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Bismillahi ar-rahmani ar-rahim

Last time we read in surah Al-Mu’minūn (23) 44: Then we sent our messengers, one after another. Whenever their messenger came to a nation, they rejected him, so we made them follow each other. We made them stories.

That same idea was also expressed by Stephen, one of the hawāriyūn (disciples) of Isa ibn Maryam. Speaking to the leaders of the Banī Isrāīl, who hated the followers of Isa, he said:

Injīl, Acts of the Hawāriyūn 7:52

Your fathers persecuted all the anbiyā (prophets). They killed the people who previously predicted the coming of the righteous Al-Masih. And now you have betrayed him and led him to death!

Following Stephen’s speech, the Banī Isrāīl killed him too, adding him to the long list of messengers who paid with their lives for delivering Allah’s truth to people.

Injīl, Banī Isrāīl (Hebrews) 11:35-38

Believing women received back their dead who were resurrected from death. But others bore torture, and did not accept to be released from their chains, so that they would be blessed with a better life on Yawm Al-Qiyamah. Others went through mocking, whipping, and even chains, prison, stoning, trials, and being killed with a saw or a sword. Others wandered aimlessly, wearing skins of sheep or goats, deprived, tortured and treated unjustly. This world was not worthy of them.

Those are dramatic words, telling of heroic stories. Have you ever wondered who were all those anbiyā spoken about in the Qur’ān and the preceding books?

Most of the prophets of Allah, at least the ones whose names and stories we know from the four holy books, were from the Banī Isrāīl. They were children of Yaqub, the grandson of Ibrāhīm (aws). But there were exceptions, before the days of Yaqub, and since then also. While only 25 prophets are mentioned by name in the Holy Qur’ān, many more are known to us thanks to the previously revealed books. According to some Muslim traditions, there were 124 thousand or 144 thousand anbiyā of Allah altogether. Some also believe, based on the above statement, that Allah sent a prophet to every nation. While these are only traditions, it makes sense to believe that Al ‘Adl (The Utterly Just) would send His messenger and warner to show the Straight path and prepare His people for Al Yawm Al Qiyamah and the promised Jannat. Some Muslims go as far as to think who this prophet, sent to their own people, could have been. Allah knows best.

Do you think that Allah has or had his messengers in every nation or not? Why do you think so?

Is there someone from your nation to whom you look up for inspiration and example?

If yes, what do you like about them and why do they inspire you?