Prophethood Risalah and Holy Books
Prophethood (Risalah) and Holy Books
Risalah means prophethood — the channel through which Allah communicates with humanity. Muslims believe Allah sent thousands of prophets throughout history, all with the same core message: worship Allah alone.
Key Prophets in Islam
| Prophet | Significance |
|---|---|
| Adam | The first human and first prophet; created by Allah from clay |
| Ibrahim (Abraham) | Willing to sacrifice his son Ismail in obedience to Allah; rebuilt the Ka'aba in Makkah |
| Musa (Moses) | Received the Tawrat (Torah); led the Israelites out of Egypt |
| Isa (Jesus) | A great prophet (NOT the Son of God in Islam); received the Injil (Gospel); born of the Virgin Maryam; will return before the Day of Judgement |
| Muhammad | The Seal of the Prophets (Khatam an-Nabiyyin) — the final and greatest prophet; received the Qur'an |
Key Points About Prophets
- All prophets were human — they were not divine
- All taught the same message: Tawhid (there is one God)
- Prophets are role models — they lived lives of submission to Allah
- Muhammad is the final prophet — no new prophet will come after him
- Surah 33:40 — "Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the prophets"
Holy Books in Islam
Muslims believe Allah revealed several holy books, but only the Qur'an remains unchanged:
| Book | Given To | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Sahifah (Scrolls) | Ibrahim | Lost/corrupted |
| Tawrat (Torah) | Musa | Corrupted over time |
| Zabur (Psalms) | Dawud (David) | Corrupted over time |
| Injil (Gospel) | Isa (Jesus) | Corrupted over time |
| Qur'an | Muhammad | Perfectly preserved — the exact words of Allah |
The Qur'an
- The Qur'an is the literal word of Allah, revealed to Muhammad by the angel Jibril (Gabriel) over 23 years
- It is written in Arabic — translations are interpretations, not the actual Qur'an
- It is unchanged since it was revealed — Muslims believe Allah has protected it from corruption (Surah 15:9)
- It is treated with the utmost respect — kept on the highest shelf, hands washed before handling, never placed on the floor
- It is the supreme authority in Islam — it overrules all other sources when there is a conflict
- It contains 114 surahs (chapters) covering beliefs, laws, morality and guidance for daily life
The Sunnah and Hadith
- The Sunnah is the way of life of Prophet Muhammad — his actions, sayings and approvals
- Hadith are recorded sayings and actions of Muhammad, collected after his death
- The Hadith are the second most important source of authority after the Qur'an
- They help Muslims understand how to apply Qur'anic teachings in daily life
Exam Tips
- Be clear: Muslims respect Isa (Jesus) as a prophet but do not believe he is the Son of God or that he was crucified
- Know why the Qur'an is considered superior to other holy books — it is uncorrupted
- For AO2: If earlier books contained God's message, why were more prophets needed? Is it fair that earlier books were corrupted?
- Muhammad as the Seal is a key concept — it means the Qur'an is the final, complete revelation