One message from Adam to Muhammad
Muslims believe every prophet brought the same core message: worship God alone.
In Islam, God sent messengers to every people, from Adam to Muhammad, peace be upon them all. Many of them are people you may already know.
A note on words
Allah is the Arabic word for God. The Quran quotes below keep the word Allah.
The same message
And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that, "There is no deity except Me, so worship Me."
Quran 21:25 (Saheeh International translation)
Their laws could differ for different people and times. This message never did.
A chain of messengers
Some of the messengers
Adam
The first human being and the first prophet.
Noah (Nuh)
Called his people to God alone and built the ark.
Abraham (Ibrahim)
Left the worship of idols and worshipped God alone. Father of the prophets Ishmael and Isaac.
Moses (Musa)
Led the Children of Israel out of Egypt and received the Torah (Tawrah).
David (Dawud)
A king and a prophet. He was given the Psalms (Zabur).
Jesus (Isa)
The Messiah, born to Mary. He was given the Gospel (Injil).
Muhammad
The last messenger, given the Quran.
Where the Quran names them
The Quran lists many of these prophets together and mentions the book given to David:
Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him. And we revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the book [of Psalms].
Quran 4:163 (Saheeh International translation)
Muslims believe in all of them
A Muslim does not choose some prophets and leave out others. Believing in all of them is part of the faith. The Quran tells believers to say:
Say, [O believers], "We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him."
Quran 2:136 (Saheeh International translation)
Earlier scriptures Muslims honor
Torah
Given to Moses
Psalms
Given to David
Gospel
Given to Jesus
Quran
Given to Muhammad
If it is the same message, why a Quran?
Muslims believe the earlier books were true revelation from God. They also believe that over time, human hands changed parts of the texts that exist today. So God sent the Quran to confirm what was true and to be kept safe for all people.
Islam does not start a new religion. Muslims see it as the same call to worship God alone, from Adam to Muhammad.
You do not have to agree today. This lesson only shows what Muslims believe and why.
