by A. Abdul Aziz (Source: Al Hakam, London)

Islam believes 124,000 prophets have come before and preached submission to the Creator. These prophets came to different peoples and languages. The Quran only mentions 25 prophets, yet there are many of whom we do not know of. The Quran declares:

And We did send Messengers before thee; of them are some whom We have mentioned to thee, and of them there are some whom We have not mentioned to thee; and it is not possible for any Messenger to bring a Sign except by the leave of Allah. But when Allah’s decree came, the matter was decided with truth, and then there perished those who uttered falsehoods. (Surah al-Mu’min, Ch.40: V.79)

However, as religion is prone to change, alteration and deception, Islam posits that prophethood and religion are a succession that requires newer prophets to revive the faith. It also shows that prophets have come for specific people and specific times. Islam presents itself as the final message for humans in a long line of previous religions that had come before it. So, rather than rejecting previous prophets and religions, Islam is their completion and compilation. 

To understand Islam’s position on other prophets, I will initially present some criteria Islam sets out for identifying a true prophet. Then I will discuss the role of a prophet. By discussing these core points, it will become clear how Islam recognises other prophets and religions.

In Islam, the criterion of a prophet is set out in the Holy Quran. Although there are many factors to consider, I have only mentioned seven different criteria for the sake of brevity.

The character of the Prophet

One must look at the character and life of the claimant of prophethood. The Holy Quran states in several places how each prophet had high moral qualities which were traits that were evident before their claims. Companions, town folk and other people would testify to this wherever it has been recorded. Regarding this, Allah says: 

And that is Our argument which We gave to Abraham against his people. We exalt in degrees of rank whomso We please. Thy Lord is indeed Wise, All-Knowing. And we gave him Isaac and Jacob, each did We guide aright, and Noah did We guide aright aforetime, and of his progeny. David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward those who do good. And (We guided) Zachariah and John and Jesus and Elias, each one of them was of the virtuous. And (We also guided) Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot; and each one did We exalt above the people.” (Surah al-An’am, Ch.6: V.84-87)

The Five Volume Commentary to Holy Qurán by Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad (the second Caliph of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaát) states that these verses point toward three groups of prophets descending from Noah. The first group refers to David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses and Aaron – they were doers of good and were granted power and prosperity. Thus, they were able to grant material good to humanity. The second group consists of Zachariah, John, Jesus and Elias who each lived a humble and lowly life, they were not possessed with worldly goods but were highly virtuous. The third group (Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah and Lot) had no worldly power, but God granted them grace and excellence. In other scriptures, these prophets were alleged to have coveted power and riches. For example, in the Bible, Ishmael is described to be a wild man and that his hand will be against every man (Gen, 16: 12). In the Talmud, Elisha is said to cause a king to be slain after he felt disobeyed. Jonah was also allegedly displeased with God as he was disgraced by the non-fulfilment of his prophecy, which showed he sought power for himself. However, it is the Holy Quran which declares all of these charges to be false. All these prophets were a group of heavenly people of high moral qualities and obedient to God. (The Five Volume Commentary [2018], Vol. 2, p. 890)

A true prophet receives revelation

A true prophet will receive revelation of the unseen, for example through prophecy. Allah says in the Quran: 

(He is the) Knower of the unseen; and He reveals not His secrets to anyone,” Except to a Messenger of His whom He chooses…….”  (Surah Al-Jinn, Ch.72: V.27, 28)

When messengers receive knowledge from the unseen, it acts as both a sign for the people that a God exists, but also as a testament to the truthfulness of the prophet. Whether it is through prophecy or the deliverance of divine scripture, it is divine revelation and secrets of the unseen that distinguish a prophet from other mystics and fortune-tellers. As explained by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, peace be on him (Promised Messiah and Mahdi) the prophecies and knowledge of the unseen communicated to the people by a prophet is of such clarity, quality and quantity, that none can present such a like of it. (In his book: Haqiqatul-Wahi [English], p. 24)

Spreading Tawhid – Oneness of God.

A messenger of Allah calls to the worship of Allah alone (tawhid). It is this call to monotheism and warning against associating partners with Allah that is the fundamental belief of every prophet: 

And We did raise among every people a Messenger, [preaching:] ‘Worship Allah and shun the Evil One.’ Then among them were [some] whom Allah guided and among them were [some] who became deserving of ruin. So travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who treated [the Prophets] as liars!” (Surah an-Nahl, Ch.16: V.37)

Revelation and prophecy

Consistency with previous revelations and a fulfilment of past prophecies is another element of prophethood. Rather than contradicting previous revelations and prophecies, newer prophets would entirely fulfil the need for prophethood. One example found in the Holy Quran is where Allah affirms His previous word in the Torah through Hazrat Isa^, peace be on him, (Jesus) and Yahya(John the Baptist). 

The Torah prophecy is as follows: See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” (Malachi, 4: 5)

Now, due to this prophecy, one reason the Jews at the time of Hazrat Isarejected the claim of Jesus as their messiah, was because Elijah was required to descend amongst them. However, this did not happen in a physical sense. Elijah was not to be seen descending from the skies, and thus Jesuswas declared a false prophet. In response to the claims of the Jewish scholars, Jesus, peace be on him replied: 

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” (Matthew 11: 12-15)

It is further stated: 

And they asked him, ‘Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?’”

Jesus replied, ‘To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected?But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.’” (Mark, 9: 11-15)

Now, the Jews did not accept this. They were adamant about the physical re-appearance of Elijah. Then, it is the Holy Quran that dispels any doubts and testifies to the truth of Jesus, peace be on him, as Allah says: 

And the angels called to him as he stood praying in the chamber: ‘Allah gives thee glad tidings of Yahya, who shall testify to the truth of a word from Allah — noble and chaste and a Prophet, from among the righteous.’” (Surah aal-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.40)

This is just one example demonstrating that these religions represent a continuation of one another. It follows logically that as people, societal norms, politics, global dynamics, and traditions evolve, so too must the Word of God be renewed. Just as institutions, whether human or animal, eventually face change or evolution, so does religion. Over time, scholars, teachers, and external forces contribute to these changes, sometimes distorting a religion from its original form. (Continued)