Fundamental Beliefs in the Divine (AQD107 – Islamic Belief I)

Week Four Handout

CONTENTS

PROPHETS AND MESSENGERS ................................................................................................................ 1

Difference between a Prophet and Messenger .............................................................................. 1
Number of Prophets and Messengers ............................................................................................ 1
That Which is Necessary ................................................................................................................. 1
That Which is Impossible ................................................................................................................ 2
That Which is Conceivable .............................................................................................................. 2
EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS ....................................................................................................................... 3
Types of Extraordinary Events ........................................................................................................ 3
Miracles in the Qur’an .................................................................................................................... 4
Miracles in the Time of the Sahabah .............................................................................................. 4

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 Fundamental Beliefs in the Divine (AQD107 – Islamic Belief I)
Week Four Handout

PROPHETS AND MESSENGERS

Difference between a Prophet and Messenger

[1] The word nabi comes from the word naba’un which means information or to inform (khabar). A
nabi (prophet) is someone whom Allah (swt) inspires but does not come with a new Sacred Law.
They are generally there to keep the people on the straight path based on a prior Sacred Law.

[2] The word rasul comes from the word risalah, which means message. A rasul (messenger) is the
same as a nabi (prophet) but they are also given a Sacred Law that generally abrogates the previous
sacred law because of all the corruption that has crept into the previous law.

Number of Prophets and Messengers

[1] In regard to the total number of Prophets and Messengers, Allah’s Messenger (saw) said, “One
hundred and twenty-four thousand, among whom three-hundred and thirteen were messengers,
and the first of whom was Adam and the last was Muhammad” (Musnad of Imam Ahmad).

[2] This Hadith is a lone report (khabar wahid) and not something that provides conviction and
definitive knowledge. Therefore, this will be used as an indicator of the number of prophets. We
can’t insist on a particular number, as it could be more or less than the true amount and we could be
negating prophecy.

[3] Allah (swt) says, “We have sent a messenger to every nation” (Qur’an 10:47).

[4] Allah (swt) says, “We have sent other Messengers before you – some We have mentioned to
you and some We have not” (Qur’an 40:78).

[5] There are twenty-five mentioned in the Qur’an: (1) Adam (2) Idris (3) Nuh (4) Hud (5) Salih (6)
Ibrahim (7) Isma'il (8) Ishaq (9) Lut (10) Ya‘qub (11) Yusuf (12) Shu‘ayb (13) Ayyub (14) Musa (15)
Harun (16) Dhul-kifl (17) Dawud (18) Sulayman (19) Ilyas (20) Al-Yasa (21) Yunus (22) Zakariyya (23)
Yahya (24) Isa (25) Muhammad (peace be upon them all).

[6] Other prophets not mentioned by name: Yusha (as), Daniel (as) and Khadir (as). (There was
miracle about Khadir (as) that things became green where he sat). Luqman (as) who is mentioned in
the Qur’an was not a Prophet but mentioned for his wisdom.

[7] Most of the Prophets were sent to Bani Isra’il.

That Which is Necessary

1) Truthfulness
i. Prophets can’t lie; they are truthful in everything they convey from Allah (swt). They are
divinely protected from lying on purpose or by accident. Allah (swt) gives them an
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 Fundamental Beliefs in the Divine (AQD107 – Islamic Belief I)
Week Four Handout

inimitable miracle that can’t be challenged by anybody and proves their truthfulness. If
they did not say the truth, they will not have a miracle because Allah (swt) won’t allow a
miracle to manifest from somebody considered an imposter. (Dajjal is different as he will
be sent as a fitnah).
ii. Allah (swt) says, “And the Messengers told the truth” (Qur’an 36:52).

2) Trustworthiness (Amanah)
i. Amanah means not to withhold anything and fulfil the message with amanah (which
differs from truthfulness). Prophets must deliver whatever Allah (swt) has told them to
do deliver.
ii. Amanah also includes preserving all of their external limbs and internal self from falling
into anything haram, makruh and blameworthy. They must sometimes do the sub-
optimal thing but will be reprimanded for it.
iii. Amanah also refers to personal piety.
iv. Allah (swt) has told us to follow the Prophets closely thus they can’t be prone to
mistakes and sins.
v. Allah (swt) says, “And follow him so that you may find guidance” (Qur’an 7:158).
vi. Allah (swt) says, “Allah does not command immorality” (Qur’an 7:28).

3) Propagation (Tabligh)
i. The responsibility of a Prophet is to convey.
ii. Allah (swt) says, “Proclaim it openly” (Qur’an 15:94).
iii. Allah (swt) says, “As for those who hide the proofs and guidance We send down, after
We have made them clear to people in the Scripture, God rejects them, and so do
others” (Qur’an 2:159).

4) Intelligence (Fatanah)
i. Allah (swt) will send intelligent people who have the ability to construct proofs against
people who try to manipulate their message. .
ii. Allah (swt) says, “Such was the argument We gave to Abraham against his people”
(Qur’an 6:83).

That Which is Impossible

i. Falsehood
ii. Untrustworthy
iii. Withholding any part of the message
iv. To be Foolish

That Which is Conceivable

[1] Prophets can do anything humanely possible which does not lead to being seen as lowly,
humiliated or despicable. Example: they may relieve themselves; eat; fall sick (sickness that is
generally not going to turn people away from them); marry; hunger can come upon them; can be
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 Fundamental Beliefs in the Divine (AQD107 – Islamic Belief I)
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poor or wealthy; can be harmed or wounded by others; sleep (sleep is to their eyes and not their
hearts).

[2] Prophets may forget about worldly things and not about the Shari’ah, such as a mistake in salah
or to convey something which has already conveyed.

[3] Prophets may experience difficulties and suffer to elevate their status, like the Prophet
Muhammad (saw) who suffered before his death. He tells us: “I suffer fever like two people”
(Bukhari).

EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS

Types of Extraordinary Events

[1] Irhas is anything that is shown extraordinarily and manifested by a prophet pre-prophethood.

[2] Mu’jizah comes from i’jaz which means to inimitably challenge somebody. A prophet is generally
given a miracle to establish their truth. Prophets can’t summon a mu’jizah, it is only shown by Allah
(swt) in the most opportune moments and times.

[3] The similarity of Allah’s Messenger (saw) with other prophets is that he had certain miracles that
were time-bound and specific – such as water coming down from his fingers, the barakah in the food
that he blew on and so on. However, the Qur’an is the one miracle of the Prophet (saw) which is a
living miracle and is not time bound and specific. The Prophet (saw) said, "Every Prophet was given
miracles because of which people believed, but what I have been given is Divine Inspiration which
Allah has revealed to me, so I hope my followers will outnumber the followers of other Prophets
on the Day of Resurrection” (Bukhari).

[4] Karamah comes from the word karam which means honour. A karamah is a miracle of divine
honour. Inherently, the karamah is a mu’jizah of the Prophets because a karamah is only given to
the wali of Allah (swt) due to his following of the prophet, so it’s a mu’jizah of the prophet and a
karamah of the wali who receives this. It’s given to support, reinvigorate and strengthen them. They
can’t summon these miracles; Allah (swt) gives when he chooses.

[5] A mu’jizah and karamah are both miracles of divine honour and both inimitable, however, one is
associated with a claim to prophecy and the other is not.

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[6] Istidraj comes from the word daraj which means to give some rope and let them go further in
deviancy or let loose. Istidraj is the opposite of mu’jizah. It refers to an imposter who claims
prophecy who does a miracle but doesn’t work out (like the incident with the imposter Musaylamah,
who was told to cure someone’s eyes but the saliva infected the person’s eye).

Miracles in the Qur’an

[1] Allah (swt) says, “Whenever Zakariyya went in to see her in her sanctuary, he found her
supplied with provisions. He said, “O Maryam, how is it that you have these provisions?’ and she
said, ‘They are from God: God provides limitlessly for whoever He wills” (Qur’an 3:37).

[2] Allah (swt) says, “Said one who had Knowledge of the Book, ‘I will bring it to you within the
twinkling of an eye!’ Then when (Sulayman) saw it placed firmly before him, he said, “This is by
the Grace of my Lord!” (Qur’an 27:40).

Miracles in the Time of the Sahabah

[1] There were generally more karamat after the time of the sahabah.

[2] Examples:

i. The Prophet (saw) used to lean on a pillar when giving khutbah. When he didn’t lean on the
pillar, it started to cry out loud in the middle if the khutbah. Everyone heard the pillar crying
– this was a clearly manifested miracle in front of everybody.
ii. The incident of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra) in the middle of the khutbah who called out, ‘O
Sariya, the mountain! '…
iii. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab and the letter to the Nile River …