Knowledge & Devotion · Stories of the Prophets

Prophetic Narratives and Beliefs in Islam

Explore key beliefs about prophets, their stories, and Islamic perspectives.

9 questions · Hard · about 5 minutes

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9 questions, about 5 minutes.

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1. Did Allah send messengers to all nations?

  • Yes, Allah sent messengers to all nations. (correct answer)
  • No, they were sent only to Arabia.
  • No, they were sent only to one continent.
  • No, only one nation ever received a messenger.

Why

Allah established proof against His slaves by sending messengers and revealing books. The messengers were not sent to one nation or one continent only; rather, Allah sent them to all nations, at different places and times. Allah has told us the stories of some messengers and not others, so the fact that many named prophets lived in one region does not mean messengers were not sent elsewhere.

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2. Who are the Messengers of strong will?

  • Muhammad, Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, and ‘Eesa عليهم الصلاة والسلام. (correct answer)
  • Only those prophets whose names are not known.
  • All believers who show patience.
  • Angels sent to deliver revelation.

Why

Some prophets and messengers are superior to others. The Messengers of strong will are the five greatest messengers: Muhammad ﷺ, Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, and ‘Eesa ibn Maryam عليهم الصلاة والسلام. They are superior to all other prophets and messengers. “We make no distinction between them” means that Muslims believe in all of them as true messengers from Allah; it does not mean that they are all equal in rank and virtue.

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3. What should Muslims believe about messengers whose names are not mentioned to us?

  • We believe in them generally. (correct answer)
  • We reject their existence.
  • We decide their validity by personal opinion.
  • We believe only in prophets named in our local culture.

Why

Muslims believe in all messengers. Those whose names and stories are mentioned in revelation are believed in specifically, such as Muhammad, Ibrahim, Musa, ‘Eesa, and Nuh عليهم الصلاة والسلام. Those whose names are not known to us are believed in generally, because Allah told us that He sent messengers before and did not relate all of their stories.

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4. What should a Muslim do when hearing a story about a prophet not confirmed by the Qur’an or authentic Sunnah?

  • Refrain from affirming or denying it unless revelation confirms or rejects it. (correct answer)
  • Believe it automatically because it may be true.
  • Reject it automatically because it comes from earlier communities.
  • Treat it as equal to Qur’anic revelation.

Why

If a report about a prophet or earlier nation is not confirmed by the Qur’an or authentic Sunnah, a Muslim should not affirm it as definitely true or reject it as definitely false, unless Islamic texts confirm or contradict it. The source applies this to Jeremiah: his name is not mentioned in the Qur’an or Sunnah, so Muslims are not required to affirm his prophethood specifically, nor should they deny it absolutely. The correct approach is caution and withholding judgment.

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5. What is the Islamic stance on the detailed laws and acts of worship given to different prophets?

  • Their core religion was Tawheed, but some detailed laws differed as a test from Allah. (correct answer)
  • Their core message and all detailed laws were completely unrelated.
  • Every nation had exactly the same detailed laws in every matter.
  • The prophets taught worship of different gods.

Why

All prophets were united on the principle of Tawheed: all worship must be devoted to Allah alone and everything worshipped besides Him must be rejected. However, the detailed laws and acts of worship differed between nations. Some prayers, fasts, permissions, and prohibitions may have applied to one nation and not another, as a test from Allah. After the sending of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Muslims follow his law, because he is the final messenger sent to all mankind.

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6. What is required regarding belief in the Messengers and Prophets?

  • Belief in both the Messengers and the Prophets is required. (correct answer)
  • Belief in only the Messengers is sufficient.
  • Belief in only the Prophets is sufficient.
  • Belief in one major prophet is enough while denying the rest.

Why

Belief in both the Messengers and the Prophets is required and is one of the foundations of faith. The Qur’an commands belief in what was given to the prophets, and Muslims make no distinction between them in the sense of accepting some and rejecting others. Whoever denies the prophethood of one whom Allah affirmed has disbelieved in all of them. When the hadith of Jibril mentions belief in the Messengers, the word includes the Prophets as well in that context.

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7. What is the special status of the Prophets after death?

  • They are dead with respect to worldly life, but alive before Allah, alive in their graves and praying. (correct answer)
  • They no longer exist after death.
  • They remain physically active in this world like ordinary living people.
  • Their bodies and souls are all in the same place in heaven.

Why

The Prophets عليهم الصلاة والسلام are dead with respect to the people of this world, as the Qur’an states that even Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would die. But before Allah, they are alive, and the authentic report states that the Prophets are alive in their graves and pray. Their prayer is a special blessing, like the tasbeeh of the people of Paradise. The source also notes that ‘Eesa عليه السلام is an exception in that Allah raised him body and soul, and that the souls of prophets may ascend and descend by Allah’s permission.

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8. According to Islamic belief, what does the Torah’s wording “from among their brothers” indicate about the coming prophet?

  • He would come from among the sons of Isma‘il. (correct answer)
  • He would be only from the Children of Israel.
  • He would be an angel rather than a human prophet.
  • He would cancel worship of Allah.

Why

The source cites the Torah passage that speaks of a prophet being raised “from among their brothers.” It explains that if the prophet were from the Children of Israel, the wording would have said “from among them.” Since it says “from among their brothers,” the source interprets this as referring to the sons of Isma‘il عليه السلام. The article also cites Qur’anic verses stating that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was mentioned in the Tawrat and Injil.

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9. According to Islamic belief, what happened to ‘Eesa عليه السلام?

  • Allah raised him to heaven body and soul. (correct answer)
  • He was killed and crucified by his enemies.
  • He died on the cross and remained buried.
  • His soul alone was raised after his body was killed.

Why

Islamic belief is that ‘Eesa عليه السلام was not killed or crucified. Allah caused another person to resemble him, and that person was killed instead. Allah raised ‘Eesa عليه السلام to Himself body and soul, and he remains alive until Allah sends him down near the end of time. He will then rule according to Islam, later die, and the Muslims will pray the funeral prayer for him and bury him.

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A note on these answers

These questions are for learning and self-testing. Explanations are drawn from the sources linked on each question and are not a fatwa. For a ruling on your own circumstances, please consult a qualified scholar.

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