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The prophets of Islam all have an important role in Islamic history and have shaped the faith into what it is today. They each have unique stories and the same devotion to Allah (SWT) that has shown Muslims across decades the power of trust and loyalty and just what it can do. The prophets serve as a reminder and an inspiration to strengthen faith and trust in Allah (SWT) to be rewarded. This is why today, Muslims all over the world honour the Prophets and follow their footsteps to please God and earn reward from Him.
But who are the prophets in Islam and what are their stories? Understand the stories of every Prophet and the order of them in history to know how they shaped Islam into what it is today and why they are so important.
It is believed that Allah (SWT) selected several prophets to recite His teachings, and this is widely known, but how many prophets and messengers in Islam is something that isn’t as widely known. At Orphans in Need, we’ve outlined all the Islamic prophets in order and why they are important in Islam to help you understand each of their stories and the examples they set to follow.
A prophet in Islam is a messenger sent by Allah (SWT) to spread His word and teachings to the people on Earth. They are sent to set an example and show people the ideal behaviour to live righteously.
Many wonder how many prophets in Islam, as some are more well-known than others. There are 25 prophets that Allah (SWT) chose to spread His messages and encourage others to follow them.
We’ve created this timeline of the prophets in Islam to help understand the order of the prophets and their importance, showing each of their tests and their true devotion and love for Allah (SWT) that grew Islam into what it is today.
The first prophet of Islam is Adam. He and Hawwa (Eve) were the first humans on Earth, which means they were the first human creation by Allah (SWT). This is why Adam is often known as the father of the human race, as he began humanity. Allah (SWT) created Adam and Eve from clay and gave them free rein in Paradise. However, although He told them they may have anything they wanted, He forbade them from eating the fruits of one tree in Paradise. Both Adam and Eve were tempted to take a bite of the fruit, and they both disobeyed Allah (SWT) and sinned. Due to this, He punished them both by sending them to Earth, where they had to learn to survive on their own. Adam learnt how to grow crops, bake and survive on the Earth’s resources, which were all skills he passed down onto his descendants.
While on Earth, Adam and Eve had many children, including Abel, Cain and Seth. Both Abel and Cain were asked to make a suitable sacrifice by Allah (SWT) when they were older. Both did as they were told, and Allah (SWT) accepted Abel’s sacrifice attempt, but rejected Cain’s. Cain grew angry and jealous of Abel and threw a rock at him, which sadly killed him. This was the first murder on Earth and a huge sin. After this, the time came for Adam to choose a successor. He decided to choose Seth, which made Seth the second prophet in Islam.
Following Adam and his son Seth, there were 23 further prophets and messengers in Islam. We’ve outlined all the prophets names in Islam in order to help you understand each prophet’s purpose in history.
Idris (also called Enoch) was born in Babylon. He followed in the footsteps of the Prophet Seth, abiding by the rules and teachings that Seth passed on from Allah (SWT). Once Idris came of age, he received the Revelation, which gave him prophethood. When he became a prophet, Idris tried to warn the people of their behaviours, but, despite his warnings, he still witnessed people committing sins. This led him to leave Babylon and go to Egypt instead. Some of his people followed him on this journey and, once settled, Idris spent a lot of his time preaching, worshipping and researching his ancestors, who were Adam and Eve. He is believed to have possessed great wisdom and was the first man to use a pen to write.
The next one in the timeline of prophets in Islam is Nuh (also called Noah). He received the message from Allah (SWT) that unless people started to recognise Him as the one true God, a great disaster would happen. Nuh dutifully spread the word of Allah (SWT) and attempted to warn people that if they continued to worship several gods, they would be punished. The people didn’t listen, so in an attempt to preserve life, including those who did eventually listen to him, Nuh built an ark. He admitted a pair of each type of animal and awaited the arrival of the Great Flood, which Allah (SWT) warned would happen. Those who went against Nuh didn’t believe this flood would happen and thought he was crazy. However, the flood did happen, and Nuh saved many animals to continue life on Earth.
Hud lived in ʿĀd and was devoted to Allah (SWT) as the only deity, but at this time, he was alone in his views. He tried desperately to get people to listen to him when he said that there was only one God, but the people of ʿĀd refused to listen, instead mocking Hud and Allah’s (SWT) message. Eventually, after all the mocking, Allah (SWT) sent a thunderous storm down, which destroyed ʿĀd.
Saleh was sent by Allah (SWT) to spread His teachings and preach against the Shirk’s wealth and selfishness in Thamud. The people of Thamud refused to believe him until he performed a miracle. Allah (SWT) gifted the people of Thamud a she-camel, but the people of Thamud hamstrung the camel, and Saleh warned them that as a consequence of their actions and disbelief, Allah (SWT) would send down a punishment in the form of an earthquake.
As one of the most well-known and highly regarded prophets of Islam, Ibrahim is a key part of Islamic history and is remembered by Muslims all around the world to this day. He is known for his unparalleled devotion to Allah (SWT) and for beginning the sacred act of Qurbani, which is carried out during Eid al-Adha. Ibrahim was sent a command by Allah (SWT) that he would have a righteous son, but once his son became of age, he must be sacrificed. This command came in multiple dreams, until one day, he finally had a righteous son, Ismail. When the time came, Ibrahim told Ismail and they both remained completely loyal to Allah’s word. Ibrahim took his son to Mount Arafat and went to carry out the sacrifice. However, at the very last moment, Allah (SWT) replaced Ismail with a ram to reward both of them for their utter devotion that never wavered. It was a test that Ibrahim proved to Allah (SWT) that nothing comes before his faith, and the sacrifice of the ram began the tradition of an animal sacrifice on Eid al-Adha (Qurbani).
Lut was a prophet sent by Allah (SWT) to Sodom and Gomorrah. His duty was to encourage monotheism and to inform the people of how acts of violent lust are sinful. He warned the people of the city about how they were sinning, but they did not listen, and as such, the two cities were destroyed.
Ismail was the son of Ibrahim and followed in his father’s footsteps, promoting the word of Allah (SWT).
Ishaq, also known as Isaac, was the brother of Ismail. He continued to spread the name of Allah (SWT) like his father and show utter devotion to Him.
Yaqub, also called Jacob, is one of the most important prophets in Islam. He is mentioned 16 times in the Quran, which shows how significant he was in Islamic history. He had unwavering faith in Islam and was very wise, while also being the father of the 12 tribes, which he is most known for. On top of this, Yaqub was, and still is, known as the man of might.
Yusuf, sometimes known as Joseph, was the son of Yaqub and was also a very important prophet. His father loved him very dearly, and Joseph was the favourite child out of him and his brothers. This caused a lot of jealousy amongst his brothers, so they decided to throw Joseph in a well. He stayed in the well until some travellers stumbled upon him and got him out. However, Joseph’s hardship didn’t stop there, as he was enslaved before becoming imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. Throughout all of his hardship, Joseph never gave up his strong faith and love for Allah (SWT).
Ayyub, also known as Job, was continuously tested by Allah (SWT) for many years. He was pushed by Him to complete multiple tests, and Ayyub did not once give up. Instead, he took on every test that was thrown his way with utter faith in Allah (SWT), showing his unwavering commitment to his faith. Due to this, Ayyub was rewarded for his true loyalty and obedience in every test, which has shown Muslims that, no matter the challenges they face in life, having strong faith is what truly matters.
Shu-ayyb, also called Jethro, was sent as a prophet to spread the word of Allah (SWT) in the Midianite community. He warned the people of this community that if they didn’t change their bad behaviours, they would be punished by Allah (SWT). However, the people didn’t listen to Shu-ayyb, so Allah (SWT) destroyed the community. Due to his hard work and effort to spread the message of God, Shu-ayyb is known as the most eloquent prophet.
Musa is another one of the most well-known prophets of Islam and is also known as Musa. He is so significant in the timeline of prophets in Islam that he is mentioned more than any other person in the Quran. Musa tried to spread the word of Allah (SWT) under the ruling of the tyrant Pharaoh, which put himself and his followers in danger. Pharaoh didn’t believe that there was any mightier being than him, which Musa constantly challenged and told him about Allah (SWT). This enraged Pharaoh, and his army was sent to destroy Musa and his followers. A dangerous chase began, but Musa stayed firm in his faith that Allah (SWT) would intervene before it was too late. Allah (SWT) did intervene before it was too late and parted the Red Sea for Musa and his followers to reach safety before drowning Pharaoh’s army.
Harun, also referred to as Aaron, was the first high priest of the Israelites and was the brother of Musa.
After Harun came Dhu’l-Kifl, who is the Islamic equivalent of Ezekiel, although he is sometimes associated with Isaiah, Joshua, or Obadiah instead of Ezekiel. Dhul-Kifl was mentioned twice in the Quran and preached the word of Allah (SWT) extensively throughout Iraq.
Dawud, also known as David, was a soldier for King Talut and defeated the giant Jalut (Goliath). He is a notable figure because he received the Zabur (biblical psalms) and was one of only a handful of prophets to have done so.
Sulaiman, also called Solomon, was the son of Dawud, who took over his prophecy when he died. Sulaiman was the king of Israel, and it’s said he could communicate with animals and jinn. He is hailed as one of the greatest rulers of all time, and it’s believed that no king before or after him was able to reach his level.
Occasionally spelt as Elijah or Elias, Ilyas resided in the northern kingdom of Israel, which was, at the time, inhabited by people who worshipped the ancient God, Baal. Ilyas spoke to the worshippers of Baal and told them about Allah (SWT). He defended Allah’s (SWT) name and remained loyal to the one true God.
Al-Yasa (Elisha) succeeded Ilyas as one of Allah’s (SWT) chosen prophets. He is mentioned briefly in the Quran but is regarded as having miracle powers, including being able to walk on water, revive the deceased and cure the diseased. He was said to have been raised by Ilyas.
Prophet Yunus was sent to the city of Nineveh in northern Iraq by Allah (SWT) as the city was inhabited by idol worshippers. Allah (SWT) is the only God, and Yunus was sent to inform the people of Nineveh of this and to guide them on the right path. He was met with rejection and, against Allah’s (SWT) will, Yunus left Nineveh in search of a community that would accept Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) turned the sky red above Nineveh, and a fierce storm brewed. The people of the city dropped to their knees and begged for mercy, which Allah (SWT) granted. Meanwhile, Yunus was travelling by boat, and a storm came. One man had to be sacrificed for the sake of the others, and Yunus knew this was Allah’s (SWT) punishment for leaving Nineveh, so he dived in and was swallowed by a whale. He repented to Allah (SWT) and spat out to return to Nineveh.
Zakariyya (or Zechariah) fathered Yahya (John the Baptist), who went on to become the guardian of Mary, the mother of Isa.
The son of Zakariyya, Yahya was told by Allah (SWT) about the arrival of Isa (Jesus). He was known as a merciful man who was committed to Allah (SWT), and he was described as a gentle being, so much so that it’s said he did not do one thing against the will of Allah (SWT) in his life.
For those wondering, ‘Is Jesus a prophet in Islam?’ he is, but in the Quran, his name is spelt as Isa. He was the penultimate prophet in the timeline of prophets in Islam. Allah (SWT) sent him to guide the people of Israel on the straight path. Isa differs from Jesus in the Christian Bible because in the Quran, he isn’t considered to be the son of God, nor was he crucified. However, Isa is still important in Islam because he’s mentioned 93 times in the Quran. It’s said that Allah (SWT) revealed the Gospel to Isa.
Finally, we come to Muhammad (PBUH), who is the last prophet of Islam. He was sent by Allah (SWT) to confirm the teachings of the prophets before him, and he is often regarded as the father of Islam. Muhammad (PBUH) recited the exact words of Allah (SWT) in the form of the Qur’an, and the Angel Jibril revealed to him Allah’s (SWT) teachings over the course of 23 years. Muhammad (PBUH) originally lived in Mecca, but after spreading the word of Allah (SWT) to the people of Mecca, who at the time believed in multiple Gods, he and his followers were persecuted, and so they left for Medina. Some years later, Muhammad (PBUH) returned to Mecca and was respected by those who had previously persecuted him, and he and his followers were allowed to practice their beliefs without persecution.
If you have questions about any of the prophets of Islam and their teachings, you should consult your local imam for guidance. You can also support our charity work by donating to Orphans in Need here today. Anything that you can give will go a long way to making a difference to those most in need around the world.
