts proceedings, 7–9 December 2004, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia: Department of Theology and Philosophy, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 2004, pp. 505–506, http://api.ning.com/files/dLMY6Qa0bh*i5LbXFt9yNh7bS6UPRtcPX2vtO4YHCFQ_/ISoITCDXP.pdf, retrieved 2010-04-18, "[...] at a higher level than reason, is the faculty of vision bestowed upon man. Through this new faculty, which al-Ghazzali did not specify the name of it, man is able to perceive invisible things, the unknown future and other abstract concepts (Al-Ghazzali, 1963: 5). Al-Ghazzali held that another 'eye' is opened at this stage. It is used to 'see' metaphysical things. Knowledge acquired through this faculty is the one usually attained by the Prophets. Part of it however can be achieved through 'tasting' (dhawq), that is by exemplifying the conduct of the Sufis. Al-Ghazzali's account of what may be described as the post-intellect faculty is seen as important. Such account is seen as a response to other Muslim philosophers, who placed reason as the highest faculty of knowledge and consequently, denied prophecy. Gopinath Maganti"
- ^ a b Qur'an 40:78
- ^ Abdullah Yusuf Ali's translation of the Qur'an, 38:47
- ^ Qur'an 5:24
- ^ 1Kings 18:4
- ^ "Prophet Yunus". The Prophets. Islam101.com. http://www.islam101.com/history/people/prophets/jonah.htm. Retrieved 2006-05-06.
- ^ "Prophet Zakariyah". The Prophets. Islam101.com. http://www.islam101.com/history/people/prophets/zakariya.htm. Retrieved 2006-05-06.
- ^ Qur'an 4:157–159
- ^ Sahih al-Bukhari, 3:34:425
- ^ Great Muslims Of All Times
- ^ Qur'an 16:36
- ^ Ahmad, Tahir (1998). "Greek Philosophy". Revelation, rationality knowledge and truth. Surrey: Islam International Publications. http://alislam.org/library/books/revelation/part_1_section_5.html. Retrieved 2008-11-11. "Repeated attempts have been made to pluck him away from the comity of prophets to that of mere philosophers."
- ^ Hinduism
- ^ Confucianism
- ^ Ibn Hazm on women's prophethood
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