The Prophets of Allah – JSS2 Islamic Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

Prophets are people chosen by Allah to receive revelation and guide humanity to the truth.

• Role: they receive revelation from Allah and teach it to their people.
• Faith: belief in all the prophets is one of the six pillars of faith (Iman) in Islam.
• Spread: Allah sent prophets to many nations and communities throughout history.

Behavioural objectives

1. Explain the difference between a Nabi and a Rasul.
2. State the purposes of prophethood and the characteristics of the prophets.
3. Name the eight major prophets in this note and give facts about each.
4. List the five Ulul ‘Azm and the five books given to prophets.
5. State lessons from the stories of Nuh, Ibrahim, Yusuf, Musa and Isa.
6. Describe how Muslims should show respect to the prophets.

What is the difference between a Nabi and a Rasul?

A Nabi is a prophet, and a Rasul is a messenger: all messengers are prophets, but not all prophets are messengers.

• Nabi (prophet): a person chosen by Allah who receives revelation and follows the law of an earlier messenger.
• Rasul (messenger): a prophet who receives a new book or law from Allah for his people.

Why did Allah send prophets?

Allah sent prophets to guide people to worship Him alone and to show them how to live.

• To guide humanity to Allah: prophets call people to worship Allah alone and reject false gods.
• To teach how to worship: they show the correct way to pray, fast, give charity and obey Allah’s commands in daily life.
• To set a good example: they are role models of the best character and behaviour.
• To warn about the Day of Judgment: they remind people that everyone will answer for their actions in the Hereafter.
• To give good news: they promise the rewards of Paradise and warn of the punishment of Hellfire.
• To establish justice: they stand against oppression, corruption and injustice.

• Mercy of Allah: whenever people strayed, Allah sent a prophet to bring them back, so humanity was never left without guidance.

What are the characteristics of the prophets?

All prophets share six qualities that make them suitable for their mission.

• Truthfulness (Sidq): they always speak the truth, and even their enemies recognised their honesty.
• Trustworthiness (Amanah): people trusted them with valuables, secrets and important matters.
• Intelligence (Fatanah): they are wise, answer difficult questions and give good advice.
• Conveying the message (Tabligh): they deliver Allah’s message fully, without hiding or changing anything.
• Protection from major sins (Ismah): they never deliberately disobey Allah, though they may make small mistakes.
• Physical soundness: they are free from defects that would make people reject their message.

How many prophets did Allah send?

The exact number of prophets is not known, but 25 are named in the Qur’an.

• Total sent: a hadith mentions about 124,000 prophets throughout history.
• Named in the Qur’an: 25 prophets, eight major ones in this note and 17 others.

Who were the first and last prophets?

Adam was the first prophet and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the last.

Who was the first prophet, Adam?

• First human: Allah created Adam directly from clay.
• Knowledge: Allah taught him the names of all things.
• Move to earth: he was sent from Paradise to earth after a mistake.
• Teaching: he taught his children to worship Allah alone.

Who was the last prophet, Muhammad?

• Final messenger: no prophet will come after him.
• Sent to all: his message is for all humanity, not one nation.
• Complete message: it completes the earlier messages and remains until the Day of Judgment.

Which major prophets are mentioned in the Qur’an?

This note treats eight major prophets: Adam, Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Dawud, Sulaiman, Isa and Muhammad.

1. Adam

• Status: first human being and first prophet.
• Creation: made directly by Allah from clay.
• Home: lived in Paradise before coming to earth.
• Title: father of all humanity.

2. Nuh (Noah)

• Preaching: called his people for 950 years.
• Ark: built it under Allah’s command.
• Flood: survived the great flood with his followers.
• Title: second father of humanity after the flood.

3. Ibrahim (Abraham)

• Title: Khalilullah (Friend of Allah).
• Family: father of many prophets.
• Ka’bah: built it with his son Ismail.
• Test: was ready to sacrifice his son for Allah.
• Idols: broke them to show the foolishness of idol worship.

4. Musa (Moses)

• Book: received the Torah (Tawrat).
• Rescue: led the Children of Israel away from Pharaoh.
• Speech: Allah spoke to him on Mount Tur.
• Miracles: performed many, including the parting of the sea.

5. Dawud (David)

• Book: given the Zabur (Psalms).
• Voice: had a beautiful voice for recitation.
• Iron: Allah made iron soft in his hands.
• Office: was both a prophet and a king.

6. Sulaiman (Solomon)

• Family: son of Dawud.
• Speech: understood the language of animals and birds.
• Power: Allah gave him control over the wind and the jinn.
• Wisdom: known for great wisdom and good judgment.
• Kingdom: ruled a vast kingdom unlike any other.

7. Isa (Jesus)

• Birth: born miraculously to Maryam (Mary) without a father.
• Miracles: healed the sick and raised the dead, by Allah’s permission.
• Book: given the Injil (Gospel).
• End of his mission: was not killed but raised to heaven by Allah.
• Return: will return before the Day of Judgment.

8. Muhammad (peace be upon him)

• Status: final prophet and messenger.
• Book: received the Qur’an, the final revelation.
• Mercy: sent as a mercy to all the worlds.
• Example: the best example for humanity.
• Intercession: will intercede for believers on the Day of Judgment.

Which other prophets are mentioned in the Qur’an?

Seventeen other prophets are named in the Qur’an, shown in the table below.

Who are the Ulul ‘Azm (the resolute messengers)?

The Ulul ‘Azm are five messengers of strong determination who faced the greatest challenges and showed the highest patience.

1. Nuh (Noah): preached for 950 years against heavy rejection.
2. Ibrahim (Abraham): stood against idol worship and was thrown into the fire.
3. Musa (Moses): faced Pharaoh and led the Children of Israel.
4. Isa (Jesus): faced enemies who tried to kill him.
5. Muhammad (peace be upon them all): faced persecution in Makkah and kept calling people to Allah.

Which books were given to the prophets?

Five revealed books are linked to the messengers: Suhuf, Tawrat, Zabur, Injil and the Qur’an.

• The Qur’an: the only revealed book that remains unchanged.
• Earlier books: people changed them over time.

What stories of the prophets does the Qur’an tell?

The Qur’an tells the stories of the prophets to teach lessons for life.

What is the story of Nuh (Noah)?

1. Nuh preached for 950 years, but most people rejected his message.
2. He built an ark by Allah’s command.
3. Allah sent a great flood.
4. Only the believers on the ark survived.

• Patience: keep calling people to the truth.
• Help: Allah eventually helps the believers.
• Warning: disbelief leads to destruction.

What is the story of Ibrahim (Abraham)?

1. Ibrahim questioned idol worship from a young age.
2. He broke the idols to show people they were powerless.
3. His people tried to burn him, but Allah made the fire cool and safe for him.
4. Later he was ready to sacrifice his son at Allah’s command.
5. Allah replaced his son with a ram.

• Reasoning: use logic to find the truth.
• Courage: stand firm for your belief.
• Submission: obey Allah’s commands completely.

What is the story of Yusuf (Joseph)?

1. His jealous brothers threw him into a well.
2. He was sold as a slave in Egypt.
3. He was falsely accused and imprisoned.
4. His skill in interpreting dreams led him to become a high official.
5. Years later he forgave his brothers when they came for help during a famine.

• Patience: stay patient during hardship.
• Self-control: resist temptation.
• Forgiveness: forgive those who wronged you.
• Trust: rely on Allah’s plan.

What is the story of Musa (Moses)?

1. Musa was raised in Pharaoh’s palace but later had to flee.
2. Allah spoke to him at Mount Tur.
3. Allah sent him back to Egypt with miraculous signs.
4. He led the Children of Israel out of Egypt and the sea parted for them.
5. He received the Torah on Mount Sinai.

• Allah’s plan: Allah can make an enemy’s own household the caretaker of His messenger.
• Courage: speak the truth to those in power.
• Help: Allah’s help comes when it is needed.

What is the story of Isa (Jesus)?

1. Isa was born to Maryam without a father.
2. He spoke as a baby to defend his mother’s honour.
3. He healed the blind and the sick and brought the dead back to life, by Allah’s permission.
4. When his enemies tried to kill him, Allah raised him to heaven.

• Power: Allah has power over all creation.
• Proof: miracles were signs of his truthfulness.
• Protection: Allah protects His messengers.

How did the prophets deliver their message?

The prophets used five methods to call people to Allah.

• Clear explanation: they used simple, clear language people could understand.
• Wise approach: they spoke according to people’s level of understanding and answered their concerns.
• Good example: they practised what they taught.
• Gradual teaching: they began with the most important beliefs before detailed rules.
• Miracles: they performed miracles, with Allah’s permission, to prove their prophethood.

What challenges did the prophets face?

The prophets faced rejection, harm and hardship while delivering Allah’s message.

• Rejection and mockery: people called them liars, magicians or madmen.
• Physical persecution: some were harmed, threatened with death or forced to leave home.
• Family opposition: Nuh’s son and wife did not believe.
• Economic hardship: some faced boycotts because of their message.
• Attempts on their lives: Ibrahim, Musa and Muhammad all faced such attempts.

How should Muslims show respect to the prophets?

Muslims show respect to the prophets by believing in them, praising them and following their teachings.

• Believe in all prophets: denying any prophet is disbelief.
• Do not discriminate between them: some have higher ranks, but Muslims must not disrespect any prophet.
• Send greetings of peace: say “Alayhi as-Salam” (peace be upon him), or write (AS), after a prophet’s name.
• Follow their teachings: the best respect is to follow their example in daily life.
• Defend their honour: speak up when they are insulted or mocked.

What lessons do we learn from the lives of the prophets?

The lives of the prophets teach faith, patience, trust, kindness and honesty.

• Steadfastness in faith: they stayed firm despite severe opposition.
• Patience in adversity: they never gave up their mission.
• Trust in Allah: they relied on His plan even in seemingly impossible situations.
• Kindness and mercy: they stayed kind to people who treated them harshly.
• Honesty and integrity: they kept the highest moral standards in all situations.

Evaluation

1. What is the difference between a Nabi and a Rasul?
2. State four reasons why Allah sent prophets.
3. List four characteristics of the prophets.
4. Name the five Ulul ‘Azm.
5. Match each book with the prophet who received it: Suhuf, Tawrat, Zabur, Injil, Qur’an.

Assignment

1. Write the story of Yusuf in your own words and state the four lessons it teaches.
2. Describe five ways in which Muslims show respect to the prophets.