Prophets of Islam

Main articles: Islamic view of Adam, Adam, and Adam and Eve

"Adam is the first prophet of Islam and the first human being. He was created by God but brought to life forty days after being kept as a dry body." He is an important figure in Judaism and Christianity as well and he is best known for the story of Adam and Eve. That's all.

Main articles: Idris and Enoch

In Islam, Idris lived during a period of drought inflicted by God to punish the people of the world who had forgotten Him. Idris prayed to God for salvation and an end to the suffering and so the world received rain.^{[citations needed]} Idris is also credited in Islam with introducing writing, astronomy, and mathematics.^{[citation needed]}

Main articles: Nuh and Noah

Although best known for the Deluge, Nuh was a primary preacher of monotheism at his time. According to Islam, it was this faithfulness to God that led to his selection for building the Ark that would continue life on Earth. In contrast with Christian and Jewish traditions which say the Deluge was a global event, there is some difference in opinion in Islam over whether the flood associated with Nuh was localized or global.^{[citation needed]}

Main articles: Hud and Eber

According to Islam, Hud, for whom the eleventh sura (chapter) (Arabic:eleventh sura) of the Qur'an is named, was one of the few people to survive a great storm inflicted by God, similar to the Deluge five generations earlier, to punish the people of the `Ad who had forgotten about God. Note that Hud, by comparison and records, is not ever mentioned in the old testament.

Main articles: Saleh and Shelah

According to the Qur'an, Saleh was ordered by God to leave behind his people, the tribe of Thamud, after they disobeyed God's order to care for a special camel and instead killed it. In Saleh's absence, God punished the people with a large earthquake. Note that Saleh is not Shelah mentioned in the old testament.

Main articles: Ibrahim and Abraham

Ibrahim is regarded by Muslims today as one of the significant prophets as he is credited with rebuilding the Kaaba in Makkah. His family, including his son Ismail, is also credited with helping create the civilization around Makkah that would later give birth to the final prophet of Islam, Muhammad. Ibrahim is also noted for almost sacrificing his son Ismail (Ishmael) for God in an event now commemorated annually by Eid ul-Adha. He is also the first prophet to name the believers as "Muslims" meaning "those with full submission to God".^{[citation needed]}

Main articles: Lut and Lot

Lut (Lot) is most notable in Islam for attempting to preach against homosexuality in Sodom and Gomorra, only to be mocked and ignored by the people who lived there. Islam also denies the acts attributed to Lot that are mentioned in the Old Testament, like drinking and being drunk and having intercourse with his daughters, which by return bore children from their father.

Main articles: Ismail and Ishmael

Ishmael (Arabic:Ismail), first-born son of Abraham (Arabic:Ibrahim), is a notable prophet in Islam for his near-sacrifice in adulthood. As a child he and his mother Hagar's search for water in the region around Makkah led God to reveal the Zamzam Well which still flows to this day.

Main articles: Ishaq and Isaac

According to Islamic tradition, Isaac (Arabic:Ishaq), second-born son of Abraham (Arabic:Ibrahim), became a prophet in Canaan. He, along with his brother Ishmael (Arabic:Ismail), carried on the legacy of Abraham as prophets of Islam.

Main articles: Yaqub and Jacob

Jacob (Arabic:Yaqub), according to the Qur'an was "of the company of the Elect and the Good"<ref>Yusuf Ali's translation of the Qur'an, 38:47</ref> and he continued the legacy of both his father, Isaac (Arabic:Ishaq), and his grandfather, Abraham (Arabic:Ibrahim). Like his ancestors, he was committed to worshipping one God.

Main articles: Yusuf and Joseph (Hebrew Bible)

Joseph (Arabic:Yusuf), son of Jacob (Arabic:Yaqub) and great-grandson of Ibrahim (Abraham), became a prominent advisor to the pharaoh of Egypt since he was believed to have seen a dream that predicted the economic state of Egypt. He spent a large part of his life away from his eleven brothers, who, jealous of Joseph's success, told their father Jacob that Joseph had died.

Main articles: Ayub and Job

According to Islamic tradition, Ayyub was rewarded by a fountain of youth, which removed all illnesses except death, for his service to God in his hometown outside Al Majdal. Job is believed to have suffered an illness for 18 years as a patience test by God.

Main articles: Shoaib and Jethro

Jethro (Arabic:Shoaib) was a direct descendant of Abraham (Arabic:Ibrahim). According to Islam, he was appointed by God (Arabic:Allah) to guide the people of Midyan and Aykah, who lived near Mount Sinai. When the people of the region failed to listen to his warnings, God destroyed the disbeliever's villages. Although it is mentioned in Quran and by the reported speeches from prophet Muhammad that Moses married one of Shaoib's daughters, and this is the same thing mentioned in the old testament for a man called Jethro, but some scholars say that Jethro in the old testament is not the same person, Shoaib, who is mentioned in Quran.

Main articles: Musa and Moses

Moses (Arabic:Musa), referred to in the Qur'an more than any other prophet, is significant for revealing the Torah (Arabic:Tawrat) to the Israelites. The Qur'an says Moses realized his connection with God (Arabic:Allah) after receiving commands from him during a stop at Mount Sinai. He later went on to free the enslaved Hebrews after failing to convince the Egyptian pharaoh of God's power. Moses subsequently led the freed Hebrews for forty years through the desert after they refused to obey God's command and enter the Holy Lands, saying to Moses (as mentioned in Quran, Sura 5:24) O Moses! We will never enter (the land) while they are in it. So go thou and thy Lord and fight! We will sit here. During this long journey, Moses received the Torah and the Ten Commandments during another trip to Mount Sinai. At the end of his life, according to Islamic tradition, Moses chose to die to be closer to God instead of taking an offer that would have extended his life.

Main articles: Harun and Aaron

Harun (Aaron} served as an assistant to his younger brother Musa (Moses). In Islam, he, like Musa, was given the task of saving the Israelites from the Egyptian pharaoh. He would often speak for Musa when Musa’s speech impediment prevented him from doing so himself.

Main articles: Dhul-Kifl and Ezekiel

The status of Dhul-Kifl as a prophet is debatable within Islam, although both sides can agree that he was indeed a righteous man who strived in the way of God (Arabic:Allah). Some studies also note that Dhul-Kifl can be also Obadiah, who is mentioned in the Old Testament to be the one that took care of 100 prophets.

Main articles: Dawood and David

In Islam, the Psalms (Arabic:Zabur) were revealed to David (Arabic:Dawood) by God (Arabic:Allah). He is also significant as he is the one who defeated Goliath. It is worth to note that the story of king David with Uriah according to the islamic tradition is different, thus the acts attributed to king David in the Old Testament like sending Uriah to be killed for a purpose of marrying his wife is denied in Islam.

Main articles: Sulaiman and Solomon

Solomon (Arabic:Sulaiman) learned a significant amount from his father David (Arabic:Daud) before being made a prophet by God (Arabic:Allah). According to Islamic tradition, Solomon was given power over all things, including the jinns. Known for his honesty and fairness, he also led a kingdom that extended into southern Arabia.

Main articles: Ilyas and Elijah

Elijah (Arabic:Ilyas), descendant of Aaron (Arabic:Harun), took over control of the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula after Solomon's (Arabic:Sulaiman) kingdom collapsed. Islamic tradition says he attempted to convince the people of the Peninsula of the existence of only one God, but when the people refused to listen they were smitten with a drought and famine.

Main articles: Al-Yasa and Elisha

Elisha (Arabic:Al-Yasa) took over the job of leading the Israelites after Elijah's (Arabic:Ilyas) death. He attempted to show the king and queen of Israel the powers of God (Arabic:Allah), but was dismissed as a magician. Subsequently, the Assyrians were able to make people bum each other and inflict significant damage on them.

Main article: Jonah

Islamic tradition shows that Jonah (Arabic:Yunus) was commanded by God (Arabic:Allah) to help the people of Nineveh towards righteousness. However, after Nineveh's people refused to listen to God, he became disgruntled and became angry for God (NOT as some people say, angry against God or ignored God). After an incident where Jonah was spared death, he decided to re-commit himself to striving for God, attempting to lead the people of Nineveh to righteousness. But after returning to evil, illicit ways, the Scythians conquered them.<ref>Prophet Yunus. The Prophets. Islam101.com. Retrieved on 2006-05-06.</ref>

Main articles: Zakariya and Zacharias

A descendant of Solomon (Arabic:Sulayman), Zacharias (Arabic:Zakariya) was a patron of Mary (Arabic:Maryam), mother of Jesus (Arabic:Isa). According to the Quran, he prayed to God (Arabic:Allah) asking for a son, since his sterile wife al-Yashbi could not provide one. God granted his wishes, temporarily lifting his wife's sterility and allowing her to give birth to John (Arabic:Yahya).<ref>Prophet Zakariya. The Prophets. Islam101.com. Retrieved on 2006-05-06.</ref>

Main articles: Yahya and John the Baptist

Islam says that, throughout his lifetime, John (Arabic:Yahya) captivated audiences with his powerful sermons that preached Abrahamic monotheism.

Main articles: Islamic view of Jesus and Jesus

One of the highest ranked prophets in Islam, 'Isa al-Maseeh, (Jesus the Messiah) was sent to guide the Children of Israel. The Qur'an makes it very clear that in Islam, Jesus is not the begotten (physical) son of God, but rather a nabi and rasul of God.

'Isa performed many miracles with the permission of God. For example, raising the dead, creating a bird from clay, talking as an infant. Islamic traditions states that he abstained from drinking alcohol. It also states that he received a revelation, the Injil (Gospel), though it has been distorted. Muslims believe that 'Isa was not crucified, meaning he was not killed on the cross. Whether he was put on the cross or not is an issue of interpretation. Islamic belief is that 'Isa was raised up to God. The islamic belief also holds that someone else was crucified (some say that was the Iscariot as a punishment for him) and this is mentioned in Quran Sura 4:157. In general, Quran says (hence the Islamic belief) that someone else that looked similar to Jesus was crucified.

Main article: Muhammad

Habib u'l A'zam, Imam u'l Anbiya Sayyidina Muhammad ibn 'Abdullah,(53 B.H-11 A.H; 571-632 C.E) <ref> Great Muslims Of All Times </ref> is the last prophet in Islam ("seal of the Prophets"). Idolatry of any of the prophets should be avoided, as their messages from God hold the most weight. His father's name was 'Abdullah ibn 'AbdulMuttalib and his mother's name was Amina bint Wahb az-Zuhriyya. Muhammad is considered the most perfect creation by God. Born in Makkah in 53 B.H (571 CE), Muhammad spent the first part of his life as a well-travelled merchant. He would often spend his time in the mountains surrounding Makkah in prayer contemplating the situation with the city. At the age of forty, during one of those trips to the mountain, Muhammad began to, despite his illiteracy, receive and recite verses from God which today make up the Qur'an. He quickly spread the message he was receiving, converting a few others in the city, including his wife. He is the last (seal) of the prophets with a message to all humanity. When oppression become untolerable for his followers, Muhammad first asked his fellow Muslims to migrate to Medina and later himself migrated to Medina away from the oppressors in Makkah. Muhammad served not just as a prophet, but as a military leader who helped defeat the Makkans in 624 during the Battle of Badr. He continued to lead the Muslims as Islam spread across the Arabian Peninsula. He performed the first hajj in 629 and established Islamas it is still practiced by Muslims today. Others continued Muhammad's legacy after his death in 632, having been given the position of caliph (or successor) to Muhammad. The Five Pillars were established after the prophet Muhammad's death.