4️⃣

Belief in Prophets

Who are the Prophets?

• A prophet was sent to every nation.

• The total number of prophets was 124 000.

• 25 Prophets were mentioned in the Qur'an.

• The line of prophets started from Adam (AS) and ended with Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

• Respect and obedience to them is due and that Muhammad (pbuh) is the seal of prophets.
  • Every prophet carried the legacy of the prophet before him and the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) carried this legacy in totality.
  • Though belief in all prophets is essential in Islam, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has the distinction of being the last prophet of God and was the one on whom the religion was perfected.

• Muslims believe that prophethood is a gift from God and He bestows this honour on whomsoever He chooses.

• Muslims believe that some of these prophets were nabis and others were rasuls.

Why do we need Prophets?

Their role was to convey God’s message.

1. Prophets were sent to guide humanity from the worship of created beings to the worship of their Creator;

2. To clarify to humanity the purpose of creation;

3. Showing humanity the path that would lead them to paradise;
   • By providing humanity with practical examples of living righteously;

4. Warning humanity about the day of judgment;

5. To uncover the unseen world e.g. Knowledge of god, existence of angels etc.;

Characteristics of God's Prophets

• They were all normal human beings, men, did not sin, spoke the language of their people, chosen by God and some were bestowed with miracles.
  • Purpose of Miracles:

    • The purpose of bestowing miracles upon prophets was to show humanity that they were divinely appointed and that every miracle reflected God’s power.

    • Miracles granted to the prophets were usually in the fields their nations excelled in, and so they understood the impossibility of it.
      • e.g: Musa (AS) and magic, Isa (AS) and medicine.

• Prophets were both morally and intellectually superior to their nations.

• Some of them were given revealed books.

• Every prophet confirmed that he was preaching the words of God and confirmed what was revealed before him and what may be revealed after him, thus confirming that the message of all prophets in essence was the same.

Significance

• The message brought by all the prophets was of belief in the one God; good conduct and belief in resurrection and the Day of Judgment.

• This message is important to Muslims today just as it was important to Muslims of the past ages and will be to those of the future because it reiterates tawhid and accountability which if a person bears in mind will lead to good conduct and prosperity in this world and the next.

• The Qur’an tells us stories of the various prophets of God sent over the ages, teaching Muslims tolerance for other revealed faiths and makes them realise that Islam is a continuation and culmination of the other revealed faiths.

• The unity of the message will foster better relations between Muslims and other believers.