RS19: Risalah: Prophethood

☪️ Risalah: Prophethood in Islam

📋 Key Prophets in Islam

🔍 Why Prophethood Matters

• Prophets show how Allah communicates with humanity — he does not leave people without guidance
• All prophets brought the same core message of tawhid, so Islam is not a new religion but the final version of the original message
li>Muhammad is the role model for all Muslims — his life and teachings (Sunnah) are the standard for behaviour
• Isa (Jesus) is important in Islam but Muslims reject the Christian beliefs that he is the Son of God or that he was crucified
• Ibrahim is especially revered as the first monotheist — Muslims face the Ka'bah (built by Ibrahim) when praying

❓ Practice Questions

✅ Answers

1. 1) Muhammad is the final and greatest prophet — the "Seal of the Prophets" (Surah 33:40). He received the Qur'an from Jibril and his life (Sunnah) is the perfect model for Muslims to follow. No prophet will come after him. 2) All prophets brought the same message of tawhid — worship one God and live righteously. This means Islam is not a new religion but the final, complete version of the message given to all prophets from Adam to Muhammad.
2. Muslims consider Muhammad the most important prophet because he delivered the final, complete revelation (the Qur'an), his Sunnah provides a perfect guide for all aspects of life, and he is the "Seal of the Prophets." However, Muslims also revere other prophets — Ibrahim is called the "Friend of Allah" and Musa spoke directly to God. All prophets are equally chosen by Allah, but Muhammad has a unique role as the final messenger whose message is preserved perfectly in the Qur'an for all humanity.

🎯 Exam Tips

• Always refer to specific sources of authority (scripture, sacred texts, religious leaders)
• Explain contrasting beliefs — different views within and between traditions
• Use key terminology precisely (e.g. tawhid, atonement, sanctity of life)
• For 12-mark evaluation questions, consider both sides before reaching a justified conclusion
• Link beliefs to their impact on individuals, communities and society
• Acknowledge diversity — no religious tradition has a single, uniform view

📝 Exam Technique

⚠️ Common Errors

✍️ Model Answer

📊 AO Deep Dive

📖 Detailed Notes: Risalah: Prophethood

💡 The Nature and Purpose of Prophethood in Islam

Risalah (prophethood) is the Muslim belief that Allah has sent prophets to guide humanity throughout history. The Qur’an states: “And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, saying: Worship Allah and avoid false gods” (Surah 16:36). Muslims believe that Allah sent over 124,000 prophets to every nation on earth, starting with Adam and ending with Muhammad, who is the seal of the prophets (khatam al-anbiya). Key prophets include: Nuh (Noah), who warned his people of the flood; Ibrahim (Abraham), who rejected idolatry and built the Ka’aba; Musa (Moses), who led the Israelites out of Egypt; Dawud (David), who received the Psalms; Isa (Jesus), who performed miracles and will return before the Day of Judgement; and Muhammad, who received the final and complete revelation, the Qur’an. All prophets taught the same core message: tawhid (the oneness of God) and submission to His will.

Muslims believe that all prophets were sinless (ma’sum) in delivering Allah’s message, though they were human beings who experienced normal life. They are not divine and must not be worshipped — they are servants of Allah who carried out His commands. The Qur’an emphasises the humanity of prophets: Muhammad is described as a mortal like other humans (Surah 18:110), and Isa (Jesus) is described as a prophet and messenger, not the Son of God (Surah 4:171). The difference between prophets and ordinary humans is that prophets were chosen by Allah and received revelation (wahy), which they conveyed faithfully to their communities.

🔍 Muhammad as the Final Prophet

Muhammad (570–632 CE) is the final and greatest prophet in Islam, the ‘seal of the prophets’ (khatam al-anbiya). The Qur’an states: “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the prophets” (Surah 33:40). Muslims believe that Muhammad’s prophethood completes and perfects the message of all previous prophets. While earlier revelations (the Tawrat, Zabur and Injil) were given to specific communities, the Qur’an is universal — it is the final, complete and uncorrupted revelation from Allah, intended for all humanity until the end of time. This is why Muslims regard the Qur’an with such reverence: it is the literal word of Allah, preserved exactly as it was revealed.

Muhammad’s life (sirah) and practices (sunnah) provide the model for Muslim behaviour. The Hadith — recorded sayings and actions of the Prophet — alongside the Qur’an, form the basis of Islamic law (sharia). Muslims are commanded in the Qur’an to follow Muhammad’s example: “Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example for whoever has hope in Allah and the Last Day” (Surah 33:21). Muhammad’s character was described as the ‘living Qur’an’ — he embodied its teachings in his daily life, treating people with kindness, justice and compassion, even those who opposed him. His farewell sermon, delivered during his final Hajj, summarised his teachings: worship Allah, perform your prayers, fast during Ramadan, pay zakah and perform Hajj, and treat all people equally.

⚖️ Isa (Jesus) in Islam

Islam gives Isa (Jesus) a special status as one of the greatest prophets, but rejects the Christian doctrines of his divinity and crucifixion. The Qur’an describes Isa as a prophet and messenger of Allah, born of the virgin Maryam (Mary) by Allah’s command: “She said: My Lord, how will I have a child when no man has touched me? He said: Such is Allah; He creates what He wills” (Surah 3:47). Isa performed miracles by Allah’s permission, including speaking from the cradle, healing the sick and raising the dead. The Qur’an also teaches that Isa will return before the Day of Judgement to restore justice.

However, Islam firmly rejects the Christian belief that Isa is the Son of God or part of the Trinity. The Qur’an states: “The Messiah, Isa son of Maryam, was no more than a messenger of Allah... So believe in Allah and His messengers and do not say ‘Three.’ Refrain, it is better for you. Allah is only one God” (Surah 4:171). Islam also teaches that Isa was not crucified: “They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but it was made to appear so to them” (Surah 4:157). Instead, Allah raised Isa to Himself. These differences are central to the Muslim understanding of tawhid: Islam sees the divinity of Jesus as shirk (associating partners with Allah), the greatest sin. Despite these theological differences, Islam requires Muslims to respect Isa as a prophet and to treat Christians as People of the Book (ahl al-kitab) with whom peaceful relations are commanded.

📊 Key Prophets in Islam

❓ Additional Practice Questions

✅ Additional Answers

1. First, Muslims believe that Allah sent prophets to every nation throughout history to guide humanity: “And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger” (Surah 16:36). All prophets taught the same core message of tawhid (the oneness of God) and submission to His will. Second, Muslims believe that Muhammad is the final prophet (khatam al-anbiya), and that the Qur’an is the complete and uncorrupted revelation from Allah. No further prophets will come after Muhammad, making the Qur’an the final and universal guidance for humanity. This belief distinguishes Islam from traditions (such as the Baha’i faith or Mormonism) that claim post-Muhammadan revelation.
2. This statement overstates the differences. Muslims and Christians share significant beliefs about Jesus: both believe he was born of the virgin Mary, performed miracles, was a great moral teacher and will return before the Day of Judgement. However, they differ fundamentally on his nature: Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God and part of the Trinity, while Muslims believe he was a prophet and messenger of Allah, strictly human and not divine. Christians believe Jesus was crucified and resurrected for the salvation of humanity; Muslims believe he was not crucified but was raised to Allah. These are significant theological differences, but the shared reverence for Jesus provides a basis for interfaith dialogue. A balanced view is that Muslims and Christians have both shared and different beliefs about Jesus, and the similarities should not be overlooked any more than the differences.

📝 Exam Questions by Topic

• AQA Past Papers - Topic Questions -- AQA
• Edexcel Past Papers - Topic Questions -- Edexcel
• OCR Past Papers - Topic Questions -- OCR
• Eduqas Past Papers - Topic Questions -- Eduqas
• CCEA Past Papers - Topic Questions -- CCEA

🎬 Video Resources

• BBC Bitesize - Islam
• Religious Studies YouTube