Islamic Prophets (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note

Why are the prophets important?

What is the nature of prophethood for Muslims?

• Risalah is the Islamic word for prophethood, or the messengers of Allah

• It is also known as Nubuwwah

• Muslims believe that Allah is a personal God who can be directly communicated with

• Allah chose several messengers or prophets with whom to communicate his teachings so they could teach humanity about the right way to live

• Islam teaches that there have been as many as 124,000 prophets who have taught the message of Allah throughout the world

  • The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said that it is essential to believe in every one of these prophets, teaching:

• The names of 25 of these prophets are in the Qur’an

• The prophets whose messages have been written down are known as rasuls

What is the importance of prophethood for Muslims?

• Risalah or prophethood is one of the six beliefs of Islam for Sunni Muslims and one of the five roots of Usul ad-Din for Shi’a Muslims

• It represents how Allah communicates with people

• Prophethood enables the communication of important teachings that Muslims must follow in their lives

• The prophets themselves are role models for Muslims

  • They set an example for how to live through their own actions 

    • Therefore, Muslims often name their children after prophets and try to raise them to follow the prophets’ examples

• It reminds Muslims of the common bonds they share with other great world faiths, especially Judaism and Christianity

• All of the prophets play an important role in setting an example for humanity about the right way to live and in communicating the message of God to others

• Muslims learn about the roles of the prophets and the messages they taught in the Qur’an, Hadith and other religious texts

The importance of Adam — the first prophet

Who was Adam, and why is he important?

• Adam was specially created by Allah and was given dominion over the Earth

• Adam was the first human to communicate with Allah and is viewed as the first Muslim and prophet

• Adam was taught everything by Allah, given the ability to identify people and give names and was given language and the ability to communicate

• Allah gave him a thirst for learning and the ability to reason, evaluate and make choices

• Allah taught Adam the names of everything and ordered all of the angels and jinn to bow down to him

• Adam had a wife, Hawwa (Eve), whom he lived with in a garden (paradise), to keep him company

• The Qur’an says that before creation, Allah took all of Adam and Hawwa’s offspring and asked them to bear witness that Allah was their Lord

• The story of Adam in the Qur’an is central to understanding the fate of humanity

  • Allah told Adam and Hawwa to enjoy all the things made for them but not to eat from one tree

  • Iblis managed to tempt them to taste the fruit, disobeying Allah

  • Adam and Hawwa became aware of their nakedness and covered themselves

  • As punishment, Allah banished them to Earth, but he forgave them because they asked for mercy

  • They became ordinary people living on Earth instead of in the Garden of Bliss (Eden)

  • On Earth, Allah sent guidance to Adam so he could teach people about Allah

• Some Muslim traditions believe that Adam built the Ka’aba as the first place of worship

• Adam and Hawaa had many children, the most famous being Qabeel (Cain) and Habeel (Abel)

• The brothers showed the evil side of humankind when Qabeel killed Habeel, fulfilling the prophecy in the Qur’an

• When Adam died, he named his son Seth as successor, but over time, Adam’s descendants split up and moved apart

Ibrahim and his significance in Islam

Who was Ibrahim, and why is he important?

• Ibrahim (Abraham) is seen as a significant prophet because he always remained obedient to Allah

• He was known as Khalil (friend of Allah) and is called a “Resolute One”, being the father of the Arabs and of all the prophets

• Although some Muslim traditions believe that Adam built the Ka’aba, others believe it was Ibrahim and Isma’il (his son)

  • According to the Qur’an, this was the first building dedicated to Allah that was built under the command and direction of God

• Ibrahim is also said to have established Hajj, along with certain practices undertaken during the pilgrimage

• The life of Ibrahim acts as an example to Muslims for how to live their lives

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• Ibrahim is known for his undying loyalty to Allah, which is shown in his actions

  • Ibrahim married Sarah 

    • He later took on Hajar as a second wife because Sarah was barren, and Hajar had a son, Ismail, whom Ibrahim loved greatly

  • Allah commanded Prophet Ibrahim to take Hajar and the baby to a desolate valley

    • They were on their own, but they never gave up hope, and when they ran out of water, Allah gave them a well

  • Ibrahim dreamt that he was told to sacrifice Ismail, and when he told Ismail of the dream, both agreed to do what Allah had commanded

    • As both Ibrahim and Ismail were willing, the test was passed, and a ram was sacrificed instead

  • In thanks to Allah for the lives of his family members, Ibrahim built (or rebuilt) the Ka’aba with Ismail

  • Later, Ismail took his father’s place as a prophet and led the first Muslim community in the valley of Makkah

Isa as a prophet

Who was Isa (Jesus), and why was he important?

• Although Muslims do not see Isa (Jesus) as divine in the same way that Christians do and do not believe in his resurrection from the dead, he is recognised as one of the most honoured prophets of Allah

• The Injil (gospels) were revealed to Isa

  • This was one of the most important revelations before the Qur’an

• Many of Isa’s miracles are described in the Qur’an, including his birth, which did not involve having a biological father 

  • Isa is said to have brought the dead back to life (Qur’an Surah 3:49), although many Muslims think these stories have a symbolic meaning rather than being historically true

Muhammad (pbuh) as the seal of the prophets

Who was Muhammad (pbuh), and why is he so important to Muslims?

• Muhammad (pbuh) was the last and final prophet of Islam and is also known as the “Seal of the Prophets”

• Muhammad’s (pbuh) revelation is found in the Qur’an, which is seen as being an exact and unaltered account of Islam

• His status as a prophet can be seen in the Shahada, where a Muslim must testify that Muhammad (pbuh) is the messenger of Allah

• The life of Muhammad (pbuh) acts as a guide for Muslims because he is viewed as the ideal human, husband and leader

• Many Muslims aim to emulate his life by undertaking additional prayers, living simply and giving to the poor

  • Muhammad (pbuh) had a difficult childhood

    • He never knew his father because he had died before Muhammad (pbuh) was born

    • He became an orphan at age six when his mother died

  • Muhammad (pbuh) earned his keep by looking after his grandfather’s sheep and then working as a merchant for his uncle

  • By age 40, he was married to Khadijah, had children, had his own successful business and was highly respected in the community

• In 610 CE, at the age of 40, Muhammad (pbuh) was called to serve Allah

  • He was religious and went to a cave to meditate and pray

  • On Mount Hira, the angel Jibril appeared to him with a message from Allah

    • Angel Jibril commanded him to “Recite!” but Muhammad (pbuh) said he could not read

    • The angel squeezed him tight three times before he said the words, even though Muhammad (pbuh) could not read the words came to him 

    • When the angel left, Muhammad (pbuh) left the cave, trembling from what had happened

    • He returned to Khadijah to tell her the story

    • Three years passed with Muhammad (pbuh) spending more time in meditation and spiritual contemplation, where the revelations continued

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• Allah commanded Muhammad (pbuh) to preach to close family friends and then the people of Makkah about Islam and the One God

• People in Makkah were becoming more distanced from the ways of Allah, and earlier revelations were being ignored

  • Previous holy books had been lost or changed

• Muhammad (pbuh) challenged the way the people of Makkah were living — people behaved in immoral ways, cheated people out of money and gambled; prostitution was rife, and idol worship was the normal thing

• The leaders at that time did not want to hear it and persecuted Muhammad (pbuh)

  • The conversion of Makkah was not straightforward, and Muhammad (pbuh) had to escape to Madinah (the Hijrah) after his religious message was rejected, causing his life to come under threat

• In Madinah, he became the ruler of the city, both spiritually and politically

  • After many battles, he later fulfilled his task of converting the people of Makkah to Islam

  • Muhammad (pbuh) died in 632 CE

What is the impact of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as an individual?

• Muslims believe Muhammad (pbuh) is the perfect example of a man serving Allah without question

• All Muslims aim to imitate the life of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in their own lives

• Muslims believe that they should try to develop the same characteristics, such as:

  • Responsibility

  • Determination

  • Patience

  • Courage

  • Honesty

  • Trustworthiness 

  • Self-discipline

• Muhammad (pbuh) was humble, modest and caring, and he knew Allah would help when difficulties arose

• He is respected for his sense of morality and duty, and his belief in the importance of his community

• Regardless of a person’s position in society, Muslims believe everyone can learn from Muhammad (pbuh), then and now

What is the impact of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as a leader?

• Muslims claim that Muhammad (pbuh) was the greatest political and religious leader of all time, managing to combine the two roles perfectly

• He set up a community where:

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• Muhammad (pbuh) had charisma as a leader so that people followed him in religion, in ordinary life and militarily

  • Ten thousand men went into battle for him in Makkah

• The Islamic empire spread from southern Europe to northern Africa and across Asia in Muhammad’s (pbuh)name and the name of Islam

• Thirteen centuries later, 3 billion Muslim followers repeat his name daily, and many people study his life worldwide

• The leadership of Muhammad (pbuh) acts as inspiration for Muslim leaders within politics and religion

What is the impact of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as a family man?

• Muslims believe that Muhammad (pbuh) was the ultimate family man, continuing the work of other prophets

• In the Qur’an, there is a theme of good fathers: Adam, Noah, Lut, Jacob, Ibrahim and then Muhammad (pbuh)

• Islam, through the teachings of Muhammad (pbuh), sees the family as the basic unit for the well-being of society

  • If families work well, society works well. Muhammad (pbuh) said: 

• Muhammad (pbuh) led a strong family unit. He loved his first wife and still cared for her family after she died

  • He was just as caring to his other wives — he spent time with them, was never harsh with them and did his duties around the house

  • He kept all his wives happy, dealing with any issues justly

  • He had four daughters, whom he educated (not the tradition at the time), marrying them to decent men, and he was a good grandfather

  • He suffered the loss of his own sons and needed his faith in Allah to help him through this

• Muslims use the example of Muhammad (pbuh) as a family man to influence their actions within their own families

What is the impact of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as a teacher?

• Muslims believe that Muhammad (pbuh) was the greatest teacher because of what he said and did

  • He lived every aspect of Islamic life so others could learn and follow

  • He spoke with authority but made it easy for others to learn by speaking clearly and precisely

• Muhammad (pbuh) spent 13 years in Makkah teaching people the Word of Allah

  • Many initially rejected his teachings, and though he faced hatred and violence, he carried on with the right method and the patience to succeed

  • His determination to teach Allah’s way meant that, in the end, he brought about significant changes

• The influence of Muhammad (pbuh) was, and continues to be, far-reaching

  • The early messages received by Muhammad (pbuh) said that people should worship one God, Allah, and that people would be judged on their behaviour

  • Later revelations gave more details on how Muslims should live their lives

  • Muhammad’s (pbuh) teachings and practices (Sunnah), which are found in the Hadith and Sira texts, are still used as sources of Islamic law (Shariah)