Introduction

To every nation that has passed on, Allah sent a messenger who summoned them to His true path. Messengers are those who communicate the existence and oneness of Allah, spread His religion, and inform them about what Allah demands from them, in other words, things that they should do and things that they should abstain from. They also warn them against the punishment of Hell and give them the glad tidings of Paradise.

The lives and struggles of the messengers are abundant in lessons for believers who think and are inclined to learn from them. In the Qur'an, Allah describes in detail the subjects they communicated to their peoples, the methods they employed to persuade them and many other aspects of the messengers themselves. There is instruction in their stories for people of intelligence... (Surah Yusuf, 111)

Believers should not differentiate between any of the messengers and should take their virtuous manners and behaviour as described in the Qur'an as their model. They should follow their advice, and act on it and hold in very high regard their warnings. Again, in accordance with Allah's command, the Prophet (saas) revealed that we should not discriminate between the prophets sent by Allah, and in one hadith, said, “Don't give superiority to any prophet amongst Allah's prophets.” (Sahih Bukhari)

That is because Allah narrates the stories of these distinguished servants of His in the Qur'an not merely as historical facts, but also in order to encourage believers to reflect on, and pay heed to these superior people so that they may take them as their models.

The stories and actions of the messengers as described in the Qur'an contain examples and lessons for believers. This is a fact that is particularly stated in the Qur'an. For instance, it is stated that there is a good example for the believers to follow in Ibrahim (as), and those who adhered to him and their exemplary attitudes are described in the following verses:

You have an excellent example in Ibrahim and those who followed him, when they said to their people, “We wash our hands of you and all that you worship apart from Allah, and we reject you. Between us and you there will be enmity and hatred for ever unless you believe in Allah alone.” But do not emulate Ibrahim’s words to his father: “I will ask forgiveness for you, but I have no power to help you in any way against Allah.” “Our Lord, we have put our trust in You and have repented to You. You are our final destination. Our Lord, do not make us a target for those who disbelieve. Forgive us, our Lord; You are the Almighty, the All-Wise.” There is an excellent example in them for you to follow, that is for those whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day. But if anyone turns away, he shall know that Allah is the Rich Beyond Need, the Praiseworthy. (Surah Mumtahana, 4-6)

In the same way, all other messengers are also chosen servants of Allah; they should be taken as models by the believers in every respect. Those who believe make no distinction between any of the messengers and believe in what has been revealed to each of them. This is a command of Allah which should be carried out meticulously as all other commands:

Say, “We believe in Allah and what has been sent down to us and what was sent down to Ibrahim and Isma‘il and Ishaq and Ya‘qub and the tribes, and what Musa and ‘Isa were given, and what all the prophets were given by their Lord. We do not differentiate between any of them. We are Muslims who have submitted to Him.” (Surat al- Baqara, 136)

All messengers have called people to accept the true religion and the most upright way. This call, as well as being for their peoples, is also for us. The basic religious and moral facts that they all invited others to accept, and the characteristics of virtue that they displayed should be followed and taken as a model by us too as in ages past.

As a matter of fact, Allah sets forth in the Qur'an the facts which messengers have invited their people to accept, and provides a detailed account of the excellent character traits they possessed. He commanded all believers in the personality of our Prophet (saas) to submit themselves to the true path:

They are the ones to whom We gave the Book, judgement and prophethood. If these people reject it, We shall entrust it to others who will not. They are the ones Allah has guided, so be guided by their guidance. Say, “I do not ask you for any wage for it. It [the Qur'an] is simply an admonition to all mankind.” (Surat al-An'am, 89-90)

That being so, the responsibility of believers is to give careful consideration to the life stories of messengers related in the Qur’an, and make their best efforts to follow the path they indicate, and comply with their admonitions and warnings. The purpose of this book is to assist such efforts on the part of believers.

The Prophet Nuh (As)

The Prophet Nuh (as) is mentioned and praised in many verses of the Qur'an:

You are the descendants of those We carried in the Ark with Nuh. He was a truly grateful servant. (Surat al-Isra’, 3)

Nuh called out to Us, his prayers were graciously answered. We rescued him and his family from the terrible plight and made his descendants the sole survivors; and We bestowed on him the praise of later generations. Peace be upon Nuh among all beings! (Surat as-Saffat, 75-79)

Allah chose Adam and Nuh and the family of Ibrahim and the family of ‘Imran over all other beings. (Surah Al ‘Imran, 33)

We sent Nuh to his people: “Warn your people before a painful punishment comes to them.” (Surah Nuh, 1)

Allah sent the Prophet Nuh (as) to his people as a messenger. In order to make the Prophet Nuh (as) and those who obeyed him swerve from the true path, the ruling circle of those of his people who disbelieved plotted against them, tried to defame 15 them through aspersions and dared to mock at them. In return for what they did, Allah punished this people in the life of this world and sent a raging flood upon them.

The Prophet Nuh (as) Declared To His People That He Was AMessenger Worthy Of Trust

Those who do not fear Allah do not trust each other in the true sense. This is because in a society of such people, one can possibly be harmed even by whom one considers to be the closest to oneself. In such a society, its members always act guardedly, trying not to show any of their weaknesses to others. This is why people mostly want to have real friends upon whom they can rely.

Messengers, on the other hand, go in fear of Allah and are thus utterly reliable people. The recognition of messengers’ trustworthiness is of great importance, for which reason the messengers particularly stress this quality while communicating Allah’s message to others:

The people of Nuh denied the Messengers. Their brother Nuh said to them, “Will you not guard against evil? I am a Messenger to you worthy of all trust. So fear Allah and obey me.” (Surat ash-Shu‘ara’, 105-108)

Concerns like greed for leadership, longing for wealth and property, and expectation of esteem hold people back from trusting others—to such an extent that people do not expect others to do another a favour unless a personal interest is in question. The prophets, however, expect their recompense from Allah alone and stress that they do not demand anything from people. As the Prophet Nuh (as) said to his people:

“I do not ask you for any wage for it. My wage is the responsibility of no one but the Lord of all the worlds.” (Surat ash-Shu‘ara’, 109)

“If you turn your backs, I have not asked you for any wage. My wage is the responsibility of Allah alone. I am commanded to be one of the Muslims.” (Surah Yunus, 72)

The Prophet Nuh (as) Called His People To Worship Allah Alone

The Prophet Nuh (as) invited his people to abandon the falsehood in which they had been mired and to worship Allah. He reminded them that there was no god besides Allah and warned them that if they failed to grasp this fact in the world, they would meet a terrible punishment in the future. Thus he admonished them and provided various explanations in order for them to believe. Some of the relevant verses are as follows:

We sent Nuh to his people and he said, “My people, worship Allah. You have no god other than Him. So will you not guard against evil?” (Surat al-Muminun, 23)

We sent Nuh to his people: “I am a clear warner to you. Worship none but Allah. I fear for you the punishment of a painful day.” (Surah Hud, 25-26)

The Prophet Nuh’s advice to his people is also stated by our Prophet (saas) in one of his hadiths: “When the death of Nuh, the Messenger of Allah, approached, he admonished his tribe: 'Indeed I would give you far reaching advice, commanding you to do two things, and warning you against doing two things as well. I charge you to be- The Prophet Nuh (as) lieve that there is no god but Allah and that if the seven heavens and the seven earths were put on one side of a scale and the words “there is no god but Allah” were put on the other, the latter would outweigh the former.

I warn you against associating partners with Allah and against pride.’” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

The Prophet Nuh (as) Called His People To Turn To Allah And To Ask For Forgiveness From Him

After reminding them that Allah is the one and only god, the Prophet Nuh (as) urged his people to ask for the forgiveness of Allah, and gave them the good news of the blessings that Allah would bestow upon them if they turned to Him:

[Nuh said, “My Lord,] I said, ‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Truly He is Endlessly Forgiving. He will send down abundant rain from the sky for you and bestow upon you more wealth and sons, and grant you gardens with running brooks.’” (Surah Nuh, 10-12)

In many verses of the Qur'an, Allah promises that He will grant those who believe a beautiful life. Therefore, while calling their people to turn to Allah, the messengers have also related that Allah would grant them blessings. They have also given detailed accounts and Allah's blessings with a view to enable people to grasp His magnanimity and to realise Allah's favour and compassion for them. The Prophet Nuh (as) addressed his people as follows:

[Nuh said, “My Lord, I said to my people,] 'What is the matter with you that you do not hope for honour from Allah, when He created you by successive stages? Do you not see how He created seven heavens in layers, and placed the moon as a light in them and made the sun a blazing lamp? Allah caused you to grow from the earth like a plant, and to the earth He will restore you. Then He will bring you back afresh. Allah has spread the earth out as a carpet for you so that you could use its wide valleys as roadways.'” (Surah Nuh, 13-20)

What the believers should do is to give thanks to Allah and to urge other people to be thankful too by remembering Allah's blessings as the prophets did.

In Reply To The Aspersions Cast Upon Him, The Prophet Nuh (as) Provided The Most Rational Answers By Reminding His People Of Allah

Throughout the world's history, all messengers of Allah have been slandered in similar ways. This is an immutable command of Allah that all messengers have experienced throughout the ages. The people of the Prophet Nuh (as) also refused to obey their prophet and cast numerous aspersions upon him to intimidate him in their own way. One of their aspersions was to call him erroneous: The ruling circle of his people said, “We see you in flagrant error.” (Surat al-A‘raf, 60)

One of the distinctive characteristics of the messengers is their unending perseverance, firm resolution and adherence to high moral standards, regardless of the circumstances. In the face of the accusations and the difficulties they encountered, they acted ma- turely and put their trust in Allah. How the Prophet Nuh responded to this aspersion by his people is a good example for all believers:

He [Nuh] said, “My people, I am not in error at all but rather am a Messenger from the Lord of all the worlds, transmitting my Lord’s Message to you and giving you good counsel, and I know from Allah what you do not know.” (Surat al-A‘raf, 61-62)

The Prophet Nuh (as) responded to those who accused him of being a liar as follows:

The ruling circle of those of his people who disbelieved said, “We do not see you as anything but a human being like ourselves. We do not see anyone following you but the lowest of us, who are rash and undiscerning. We do not see you as superior to us. On the contrary, we consider you to be a liar.” He [Nuh] said, “My people! What do you think? If I were to have clear evidence from my Lord and He had bestowed upon me His grace, but you were blind to it, could we force it on you if you were unwilling? My people! I do not ask you for any recompense for this; for none but Allah can reward me. Nor will I chase away those who believe, for they are surely going to meet their Lord. However, I can see that you are ignorant people.” (Surah Hud, 27-29)

The Prophet Nuh (as) Pointed Up The Insincerity Of Those Who Asked For Miracles As ACondition For Believing

Throughout history, those who disbelieved made up various pretexts to avoid obeying their messengers. They claimed that the messengers should have possessed more wealth than themselves or should have worked miracles. They even claimed that the messengers should not have been human beings, but angels. The Prophet Nuh (as) responded to such expectations as follows:

“I do not say to you that I possess Allah’s treasures; nor do I know the Unseen; nor do I say that I am an angel; nor do I say to those who are vile in your eyes that Allah will not be bountiful to them—Allah knows best what is in their hearts. If I did, I would certainly become a wrongdoer.” (Surah Hud, 31)

It is typical of the unbelievers to expect the messengers to be wealthy, and to be able to perform miracles. However, what the messengers are superior in is piety and fear for Allah. They are superior to other people because they turn to Allah in every deed and at every instant of their lives; they are submissive to Allah, put their trust in Him and never fail in perseverance and steadfastness. Allah may give wealth, properties, highly regarded positions, knowledge and all other worldly values to many people. These are not, however, a measure of superiority but only a means of trial. Only those who have distanced themselves from the religion consider such worldly values as a sign of superiority in the eyes of Allah.

Has news not reached you of those who came before you, the peoples of Nuh and ‘Ad and Thamud, and those who came after them? Allah alone knows their number. Their messengers came to them with clear signs, but they put their hands to their mouths saying, “We reject your message. We have grave doubts about the faith to which you are calling us to.” Their messengers answered, “Is there any doubt about Allah, the Bringer into Being of the heavens and the Earth? He summons you to forgive you for your wrong actions and to reprieve you until your appointed time.” They said, “You are nothing but human beings like ourselves, who want to turn us away from the goals our fathers worshipped; so bring us a clear proof.” Their messengers replied, “We are indeed nothing but human beings like yourselves. But Allah shows favour to any of His servants He wills. It is not for us to bring you proof except by Allah’s permission. So let the believers put their trust in Allah.” (Surah Ibrahim, 9-11)

The Prophet Nuh (as) Employed Every Possible Way To Spread Allah’s Message

Like all messengers, the Prophet Nuh (as) tried all courses to make his people believe. As well as summoning them openly to the religion, he also tried to approach them in different ways. Despite his efforts, however, his people insisted on disbelief and insolence. The Prophet Nuh (as) has related this obstinate conduct of his people as follows:

He [Nuh] said, “My Lord, I have pleaded with my people night and day, but my pleas have only added to their aversion. Indeed, every time I called on them to ask Your forgiveness, they put their fingers in their ears, wrapped themselves up in their cloaks, persisting in sin, and were overweeningly arrogant. Then I called upon them openly. Then I appealed to them in public and in private.” (Surah Nuh, 5-9)

As can be understood by the above words of the Prophet Nuh (as), the Prophets have unceasingly called people to Allah's path and employed various methods to arouse people's conscience. It is an important responsibility of the true believers, as well as of the prophets, to be resolute in face of all the reactions of the people and to strictly obey the command of Allah He formulates as “commanding the right and forbidding the wrong”:

Let there be a community among you who call for righteousness, enjoin justice, and forbid evil. They are the ones who will have success. (Surah Al ‘Imran, 104)

Those who repent, those who worship, those who praise, those who fast, those who bow, those who prostrate themselves, those who command the right, those who forbid the wrong, those who observe the commandments of Allah shall be richly rewarded: give the good news to the believers. (Surat at-Tawba, 112)

The Firm Resolution Of The Prophet Nuh (as) Towards His People

Being aware of the fact that the possessor of everything on the face of the Earth is Allah and that nobody is able to harm or benefit them except with Allah's permission, the messengers have never been daunted by the threats of their people. In face of the difficulties they encountered, they have always put their trust in Allah, just like the Prophet Nuh (as), who carried on a dauntless struggle with the ruling circle of the unbelievers and insisted that he would never be disheartened by their slanders and assaults:

[Recount to them the story of Nuh when he said to his peo- ple,] “My people, if my standing here and reminding you of Allah’s Signs has become too much for you to bear, know that I have put my trust in Allah. So decide, you and your gods, on what you want to do and be open about it. Do with me whatever you decide and do not keep me waiting.” (Surah Yunus, 71)

In like manner, the believers who take the prophets as their models, are also steadfast in the face of difficulties and never yield to their enemies. They know that Allah's help is with them and that absolute victory always comes to those who believe. This is guaranteed in the Qur'an as follows:

Do not give up and do not be downhearted. You shall be uppermost if you are believers. (Surah Al ‘Imran, 139)

… Allah will not let the disbelievers triumph over the believers. (Surat an-Nisa', 141)

The Prophet Nuh (as) Warned His People Against A Dreadful Punishment

Many nations have been destroyed with punishments that Allah has sent down on them in retribution for their opposition to the messengers and the struggle they waged against those who believed. The messengers warned their people before the punishment and summoned them to follow Allah's path, as the Prophet Nuh (as) warned his people:

[We sent Nuh to his people and he said,] “My people, worship Allah! You have no other god than Him. I fear for you the punishment of a dreadful Day.” (Surat al-A‘raf, 59)

The Answer That The Prophet Nuh (as) Gave To His People Who Mocked At The Believers

In numerous verses of the Qur'an, Allah makes mention of those who try to ridicule the believers. However, throughout history, Allah has made a mockery of those who dared to heap scorn on the believers. The humiliation of these people will be much worse in the Hereafter. Allah has related in the Qur'an that, believers lodged in Paradise will be mocking these people while they are being exposed to punishment in Hell. (Surat al-Mutaffifin, 34)

When his people jeered at him and the believers, the Prophet Nuh (as) replied to them as follows:

… “Though you ridicule us now, we will certainly ridicule you as you do us. You will soon know who will receive a punishment which disgraces him and find unleashed against himself an everlasting punishment.” (Surah Hud, 38-39)

The Prophet Nuh (as) Asked For Allah's Help When His People Persisted In Disbelief

As we have seen in the quoted verses of the Qur'an so far, the Prophet Nuh (as) warned his people all his lifetime about Allah's punishment. When his people who were lured into error persisted in disbelieving, despite all his efforts, he prayed to Allah as follows:

Nuh said, “My Lord! Do not leave a single one of the disbelievers on Earth! If You leave any they will misguide Your servants and spawn nothing but more dissolute disbelievers.” (Surah Nuh, 26-27)

This is what the believers who follow the example of the messengers should do: communicate the message of the religion by every means—in verbal or written form—, demonstrate the signs of Allah's existence and spread awareness of the closeness of the Day of Judgement, of Paradise and of Hell... Should there be people who still refuse to believe, the believers pray that Allah will requite them justly both in this world and in the Hereafter.

The Prophet Nuh's (as) Son Was Among Those Who Disbelieved

Allah sent down a great calamity on the people of Nuh (as) who well deserved punishment in retribution for their disbelief, mockery and assaults. Thus those who denied the messenger perished, whereas the believers who adhered to the Prophet Nuh (as) boarded the Ark and were saved from punishment. Among those who were destroyed was the Prophet Nuh's (as) son; being the son of a prophet did not save him from punishment.

Today certain people take pride in the piety of their relatives, although they themselves are not devout. One man's father may be a pilgrim or another's grandfather may have been a scholar in religion. Yet, man will be held responsible in the Hereafter only for his own actions and how he has discharged his religious duties. The merits and devoutness of his relatives will not be of any help to him. This is related in the Qur'an as follows:

Allah has set an example for those who disbelieve in the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut. They were married to two of Our servants who were righteous, but they betrayed them and were not helped at all [by their husbands] against Allah. They were told, “Enter the Fire along with all who enter it.” (Surat at-Tahrim, 10)

The Prophet Nuh (as) warned his son until the last moment against being one of the disbelievers, but his warnings were of no avail.

It [the Ark] sailed with them through mountainous waves, and Nuh called out to his son, who had kept himself apart, “My son! Come on board with us. Do not stay with the disbelievers!” He said, “I will take refuge on a mountain; it will protect me from the flood.” He said, “There is no protector from Allah’s command today but He Who has mercy.” The waves surged in between them and he was among the drowned. (Surah Hud, 42-43)

The Prophet Nuh (as) Prayed For Those Who Believed

The Prophet Nuh (as) also prayed for forgiveness of the believers' sins:

[Nuh said,] “My Lord! Forgive me and my parents and all who enter my house as believers, and all the men and women of the believers, and hasten the destruction of the wrongdoers!” (Surah Nuh, 28)

This prayer of the prophet is another example that all believers should follow. Those who believe in Allah are each other’s sole friends and helpers. Therefore, it is a sign of their faith to pray for one another’s well-being in the Hereafter.

The Prophet Hud (As)

Allah sent the Prophet Hud (as) to the 'Ad people as a Messenger. He, too, first made clear to his people that he was a reliable messenger of Allah and that he did not expect anything in return for his services, and then called upon his people to fear Allah.

The Prophet Hud (as) was also verbally assaulted and aspersions were cast on him, like the messengers preceding him. For instance, his people claimed that he was a “fool”. The way he responded to this ugly accusation was very mature and compassionate, an indication of his moral excellence:

He [Hud] said, “My people, I am by no means a fool, but rather am a Messenger from the Lord of all the worlds, transmitting my Lord’s Message to you, and I am a faithful counsellor to you.” (Surat al-A‘raf, 67-68)

The Prophet Hud (as) Stated That He Did Not Ask For Any Wage In Return For Spreading The Message

[Hud said,] “My people! I do not ask you for any wage for it. My wage is the responsibility of Him Who brought me into being. So will you not use your intellect?” (Surah Hud, 51)

[Hud said,] “I do not ask you for any wage for it. My wage is the responsibility of no one but the Lord of all the worlds.” (Surat ash-Shu‘ara’, 127)

As we have seen in the lives of the messengers narrated so far, it is an important characteristic of the believers to communicate to people the message of religion throughout their lives and not to expect any return for it. Regardless of the age he lives in and regardless of the people among whom he lives, a believer is responsible for calling upon others to accept the moral standards of which Allah approves and for reminding them of the approaching Day of Judgement. Therefore, he does not expect any rewards from people, but tries to do his duty to the fullest extent and to earn Allah's approval.

While Calling His People To Worship Allah, He Warned Them Of A Terrible Punishment Like other messengers, the Prophet Hud (as) told his people to worship Allah alone and said that he feared they would incur punishment if they failed to do this:

Remember the brother of ‘Ad when he warned his people in the Valley of the Sand Dunes—and warners passed away before and after him—saying, “Worship no one but Allah. I fear for you the punishment of a terrible Day.” (Surat al-Ahqaf, 21)

He also reminded them that the things they valued in the life of this world were of an ephemeral nature. His words are recorded as follows:

[Hud said to his people,] “Do you build a tower on every hilltop, just to amuse yourselves, and construct great fortresses, hoping to live for ever?” (Surat ash-Shu‘ara’, 128-129)

Then he told them to fear Allah, to obey His commands and not to tyrannise other people. He also warned them that they might be punished if they did so:

[Hud said,] “When you exercise your powers, you act like cruel tyrants. So fear Allah and obey me. Fear Him Who has given you all the things you know. He has given you livestock and children, and gardens and clear springs. I fear for you the punishment of a terrible Day.” (Surat ash-Shu‘ara’, 130-135)

The Prophet Hud Reminded His People Of Allah's Blessings

Allah's blessings on people are too numerous to be counted, as stated in the 18th verse of the Surat an-Nahl. However, many people forget that it is Allah Who gave them these blessings and that they should be grateful to Him for all of them. They do not think that Allah is well able to take them back if He wills. This is why the messengers told their people to turn to Allah and reminded them that everything they had was a blessing of Allah, for which they should give thanks to Him. Likewise, the Prophet Nuh (as) reminded his people of the blessings Allah had given them and told them to fear Him:

[Hud said to his people,] “Or are you astonished that an ad- monition should come to you from your Lord through a mortal like yourselves in order to warn you? Remember when He appointed you successors to the people of Nuh, and endowed you with greater power than He has given to other men. Remember Allah’s blessings, so that hopefully you will be successful.” (Surat al-A‘raf, 69)

The Prophet Hud (as) also called his people to ask forgiveness from Allah. He said that Allah would increase His blessings if they repented and took refuge in Him:

[Hud said,] “My people! Ask forgiveness of your Lord and then turn to Him in repentance, He will send down to you abundant rain from the sky and He will add strength to your strength. Do not turn away as evil-doers.” (Surah Hud, 52)

The Prophet Hud (as) Warned His People Against Being Ignorant

The concept of “ignorant” as defined in the Qur’an comes to mean those who do not know religion and are remote from it. In other words, even one who may have had further education is ignorant according to the Qur'an unless he acknowledges Allah, knows His book and lives by it. One who does not reflect on who he is and on why he has been created, who does not acknowledge his Creator and therefore does not perform as Allah demands is one of the ignorant, even if he possesses great knowledge. When ignorant people are questioned, they usually say that they act in accordance with religion. However, the religion that they refer to is in fact nothing but the religion of ignorance that they inherited from their forefathers or learnt from those around them. The truth is that this religion has nothing to do with Allah's book.

As Allah relates in the stories of messengers in the Qur'an, messengers have communicated the true religion to such people throughout history. However, because of their ignorance, most of these people grew arrogant, although they may have recognised the truth as a matter of conscience. Despite all the warnings, all but a very few of them held on to their false religion.

The people of the Prophet Hud (as) also refused to abandon the state of ignorance that they had been used to and to obey the messenger. Therefore, the Prophet Hud (as) told his people that they were in a state of ignorance:

He [Hud] said, “Allah alone knows when it [His scourge] will come. I only convey to you the message I have been sent with. But I can see that you are a people who are ignorant.” (Surat al-Ahqaf, 23)

The Prophet Hud (as) Told Those Of His People Who Disbelieved That He Was Not Afraid Of Them And That He Put His Trust In Allah

Despite all his urging, the Prophet Hud’s (as) people opposed him and refused to follow the path that he encouraged them to follow. Just as all unbelievers have done throughout history, they said that they wanted to see miracles and that they would not believe otherwise:

They said, “Hud, you have not brought us any clear sign [miracle]. We will not forsake our gods at your behest. We do not believe you.” (Surah Hud, 53)

The Prophet Hud (as) stated that he was free from what they ascribed as partners to Allah and that he was not afraid of their plots:

... He [Hud] said, “I call on Allah to be my witness, and you also bear witness, that I am free of all the gods you have apart from Him. So scheme against me, if you will, and then grant me no respite.” (Surah Hud, 54-55)

The Prophet Hud (as) was a prophet of Allah and was well aware that Allah had created all things and that He would protect His sincere servants. Being certain of the ultimate failure of the aspersions and plots against him, he expressed his trust in Allah as follows:

“I have put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord. There is no living creature on Earth whose destiny He does not control. My Lord is on a Straight Path.” (Surah Hud, 56)

The Prophet Salih (As)

Allah sent the Prophet Salih (as) to the Thamud as a Messenger. It is narrated in the Qur'an that he told his people to worship Allah alone:

To the Thamud We sent their brother Salih telling them to worship Allah, and straightaway they divided themselves into two discordant factions. (Surat an-Naml, 45)

Like all messengers, the Prophet Salih (as) made clear to his people that he was a faithful messenger and called them to fear Allah:

The Thamud denied the messengers, when their brother Salih said to them, “Will you not guard against evil? I am a faithful Messenger to you so fear Allah and obey me.” (Surat ash-Shu‘ara’, 141-144)

While calling his people to Allah's religion, the Prophet Salih (as) also said that he did not ask for any recompense from them in return.

The Prophet Salih (as) Told His People Allah's Greatness, And Called Them To Ask For Forgiveness

While communicating the message of religion to their people, the messengers of Allah pointed to the signs of Allah's existence and reminded people of the flawless balance and systems in the universe and the outstanding features in the living beings that Allah created. In like manner, the Prophet Salih (as) was one of the messengers who encouraged his people to remember Allah by telling them about the signs of Creation. With a view to enabling them to comprehend Allah's infinite knowledge, wisdom and greatness, he reminded his people of man's creation:

To the Thamud We sent their brother Salih. He said, “My people, worship Allah! You have no god apart from Him. He brought you into being from the earth and made you its inhabitants. So ask His forgiveness and then turn to Him in repentance. My Lord is Close and Quick to Respond.” (Surah Hud, 61)

The Prophet Salih Called His People To Obey Him As The Messenger Of Allah

The Prophet Salih (as) instructed his people to fear Allah, Who is the real owner of their possessions, not to make mischief in the land and to obey him. He warned them that Allah would not let them live in security unless they followed him:

“Are you going to be left secure amid what is here, amid gardens and clear springs, and cultivated fields and palm trees laden with fine fruit? Will you continue hewing houses from the mountains and leading a wanton life? Fear Allah and obey me. Do not do the bidding of the profligate, those who corrupt the Earth and do not put things right.” (Surat ash-Shu‘ara’, 146-152)

Allah charged His messengers with calling people to accept the true religion and set things right in the land. The above warnings of the Prophet Salih (as) serve the purpose of performing this duty.

The Prophet Salih (as) Told His People To Remember Allah’s Blessings And Not To Corrupt The Earth

And to the Thamud We sent their brother Salih, who said, “My people, worship Allah! You have no other god than Him. A Clear Sign has come to you from your Lord. This is the She-Camel of Allah as a Sign for you. Leave her alone to eat on Allah’s earth and do not harm her in any way or a painful punishment will afflict you. Remember when He appointed you successors to the ‘Ad and settled you in the land. You built palaces on its plains and carved out houses from the mountains. Remember Allah’s blessings and do not go about the Earth, corrupting it.” (Surat al-A’raf, 73-74)

The Prophet Salih (as) Reminded His People Of The Desperate Outcome Of Disobedience To Allah

However, the Thamud did not obey the Prophet Salih (as) and opposed him, saying, “Salih, we had great hopes in you before this happened. Do you forbid us to worship what our fathers worshipped? We have grave doubts about the faith that you are urging us to accept.” (Surah Hud, 62) In reply, the Prophet Salih (as) said to his people that there was no being to help him if he disobeyed Allah:

He [Salih] said, “My people! What do you think? If I were to possess a Clear Sign from my Lord and He bestowed on me His grace: Who would help me against Allah if I disobeyed Him? You would surely aggravate my ruin.” (Surah Hud, 63)

There is certainly no power to protect those who refuse to obey Allah, and as is made clear in the above words of the Prophet Salih (as), one who follows the disobedient will himself find that it is to his detriment.

The Prophet Salih (as) Advised His People To Take Heed Of Allah’s Punishment

Since the true religion brought by the messengers conflicted with the interests of the unbelievers, the latter declined to believe in the messengers. They were seriously discomfited by being reminded of Allah and the Hereafter. This has been a common trait of almost all disbelieving nations throughout history. The same applied to the Thamud who had no fear of Allah. They turned away from all warnings of the Prophet Salih (as), who then addressed to them as follows:

He [Salih] turned away from them, saying, “My people, I conveyed my Lord’s message to you and gave you good counsel. However, you had no love for good counsellors!” (Surat al-A’raf, 79)

Although the Prophet Salih (as) struggled hard to lead his people to the path of truth, they persisted in their disbelief. Allah tried them by sending them a she-camel, commanding them not to approach her to cause her any harm. He warned them that they would be punished if they did not follow this command. Disobeying the command of Allah, they hamstrung the camel and were destroyed by a severe punishment like all the other nations who refused to obey Allah. Some of the relevant verses of the Qur’an are as follows:

Then when Our judgement came to pass, We rescued Salih and those who believed along with him through Our special mercy from the disgrace of that day. Mighty is your Lord and All-Powerful. The Great Blast seized hold of those who did wrong and morning found them lying flattened in their homes. It was as if they had never lived and prospered there at all. Yes indeed! The Thamud rejected their Lord. Gone are the people Thamud! (Surah Hud, 66- 68)

Just as the Prophet Salih (as) did, the messengers of Allah communicated to their people the message of religion, letting them know that the world is a place of trial and that only those who act on the commands of Allah will be saved from punishment. They made it clear that Allah would certainly send down a punishment to them if they persisted in disbelieving.

Yet these serious endeavours of the messengers yielded positive results only in a minor group, while the majority of people turned a deaf ear to their advice. As a result of their persistent disbelief, however, they themselves were the ones to suffer great loss as they received their punishment. Their punishment in the Hereafter will be even much more severe.

The Prophet Ibrahim (As)

Who could have a noble religion than someone who submits himself completely to Allah, does what is right, and follows the religion of the Saintly Ibrahim whom Allah took to be His intimate friend? (Surat an-Nisa’, 125)

The Prophet Ibrahim (as) was a messenger whom Allah “took as an intimate friend”. In numerous verses of the Qur’an, Allah praises the high moral qualities of the Prophet Ibrahim (as). He, whose decent character has been an example to all believers, was a tenderhearted, forbearing, brave and true person who sincerely turned to Allah. Allah thus describes his character in a verse as follows:

Ibrahim a paragon of piety, an upright man, obedient to Allah. He was no idolater. He rendered thanks for His blessings, so that Allah chose him and guided him to a straight path. We blessed him in this world and in the Hereafter he shall dwell among the righteous. (Surat an- Nahl, 120-122)

The Prophet Ibrahim (as), whose moral excellence is praised in the Qur’an, was sent to a people who worshipped idols that they themselves had made and were obstinate and persistent in worshipping them. He was charged with calling his people to worship Allah alone, but they declined to accept the true religion, as they believed that it conflicted with their worldly interests, and plotted against the Prophet Ibrahim (as) to kill him. Allah, however, thwarted the plot they devised and saved him from the wrongdoing of his people:

They [his people] said, “Burn him [Ibrahim] and avenge your gods if you must punish him.” We said, “Fire, be coolness and peace for Ibrahim!” They desired to trap him, but We made them the losers. We delivered both him and Lut to the land which We had blessed for all beings. And in addition to that We gave him Ishaq and then Ya’qub [for a grandson] and made both of them righteous. We made them leaders, guiding by Our command, and revealed to them how to do good and perform prayer and give alms, and they worshipped none but Us. (Surat al-Anbiya’, 68-73)

As is seen in the story of the Prophet Ibrahim (as), as a reward for his sincerity, Allah put an end to the cruelty of his people towards him. Then He inflicted a punishment on those who desired to hatch plots against him and laid them low. He settled the Prophet Ibrahim (as) and the believers who followed him in a better place than before and showed them His mercy by granting various blessings in abundance.

The Prophet Ibrahim (as) Turned To Allah With Sincere Reflection And Advised His People That He Was Not An Idolater Although he lived among a people who worshipped idols, by the workings of his own conscience, the Prophet Ibrahim (as) comprehended that Allah was the one and only god. He believed in and turned to Allah alone. In the following verses of the Qur’an, how he became a certain believer in Allah is set forth:

Because of that We showed Ibrahim the dominions of the heavens and the Earth so that he might become a firm believer. When night drew its shadow over he saw a star and said, “This is surely my Lord!” But then, when it faded in the morning light, he said, “I will not worship gods that fade.” Then when he saw the moon come up, he said, “This is my Lord!” But then when it set, he said, “If my Lord does not guide me, I shall surely go astray.” Then when he saw the sun come up, he said, “This must be my Lord! It is greater than the other two!” But then, when it set he said, “My people, I am done with your idols!” (Surat al-An’am, 75-78)

Certainly there is an important lesson for the believers to learn from the story of the Prophet Ibrahim (as): One can easily grasp the existence of Allah. Everywhere one looks, one can readily see the innumerable signs of creation. Even if he does not have any knowledge or has not been given any advice, one who is governed by his conscience can clearly conclude that there is a Creator of the universe just by giving the matter his earnest consideration even if it is only for a few minutes. He can grasp the power and greatness of Allah and the fact that He rules over everything. This is how the Prophet Ibrahim (as), who had probably not been communicated with earlier, grasped the existence and sublimity of Allah through sincere and conscientious reflection. He told his people that he separated himself from the false gods they worshipped:

“I have turned my face to Him, Who brought the heavens and Earth into being, and will live a righteous life. I am no idolater.” (Surat al-An’am, 79)

The Prophet Ibrahim (as) Summoned His People To Worship Allah

As will also be seen in the following pages, the messengers try by every means to guide their people to the path of Allah. Messengers who communicate the message of the religion to their people, explain the same topic with different examples to urge people to ponder, give a detailed account of the morals of which Allah approves, forbid them wrong actions, communicating the wickedness of these actions and the loss that they will suffer on account of them. In short, they try to show them the truth and appeal to their conscience in various ways.

Likewise, the Prophet Ibrahim (as), first summoned his people to the path of truth and instructed them to abandon their idols and to turn to Allah. In many verses of the Qur’an, his communication of the message of religion to his father and to his people is related. The Prophet Ibrahim (as) summoned his people, who worshipped idols, to worship Allah alone and to fear Him:

Ibrahim said to his people: “Worship Allah and fear Him. That would be best for you if you but knew it. Instead of Allah you worship only idols. You are inventing a lie. Those you worship besides Allah have no power to provide for you. So seek the beauty of Allah and worship Him. Give thanks to Him for it is to Him you shall be returned.” (Surat al-’Ankabut, 16-17)

As seen in the above verses, the Prophet Ibrahim (as) explained to his disbelieving people the supreme power of Allah with a number of examples. He made comparisons to make this truth clear to them, reminded them of the fact that it was Allah Who gave them all the things they possessed and warned them of their meeting with Him. As well as his people, he also warned his relatives, and told his father, Azar, that he was mistaken:

Remember when Ibrahim said to his father, Azar, “Do you take idols as gods? I see that you and your people are clearly misguided.” (Surat al-An’am, 74)

The Prophet Ibrahim (as) Warned His People Against Obeying Satan

Man’s worst enemy is Satan. When Allah created the Prophet Adam (as) as the first man, He commanded Satan to prostrate himself before him, yet Satan became arrogant and disobeyed Allah’s command. On account of this, Allah cursed him and expelled him from Paradise. After being driven out, Satan asked to be reprieved till the Day of Judgement. His aim was to hinder mankind, whom he considered to be the cause of his expulsion from Paradise, from treading the path of which Allah approved and thus to guide them to Hell.

Consequently, Satan has tried to approach every person since the Prophet Adam (as) and to deflect them from the true path by hatching various plots. It is only over those who have unshakeable faith in Allah and who put their trust in Him, that he does not hold any sway. However, as Allah has stated in the Qur’an, such people form only a minor group. For this reason, the Prophet Ibrahim (as) warned his father and his people, who were remote from the path of Allah, against following Satan and told them to obey him, saying:

“Father, knowledge which never reached you has come to me, so follow me and I will guide you to the right path. Father, do not worship Satan. Satan was disobedient to the All-Merciful. Father, I am afraid that a punishment from the All-Merciful will afflict you, and turn you into a comrade of Satan.” (Surah Maryam, 43-45)

The Prophet Ibrahim (as) Advised His People Not To Take
Each Other As Gods And Not To Associate Any Partners With Allah

Characteristically, idolaters attach more importance to other beings than Allah, and they fear them more than they fear Allah. One would be mistaken in limiting the beings valued by these people merely to the statues they carved out of wood or stone. Loving and valuing another person more than Allah, preferring that person’s contentment over the approval of Allah or fearing that person more than Allah is also idolatrous. There were also those who loved and prized some other beings more than Allah among the people of the Prophet Ibrahim (as). On the Day of Rising, however, such people will understand that there is no power other than Allah and will see that the beings they valued higher than Him are merely weak servants before His might and do not actually deserve to be valued at all. For this reason, the Prophet Ibrahim (as) instructed his people not to adhere to any gods other than Allah, and warned them that they would curse these gods on the Day of Rising and would be thrown into Hell if they did not obey this command:

He [Ibrahim] said, “You have adopted idols instead of Allah but your love of them will last only in this life. But then on the Day of Rising, you will reject and curse one another. The Fire will be your shelter. You will have no helpers.” (Surat al-’Ankabut, 25)

The Prophet Ibrahim (as) Communicated To People The Greatness And Might Of Allah

The Prophet Ibrahim (as) gave various examples to his people in order to enable them to grasp the existence and greatness of Allah. When one who boasted of his wealth, forgetting that it was Allah Who granted him all his possessions, disputed with the Prophet Ibrahim (as) about Allah, he gave him a reply which emphasised both this person’s weakness and the power of Allah as follows:

“My Lord is He Who has power to give life and to cause death.” The other said, “I too have the power to give life and to cause death.” Ibrahim said, “Allah makes the sun come from the East. Make it come from the West.” And the disbeliever was dumbfounded. Allah does not guide the wrongdoers. (Surat al-Baqara, 258)

As is pointed out in the verse, the disbeliever had nothing to say in reply to this wise and sound explanation offered by the Prophet Ibrahim (as). It is appropriate for believers to follow the Prophet Ibrahim’s (as) example, to emphasise the greatness and infinite might of Allah, and to explain the faulty reasoning of the disbelievers to them while communicating the message of the religion.

The Prophet Ibrahim (as) Stated That The Only Power To Trust Is That Of Allah

The Prophet Ibrahim’s sincere advocacy of the truth, his people, who persisted in worshipping their idols, disputed with him, desiring to deflect him from the right path and to hinder his preaching. Thereupon, the Prophet Ibrahim (as) told his people that he feared only Allah and that the real security and salvation could be attained only by being submissive to Allah:

... He [Ibrahim] said, “Are you arguing with me about Allah when He has guided me? I have no fear of any partner you ascribe to Him unless my Lord should will such a thing to happen. My Lord encompasses all things in His knowledge, so will you not pay heed? Why should I fear what you have associated with Him when you yourselves apparently have no fear of serving idols not sanctioned by Allah? Which of us is more deserving of salvation? Tell me if you have any knowledge. Those who believe and do not taint their faith with any wrongdoing, shall surely earn salvation for they follow the right path.” (Surat al-An’am, 80-82)

The possessor of everything in the world is Allah. No one can either do good or cause harm to another without Allah’s permission. The powers that one may rely on, hoping for help from them, can be of help only if Allah permits. For real salvation and safety, however, what one should do is to submit oneself to Allah. Allah has informed us in the Qur’an that He will protect His servants who turn to Him. Therefore, as the Prophet Ibrahim (as) did, all believers should know that those who believe in Allah will be safe and should inform others of this.

In Response To His Father’s Hostile Manner, The Prophet Ibrahim (as) Answered In The Best Way

Despite all the methods of communication he employed, his father opposed the Prophet Ibrahim (as) and became hostile towards him saying:

... “Do you dare renounce my gods, Ibrahim? Desist from this folly or, I will stone you. Begone from my house this instant!” (Surah Maryam, 46)

But the Prophet Ibrahim (as), who did not lose his temper under any circumstance, responded to his father’s threatening attitude in a very respectful and wise way:

... “Peace be upon you. I will implore my Lord to forgive you. He has always honoured me. I will separate myself from you and all you call upon besides Allah. I will call upon my Lord and it may well be that, in calling on my Lord, I will not be disappointed.” (Surah Maryam, 47-48)

The Prophet Ibrahim (as) Declared To His People That The Idols They Worshipped Could Not Be Real Gods

The Prophet Ibrahim (as) asked his people a number of ques- tions about their idols in order to lead them to reflect that the idols they worshipped could not have any independent power and that the only god was Allah. This method of communication is influential in terms of making the unbelievers themselves witnesses to the unfounded nature of their system. In this way, the Prophet Ibrahim (as) made them verbally acknowledge the falseness of their own system. A part of the dialogue between the Prophet Ibrahim (as) and his people is as follows:

When he [Ibrahim] said to his father and his people, “What do you worship?” They said, “We worship idols and we remain constantly in attendance on them.” He said, “Do they hear you when you call or do they help you or do you harm?” They said, “No, but this is what we found our fathers doing.” He said, “Have you really thought about what you worship, you and your forefathers?” (Surat ash-Shu’ara’, 70-76)

Allah informs us in the Qur’an that everybody is aware of the mistakes he makes. That is, every self, even if he wants to avoid thinking by making up excuses, in fact “testifies” against himself, inwardly knowing what is right and wrong. If he conscientiously considers, one who worships and hopes for help from beings other than Allah will readily comprehend that in reality his idols cannot benefit him. He will realise that the beings he associates as partners with Allah cannot hear his prayers and do not have the power to harm or benefit him. But he may not want to reflect on these facts for certain sentimental reasons. However, this still remains an evident fact.

By the questions he posed to his people, the Prophet Ibrahim (as) tried to make them reflect on what they worshipped and see how misguided they were.

Again while advising his people to abandon the idols they worshipped, the Prophet Ibrahim (as) reminded them that these idols were merely some “figurative statues” that they themselves had made and did not have any independent power. How the Prophet Ibrahim (as) instructed his people to abandon the false gods they worshipped and to turn to their real God is related as follows:

When he [Ibrahim] said to his father and his people, “What are these statues you are clinging to?” they said, “We found our fathers worshipping them.” He said, “You and your fathers are clearly misguided.” They said, “Have you brought us the truth or is this but a fest?” He said, “Far from it! Your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the Earth, He Who brought them into being. I am one of those who bear witness to that.” (Surat al-Anbiya’, 52- 56)

He [Ibrahim] said, “Do you worship something you have carved with your own hands, when Allah created both you and all that you have made?” (Surat as-Saffat, 95-96)

The Prophet Ibrahim (as) Declared That Everything Is Under Allah’s Control And That Everything Takes Place By Allah’s Will

As seen in the above verses, like many other disbelieving nations, the people of the Prophet Ibrahim (as) used to worship idols, not because they thought it was right and proper, but merely because that was what they found their fathers doing. In other words, this false system was an evil heritage to them bequeathed by their forerunners. The Prophet Ibrahim (as) explained to them in detail that the system which they had been following was erroneous and detrimental to them. He informed them that their idols had no power at all and that everything was under Allah’s complete control. The above quoted speech of the Prophet Ibrahim (as) continues as follows:

“They [the idols that you worship] are all my enemies—except for the Lord of all the worlds, Who created me and guides me; Who gives me food and drink; and when I am ill, Who heals me; Who will cause my death, then give me life; Who, I sincerely hope, will forgive my mistakes on the Day of Reckoning.” (Surat ash-Shu’ara’, 77-82)

By Means Of Wise Methods, The Prophet Ibrahim (as) Aroused People’s Conscience

When his people, despite all his calls, persisted in worshipping their idols, the Prophet Ibrahim (as) tried new methods to urge them to reflect and thus to arouse their conscience. He waited until his people had departed from their idols and then broke them into pieces, except for the biggest one, in order to reveal to his people how imprudent they actually were. When his people asked him “Did you do this to our gods, Ibrahim?” (Surat al-Anbiya’, 62), he answered:

“No, this one, the biggest of them, did it. Ask them if they are able to speak!” (Surat al-Anbiya’, 63)

This strategy of the Prophet Ibrahim (as) caused his people to appeal to their consciences and then they realised that they had been seriously mistaken. However, since the truth conflicted with their personal interests, traditions and their established order, they denied the truth, although they had approved of it as a matter of conscience. The relevant verses of the Qur’an read:

Then they turned to themselves and said, “It is you yourselves who are wrongdoers.” But then they relapsed back into their disbelief: “You know full well these idols cannot talk.” He [Ibrahim] said, “Do you then worship, instead of Allah, what cannot help or harm you in any way? Shame on you and what you worship besides Allah! Will you not use your intellect?” They cried, “Burn him and avenge your gods, if you must punish him.” We said, “Fire, be coolness and peace for Ibrahim!” They desired to trap him, but We made them the losers. (Surat al-Anbiya’, 64-70)

The Prophet Ibrahim (as) Set An Example For The Believers By Putting His Trust In Allah And Being Submissive To Him, Even Under The Most Difficult Conditions

The struggle that the Prophet Ibrahim (as) bravely and prudently carried out alone against his people set an example for the believers. At such a difficult time, when he was threatened by his people with being thrown into a fire and when plots had been hatched against him, he, whose trust in and submissiveness to Allah had never been undermined, replied to his people: ... “I am going towards my Lord; He will be my guide.” (Surat as-Saffat, 99)

These words of the Prophet Ibrahim (as) remind all believers of an important fact: that it was Allah Who created all human beings, and that every single one of them will return to Allah at a time that He has predetermined. By saying “I am going towards my Lord”, the Prophet Ibrahim (as) reminded his people that death is one’s return to Allah. Therefore, what Muslims should do is express their unswerving trust in Allah on every occasion and summon others to do the same.

Allah Has Shown The Prophet Ibrahim (as) And His Companions As AModel For Believers

The moral excellence of the Prophet Ibrahim (as) set an example both to his own people and to succeeding nations. Allah informs us that there is a good example for the believers in him, “who submitted to his Lord with an unblemished heart”, and those with him:

You have an excellent example in Ibrahim and those with him, when they said to their people, “We wash our hands of you and all that you worship apart from Allah, and we reject you. Between us and you there will be enmity and hatred for ever unless and until you believe in Allah alone.” But do not emulate Ibrahim’s words to his father: “I will ask forgiveness for you but I have no power to help you in any way against Allah.” “Our Lord, we have put our trust in You and have repented to You. You are our final destination.” (Surat al-Mumtahana, 4)

Verses Of The Qur’an Relating To The Superiority And High Morality Of The Prophet Ibrahim (as)

Who could have a noble religion than someone who sub- mits himself completely to Allah, does what is right, and follows the religion of the saintly Ibrahim, whom Allah took to be His intimate friend? (Surat an-Nisa’, 125)

... Ibrahim was tender-hearted and forbearing. (Surat at- Tawba, 114)

Ibrahim was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but a man of pure natural belief—a Muslim. He was not one of the idolaters. (Surah Al ‘Imran, 67)

Ibrahim was a community in himself, exemplary, obedient to Allah, a man of pure natural belief. He was not one of the idolaters. He was thankful for His blessings. Allah chose him and guided him to a straight path. We gave him good in this world and in the Hereafter he will be one of the righteous. (Surat an-Nahl, 120-122)

One of his [Nuh’s] followers in faith was Ibrahim when he came to his Lord with an unblemished heart. (Surat as- Saffat, 83-84)

You shall also recount in the Book the story of Ibrahim. He was a saintly man and a prophet. (Surah Maryam, 41)

Ibrahim was forbearing, compassionate and penitent. (Surah Hud, 75)

... We bestowed on him the praise of later generations. Peace be upon Ibrahim. That is how We recompense the righteous. He truly was one of Our believing servants. (Surat as-Saffat , 108-111)

Who would deliberately renounce the religion of Ibrahim except someone who reveals himself to be a fool? We chose him in this world and in the Hereafter he shall abide among the righteous. When his Lord said to him, “Surrender!” he said, “I have surrendered to the Lord of all the worlds.” (Surat al-Baqara, 130-131)

We gave Ibrahim his right guidance early on, and We had complete knowledge of him. (Surat al-Anbiya’, 51)