Allah created the first man, Adam, out of the elements of the earth —out of clay.  Allah Almighty had seen how a Jinn by the name of Iblees (Sheitan or Satan) had willfully defied Him.  Iblees, the terrible, requested from Allah Almighty to allow him to exist until the Day of Judgment and Allah agreed.

Allah knew how terrible Sheitan was going to be.  He knew that Sheitan was going to mislead people to do evil, and make them want to be sneaky and nasty.  Allah knew that Sheitan was going to make people want to lie and cheat, be dishonest and break their promises.

Allah (swt) loves us a great deal.  He wants us to be truthful and honest.  Ha wants us to be kind and helpful.  Allah does not like Sheitan and He wants us to be aware of Sheitan and his misdeeds.  Allah wants us to learn how to become good people.

What Allah did was to choose Prophets and He taught them His religion.  In Arabic, a Prophet is called Nabiy, and a Messenger of Allah is called Rasool Llaah.  When we say: Rasool-lul‑Laah, we mean the Messenger of Allah, usually Muhammad (pbuh).

WHAT DID THE PROPHETS DO? 

Each Prophet was an exceptional man specifically chosen by Allah.  Allah does not speak to a Prophet directly.  He sends the Angel Jubra'eel to announce this news to the chosen Prophet.  Upon seeing Jubra'eel for the first time, the Prophet becomes apprehensive and scared.  However, as Jubra'eel appears more often, the Prophet becomes used to him and anxiously awaits his reappearance.

Angel Jubra'eel taught the Religion of Allah to the Pro­phet.  He taught the Prophet a few things at a time.  The Prophet then went to his people and started teaching them what he had already learned.

The Prophets became great leaders of their own people.  Their task was extremely difficult.  It was not easy to convince people to change their way of life.

At first, most people did not like to hear the Prophet's teachings.  Many of them simply did not want to believe.  Often people were cruel, to the Prophets and their early followers.

The Prophets were exceptionally strong-willed men, of high character, and the highest principles.  They were excellent leaders.  Almighty Allah chooses only the finest, the most fit men for this glorious and difficult task.  The Prophets did not feel scared or disappointed simply because their people made fun of them.  On the contrary, the Prophets were extremely patient and they continued to preach their Message, the Message of Allah.  They were very courageous and kept teaching the people wherever they went and to anyone who listened.

DID THEY SUCCEED 

They succeeded.  The Message of Allah is clear and alive.  For many, it took a long time to convince their people.  When people did accept the Message of the Prophets, they changed their way of life, believing in Allah and following His Commands.  The whole society changed for the better.

Some Prophets had a large following.  Prophet Musa (Moses), Prophet Isa (Jesus), and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) are very good examples.

Some Prophets showed miracles to the people by the Power of Allah.  Do you know the names of some of them?  Prophet Musa (Moses) did something special with his stick.  Do you remember what he did?  He also put his hand in his pocket and when he brought it out, his hand was shining white as if it were a shining light!!

Prophet Isa (Jesus) performed a number of miracles by invoking the Power of God.  Do you remember the story of his birth?  Do you remember what he did through the Power of Allah to the blind man who couldn't talk, and to the sick man with leprosy, and the bird from clay?  Do you remember what he did through the Power of Allah to Lazarus the dead man?

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had the miracle of miracles.  Do you remember what it is?  It is the Holy Quran itself, the Book of Allah.  It is a continuous miracle because no one can ever write in a similar style or with the same depth of meaning.  Above all, it can always impress you and prove itself to you, whether you are Arabic speaking or not, a believer or not.  It always proves itself to you, ever challenges you.  The Holy Quran has carried this power through the ages.  It is the torch of Islam.  It is the very source of the power of the faith.

AND WHEN THE MESSAGE WAS NOT ACCEPTED? 

Some Prophets had only a small number of believers.  They could not convince the majority to believe in their Message.  They tried very hard and continued trying for a long time.  Sadly not many people believed in them because the majority were very bad and did not want to see the truth.  They made fun of the Prophets and even fought them often.

One in particular was Prophet Nooh (Noah).  Although he tried very hard and for a long time to spread the Message of Allah, he was able to convince only a handful to believe him.  Do you remember what happened to the people who did not believe in him?  Allah made the skies rain for a very long time resulting in terrible flood.  All of the people drowned except for the few who followed him.  Allah Almighty saved Prophet Nooh and the believers, telling the Prophet ahead of time to build an Ark.

Prophet Loot (Lot) was another.  He also tried very hard to teach people to believe in Allah and to follow His Commands.  Only a few believed.  Most made fun of him instead and continued in their evil ways.  When after a long time people did not accept Loot's Message, Allah (swt) saved Loot and the believers by commanding them to leave that city.  After they had left, a massive earthquake shook the earth killing all the evil people there.

WHAT DID THE PROPHETS TEACH? 

All of the Prophets taught about the Oneness of Almighty Allah and His greatness.  They taught us to worship Allah.  They taught us about the Religion of Allah.  The people of the time liked to do evil things.  They followed Sheitan and his sneaky whisperings.  They followed their desires.  This made them greedy, cruel and unkind.  It made them cheat and lie, and it made them do many evil things to fulfill their desires.

When a Prophet is chosen by Allah, he starts teaching people that there is Almighty Allah, that we should follow His Religion and love Him and fear Him.  Then they teach how to worship Allah and pray to Him.  They teach people how to become righteous through the Guidance of Allah.  The Prophets taught people to become kind and helpful, to speak the truth and keep their word, and to have good manners.  They taught people not to take the word of Allah lightly.  To avoid doing evil.  Not to follow their desires blindly.

All Prophets taught the same basic beliefs about Allah and His religion.  Allah's Message never changes.  People who followed the teachings became very good people and Almighty Allah was pleased with them and gave them His blessings.  The people would feel contented and would gain here and especially the Hereafter.

WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE WERE THE PROPHETS? 

The Prophets were outstanding men, the best of men.  Allah Almighty knows who is the best to chose and He was the One who chose them.

The Prophets were known for their trustworthiness and dependability.  They always spoke the truth.  They kept their word and were very honest.  They were patient, kind and consider­ate.  The Prophets loved people who believed in Allah's Message.

The Prophets were extremely strong-willed; they continued to deliver Allah's Message even though many people mistreated or even abused them.  The Prophets were the best example for others.  They were very intelligent, very gifted, often reasoned with the people to convince them about the Message.  The Prophets were supreme leaders of their people —chosen by Allah.  They persisted no matter what people said, or what the circumstances were.  They wanted no gain for themselves but only to spread the word of Allah.  The Prophets succeeded in their messengerhood because they had Allah's support.

SEE IF YOU CAN REMEMBER 

▪  Adam:  The first Prophet was Adam: 

1.     Do you remember the story of Adam and how Almighty Allah made him out of clay?

2.     Do you remember the story of Iblees (Sheitan, or Satan) and how he refused to bow to Adam even though Allah had ordered him to that?

3.     Do you remember the name of the wife of Prophet Adam?

▪  Nooh (Noah):  There is also Prophet Nooh (Noah) who built the Ark. 

1.     Do you remember what Allah did once the Ark was completed?

2.     What happened to the animals?

▪  Ibrahim (Abraham):  Do you remember the story of Prophet Ibrahim?  

1.     Do you remember how the people tried to burn him and how Almighty Allah saved him?

2.     Do you remember how Prophet Ibrahim wanted to sacrifice his own son, Isma'eel (Ishmael,) because he dreamt that Allah had ordered him to do so?

▪  Yusuf (Joseph):  Do you remember the story of Prophet Yusuf?

1.     Do you remember how Yusuf was pushed into the well?

2.     Do you remember how he was saved?

3.     Do you remember the story of his shirt?

4.     Do you remember why he was put in prison?

5.     Do you remember the story of how he met his brothers?

▪  Musa (Moses):  Do you remember the story of Prophet Musa? 

1.     Do you remember how Musa came to be in the house of Pharaoh?

2.     Do you remember the miracle of the stick and that of his hand?

3.     Do you remember how Musa left Egypt with the Israelites?

4.     Do you remember how Pharaoh and his army drowned in the sea?

▪  Isa (Jesus):  Do you remember the story of the Birth of Prophet Isa (Jesus)? 

1.     Do you remember how he performed many miracles by the Power of Allah?

2.     Do you remember those miracles?

▪  Muhammad (pbuh):  Do you remember the last of Allah's Prophets? 

1.     I am sure you know that his name is Muhammad (pbuh) and he is our Prophet.

2.     Do you remember the name of his father, mother, and grandfather?

3.     Do you remember how people trusted Muhammad long before he became a Prophet?  Do you know why?

4.     Do you remember at what age he became a Prophet and how many years his Prophethood continued?

AS MUSLIMS WE BELIEVE IN ALL THE PROPHETS

As Muslims we believe in all Allah's Prophets.  There are many.  Each nation had a Prophet at some time.  Allah wants our good wherever we are and whatever nation we come from.  Allah (swt) sent His guidance through the different Prophets at different times and places.  Allah sent His Message to the Prophets by way of Jubra'eel.  Once the Message was revealed to the Prophet he taught it tirelessly to the people.

A good many Prophets were mentioned in the Holy Quran, the first was Prophet Adam and the last was Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

The teachings of Almighty Allah to some of his Prophets were written in books.  These books are called the Holy Books.  We will learn more about them later. Our Holy Book is called the Holy Quran and it is the only complete and accurately written words of Allah.

QUESTIONS 

1.     What was Adam created from?

2.     Who is Sheitan?

3.     Did all of the Angels bow to Adam?

4.     Why did Allah choose Prophets?

5.     What is the word Prophet in Arabic?

6.     Who brought the Message of Allah (God) to the Prophets?

7.     What kind of people were the Prophets?

8.     Who was the first Prophet?

9.     Who was the last Prophet?

10. Which Prophets showed many miracles?

11. What is the miracle of the miracles?

12. What did the Prophets teach?

13. Who believes in all the Prophets?

14. Which angel spoke to the Prophets on behalf of Almighty Allah?

15. What is Nabiy?

16. Does the Message of Almighty Allah change?

17. Did the people accept the Message from the Prophets right away?

18. Did the Prophets succeed in their Message?

19. Name five Prophets?

20. Which Prophets were given the power to produce miracles?

21. Which Prophet crossed the Red sea?

22. Which Prophet built an ark?

23. What did the Prophets teach?

24. Did the Prophets want any gains for themselves?