Islam for Muslims
- THE FAITH OF MUSLIMS
- GOOD DEEDS IN PERSONAL LIFE
- GOOD DEEDS IN SOCIAL LIFE
The Prophets in the Quran
Introduction: The Muslims are obligated to believe in all the prophets who came “in succession” (23:44) ranging from Adam (the first man and prophet) to the last Prophet Mohammad (pbut). These prophets, though assigned with the preaching of Messages from God, were all picked from “men” with regular human body chemistry, “living in human habitations” (16:43; 12:109). Like any other normal human beings, they had “wives and children”, they “ate food and walked through the streets” and they were not exempted from “death” (13:38; 25:20; 21:8). It was however the quality of their inborn character and conduct that set them apart from rest of their society and their “sayings” and “doings” were all fashioned by God (21:27).
Historically, tens of thousands of prophets were sent with the mission of preaching or ‘dawah’ and “nobody knows them (in full including their exact number) except God” (14:9). God, however, “bestowed more gifts on some prophets than others” (17:55). They used to receive revelations through any of the media including Angel Gabriel, “inspiration or (God’s talking) from behind a veil” as in case of Prophet Moses (42:51; 7:143). Among them, only famous 25 are named in the Quran. They are: 1. Adam, 2. Idris, 3. Nuh (Noah), 4. Hud, 5. Salih, 6. Ibrahim (Abraham), 7. Ismail, 8. Ishaq, 9. Lut, 10. Yaqub (Jacob), 11. Yusuf (Joseph), 12. Shuaib, 13. Ayyub, 14. Musa (Moses), 15. Harun (Aaron), 16. Dhulkifl, 17. Dawud (David), 18. Sulaiman (Solomon), 19. Ilias (Elias), 20. Al-Yasa (Elisha), 21.Yunus, 22. Zakariyya, 23. Yahia (John), 24. Isa (Jesus), and 25. Muhammad (peach be upon them all). Now follows a brief discussion about some prominent prophets.
(1) Adam: Adam (pbuh), the first man on earth, was also appointed as the first prophet. It may be recalled that, after fashioning Adam out of clay, God asked the Angels and Iblis to “prostrate to him (Adam) (38:72). Though the Angels “bowed down to Adam” in compliance, Iblis the Satan declined, boasting “his creation from fire” which is superior to clay that makes the man (7:11/12). As a result, God rejected and cursed him “Get out of here” (15:34).
Adam, who was then living a happy life in Paradise along with his wife Eve, was forewarned by God from eating fruits of a “(prohibited) tree” (2:35). However, Iblis was successful in instigating them to violate this warning. Therefore they were sent down from the Paradise to the earth to live there “for a time” “with enmity” between themselves (2:36). Then repentant Adam asked for as well as received pardon from God and was then blessed with the office of prophethood. Several lessons follow from this:
(i) A standard definition of religion or righteousness is to do what God wants you to do and not what you like to do. For example, prostration is due only for God, but when God wanted Iblis to do that for Adam, then that was an exceptional example of good deed for him no matter what he did feel or others feel about that. This also explains away certain rites of Hajj (e.g. pebbles throwing, stone kissing) which may look like partnership sin to some, but are quite legal under divine approval.
(ii) Modesty achieved through burning down the last vestige of arrogance is a key to divine pleasure. Angels, who are made of light, a superior stuff than fire (that makes the Iblis) did not hesitate to obey the command of God and this greatness earned them divine blessing that was denied to Iblis.
(iii) Since nothing happens without divine will, you should not blame the first human couple, particularly the Eve, for becoming a victim of Satanic instigation that led to their degraded living (including their human descendants) from the Heaven to the earth.
(2) Noah (Nuh): Prophet Noah (pbuh) invited his people to switch from idolatry to monotheism. As a result, he suffered rejections even from his own son Kenan and faced growing resistances all around. Then, upon command and engineering “inspiration” of God, a super-size boat, “(Ark) was constructed” “with broad planks” (11:37; 54:13). This was followed by “torrential rainwater pouring forth” and “gushing fountains” until devastating flood water reached the mountain top and engulfed the whole land (54:11/12). As a result, everyone of the area (including his son) met watery grave except “(Noah) and the companions of the Boat” that included the believers and a pair of animals from each type (29:15). This set up an example that divine punishment for sin may not spare even the closest members of your family.
(3) Abraham: Prophet Abraham (pbuh) was a common ancestor of the Jews, the Christians and the Muslims. He is known for his uncompromising hatred for idol worship and being the best “model for devout obedience to God” (16:120). One day, in the absence of idolaters, he took the chance of “breaking into pieces” all their idols except one (21:58). Upon return, when they asked him about who had done that, he told them to ask the idol for answer. They replied that “these (idols) cannot speak” (21:65). Then he pointed to the folly of worshipping idols that even cannot speak. The idolaters led by Nimrod, however, would not spare him. They made a fire that they threw him into. God, however, worked miracles by suspending the burning power of fire “Oh Fire! be cool and safe for Abraham” (21:69). This saved him in life and further cemented his Faith. Later, he was ready to sacrifice his most beloved son Ismail by slaughtering him in compliance with divine command and defying Satanic instigation. God accepted his intention, saying “Oh Abraham: You already fulfilled the vision!” while replacing a lamb for his son under knife (37:104/105).
His legendary sacrifices met matching reward from God through the following blessings “for him among generations (to come) in later times” (37:108). Accordingly, (i) his readiness to make legendary sacrifice of his son is now remembered through symbolic animal sacrifices during annual festival of Eid-ul-Adha. (ii) His overall sacrifices are enacted through various symbolic rituals of once-in-lifetime mandatory pilgrimage (hajj) for the Muslims. (iii) All formal salat begins with his anti-partnership oath (6:79) and ends with ‘dorud’ that also links to him.
(4) Moses: The prophetic life of Moses (pbuh) is eventful with his historic roles played against the Egyptian ruler Pharaoh. The latter is the most infamous man in history, as he was denounced in the Quran with highest frequency. Pharaoh turned violent when Musa protested his repression of the Hebrews (Jews). To make him a match for a stronger Pharaoh, God strengthened him by (i) enhancing power of his tongue and heart (20:25/26/27) (ii) “appointing his brother Aaron” as a helping prophet (25:35) and (iii) empowering him with miraculous powers like turning stick into “serpent plain (for all to see)” and making his hand “white to all beholders” (7:107/108). (iv) At Mt. Sinai, he directly heard from God saying “O Moses! Verily I am your Lord!” (20:11/12).
Pharaoh mistook these signs to be the magical powers of Moses. His royal magicians, however, verified and confirmed that these signs came from God and therefore they “believed in our Lord” (20:73). Angry Pharaoh not only executed them but also started to repress Moses with sharper teeth. God then ordered Musa to “march forth” with his people out of Egypt (44:23). He extended miraculous help by dividing the Red Sea for making a safe “dry passage across the sea” and rescued Moses (20:77). But when the forces led by Pharaoh chasing them came just in the middle, the safe dry passage turned into a water body again to “drown” them (26:67). Thus God saved the believers and destroyed the sinners, as a historic lesson for generations to come.
5) Jesus: Jesus (pbuh) was a prophet, highly gifted with divine miracles ranging from birth through life to death. His miracles started through his birth of a virgin mother (Mary), without a father and his ability to talk as “a child in the cradle” (19:29). His life time was also full of miracles including ability “to heal the born blind and lepers” (5:110) which misled some of his followers to take him for a son of God. His life also ended amidst miracles as he “was made to appear to them” as crucified but virtually a proxy replaced him and God miraculously “raised him up unto Himself” (4:157/158).
He never took any wife during his 33 years of life ending in about 30 AD. His uncompromising preaching of the Truth angered Roman governor Pontius Pilate who unjustly sentenced him to above crucifixion following his arrest by one of his followers named Judas. His birth marks the beginning of the present Christian era calendar. His life points to the lesson that miracles are simply gifts from God and by granting these gifts He does not surrender His divine position to any prophet.
(6) Mohammad: Within 6 centuries of Jesus came Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as the concluding prophet. He is covered in a separate article that follows.
Conclusion: Historically, numerous prophets were sent down by God as His messengers. They were also granted some miraculous signs as a proof of their divine appointment. These, however, do not change their status as devoted servants of God.