Prophets and Messengers in Islam

Quick Answer

Prophets (anbiya) and messengers (rusul) are the human beings Allah chose to receive His revelation and guide people to worship Him alone. Belief in them is part of the Islamic creed. The Quran names 25 of them, from Adam (AS) to Muhammad (SAW), and says there were others it does not name (Quran 4:164).

Every messenger is a prophet, but not every prophet is a messenger. Only Allah knows the total number. A narration that gives 124,000 prophets and 313 or 315 messengers is widely repeated, but several hadith scholars grade its chains weak, so Muslims are not required to hold those figures.

Status: Agreed: The Quran names 25 prophets and messengers. Majority view: every messenger is a prophet, not every prophet a messenger. Differs: how scholars treat the 124,000 narration.

Prophets in Islam

A prophet (nabi, plural anbiya) is a human being whom Allah chose to receive revelation and to guide others. Prophethood is Allah’s choice. A person cannot earn it or claim it. The Quran says that Allah chose Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham and the family of ‘Imran over the worlds (Quran 3:33).

The Quran describes the prophets as men. Allah says, “We sent not before you except men to whom We revealed” (Quran 16:43; 21:7). They ate food and walked in the markets (Quran 25:20) and had wives and children (Quran 13:38). Their own words were, “We are only men like you, but Allah confers favor upon whom He wills of His servants” (Quran 14:11). What set them apart was revelation, not a different nature.

Allah sent the prophets to guide people when they disagreed about the truth:

Allah Almighty says in the Quran;

The Quran says that every nation had a warner (Quran 35:24), and that every messenger was told to call people to the same thing: there is no deity except Allah (Quran 21:25). That shared message is the subject of our article on Tawheed.

Belief in the messengers is one of the articles of faith. In the hadith of Jibril, the Prophet (SAW) answered that faith is to believe in Allah, His angels, the meeting with Him, His messengers and the Resurrection (Sahih al-Bukhari 50). The Quran lists the same belief in Quran 2:285 and Quran 4:136. Our article on the angels in Islam covers another of these articles.

Messengers in Islam

A messenger (rasul, plural rusul) is a prophet whom Allah sent with a message to a particular people and commanded to deliver it. The Quran uses both words, sometimes in the same verse: “We did not send before you any messenger or prophet” (Quran 22:52).

The Quran describes the task of the messengers like this:

Four messengers are connected with the scriptures the Quran names: Dawud (AS) was given the Zabur, Musa (AS) the Tawrat, Isa (AS) the Injil, and Muhammad (SAW) the Quran (Quran 3:3; 3:48; 4:163). Our article on the four holy books in Islam explains each one.

Muhammad (SAW) was both a prophet and a messenger. The Quran calls him “the Messenger of Allah and last of the prophets” (Quran 33:40).

Difference Between Prophet and Messenger

Most Sunni scholars hold that every messenger is a prophet, but not every prophet is a messenger. A few say the two words mean the same thing, and this is not the stronger view. Scholars explain the difference in several ways, and the explanations overlap:

Explanation	What it says
By the task	A messenger is commanded to convey the message to a people. A prophet receives revelation, and may or may not be commanded to convey it to others.
By the law	A messenger brings a new law (sharia). A prophet follows and upholds the law of an earlier messenger.
By scripture	A messenger is given a book. A prophet may or may not be.
By the audience	A messenger is sent to people who oppose him. A prophet is sent to believers to apply the law of an earlier messenger.
By how revelation comes	The angel comes openly to a messenger. A prophet may receive revelation in a dream, or be told by a messenger that he is a prophet.

The Quran uses both words for some figures. It says of Ismail (AS), “he was a messenger and a prophet” (Quran 19:54). Messengers also differ in rank, and the Quran says Allah raised some above others (Quran 2:253).

Status: Majority view (the relationship). Differs by scholar (the exact definition).

How many prophets and messengers are there in Islam?

Only Allah knows the exact number. The Quran says He sent messengers whose stories He has told and messengers whose stories He has not told (Quran 4:164; 40:78), and that every nation had a warner (Quran 35:24).

The usual count of prophets and messengers named in the Quran is 25. Eighteen are listed together in Quran 6:83 to 86: Ibrahim, Ishaq, Yaqub, Nuh, Dawud, Sulayman, Ayyub, Yusuf, Musa, Harun, Zakariya, Yahya, Isa, Ilyas, Ismail, Al-Yasa, Yunus and Lut. The other seven are named elsewhere: Adam, Idris, Hud, Salih, Shuayb, Dhul-Kifl and Muhammad (SAW). The list below gives all 25 in order.

What about 124,000 prophets and 313 or 315 messengers?

Many Muslims have heard that Allah sent 124,000 prophets, and that 313 or 315 of them were messengers. These figures come from narrations attributed to Abu Dharr and Abu Umamah (RA). They are not in Sahih al-Bukhari or Sahih Muslim. Scholars of hadith have judged them as follows:

• Abu Dharr’s narration (313 messengers), recorded by Ibn Hibban: Shu’ayb al-Arna’ut, who edited Ibn Hibban’s collection, called it very weak (da’if jiddan). Ibn al-Jawzi counted it among fabricated reports. Ibn Hibban himself had included it in his Sahih.
• Abu Umamah’s narration (315 messengers): Ibn Kathir said its narrators are weak.
• Other figures (8,000 prophets from Anas; “a thousand or more” from Abu Said and Jabir): graded weak as well.

Scholars and fatwa bodies handle the numbers in different ways:

Source	Verified position	Original Source / Reference
Standing Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta, Saudi Arabia	The exact number of prophets and messengers is known only to Allah. The fatwa cites Quran 40:78.	Read Fatwa No. 5611, Question 10
Darul Ifta, Darul Uloom Deoband (Hanafi)	Reports 124,000 prophets and 313 messengers, attributing the narration to al-Qurtubi from Abu Dharr, without discussing its authenticity grading.	Read Fatwa No. 4787
Office of the Mufti of the Federal Territories, Malaysia	Describes the issue as one of scholarly disagreement. Muslims must believe specifically in prophets established by the Quran and authentic hadith, and generally in others.	Read Al-Kafi #1348

A safe way to say it is that Allah sent prophets to every nation, and only He knows how many.

Status: Differs by scholar. Narration grade: weak according to the scholars named above; sahih according to Ibn Hibban’s inclusion of it.

What Muslims believe about the prophets

• They believe in all the messengers without distinction. The Quran describes the believers as saying, “We make no distinction between any of His messengers” (Quran 2:285).
• The Quran warns against believing in some messengers and rejecting others (Quran 4:150 to 151).
• Believing in all of them does not mean they were equal in rank. Allah raised some messengers above others (Quran 2:253; 17:55).
• Muhammad (SAW) is the last of them (Quran 33:40).

This is educational information. For a question about your own belief, ask a qualified scholar.

25 Prophets and Messengers in the Quran

The table gives the name used in this article, the English name where one is widely used, and example verses where the Quran names or describes each one. The verses are examples, not complete lists. The order below follows the one commonly used in books on the stories of the prophets. It is a traditional arrangement, not a confirmed timeline.

#	Prophet	English name	Quran references
1	Adam (AS)	Adam	2:31-37; 3:33; 20:121-122
2	Idris (AS)	Enoch	19:56-57; 21:85-86
3	Nuh (AS)	Noah	7:59; 29:14; 71:1
4	Hud (AS)	—	7:65; 11:50; 26:124
5	Salih (AS)	—	7:73; 11:61
6	Ibrahim (AS)	Abraham	2:124; 2:127; 19:41; 29:27
7	Lut (AS)	Lot	7:80-84; 27:54-58; 29:26
8	Ismail (AS)	Ishmael	2:127; 19:54-55
9	Ishaq (AS)	Isaac	11:71; 19:49; 37:112
10	Yaqub (AS)	Jacob	11:71; 12:6; 19:49
11	Yusuf (AS)	Joseph	Surah Yusuf (12); 6:84
12	Shuayb (AS)	—	7:85; 11:84; 29:36
13	Ayyub (AS)	Job	21:83-84; 38:41-44
14	Musa (AS)	Moses	7:142; 20:9-14; 28:7-9
15	Harun (AS)	Aaron	7:142; 19:53
16	Dawud (AS)	David	4:163; 21:78-80; 38:17
17	Sulayman (AS)	Solomon	21:81-82; 27:15-19; 38:30
18	Ilyas (AS)	Elijah (Elias)	6:85; 37:123-126
19	Al-Yasa (AS)	Elisha	6:86; 38:48
20	Yunus (AS)	Jonah	10:98; 21:87-88; 37:139-148
21	Dhul-Kifl (AS)	—	21:85-86; 38:48
22	Zakariya (AS)	Zechariah	3:37-41; 19:2-11
23	Yahya (AS)	John the Baptist	3:39; 19:12-15
24	Isa (AS)	Jesus	3:45-49; 4:157-158; 4:171
25	Muhammad (SAW/ﷺ)	Muhammad	3:144; 33:40; 47:2; 48:29

Each section below separates what the Quran says from what comes from later books of history and tafsir.

Hazrat Adam (AS), The First Prophet

Allah created Adam (AS) from clay and taught him the names of things (Quran 2:31). He and his wife lived in Paradise until Satan made them slip, and they were sent down to the earth (Quran 2:35 to 36). Adam received words from his Lord, and Allah accepted his repentance (Quran 2:37). The Quran says Allah chose him and guided him (Quran 20:122). It does not name his wife. Islamic tradition calls her Hawwa (Eve). Our article on Shaitan in Islam covers the refusal of Iblis to prostrate, and the article on Habil and Qabil covers the story of Adam’s two sons.

Scholars generally count Adam as the first prophet. The first messenger sent to the people of the earth was Nuh (AS), according to the hadith of intercession (Sahih al-Bukhari 3340).

Hazrat Idris (AS)

The Quran mentions Idris (AS) in two places. It calls him “a man of truth and a prophet” and says Allah raised him to a high station (Quran 19:56 to 57). It also lists him among the patient and the righteous (Quran 21:85 to 86). In the Prophet’s night journey he met Idris in the fourth heaven (Sahih al-Bukhari 3207). Some later books say Idris was the first person to write with a pen. The Quran does not state this, and it does not describe how he was raised.

Nuh (AS)

Nuh (AS) called his people to worship Allah alone. The Quran says he remained among them “a thousand years minus fifty” (Quran 29:14). Few believed. When the flood came, his wife was counted among the disbelievers (Quran 66:10), and one of his sons refused to board the ship and drowned (Quran 11:42 to 43). Nuh is one of the five resolute messengers described below.

Hud (AS)

Allah sent Hud (AS) to the people of ‘Aad. He told them to worship Allah alone and to fear Him (Quran 7:65; 11:50). They rejected him, and Allah destroyed them with a violent wind that blew against them for seven nights and eight days (Quran 69:6 to 7). Some books state that Hud was the first person to speak Arabic. The Quran does not say this.

Salih (AS)

Salih (AS) was sent to the people of Thamud. He told them that a she-camel was a sign from Allah and warned them not to harm her (Quran 7:73). They hamstrung her and challenged him to bring the punishment (Quran 7:77), and an earthquake seized them (Quran 7:78).

Ibrahim (AS)

The Quran says Allah took Ibrahim (AS) as an intimate friend (Quran 4:125) and calls him “a man of truth and a prophet” (Quran 19:41). Allah tested him with commands and made him a leader for the people (Quran 2:124). He confronted his father and his people about the statues they worshipped (Quran 21:51 to 52). Together with his son Ismail, he raised the foundations of the Kaaba (Quran 2:127). Allah placed prophethood and scripture among his descendants (Quran 29:27), which is why Muslims often call him the father of the prophets. Read more in our articles on the Kaaba and Maqam-e-Ibrahim.

Lut (AS)

Lut (AS) believed in Ibrahim (Quran 29:26) and was sent to his own people. He told them they were committing an immorality that no one before them had done, which the Quran describes as approaching men with desire instead of women (Quran 7:80 to 81; 27:54 to 55). They answered by threatening to expel him and his family (Quran 7:82). Allah saved Lut and his family except his wife (Quran 7:83) and rained a rain of stones on the rest (Quran 7:84). Books of history describe Lut as the nephew of Ibrahim. The Quran does not state the relationship.

Ismail (AS)

The Quran describes Ismail (AS) as true to his promise, “a messenger and a prophet”, who told his people to pray and give zakah (Quran 19:54 to 55). He helped his father Ibrahim raise the foundations of the Kaaba (Quran 2:127). Islamic history identifies him as the ancestor of the Arabs.

The Quran also tells how Ibrahim saw in a dream that he must sacrifice his son. When both father and son submitted, Allah called to Ibrahim, said he had fulfilled the vision, and ransomed the son with a great sacrifice (Quran 37:102 to 107). Ibrahim did not slaughter his son. The passage does not name the son. Scholars have held two views: that it was Ismail, and that it was Ishaq. Many works favor Ismail. The Quran leaves the name open, and the lesson of the passage is the obedience of both father and son.

Status: Differs by scholar (the identity of the son).

Ishaq (AS)

Allah gave Ibrahim the good news of Ishaq (AS) as “a prophet from among the righteous” (Quran 37:112). The Quran says Allah made both Ishaq and his son Yaqub prophets (Quran 19:49), and that Allah gave Ibrahim’s wife the good news of Ishaq and, after Ishaq, of Yaqub (Quran 11:71).

Yaqub (AS)

Yaqub (AS) was the son of Ishaq. The Quran also calls him Israel, and his descendants are the Children of Israel (Quran 3:93). When his sons brought false evidence about Yusuf, he answered, “patience is most fitting” (Quran 12:18).

Yusuf (AS)

Yusuf (AS) was the son of Yaqub, the grandson of Ishaq and the great-grandson of Ibrahim. The Prophet (SAW) described him as “the honorable, the son of the honorable, the son of the honorable, the son of the honorable” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3390). His brothers, jealous of him, agreed to put him into the bottom of a well (Quran 12:8 to 15). Years later he asked to be put in charge of the storehouses of the land, and Allah established him in the land (Quran 12:55 to 56). Surah Yusuf opens by describing what it relates as “the best of stories” (Quran 12:3). In the hadith of the night journey, the Prophet (SAW) said he met Yusuf, who had been given half of beauty (Sahih Muslim 162).

Shuayb (AS)

Allah sent Shuayb (AS) to the people of Madyan (Quran 7:85). He told them to give full measure and weight, not to cheat people of what they were owed, and not to sit on the roads threatening those who believed (Quran 7:85 to 86). They denied him, and the earthquake seized them (Quran 29:36 to 37).

Ayyub (AS)

Ayyub (AS) called to his Lord when hardship touched him: “Indeed, adversity has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful” (Quran 21:83). Allah answered him, removed what afflicted him, and gave him back his family and the like of them (Quran 21:84). The Quran calls him “patient, an excellent servant” (Quran 38:44). Later books describe the loss of his wealth, children and health in detail. The Quran itself does not. Read more in our article on patience in Islam.

Musa (AS) and Harun (AS)

Musa (AS) is the prophet named most often in the Quran. When Pharaoh was killing the sons of the Israelites, Allah inspired Musa’s mother to place him in the river, promising to return him to her (Quran 28:7). Pharaoh’s household took him in, and Pharaoh’s wife said he would be a comfort of the eye for her and for Pharaoh (Quran 28:9). Later reports name her Asiya. The Quran does not, though it praises “the wife of Pharaoh” as an example for the believers (Quran 66:11).

At the valley of Tuwa, Allah told Musa, “I have chosen you,” and commanded him to worship Him and establish prayer (Quran 20:12 to 14). The Quran says that Allah spoke to Musa directly (Quran 4:164). Harun (AS) was his brother and was given prophethood as a mercy from Allah (Quran 19:53). Musa left Harun in charge of the people while he was away (Quran 7:142).

Dawud (AS) and Sulayman (AS)

Allah gave Dawud (AS) the Zabur (Quran 4:163; 17:55). He taught him to make coats of armor, and the mountains and the birds joined him in glorifying Allah (Quran 21:79 to 80). His son Sulayman (AS) inherited his knowledge and said, “we have been taught the language of birds” (Quran 27:16). Allah gave Sulayman control of the wind, and the jinn worked for him (Quran 21:81 to 82; 38:36 to 38). In the story of the valley of the ants, an ant warned the others to go inside, and Sulayman smiled and thanked Allah (Quran 27:18 to 19). Sulayman ruled over armies of jinn, men and birds (Quran 27:17). The Quran describes both father and son as servants who repeatedly turned back to Allah (Quran 38:17; 38:30).

Ilyas (AS) and Al-Yasa (AS)

The Quran says Ilyas (AS) was “from among the messengers” and that he asked his people why they called on Ba’l and left the best of creators (Quran 37:123 to 125). Al-Yasa (AS) is named among the righteous and the outstanding (Quran 6:86; 38:48). The Quran gives few details about either of them.

Yunus (AS)

The Quran says Yunus (AS) was among the messengers (Quran 37:139). He left his people in anger (Quran 21:87), boarded a laden ship, and a fish swallowed him (Quran 37:140 to 142). In the darkness he called out, “There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers” (Quran 21:87). Allah saved him and cast him on the shore (Quran 21:88; 37:145). He was sent to a people of a hundred thousand or more, and they believed (Quran 37:147 to 148). The Quran notes that, apart from the people of Yunus, no city believed in time for its faith to benefit it (Quran 10:98). The Quran does not say how long he stayed inside the fish. Our article on istighfar covers seeking forgiveness.

Dhul-Kifl (AS)

The Quran names Dhul-Kifl twice, among the patient and the righteous (Quran 21:85 to 86) and among the outstanding (Quran 38:48). It gives no details about his life. Scholars have differed about him. Ibn Kathir called it the famous opinion that he was a prophet, since the Quran mentions him with prophets. Mujahid is reported to have said he was a righteous man, and al-Tabari did not give an opinion. Claims about his burial place have no clear proof.

Status: Differs by scholar (whether he was a prophet). He is counted among the 25 by the common listing.

Zakariya (AS) and Yahya (AS)

Zakariya (AS) took care of Maryam (Quran 3:37). He called upon his Lord for good offspring (Quran 3:38) and asked privately for an heir, though his bones had weakened and his wife was barren (Quran 19:3 to 5). The angels gave him the news of a boy named Yahya (John), a prophet from among the righteous (Quran 3:39; 19:7). Yahya (AS) was told to take the Scripture with determination and was given judgment while still a boy (Quran 19:12). The Quran describes him as dutiful to his parents and not a disobedient tyrant (Quran 19:13 to 14).

Isa (AS)

Isa (AS), the son of Maryam, was born without a father by Allah’s command (Quran 3:45 to 47). The Quran calls him the Messiah and says he spoke to people in the cradle (Quran 3:45 to 46). Allah sent him as a messenger to the Children of Israel and taught him the Torah and the Gospel (Quran 3:48 to 49). The Quran says he was a messenger of Allah and not God (Quran 4:171; 5:72), and that he was neither killed nor crucified, because Allah raised him to Himself (Quran 4:157 to 158). In the night journey, the Prophet (SAW) met Isa and Yahya in the second heaven (Sahih al-Bukhari 3207).

Muhammad (SAW)

Muhammad (SAW) is the last prophet and messenger. The Quran says:

He was not sent to one people only. The Quran says Allah sent him “comprehensively to mankind” (Quran 34:28; see also 7:158), and he said that every prophet before him was sent to his own nation while he was sent to all mankind (Sahih al-Bukhari 335). The Quran was revealed to him, and it is the last revelation. Our article on Prophet Muhammad (SAW): life, revelation and legacy tells his life.

The five resolute messengers (Ulul-Azm)

The Quran tells Muhammad (SAW) to be patient “as were those of determination among the messengers” (Quran 46:35). Commentators generally identify them as five messengers: Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa and Muhammad (SAW). Quran 33:7 and 42:13 name these five together when they speak of a solemn covenant and of the religion Allah enjoined on them. Some scholars say the phrase refers to all the messengers.

Status: Majority view (the five). Another recognised opinion: all the messengers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who is the last prophet of Islam?

Muhammad (SAW) is the last prophet and messenger. The Quran calls him “last of the prophets” (Quran 33:40). He said, “I am the last of the Prophets,” in the hadith of the house with one missing brick (Sahih al-Bukhari 3535), and “there shall be no Messenger after me, nor a Prophet” (Jami at-Tirmidhi 2272, graded sahih).

Who was the first prophet in Islam, and was Adam a prophet?

Adam (AS) is counted as the first prophet. The Quran says Allah chose him (Quran 3:33) and guided him after his mistake (Quran 20:122). There is no clear authentic text that calls Adam a messenger. Nuh (AS) is the first messenger sent to the people of the earth, according to the hadith of intercession (Sahih al-Bukhari 3340).

How many prophets and messengers are there in Islam?

Only Allah knows. The Quran names 25 and says there were others it does not name (Quran 4:164). The narration of 124,000 prophets and 313 or 315 messengers is graded weak by several hadith scholars, so Muslims are not required to hold those figures. The section above explains how scholars treat it.

Is Jesus a prophet in Islam?

Yes. Muslims believe Isa (AS) was a prophet and messenger of Allah, born to Maryam by Allah’s command (Quran 3:45 to 47; 4:171). They do not believe he is God (Quran 5:72), and they believe Allah raised him to Himself and he was not crucified (Quran 4:157 to 158).

Which prophets did Muhammad (SAW) meet in each heaven?

In the night journey, he met Adam in the first heaven, Yahya and Isa in the second, Yusuf in the third, Idris in the fourth, Harun in the fifth, Musa in the sixth and Ibrahim in the seventh (Sahih al-Bukhari 3207).

Were there any women prophets?

Most Sunni scholars say no. The Quran says Allah sent only men before Muhammad (SAW) to whom He revealed (Quran 12:109; 16:43; 21:7). Another recognised opinion, held by a few scholars including Ibn Hazm and al-Qurtubi, is that some women, such as Maryam, were prophets. The Quran describes Maryam as “a supporter of truth” (Quran 5:75).

Status: Majority view. Another recognised opinion exists.