Will prophets also be called to account according to the verse 6 of the chapter of al-Araf?

- Allah says in verse 6 of the chapter of al-Araf, ‘We shall question’. Will He ask the nations that were destroyed whether prophets had been sent to them or not.
- The nations that were destroyed are mentioned in the previous verses.
- Will Allah question the prophets too?

Dear Brother / Sister,

The questioning of the prophets will not be about whether they are guilty or not, but about whether they conveyed fully the revelation sent by Allah to people or not. This is related to the purpose of the witnessing of Allah’s justice by everybody.   

The meaning of the verse in question is as follows:

“Then shall we question those to whom Our message was sent and those by whom We sent it.” (al-A'raf, 7/6)

Of the two verses quoted below, the question addressing the prophets is included in the first verse and the question addressing the nations is included in the second verse:

“One day will Allah gather the messengers together, and ask: ‘What was the response ye received (from men to your teaching)?’ They will say: ‘We have no knowledge: it is Thou Who knowest in full all that is hidden.’” (al-Maida, 5/109)

“That Day (Allah) will call to them (unbelievers), and say: ‘What was the answer ye gave to the messengers?’” (al-Qasas, 28/65)

One day, those to whom prophets were sent will definitely be questioned. They will be asked how they welcomed the prophets and what answer they gave to them. They will be asked, " What was the answer ye gave to the messengers?" (al-Qasas, 28/65). All of the prophets that were sent to people will definitely be questioned too. "One day will Allah gather the messengers together, and ask: What was the response ye received (from men to your teaching)? der." (al-Maida, 5/109) As it is stated in the verse above, they will be asked, "What was the response ye received (from men to your teaching)?"

There are two kinds of questions. One of them is the question of reprimanding and scolding.

The other one is the question to be asked with the intention of finding out and understanding. "On that Day no question will be asked of man or Jinn as to his sin." (ar-Rahman, 55/39) "but the wicked are not called (immediately) to account for their sins." (al-Qasas, 28/78) In the verses above, it is stated that humans and jinn will not be asked about their sins, which means it is clear that they are guilty. Their crimes are definite based on the recorded evidences. It means there is no need to ask them about their sins.

On the other hand, that those to whom prophets were sent and the prophets will definitely be questioned means all the deniers will be held responsible in the presence of their prophets through reprimanding and scolding. Therefore, it is stated that they will definitely be questioned and that they will definitely be informed with evidence. When the prophets are asked, they will say, "We have no knowledge: it is Thou Who knowest in full all that is hidden." (al-Maida, 5/109) (see Elmalılı Hamdi, Hak Dini, the interpretation of the verse in question)

It is an outcome of Allah’s system of justice that Allah Almighty will question the ummahs and the prophets in the hereafter though He definitely knows that the prophets fulfilled their responsibilities related to their duties of messengership fully, that the ummahs accepted the religion and the book that had been conveyed to them or that they rejected and rebelled and that the deniers themselves confessed that they were cruel.

It can also be considered that there is a sign related to an important rule of law here: No one can be punished and sentenced unless they are judged and pleaded guilty.

The prophets will be asked whether they fulfilled their duties of conveying the divine message and the ummahs will be asked whether they complied with those messages or why they did not comply with them. Although Allah Almighty knows that the prophets are innocent, He will reveal this fact once again in the great court. Thus, He will prove and declare that the crimes of those who denied and rebelled were not due to the mistakes of the prophets related to conveying the message, but due to themselves only. (for detailed information, see Razi the interpretation of the verse in question)

Questions on Islam