Sub-section Two: The doctrine of Muslims concerning the Prophets:

“When Allah (SWT) created Adam (peace be upon him), He for a wise purpose made him a Prophet. So, Adam (peace be upon him) was the first Prophet to mankind… The duty of Prophets and Messengers was to clarify the relationship between the Creator and the created, between this life and the Hereafter. Allah (SWT) chose them from among humans as righteous elite.”[1]

Narrated Ibn Hibban in his Sahih on the authority of Abu Dharr that the latter said: “I said: ‘O Allah’s Messenger! How many are the Prophets?’ He said: ‘124 thousands.’ I said: ‘O Allah’s Messenger! How many are the Messengers?’ He said: ‘313; a large multitude.’ I said: ‘O Allah’s Messenger! Who was the first among them?’ He said: ‘Adam.’ I said: ‘Was he a Prophet and Messenger?’ He said: ‘Yes. He created him with His Hand, blew His Soul into him and made him a perfect man.’”[2] Allah has enjoined on every Muslim that he should believe in all Messengers, for his belief is complete only through believing in all the Prophets and Messengers of Allah without any distinction. Allah (SWT) says: “Say (O Muslims): We believe in Allah and that which is revealed to us and that which was revealed to Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which Moses and Jesus received, and that which the Prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have surrendered.” (II: 136)

Allah has told us about some of theses Messengers and mentioned their names in the Holy Qur’an, while He has not mentioned some others. Allah (SWT) says: “And messengers We have mentioned to you before and messengers We have not mentioned to you.” (IV: 164)

As to those whom Allah (SWT) has mentioned, they are 25, whose names occur in His Saying: “That is Our argument. We gave it to Abraham against his folk. We raise to degrees of wisdom those whom We will. Lo! Your Lord is Wise, Aware.  And We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob; each of them We guided; and Noah did We guide aforetime; and of his seed (We guided) David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the good. And Zechariah and John and Jesus and Elias. Each one (of them) was of the righteous. And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot. Each one (of them) did We prefer above (Our) creatures.” (VI: 83-86) This verse contains the names of eighteen Messengers. The other seven are mentioned in other verses. Allah (SWT) says: “Lo! Allah preferred Adam and Noah and the Family of Abraham and the Family of ‘Imran above (all His) creatures.” (III: 33) Allah (SWT) says: “And to (the tribe of) ‘Ad (We sent) their brother, Hud.” (VII: 65) Allah (SWT) says: “And to (the tribe of) Thamud (We sent) their brother Salih.” (XI: 61) Allah (SWT) says: “And to Midian (We sent) their brother Shu’aib.” (XI: 84) Allah (SWT) says: “Also, Ishmael, Idris, Dhul-Kifl; all were steadfast, patient.” (XXI: 85) Allah (SWT) says: “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the Seal of the Prophets.” (XXXIII: 40)

Allah (SWT) mentions only the names of some of these Prophets, such as Idris and Dhul-Kifl, while He relates the stories of some others briefly, such as those of Ishmael, Isaac and Jonah. He (SWT) details the stories of some other Prophets, such as Abraham, Moses, Joseph and Jesus.[3]

Allah (SWT) has decreed that belief in them is one of the six pillars of Faith as we read in the famous hadith of Gabriel: “Faith is that you believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Hereafter, and to believe in predestination, both good and evil.”[4]

Allah (SWT) has sent the Prophets because man is always in need of the guidance of Heaven and of knowing the appropriate way to behave in this life and “to have knowledge of the invisible facts that cannot be learned through the intellect or science.”[5]