Most Read in the Category of Belief in Prophets

Common characteristics and qualities of prophets are as follows:

1. Sidq (Loyalty): All prophets tell the truth about the news that they receive from Allah. Telling lies is impossible for them.

2. Amanah (Trust): Prophets are reliable and trustworthy people regarding fulfilling the duties that Allah gave them. Breach of trust is impossible for them. 

3. Tabligh (Conveying): Prophets convey the orders that are revealed to them by Allah to their nations exactly, without missing or adding anything. It is not in question for them to hide the news or to change it. Kitman, that is, the property of hiding the news is not present in prophets. 

4. Fatanah (Intelligence): Prophets have a superior mind and intelligence, a strong memory, a superior logic and ability of persuasion. 

Prophets have nothing to do with qualities like madness, heedlessness and ignorance.

5. Ismah (Innocence): Prophets are free from all kinds of sins, whether secret or open, faults, bad deeds, and acts that are not suitable for prophets. People should not even think that prophets could commit sins.

6. Mu’jiza (miracle): Allah gave all of His prophets the quality to produce some extraordinary things or events in order to enable them to prove that they are right and to cope with the objections and the obstinacy of the deniers. They are called miracles. Miracles are supernatural events. They are supernatural events that take place based on the power of Allah not prophets; for instance, the parting of the Red Sea by Hazrat Musa (Moses)...

There is not clear information about the form of revelation in the Quran. We receive information about the issue from the Prophet. We can list those forms as follows:

Type I : True dreams. The following is stated in a hadith reported from Hazrat Aisha: “The first revelation that came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was the true dream. Each dream the Messenger of Allah saw turned out to be true.”80

Type II: The angels of revelation brought the revelation to his heart...

Type III: Gabriel, the angel of revelation, addressed the Messenger of Allah disguised as a human being. It was the easiest type. 

Type IV: The angel of revelation came down with a sound like a gong or bell and delivered the revelation. It was the hardest type for the Prophet. The angel was not visible. When the revelation ended, the Prophet remembered the words. That type of revelation was usually related to the verses that expressed warning and threat.

Type V: Gabriel came down in his own appearance. That kind of revelation occurred twice: One in Mount Hira, the other in the Ascension (Miraj)...

Type VI: The revelation that was received directly from Allah without the intermediary of the angel in the Ascension. The Messenger of Allah received the revelation about the five daily prayers like that. In this type, the Prophet did not see Allah; he only heard Him.

Type VII: The revelation that the Prophet received from Allah by seeing Him.81 Only Hazrat Muhammad received this kind of revelation; he saw God Almighty in the Ascension.82

80  See: Tajrid Trns., I, 10-11

81  For detailed information about wahy, see: Tajrid trns., 1/3-7

82  For detailed information about the Ascension, see: Sözler, 593-621; Mektûbat, 281-285.

The duties of prophets are:

– to acquaint people with Allah,

– to teach people the principles of belief and forms of worshipping that they received from Allah,

– to inculcate people with moral virtues and nice habits,

– to arrange the relationships among the individuals and between the individuals and the society, and to strengthen the social connections among them.

In short, to be a perfect guide for people both in material and spiritual fields.

The word nabi derives from the word naba’. When it is used as an active noun, it means, “ the person who informs people that he is a prophet or who informs people about the judgments and decrees that Allah informed him.”39 When it is used as a passive noun, it means, “the person who is informed by Allah that he is a prophet or who is informed about some divine judgments and decrees”. The word rasul means the person who is sent by Allah in order to convey people the divine judgments and decrees (mursal). 40

The word nabi derives from the word naba’. When it is used as an active noun, it means, “ the person who informs people that he is a prophet or who informs people about the judgments and decrees that Allah informed him.”39 When it is used as a passive noun, it means, “the person who is informed by Allah that he is a prophet or who is informed about some divine judgments and decrees”. The word rasul means the person who is sent by Allah in order to convey people the divine judgments and decrees (mursal). 40

Some scholars regard the words nabi and rasul to be synonymous. Some scholars say, “their meanings are different but they are used to express the same thing”. In fact, there is a general and a special difference between them. It is narrated that there are 313 (or 315 according to another narration) rasuls and more than 124 000 nabis.41

In some verses of the Quran, the words rasul and nabi were mentioned separately and were attributed to each other. The attribution necessitates that they are different concepts.42 However, those two words are used in the same sense in some verses of the Quran.

Those who say that these two words are different concepts put forward that the difference between them is that a rasul has a new sharia. Each rasul is either sent with a new sharia or changes some decrees of the previous sharia. As for nabis, they convey and apply the previous sharia. They do not convey new decrees and they do not abrogate the previous sharia. 43

39  H. Jisri, ibid, 524

40  ibid,  524

41  ibid, 525

42  See: al-Hajj, 52

43  H. Jisri, ibid, 526

Prophets are distinguished people that Allah chooses among people. They inform people about His religion, that is, His commands and prohibitions. They give the glad tidings of reward both in the world and hereafter to those who believe and do good deeds; they warn unbelievers who do bad deeds of torture of hell…

The following is stated in the Quran:

“We send the Messengers only to give good news and to warn: so those who believe and mend (their lives)”.1

Prophets are distinguished slaves of Allah. A person cannot be a prophet by working, trying hard and asking. Prophethood is an endowment of Allah.

Prophets are the leaders of the humankind. We are ordered in the Quran to accept them as models, to tread in their footsteps and to resemble them since they are in the highest level of servitude to Allah, away from acting in accordance with the desires of their souls and from committing sins:

“Those were the (prophets) who received Allah's guidance: Follow the guidance they received.”2

“Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the praise of Allah.”3

In this dua (prayer), which Muslims recite in every salah (prayer),

“Show us the straight way. The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace”, ‘prophets’ are in the first place among those that have been bestowed grace. Muslims accept prophets as models and follow their guidance. 

Prophets were chosen among human beings not among other beings because of being accepted as models.

It is clear that the one that can serve as the best model for human beings can only be a human being.

1      al-An’am, 48

2      al-An’am, 90

3      al-Ahzab, 21

Revelation (wahy) lexically has the following meanings:

a) To indicate75.

b) To write.

c) To send messengers.76

d) To inspire.77

e) To say something secretly, whisper.

f) Words, sounds, implications, delusions suggested to others.78

g) To do something very quickly.

The religious definition of revelation: the knowledge that a person finds in his spirit (heart) that is definite to have been sent by Allah directly or indirectly.79

The word wahy (revelation) is used 77 times in the Quran in different expressions. Some of them were used in the lexical meaning and most of them in the religious meaning.

75  The word wahy in the chapter Maryam has this meaning.

76  ash-Shura, 52.

77  al-Qasas, 7; an-Nahl, 68;  al-Maida, 111.

78  al-An’am, 121; al-Anfal 12

79  Ali Özek, Diyanet Dergisi (Özel Sayı), p. 81, 1970,

There are many wisdoms and reasons why the stories of prophets mentioned in the Quran. The most significant of them are as follows:

I— The stories of prophets prove that the Quran is the word of Allah and the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) is the last prophet. The Quran mentions the important events and exemplary happenings that happened to some of the prophets beginning from Hazrat Adam (pbuh) to the last Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). The same stories are also mentioned in the Old and New Testament. The Quran mentions the issues that those books agreed by approving them and mentions the issues that they disagreed by correcting them. The people of the book cannot object to the news of the Quran; they cannot say that this piece of new is old..

Thus, those stories are not the products of the mind and intelligence of our Prophet. They are not things that can be thought of and made up; they are narrations that are based on listening. They are related to reading, writing and culture. As a matter of fact, the Messenger of Allah was illiterate according to all of the scholars. He could not read or write; he did not receive any education

Then, the fact that an illiterate person informs people about the events in the past as if he has seen them proves that he is the Messenger of Allah and that his knowledge is based on the divine revelation.48

The issue is referred to as follows in the Quran:

“We do relate unto thee the most beautiful of stories, in that We reveal to thee this (portion of the) Qur'an: before this, thou too wast among those who knew it not..”49

“Such are some of the stories of the Unseen, which We have revealed unto thee: before this, neither thou nor thy People knew them..”50

II— The stories of  the prophets were not mentioned in order to give plain information about history or to narrate stories of the past. They were narrated in order to teach believers something and make them draw lessons from various events. For instance, the verses that were sent down about Hazrat Ibrahim in Makkah are usually about his struggle of oneness and belief against his nation. Meanwhile, our Prophet was having a struggle of oneness against polytheists and idolaters. However, when Muslims contacted the People of the Book in Madinah, the verses that were sent down regarding Hazrat Ibrahim included issues that will interest the People of the Book like the construction of the Kaaba, sacrificing his son for Allah. Therefore, each one of the stories of the prophets mentioned in the Quran has a separate place and a separate reason why they were sent down.

III— One of the important reasons why the stories of the prophets are mentioned in the Quran is to console and strengthen all of the believers, primarily the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and to threaten the unbelievers with torture. 

Our Prophet (pbuh) was tortured severely by his tribe and nation from time to time. At those times, the stories of the prophets were sent down, and the Prophet, hence the believers were consoled. The verses that were sent down expressed that the other prophets underwent the same process and had the same struggle. The tribes and nations of the other prophets opposed their prophets, too; they named their prophets as soothsayers and mad; they said the prophets acted like that because they aimed a financial benefit, a political aim or fame. They oppressed, tortured and even martyred their prophets. Hazrat Prophet and the believers were consoled and they were asked to show patience and endurance through those stories.

In the stories that were sent down, the destruction of the previous nations was also narrated; thus, the message that the polytheists could not get away with what they had done and that they would certainly be punished both in the world and in the hereafter was given. Thus, the feelings of compassion and mercy of the Prophet and the believers were aroused; they were encouraged to work harder, more patiently and perseveringly in order to correct their nation and to save them from torture. 

There are many incidents in which the stories of the prophets were a source of consolation and compassion for the Prophet and the believers.

IV— Another reason why the stories of the prophets are mentioned in the Quran is to prove the institution of prophethood. Thus, the prophethood of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) is proved spontaneously. By narrating the stories of the prophets, the Quran clearly proves that the institution of prophethood exists in the history of mankind. He who cannot deny the institution of prophethood cannot deny Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), either.  The signs and evidence that show the prophethood of the prophets mentioned in the Quran are present in Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) more perfectly and abundantly. Then, Hazrat Muhammad is a prophet, too.

V — The belief of believing people are strengthened against the attacks and denials of the people of aberration by mentioning the stories of the prophets in the Quran. The previous prophets and the stories of their nations narrated in the Quran show that the way that Muslims are following is not an ideology and belief that is put forward for the first time but a continuation of the struggle between belief and unbelief that has been going on throughout history. In the past, prophets came and called people to the truth and belief. Some people obeyed them but others denied them; the struggle continued like that.

Prophets always supported the causes of each other; what one of them said did not contradict what other prophets said. They told the same principles to people. If the prophets had not been sent by Allah, and if what they preached had been the products of their own ideas, it would have been impossible for the prophets who came at different times and from different places to tell people about the same principles, to agree on the same ideas, to teach people the same things and to mention the same truths. There would have been decrees and principles that contradicted each other. Since something like that did not occur, it means the way that the prophets and the people believing in them followed is the true path. The ideas that the prophets informed the people about are not their own ideas but the revelation that they received from Allah. Then, there is no reason why Muslims should have any doubts or hesitations about the straightness and the truth of the way they are following.  

VI— Belief illuminates the future and the past (all the times) of man and protects him from non-existence, nothingness and darkness, and makes him connected with the prophets and the people that believed in them; it makes man obtain as many spiritual bodies as the number of people he is connected with. Thus, the spirit of man is saved from the narrow dimensions of the present time and attains a wideness that can travel imaginarily in the future and the past (all the times).

He becomes connected with the history of the whole mankind beginning from Hazrat Adam thanks to belief. He feels curiosity and interest toward those events that took place in the past.

He assumes a feeling and consciousness as if he has been in those events to draw lessons from them.

Due to that wide interest and connection that belief makes man obtain, the stories of the prophets were narrated in detail in the Quran, satisfying the curiosity that Muslims feel toward the past. Thus, it was made possible for believers to experience spiritually and imaginarily the events that happened to the prophets and their nations, to draw lessons from them and to be familiar with them.

Badiuzzaman states the following about the issue:

“If you want a companion, the Quran is sufficient for you...

Indeed, in the imagination, one meets with the prophets and angels in it, watches the events in which they were involved, and becomes familiar with them..”51

VII— Another important wisdom behind the fact that the stories of the prophets are narrated in the Quran is the targets that their miracles show. As a result of the advancement of the mankind in art and science, many art and science wonders like airplanes, electricity, trains, etc have been invented and they have an important place in the daily lives of people. The Quran, which addresses the mankind in general and which mentions everything based on their importance, has not ignored them. It indicated them in two ways: mentioning about the miracles of prophets and narrating some historical events.   

By pointing out to the principles and foundations of material advancement through the stories of the prophets, the Quran virtually says something like this, “ O people! The miracles that you see are some samples and examples. You can produce things that are similar to them by uniting your ideas and working together.”, encouraging us. The past is the mirror of the future. The inventions that will be made in the future are based on the principles and fundamentals established in the past. Actually, all of the advancements in our age have taken place as a result of the inspirations originating from the signs pointed out by religions.

For instance, the wonders like the first watch, ship, using the iron by softening it were given to man with the hand of miracle; similarly, the inventions that will be made in the future like airplanes, rockets, centrifuge drawing water under the ground, fireproof materials, learning the language of birds, transmitting the sound and vision were all implied by miracles. There are many other miracles that mankind has not been able to produce things similar to them; they are trying to invent them gradually with the advancement of the civilization.

48  Sözler, 376.

49  Yusuf, 3

50  Hud, 49.

51  Mektubat, 251.

A prophet who was given a separate religion and book is called a rasul; a prophet was not given a separate religion and book and who was assigned to act in accordance with the book of a previous prophet is called a nabi.   

A) Types of Miracles in Terms of Proving the Truthfulness of Prophethood:

It is possible to divide the evidence that show that prophets are right and loyal in their causes into two:

1)   Objective and material evidence.

2)   Subjective evidence.

Objective and material evidence, that is, miracles, took place based on either the demand of deniers and polytheists from prophets or due to some other necessity. Miracles are completely acts of Allah.

Subjective evidence is related to the personality of prophets that convicts and persuades real believers and intellectuals. For instance, the righteousness, reliability, intelligence, honesty and similar characteristics of prophets that are well known among the people of the community that they live are subjective evidence. Every just and merciful person has the conviction that a person with those characteristics will never tell lies, and believes in the prophet.

Objective evidence is momentary; subjective evidence is permanent.

Hazrat Khadija, the first Muslim, the respected and esteemed wife of the Messenger of Allah, believed by reasoning on subjective evidence without seeing any objective evidence.62

Similarly, Hazrat Abu Bakr believed without hesitation acting upon the offer and call of the Messenger of Allah without seeing any miracles because he had endless belief in the honesty and reliability of the Messenger of Allah.63

Similarly, Hazrat Harun (Aaron) and Yusha (Joshua) believed in the prophethood of Hazrat Musa without asking for any miracles. Thus, we can list the attitudes people showed toward the miracles of prophets as follows:

1) People with mind, apprehension, foresight and conscience did not want objective miracles; they found subjective evidence sufficient to believe. We saw the examples above. 

2) Heedless and ignorant people who had the capacity to accept the truth did not find subjective evidence sufficient and needed objective miracles. After seeing the miracle, they were persuaded and believed. For instance, the magicians of Pharaoh. When they saw that the rod of Moses eliminated all of their magic, they said, “We believed in the Lord of Moses” and prostrated.64

The fact that the chapter of ar-Room informed beforehand that the Roman Empire would defeat idolatrous Persians and caused some Quraishis to believe due to that miracle about future when what the Quran foresaw happened.65

The group that benefited from miracles was this group.

3) Some people never believe no matter how many objective miracles they are shown. They lost their capacity to believe in the truth. For instance, Nimrod, Pharaoh Abu Jahl, etc. Their state is the state of obstinacy in unbelief.66

As a matter of fact, it is mentioned in the Quran that although the prophets showed obvious miracles, they were rejected by some people saying, “this is obvious magic.”67 When what the prophets stated about the future turned out to be true, they accused the prophets of prophecy.68 Those who say so belong to the third group.

B) Types of Miracles in Terms of Affecting Unbelievers:

The miracles that prophets show to unbelievers are divided into two:

a) Miracles of Guidance: They are the miracles that prophets show in order to convince people that they are the messengers of Allah and that their words are true and right. 

b) Miracles of Destruction: They are the miracles that are shown in order to destroy the people who have no capacity to believe and who make fun of the divine torture and say, “Bring that torture, we want to see it”. For instance, the destruction of the nations of Ad, Thamud, Noah, Hud and Lot.69

C) Types of Miracles in Terms of Affecting Believers:

Miracles can be divided into two in terms of affecting believers:

a)  The miracles that are shown to prove the prophethood based on requests. They are called “BURHAN” (evidence). Those people with the capacity of belief believe when the miracle is shown. Those who believed before that miracle strengthened their beliefs with it.  

b) Divine help that takes place without any request: For instance, God Almighty meets the needs of Muslims like water and food through miracles. They are called “NUSRAH” (assistance).

The former is related to the personality of the prophet only; the state of the believers, their taqwa, and being in a state to deserve that help play an important role in the latter.70

D) Classification of Miracles in Terms of Being Extraordinary:

Miracles can be classified as follows in terms of being extraordinary:

a) The event that is shown as miracle itself is extraordinary. That is, they take place beyond the laws and causes that are valid in the universe. For instance, the rod is transformed into a snake; water springs through the fingers, and similar miracles,..

b) The event is not contrary to the customs. However, its time is extraordinary. For instance, the flood of Noah, earthquakes, the disaster of hurricane, etc.

They are possible events. However, if they take place related to the prophet at the desired time, they are regarded as extraordinary and miracles.

c) The event and the time of its occurrence is not extraordinary. However, the way it happens is extraordinary. For instance, the clouds gathered and it rained as a result of the prayer of the Prophet although there were no clouds...

d) No aspect of the event is extraordinary but the fact that it was informed beforehand is extraordinary and a miracle. For instance, the Quran informed beforehand that the Roman Empire would defeat Persians.71

62  Tajrid trns., IX, 283

63  See: M. Kandahlawi, Hayatu’s-Sahaba, I, 83-85

64  See:  al-A’raf, 120-122;  Taha,  70;  ash-Shuara,  46-48.

65  See: Tirmidhi, Interpretation of the chapter ar-Rum

66  For the classification, see: Ö. R. Doğrul, Asr-ı Saadet, 11/191

67  al-Hijr,  6-15;  al-Ahkaf,  7;  al-Qamar,  2;  Yunus,  2;  al-Muddaththir, 23; al-Anbiya, 3

68  at-Tur, 29: al-Haqqa, 42

69  Ö. R. Doğrul, ibid, 11/363

70  ibid.

71  ibid, II, 359 ff.

The institution of prophethood is innate (given by Allah). It cannot be obtained through the efforts  of a person unlike taqwa and piety. Prophets are distinguished personalities that God Almighty chooses specially among people, protects and educates.

When the Messenger of Allah informed Quraish about his prophethood, Walid bin Mughirah, one of the notables of Quraish said:

“If the prophethood was true, I would be the prophet instead of you because I am older than you and I have more wealth and children than you.”23

In the verses that were sent down upon his words, it was stated that Allah knew better to whom He would give the prophethood and that it was not a rank to be obtained by material means like having more children or being older.24

In addition, it was stated clearly in the verses that prophethood was a divine and sublime mercy and that it would be given to someone Allah wished and that no one could claim to have deserved to be a prophet.25

Prophethood has nothing to do with the will and efforts of a person; it depends on the preference of Allah. However, there are some attributes that have to be present in prophets. We can list these attributes as follows:

1) Prophets are chosen among free men. There were no prophets among slaves, women, concubines, jinn and angels.

a) Prophethood is peculiar to MEN only. It is definitely stated in the 7th verse of the chapter al-Anbiya. Although some scholars put forward the view that some women like Maryam (Mary) Hawwa (Eve), Asiya, Sarah, Hagar, Yuhaniz (Jochebed), Moses’s mother could be prophets, the majority of the scholars did not regard that view correct.26

b) Prophets are chosen among FREE men. There were no prophets among slaves, who are despised in the society. Therefore, Hazrat Luqman is not regarded to be a prophet according to the view of the majority of the scholars. He was a slave that was freed. He met many prophets after he was freed and learned many things from them. He is well-known as a wise man.27

c) There were no prophets among angels. In a verse, some of the angels are mentioned as rusul (messengers) but it was not used in the meaning of prophets lexically. They were mentioned as rusul because some angels were messengers between Allah and prophets, and they also inspired to saintly people.28

d) There were no prophets among angels, and according to the view of the most of the scholars, there were no prophets among jinn.29

2) Prophets are free from diseases like blindness, speckled skin, lepra, being blamed due to their ancestors, hard-heartedness, attributes not appropriate for humanity and disgusting situations.

They are equal to other human beings in all kinds of issues except the duty of prophethood and in normal human situations that do not involve disgusting things. They eat, drink, sleep, get married, get angry, laugh, etc like other people.

The disease of Hazrat Ayyub (Job) and the cataract that Hazrat Yaqub (Jacob) had took place after they became prophets. Those diseases were given to them temporarily and to teach something to people; then, they were removed wondrously by the divine mercy as miracles. Therefore, they are not contrary to the condition mentioned above. That condition is related to the period before the prophethood.30

3) Prophets have the attribute of ISMAH (innocence), that is, they are innocent and free from mistakes and sins. The attribute of ismah is related to the following 2 issues:

a) Regarding belief: Prophets are free from all kinds of unbelief and denial, whether apparent or secret, before the prophethood and after it. There exists consensus of the scholars regarding the issue.

b) Regarding the words they utter: Prophets are also free from TELLING LIES, which means giving information contrary to truth to people before the prophethood and after it, whether based on a cause or not, whether deliberately or indeliberately.

Prophets always tell the truth. They always do what is right. Being truthful is one of the main attributes of prophets. Prophets are free from acting contrary to the truth and uttering unnecessary words whether when they are furious or happy. It is permissible for them to make jokes but the jokes must be based on a truth and be free from lies. The jokes they make are based on a truth.31

As a matter of fact, when Abdullah bin Amr, one of the companions, asked the Prophet (pbuh) whether he should write whatever the Prophet said when he was calm and angry, the Prophet told him that he should write everything when he was calm and angry because he could only utter true words. 

c) Regarding deeds: Prophets are free from committing all kinds of MAJOR SINS. There exists consensus about it. 

Minor sins are divided into two:   

aa) Minor sins that cause the dislike and hatred of others: For instance, stealing a morsel of bread secretly or weighing something that one sells one or two grams less. Although they are insignificant, they show how mean and low a person who does such things is; therefore, prophets are free from doing such deeds deliberately or indeliberately.

bb) As for the small mistakes that do not cause hatred and that can be tolerated: Prophets are free from them after they become prophets. Taftazani holds this view in his book ash-Sharhu’l-Maqasid; he regards it permissible for prophets to make small mistakes deliberately or indeliberately. Those small mistakes 32 that can be made by prophets are called “zalla”. Apart from those actual states, there may be mistakes in their opinions or interpretations. It is permissible for prophets to make mistakes temporarily in some of their acts in order to make a religious judgment clarified.33 However, those mistakes are immediately corrected by God Almighty. Thus, the believers are enabled to draw the necessary lessons from them.

4) Prophets have FATANAH (intelligence). Prophets are the most intelligent, farsighted and cleverest people of their age. Their sense of apprehension and perception are extremely developed. People who are mentally retarded, short-sighted and insane cannot be prophets.

5) Prophets carry out their duty of TABLIGH (conveying the message of Islam) properly. Each prophet conveys all of the judgments that are delivered to him to their ummah without forgetting or confusing any of them. No missing or extra conveyance is in question regarding the issue. They are protected from making mistakes like that by Allah. 

6) Prophets are AMIN (reliable) personalities. All of the prophets are the most reliable and trustworthy people of their age. Everybody accepted that they were reliable people both before and after the prophethood. It is the greatest evidence showing that prophets are right and tell the truth regarding their causes. They asked their nations to accept the truth by reminding their tribes their attribute of reliability.34

Is it possible for a person who is reliable before prophethood and who has never told a lie or deceived anybody to say, “I am the messenger of Allah” and slander and betray Allah although he is not a messenger? It is impossible. Right-minded and fair people will notice it.

As a matter of fact, that attribute was among the issues that Heraclius, the Emperor of Byzantium,  asked the delegation from Quraish in order to investigate the truth of the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah. He asked the Quraishi people whether they had heard any lies from him before his prophethood. When he heard the answer, “No”, he said, “A person who has never told a lie to people cannot dare to slander Allah. He is right in his cause.”35

7) All prophets received DIVINE REVELATION and met the angel that brought revelation. We will deal with revelation later.

8) All prophets did some extraordinary things based on the power and permission of Allah in order to prove that they are prophets. They are called MIRACLES. We will deal with miracles later, too.

9) One of the attributes of prophets is that God Almighty received a MITHAQ (promise, oath) from all of the prophets without an exception. He received MITHAQ GHALIZ from some of them.

Mithaq means agreement, contract, vow and promise in Arabic. As a term, it means the vow or promise given by prophets to Allah that they will put up with all kinds of difficulties, torments and oppression and that they will never give up their cause. All prophets made that promise.36

Mithaq Ghaliz is the form of that promise confirmed and certified with a vow or oath. There were five prophets from whom Mithaq Ghaliz was taken. They are called ulul azm (possessors of strong will) in the Quran; they are: Hazrat Noah, Hazrat Abraham, Hazrat Moses, Hazrat Jesus and our Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh).37

The reason why mithaq is received from prophets is as follows:

The duty of prophethood is a very difficult and arduous work. Therefore, God Almighty informed those distinguished people He chose about the obstacles and difficulties that they will face. That is, He prepared them for such a struggle spiritually. The vow that Allah received from His prophets aims to increase their determination, efforts, patience and perseverance. Even the laziest person does his best to keep his promise so as not to be ashamed when he makes a promise. It is obvious how hard those distinguished people who promised Allah will work. Many difficulties and adverse situations await them behind their mithaq and mithaq ghaliz. The roads of ulul azm prophets are more arduous and the difficulties they face are unbearable for ordinary people. Therefore, God Almighty received a solemn vow, that is, mithaq ghaliz, from them. 

The following verse in the Quran shows those difficulties clearly:

“Or do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden (of Bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: "When (will come) the help of Allah?" Ah! verily the help of Allah is (always) near!”.38

23 H. Jisri, ibid, 520

24 al-An’am, 124

25 az-Zukhruf,  31-32

26  For detailed information, see: Muhittin Bahçeci, ibid, 87-88

27  H. Jisri, ibid, 528-529

28  Fatir, 1; See ibid, 530

29  For detailed information regarding the issue, see:  ibid, 530-531

30  H. Jisri, ibid, 527-532

31  Muhâkemât,  54;  For the jokes the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) made to his companions, see: Ghazali, Ihya trns., III, 287-293

32  See: Tajrid trns, IV, 295-296

33  H. Jisri, ibid, 432

34  See:  al-A’raf, 68; ash-Shuara, 107, 128, 162,  178;  ad-Duhan, 18

35  H. Jisri, ibid, 547

36  Aal-i-Imran, 80

37  al-Ahzab, 7; Vehbi, ibid, XI/4390-91; M. H. Yazır,  ibid, V/3872

38  al-Baqara, 214

While Necip Fazıl Kısakürek (a Turkish poet and writer) was going to Karaköy by boat, someone came over to him and said:

– Why were prophets sent? We could have found our found our way.

Necip Fazıl answered him without looking up from the book he was reading:

– Why did you get on the boat? Swim across the sea!

The reason why Allah chose prophets among human beings is to enable them to be guides, leaders and examples for them.

If prophets had been sent among angels, that result would never have been obtained. It is a clear reality that the best guide for human beings is a human being.

They are as follows:

Adam, Idris (Enoch), Nooh (Noah), Hood, Saleh, Loot, Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismail (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Yaqoob (Jacob), Yusuf (Joseph), Shuaib (Jethro), Musa (Moses), Haroon (Aaron), Dawud (David), Sulayman (Solomon), Ayyub (Job), Dhul kifl (Ezekiel), Yunus (Jonah), Elias (Elijah), Alyasa (Elisha), , Zakaria (Zacharias), Yahya (John), Eesa (Jesus Christ), Muhammad (peace be upon them).

In addition, there are three more people called Uzair (Ezra), Luqman and Dhul-qarnain mentioned in the Quran; it is disputable whether they are prophets or saints.

There are also some famous prophets that are not mentioned in the Quran: Seth (Sheeth), Yusha (Joshua), Jercis (Georges), Danyal (Daniel) (peace be upon them)…

A) Are Laws of Nature Unchangeable?:

After creating the universe, God Almighty imposed some principles and universal laws to enable the events to take place based on a system and order.

Those laws are the customs of Allah that He carried out in His actions in the universe; they are called “adatullah” (customs of Allah) or “sunnatullah” (way of Allah).

However, people attribute those laws to Nature wrongly and name them as “Laws of Nature”. What they call as Laws of Nature are the laws imposed by God Almighty in the universe. That is, they are adatullah.57

For instance, the formation of a baby takes place as a result of the sexual intercourse between a man and a woman. It is a divine law and a general law of Allah. The formation of a child is possible at certain ages.

For instance, a woman who went through menopause cannot have a child. However, all of those laws are relative. They do not have external existence or powers of inventing and creating. It is Allah who imposed those laws. He carries out His acts in the universe under the veil of those laws.  

God Almighty could have created people without any fathers and mothers if He had wished. As a matter of fact, He created Hazrat Adam and Jesus like that. There were some occasions when the conditions and reasons for having a child did not exist but He endowed His sincere slaves with the power to have children. The birth of Hazrat Yahya (John) and Ishaq (Isaac) was like that... Then, the laws that God Almighty imposed in the universe are not unchangeable. It is possible for those laws to change through the wish and will of God Almighty and the necessity of His wisdom; and they have changed from time to time. (for instance, parthenogenesis seen in insects and frogs).

That kind of action of Allah is an exception in adatullah. They are exceptions to the general laws.

B)  Exceptions to the Laws, and Miracles:

Allah carries out His activities under the veil of some laws and reasons examples of which we have given above. Thus, with the system and order that those laws indicate, He shows his power, wisdom and the fact that no coincidence can intervene in His activities because system and order reject coincidence. They show an Organizer. It is highly probable that people will attribute the events that take place outside the system and order to coincidence. However, there appears a perfect system and order under the veil of laws. They indicate the existence of an Organizer who establishes and organizes the system in the universe. 

However, when laws continue in the same way, people start to become heedless due to monotony. They become used to the system and order and forget that they continue with the arrangement of God Almighty. Therefore, God Almighty sometimes breaks those monotonous laws and the veil of reasons with His power and carries out His activities contrary to the laws and reasons. He shows that He is the Owner of the system in the universe and that He could change it if He wished. It is called exceptions to the laws.58

With exceptions to the law, God Almighty shows His wish, His will and that he is the only Chooser and that His preference and will cannot be bound by restrictions. By breaking the monotonous veil of laws, he shows that everything needs Him at every moment and that everything obeys His Lordship. Thus, he eliminates the heedlessness and attracts the attention of the people from reasons to the Creator of the reasons. Thus, the miracles and wonders shown by prophets are all exceptions to the law. Through that miracle, God Almighty both confirms the cause of His Prophet and shows that the reasons are a veil and that He is the real Maker; He also shows that the monotony actually exists in order to ensure the system and order and that he could change it based on one of his beloved servants’ or His Messenger’s prayer if He wished.

Exceptions to the law appear in the form of miracles from prophets; sometimes they appear from saints, the beloved servants of Allah. Those extraordinary things that appear from His beloved saints are called ‘karamah’; God Almighty usually makes them appear without His servants knowing about them; sometimes they are aware of them. According to Ahl as-Sunnah belief, karamah is true.

57  You can find detailed information in “Tabiat Risalesi” written by Badiuzzaman related to the essence of nature and the Laws of nature

58  See  Sözler, 209.

Many prophets were sent to the world between Hazrat Adam, the first prophet and Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). According to a sound narration, there were 124 000 prophets. 315 of them are rasul. (Ahmad bin Hanbal, Musnad V, 266) According to another narration, the number is 224 000. Only 25 of them are mentioned in the Quran by their names. It is informed that not all of the names of the prophets were mentioned in the Quran. (al-Mu’min 40/78)

Every prophet was given miracles related to the issues that were prevalent at their times:

a) During the time of Moses, magic and wizardry were at the peak. The most famous miracles of Moses were of the same kind; his rod became a dragon and swallowed the magic of all of the magicians. All of the magicians believed in Allah when they saw it. 

b) Most of the miracles of Jesus were related to medicine since the science of medicine was prevalent during the time of Jesus. He treated many diseases that doctors could not cure and revived the dead. 

c) During the time of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), four things were prevalent in the Arabian Peninsula:

(1) Rhetoric and fluency.

(2) Poetry and oratory.

(3) Prophecy and soothsaying.

(4) Narrating the events and disasters in the past.

The Quran challenged all of those four groups. In the end, the Quran made them prostrate themselves before it in amazement and esteem; the Quran made them its students. None of them ever dared to say or write a verse similar to the verses of the Quran.

Some philosophers and deviant sects say, “The mind is enough for people to find the right path; there is no need for prophets” and deny the institution of prophethood. Among Muslims, some people like Abul Husayn Rawandi and Abu Bakr ar-Razi were influenced by that idea and started the current of denying prophethood.

Some philosophers and deviant sects say, “The mind is enough for people to find the right path; there is no need for prophets” and deny the institution of prophethood. Among Muslims, some people like Abul Husayn Rawandi and Abu Bakr ar-Razi were influenced by that idea and started the current of denying prophethood.

The evidence that those who deny prophethood show is completely unfounded and baseless.

Even though people can understand the existence and oneness of Allah with their minds, they cannot comprehend His names and attributes and cannot know how to worship Him. They cannot comprehend the affairs related to the hereafter and the responsibility in the hereafter. They are in need of being informed about those issues by Allah.

Allah sent prophets in order to meet those needs of people. When people did not know anything, they learned everything, every art and skill from prophets. Prophets also taught people the ways of being happy and living peacefully in the world and in the hereafter, the principles of getting on well with one another and the rules of ethics and good manners.

Imam Ghazali states the following regarding the issue:

“Man cannot discriminate between lethal poison and useful medicine and he needs a doctor or chemist; he cannot know the beliefs and the deeds that will save him in the world and in the hereafter on his own, either. He cannot discriminate between the things that will lead him to disasters from the things that will lead him to happiness. He certainly needs a guide. And that guide is a prophet.”8

Badiuzzaman says the following regarding the issue:

“The divine power, which does not leave ants without a leader and bees without a queen, will definitely not leave human beings without a prophet.” 9

Nothing in the universe, especially in the realm of living beings has been left purposeless, dutiless, systemless and even guideless. It is possible to see it in pieces or as a whole. Neither the bees are queenless, nor ants are leaderless.10

Since guides are not neglected for all of the other creatures, is it possible for man, who is regarded as superior by both the religion and science, to be left without prophets, who are essential guides? That is, is it possible to imagine the humankind without prophets or books?”11

Certainly not...

After this short introduction, we can list the need for prophets as follows:

1. Ensuring Order and Justice in Society:

The law and order in the community, the peace and happiness of the individuals, the prevention of oppression and injustice depend on the existence of the institution of prophethood. The issue is explained as follows in İşâratü’l-İ’câz:

“Man has been created with a strange, subtle nature distinguishing him from all other living beings and making him an exception to them. By virtue of this, there have arisen in him the desire to choose, and the wish for the most beautiful things and for fine decoration, and a natural desire to have a livelihood and position befitting humanity.

For his food, dress and accommodation – the for which arises due to the above-mentioned desires – to be prepared proficiently, man has need of multiple arts and crafts, but he is incapable of practicing all of these on his own. He needs, therefore, to mix with his fellow-men and to co-operate with them, and for all of them to assist each other and exchange the fruits of their labor.

However, since so as to allow men’s progress by means of the mainspring of the will the All-Wise Maker placed no innate limits on the human powers of appetite, anger and intellect – as with the animals and their limited powers – tyranny and aggression have arisen. And since no limit has been placed on them, the powers tend to aggression and the human community is in need of justice when exchanging the fruits of its labor. 
 

However, because the intellects of single members of society are incapable of comprehending justice, the human race as a whole needs a general or universal intellect to establish from which all may benefit. And that intellect is the universal law, and that law is the Shari’a. Then in order to preserve the effectiveness of the Shari’a and its enforcement, a law-maker is necessary, someone to lay claim to it and to promulgate it, an authority, and that is the Prophet (pbuh).

Then, in order to perpetuate his outward and inward domination over people’s minds and hearts, the Prophet needs to be eminently superior both physically and spiritually and morally, and in conduct and appearance, and by nature and in character. He is in need, too, of proof of the strength of his relation with the Creator, and such a proof is his miracles.”12

2.  Teaching man the reason why he was created and informing him about religious decrees:

As it is stated in the Quran the purpose and wisdom of man’s creation and being sent down to the world is to know his Creator, to believe in Him and to worship Him.13

The mind cannot understand the aim of the creation on its own. Even if we accept that man can understand the existence of God Almighty with his mind as some scholars of Kalam claim, he cannot understand how to worship Him and how to please Him on his own. Therefore, prophets are necessary.

God Almighty informed His distinguished servants that He chose among human beings about all of His orders and prohibitions. They practiced those decrees themselves first and then conveyed them to other people, making them know the Creator of the universe.14

3.  Blocking the Ways of Objection to Allah:

It is stated in the Quran that each tribe and nation was definitely sent a prophet that gave them the glad tidings of the mercy of Allah and warned them about the torture of Allah.

One of the reasons why each nation was sent a prophet like that is stated as follows in the Quran:

“Messengers who gave good news as well as warning, that mankind, after (the coming) of the messengers should have no plea against Allah: for Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.”15.

Another verse is as follows:

“If (We had) not (sent thee to the Quraysh)― in case a calamity should seize them for (the deeds) that their hands have sent forth, they might say: "Our Lord! why didst Thou not send us a messenger? We should then have followed the Signs and been amongst those who believe!"16

An important reason of the existence of the institution of prophethood is understood from those verses. In addition, it is also understood that the nations that were not sent prophets or the people who did not know about the existence of prophets – they are called the people of interregnum – will not be held responsible. As a matter of fact, the following verse explains the issue more clearly: 

“Nor would We visit with Our Wrath until We had sent a messenger (to give warning).”17

The interpreter Jassas explained that verse in his work “Ahkamu’l-Qur’an” as follows: “God Almighty will not send His wrath unless a prophet proves His existence and oneness to them.”18 Most of the scholars of Ahl as-Sunnah  agreed that someone who died without hearing about the call of any prophet would be saved from the torture of hell.19

The Situation of the People of Interregnum:

When the scholars of Islam use the term “the period of Interregnum” they usually mean the period between Hazrat Eesa (Jesus) (pbuh) and Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). The people who lived during the period that lasted more than six hundred years are called “the people of Interregnum”.

A short time after the death of Jesus, the original Christianity was changed; it was no longer a religion of oneness; the light of the true religion was veiled. During the period between that event and the emergence of the Messenger of Allah, people living in many places in the world, primarily the Arabian Peninsula, were unaware of prophets and the true religion. What will be the responsibility of the people who lived during that period?

According to Imam Maturidi and some Ahl as-Sunnah scholars, the people of Interregnum are responsible for knowing the existence and oneness of Allah, because the human mind is capable of knowing Allah by looking at the universe. However, he is not responsible for other orders of the religion except belief. He will be among the people of salvation in the hereafter; that is, he will be saved from the torture of Hell.

Acting upon the verse mentioned above, Imam Shafii and Imam Ash’ari say that the people of Interregnum who are unaware of the call of the prophets are not responsible for knowing Allah and that even if they are unbelievers, they will be among the people of salvation.(*) According to them,“ responsibility before God occurs through the sending of prophets, and when prophets are sent, responsibility is established through the knowledge of their mission. Since heedlessness and the passage of time obscured the religions of the former prophets, they could not provide the proof for the people of that time. If they obey the former religion, they receive reward; if they do not, they are not punished because it cannot be a proof since it was hidden.”20

There are many other verses apart from the ones we quoted above indicating that those who died in the period of Interregnum before a prophet came or those who were not aware of the emergence of a prophet will be among the people of salvation.(**)

That issue is used as evidence that the parents and grandparents of our Prophet will go to Paradise and that they are among the people of salvation. They died before the prophethood of our Prophet, during the period of Interregnum. 21 A question like this may come to one’s mind: What will happen to people who heard about the name and duty of the prophet but heard negative things about him and did not hear anything good about him?

While answering that question, let us have a look at the classification of Imam Ghazali. In the classification, Imam Ghazali deals with the situation of the Christians of the period that he lived and the Turks, who had not been Muslims yet and says the following: 

“I believe and hope that most of the Byzantines, Christians and Turks of our time will be surrounded by the Divine mercy and they will be Muslims. I mean the Byzantines and Turks who live in the distant countries and who are unaware of the call of Islam. They are divided into three: 

a. Those who have never heard the name of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh),

b. Those who have heard about the name, attributes and miracles of Hazrat Prophet. They are unbelievers who live in places near Islamic countries or among Muslims. 

c. Those who are between the two groups. They have heard about the Prophet but they have not heard about his qualities and characteristics. Or rather, they have known him as “a person called Muhammad, who is a liar – God forbid – and who claim to be a prophet” since they were children. They were informed about the Messenger of Allah like that. It is like our children hearing, “A liar called al-Muqaffa claims that Allah has sent him as a prophet and challenges that he is a prophet.”  In my opinion, they are like the first group because they have heard his name together with the qualities and characteristics that are contrary to his real qualities and characteristics. It does not lead a person to think and search.”

In our age, it was possible to find people that belonged to the third group mentioned by Imam Ghazali in the Christian World and in the Iron Curtain countries; maybe that judgment is still valid for today. There were many people living in the out-of-the-way places, far away from social life and deprived of the opportunity to find the true religion in the Christian World and many accused people living in the prison camps behind the iron curtain unaware of even the existence of the free world. The difficulty of finding Islam, the true religion, under those living conditions is obvious. The treatment of Allah, the Exalted, whose wisdom is endless and whose mercy surrounds everything, to those people will definitely be in accordance with the conditions they were in.  

It is known by everybody that the responsibility of the committees of seductions that work deceitfully against absolute belief in general and Islam in particular in order to deny divinity behind the curtain of a regime will definitely not be the same as that of oppressed people.22

8  Ghazali, Ihya trns., I, 291.

9  Sözler, 792

10  Abdullah Aymaz, Peygamberlik, p.7.

11 ibid

12 İşâratü’l-İ’câz, 92-93

13 az-Zariyat, 56;  see also:  Ayatu’l-Kubra, 8

14 For detailed information, see: Sözler, 56

15 an-Nisa, 165

16 al-Qasas, 47

17 al-Isra,  15

18 Tajrid trns., IV/539

19 ibid, IV/540

(*) There are some scholars who combine the viewpoints of the two imams: If someone did not see any prophets but did not deny and did not worship idols, he would be among the people of salvation. There are some people who do not have any ability to compose or analyze; it is impossible for them to deduce something from the happenings. Therefore, such a person is guided first; then, he is punished or rewarded based on his acts. However, if someone adopts unbelief as a lifestyle, defends it and declares war against Allah, he will be punished for his denial even if he lives in the remotest part of the world.

20 See: Mektûbat, 397. For detailed information, see also: Sadrettin Yüksel, Dini ve ilmi incelemeler. 140-146.

(**) For those verses and hadiths, see: Tajrid trns, IV, 540-543

21 For detailed information regarding the issue, see:  Mektûbat, 397-398; Tajrid trns.

22 Kader Nedir?, 71-72

The first prophet is Hazrat Adam (pbuh) and the last prophet is Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). There were many prophets between them. Only some of the names and stories of them are mentioned in the Quran.5

Our Prophet stated in a narration that the number of the prophets that came before him was 124 thousand and in another narration 224 thousand.6

The number of the prophets mentioned in the Quran is 25. It is controversial whether three people are prophets or saints. Although there are so many prophets, only very few of them are known by people. Imam Rabbani explains the reason as follows: There were many prophets in India. However, some of them did not have any ummah. Or, very few people believed them and they did not become well-known. Or, they were not called prophets.7

The explanation of Imam Rabbani above clarifies the reason why many prophets were forgotten.

5  an-Nisa, 164; al-Mu’min, 78

6  See: Taftazani, Sharhu’l-Aqaid, 169. See also: Muhittin Bahçeci, Âyet ve Hadîslerle Peygamberlik ve Peygamberler, 63-64

7  Mektubat, 361

 

The great people that Allah chose as messengers in order to inform His slaves about His orders and prohibitions are called prophets.

Belief in prophets means to believe that Allah sent messengers called prophets to human beings in order to inform them about His orders and prohibitions, to accept the duty of prophethood and to approve that the people who are mentioned as prophets in the Quran are prophets.

Although prophets are human beings like us, they are distinguished slaves of Allah. A person cannot be a prophet by working and trying hard. Prophethood is an endowment of Allah.

According to the decree of the verse that states everything is in a Clear Record:

“nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered) but is (inscribed) in a Record Clear”, the Quran expresses openly and secretly, definitely and in an implying way, and symbolically everything that happened and that will happen at all times.72

As a result of the advancement of man in art and science, many art and science wonders like airplanes, electricity, trains, etc have been invented and they have an important place in the daily lives of people.

The Quran, which addresses the mankind in general and which mentions everything based on their importance, has not ignored them. It indicated them in two ways:

a) Mentioning about the miracles of prophets...

b) Narrating some historical events.73

 We will refer only to how the miracles of prophets indicated and implied those wonders of art and science.

There are two main reasons why the miracles of prophets are mentioned in the Quran:

a) To make people to accept and confirm the prophethood of those prophets...

b) To show people the samples that are necessary for material advancement and to encourage people to produce things similar to them.

It is as though the Quran is pointing out the principles and foundations of the material advancement with the stories of prophets. The Quran warns people:

“O people! The miracles that you see are some samples and examples. Exert yourselves to the utmost and discover the means to achieve things similar to them. The past is the mirror of the future. The inventions in the future are built on the foundations of the past. The advancement in this age took place completely based on the signs and inspirations indicated by religions. For instance:

a) The first clock and ship were given to people through the hand of miracles.

b) With so much advancement invented thanks to the softening of iron, which is the foundation of many arts and professions, the mankind was helped by the miracle of   Hazrat Dawud  (PBUH) (David): “the miracle of softening the iron in his hand”.

c) With the advancement made possible by the invention of airplanes, rockets, etc the mankind approached the miracle of Hazrat Sulayman (PBUH) (Solomon): “the wind (air) becoming under his command”.

d) The centrifuge device drawing water from barren and sandy places is similar to the miracle of Moses (PBUH) “water springing from the place where he struck his rod”.

e) The development of medicine yielded by man’s experiments and sharing the ideas are similar to the miracles of Jesus in the field of medicine. Jesus (PBUH) cured many patients that the science of medicine could not cure and he even revived the death. Today’s medicine can prevent death temporarily through medical interventions like heart transplant and artificial heart, thus doing something similar to the miracle of Jesus: “reviving the dead”.

f) The miracle of Abraham  (PBUH): “not burning in the fire” is encouragement for the invention of non-flammable things like amianthus.

g) The miracle of Hazrat Yusuf (PBUH) (Joseph) seeing his father Hazrat Yaqub (Jacob), who was in Kanan, and retreating from Zulaykha. The miracle of Jacob smelling the scent of Joseph’s shirt from the caravan that set off from Egypt. The miracle of the throne of Balqis being brought to the presence of Sulayman... All of those miracles indicate that it will be possible to transport things, sounds and smells from long distances and encourage people to work on them. As a matter of fact, through devices like radio, television and telephone, things similar to those miracles were partly realized. 

h) The miracle of teaching the speech of birds to Solomon indicates that people can learn what the sounds of birds mean and encourages people to discover the characteristics of those sounds and make use of those animals. As a matter of fact, the studies on bird speech have reached a very high level today. 

There are so many similar miracles that man has not been able to do things similar to them; man has been trying to invent and discover them with the advancement of civilization.74

72  al-An’am,  59. According to an interpretation, Clear record means the Quran. Sözler, 262.

73  Sözler, 263.

74  İşâratü’l-İ’câz, 215-216; Sözler, 262 ff.; Hutbe-i Şamiye, 28

Revelation is the knowledge and information that prophets find in their spirits (hearts) directly or indirectly.

Prophets receive the judgments and truths from Allah through revelation. All of the prophets received revelation from Allah.

There are many kinds and degrees of revelation:

The most common kind of revelation is the conveyance of the divine judgments to prophets through Gabriel, the angel of revelation. The Quran was sent down like that. Gabriel conveyed the revelation in different forms. He sometimes brought revelation as he was, that is, as an angel; he sometimes brought revelation disguised as a man. Sometimes, he came without being seen with the sound of a bell or bumble and placed the revelation into the heart of prophets. 

Sometimes, Allah makes His prophets hear the commands and judgments directly. For instance, Moses received revelation directly from Allah in the Mount Sinai and Hazrat Prophet received revelation directly from Allah during the Ascension (Miraj).

According to Islamic belief, all prophets worked for the same belief and they conveyed people the same principles of belief and worshipping. However, it is true that there are some differences among the religions that the prophets brought. The most important reason for it is that the needs and perception levels of different centuries and communities were different. The prophets talked to people in accordance with their levels of perception and acted based on the needs of people. It is quite natural that there were some differences in the application of the religion in terms of words and forms. It is also a necessity of the law of the evolution in the universe. Those differences do not change the truth that the heavenly religions are the same in essence and purpose.

Although the prophets were sent at certain intervals and in different centuries, the prophet that came later resumed the message of the previous prophet. If there were deviations from the true belief during the period between the two prophets, the new prophet corrected the wrong belief and improved the ideas and ethics of people by guiding them.

When the religion of Islam emerged eventually, the evolution of the religions reached the last stage in parallel with the evolution of people; Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) was sent as a prophet for all people and for all the centuries until the Doomsday unlike the other prophets.

Although people can understand the existence and oneness of Allah by reasoning, they cannot fully understand the attributes peculiar to Him. They cannot know how to worship Him. They cannot understand the affairs and responsibility of the hereafter. They need to be informed about them by Allah.

Allah sent people prophets to meet their needs about those issues. He taught people all of the issues that they need to know through His prophets.

If no prophets had been sent, people would not have been responsible for any religious judgments except knowing the existence and oneness of Allah. According to some Kalam scholars, they would not have been responsible for even understanding the existence and oneness of Allah. As a matter of fact, the following is stated in a verse:

“Nor would We visit with Our Wrath until We had sent a messenger (to give warning).” (al-Isra, 15)

Human beings knew nothing; they learned everything, every art and skill from prophets. Prophets taught the mankind the ways of being happy and living peacefully in the world and in the hereafter, the principles of getting on well with one another, ethics and good manners. 

Miracles are wonders that mankind has been unable to do but Allah enabled His prophets to do them. 

Since a prophet is chosen among people, other people may oppose and even deny his prophethood by doubting him because he is at a higher rank than them. As a matter of fact, that issue is stated in the Quran and it is informed that prophets that were sent by Allah was addressed by their nations as follows: “We see (in) thee nothing but a man like ourselves: nor do we see that any follow thee but the meanest among us, in judgment immature: nor do we see in you (all) any merit above us.”52

Then, the person who is a prophet needs a spiritual superiority, loftiness and distinction in order to establish and maintain authority over people. He needs evidence to show that he is a prophet and he has a connection with Allah. That evidence is miracles.53

Miracles are for the approval of the cause of the prophets by Allah, the Creator of the universe. If a person says, “The Sultan appointed me to do such and such a task” before that Sultan, and when he is asked for evidence, if the Sultan approves it, will there be any doubt about it since the Sultan confirmed and approved him? Similarly, when a Sultan changes a custom, law or situation of his that he always does based on the wish of a person, he is regarded to have confirmed and approved the claim of that person. 

Just like the case in the example, the prophets claimed, “I am the messenger of the Creator of this Universe. My evidence is that he will change some of his long-established  and continuous customs based on my supplication and wish.” And, God Almighty showed hundreds of miracles through their hands.54

52  For instance, see: Hud, 27

53  İşaratü’l-İcaz, 86.

54  Mektubat, 92.

It is mentioned in the Quran that unbelievers did not find the miracles shown by the prophets sufficient and demanded more miracles or some other kinds of miracles. For instance, they said,  “Why speaketh not Allah unto us? Or why cometh not unto us a sign?”.55

The prophets said to those people who were not persuaded by the miracles they showed with the permission of Allah and who did not have the intention of believing but asked many impossible things as excuses the following: “We are only messengers chosen among people; we are messengers appointed to call people to Allah and the truth and to warn people of the torture; miracles take place by the power of Allah; we cannot show any miracles without the permission of Allah.”56 It is understood from those verses and similar verses that miracles take place as a result of the wish of Allah and that they are not wonders that prophets show through their own powers.

55  See; al-Isra, 91-96; al-Baqara, 117-118

56  See; al-Ankabut,59-60; al-Isra,90-96; Tajrid trns., IX, 284

“Prophethood is the highest rank. A Prophet is like a branch arching out from the Divine to the human realm. He is the very heart and tongue of creation. He is chosen by Allah, exalted and sent with a mission.

“Prophethood is the highest rank. A Prophet is like a branch arching out from the Divine to the human realm. He is the very heart and tongue of creation. He is chosen by Allah, exalted and sent with a mission. He possesses a supreme intellect that does not only penetrate into the reality of things and events but he is also the ideal being with all of his faculties being harmoniously excellent and active. He strives and progresses steadily toward Heaven, waits upon Divine inspiration for the solutions to the problems he faces, and is the connecting point between this world and the hereafter.

His body is subject to and follows his heart, figuratively the seat of spiritual intellect, as does his heart. His perceptions and reflections are always directed to the Names and Attributes of God. He goes to what he perceives, and arrives at the desired destination.

A Prophet's perception, developed to the full seeing, hearing, and thus knowing-surpasses that of all other people. His perception cannot be explained in terms of different light, sound, or some other wavelengths. With their criteria of analyses and composition, ordinary people cannot acquire a Prophet's knowledge that forces the walls of nature.

By conveying the Divine message and guidance, the Prophets give us a limited insight into creation so that we can know some of its meaning. Without them, we would be unable to see or understand the true nature and meaning of things and events, or to deal with our surrounding environment. They also teach us something of God and His Names and Attributes.

Then, it is not possible for any continent and any period of the world to be deprived of the enlightenment and light of prophets. How can it be possible? Nobody has been able to give a clear judgment about the realm of beings; nobody has been able to go beyond the foggy atmosphere of the philosophy filled with doubts, hesitations and contradictions up to now except under the light of their guidance.

As a matter of fact, the mind, wisdom and the Quran confirm altogether that every place and period should be under the guardianship of a prophet, without leaving any possibility for the opposite.”

A)  Is every state of a prophet extraordinary?:

Although every state of prophets can be evidence and proof that they are right and they are prophets, they do not have to be extraordinary or karamahs because they are human beings after all. God Almighty sent people someone among them as a prophet so that he would be a guide and leader for them in their good deeds that would make them attain happiness in the world and the hereafter and so that he would teach them something with his every deed. If prophets had always done extraordinary things they would not have been true guides for people. It would have been impossible for them to be teachers for their nations.59

Therefore, all prophets acted in accordance with the laws that Allah imposed in the universe (adatullah) called laws of creation except for some miracles and some special states called khasais. They suffered from cold, agonies; they were insulted and tortured by their nations. They put on armors, shot arrows, were wounded and sometimes were martyred in battles. Thus, all of their actions became examples to followed for their ummahs.60

B)  Why are Miracles Shown?:

All prophets were given some extraordinary states by Allah against the people who denied their prophethood; they occasionally showed some miracles when it was necessary. As a matter of fact, miracles are shown to make people accept prophethood. Thanks to the miracles shown by prophets, people accepted and approved their prophethood. However, prophets never showed obvious miracles that everybody would have to accept willy nilly because it is against the issue of trial, which is the reason why man was created. It is necessary for trial to leave the door open for the mind but not to deprive the mind of will and the right of choice. The mind is given the right to prefer between belief and unbelief freely. If the miracles had been so obvious as impossible to deny, the mind would not have had any right to choose. Like Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), Abu Jahl would have had to believe and approve prophethood; then, the meaning of trial and the wisdom behind testing would have disappeared. The spirit of Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, who was at the highest level, and the spirit of Abu Jahl al-Lain, who was at the lowest level, would have become at equal levels.

Therefore, some people did not believe miracles by saying they were “magic” and “prophecy” even when they were shown obvious miracles. If there had not been such concepts that people could use as excuses and pretexts, that is, if miracles had taken place so obviously that people would not have denied, it would have been compulsory to believe and belief would not have been a virtue or merit. It would have been contrary to the issue of trial and the divine wisdom.61

59  Because of that wisdom, prophets were not chosen among angels but among human beings. If angels had been sent as prophets to human beings, they could not have been guides and imams for human beings. Then, it is obvious how groundless and invalid are the thoughts of the straying people that they put forward only to find an excuse for not accepting the Prophet: “If only an angel had been sent us as a prophet.”  

60  Sözler, 192; Mektûbat, 94; Muhâkemât, 45

61  ibid.