Stories of Prophets / Messengers of Islam

Society Religion & Philosophy
1

Story of Hazrat Adam (AS) is already posted under a different post, I will Inshallah post stories of the successive Prophets / Messengers of Islam under this Post. For the convenience of our Muslim brothers and sisters and as well as for other non-Muslims I will re-post the story of Hazrat Adam (AS) under this section.

HAZRAT ADAM (AS)

Adam is an Arabic word for man. He was the progenitor of human race. He is reckoned to be the first prophet by the Muslims. He was also the first man whom Almighty Allah had created from the elements of clay. The Holy Qur’an affirms:

“0’ mankind! Surely We created you from dust.” (30:20)

The gradual process of man’s physical development has been referred to in the following Verses of the Holy Qur’an:

“He began the creation of man from dust. Then He made his progeny of an extract of water held in light esteem. Then He made him complete and breathed into him of His spirit and made for you ears and eyes and heart.” (32: 7-9)

According to the latest scientific researches the man has been created from clay with all its element and their inherent properties. It is discovered by a chemical analysis of the human body that a defect occurs in its normal functioning when the quantity of any of these element gets diminished. In such case vitamins are used to supplement the deficiency and restore normal health.

The Creation of Prophet Adam:
Before the creation of mortal, Almighty Allah directed all the angels to assemble. Thousands upon thousands of angels (created from light) and Jinns (created from fire) gathered in groups. They bowed respectfully in the presence of Almighty Allah. The Creator of the universe declared that he intended to create the man and sought their counsel. The angels and Iblis (Satan) disapproved the idea and pointed out that human beings would cause disorder on the earth. They would make mischief and shed blood indiscriminately. The Holy Qur’an gives a description of this event in the following Verses:

“And when your Lord said to the angels: I am about to appoint a vicegerent in the earth. They said: Will you place therein such as will cause disorder in it or shed blood ? We celebrate your praise and extol your holy names. He answered: I know what you know not.” (2:30)

Angels were asked to make Obeisance to Adam:
Allah taught Adam the names of all things and inculcated into his mind the knowledge of their properties. The Holy Qur’an says:

“And He taught Adam the names of all things; then presenting them to the angels, He said: Tell Me the names of these if you are right.” (2: 31)

The angels did not know their names and said:

“Glory be to You. We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Surely, You are Knowing, the Wise.” (2: 32)

After that Allah questioned Adam in the presence of all angels about the names of different objects. He gave correct answers on the basis of this superiority. Allah asked all the angels to bow as a mark of respect to Adam who was created so miraculously. The Holy Qur’an affirms:

“0’ angels! Fall down making obeisance to Adam” (15:29)

Angels Prostrated but Iblis Refused:
When the angels heard the Commandment of Almighty Allah, they all complied without hesitation. They bowed with respect and admiration to the new creation and that was Adam. However Iblis (Satan) did not surrender on various pretexts and stood still. The Holy Qur’an says:

“And when We said to the angels: Make obeisance to Adam, they did obeisance, not so Iblis, he refused and was haughty and he was of the: rejecters.” (2:34)

Challenge of Iblis:
Iblis disobeyed Allah and became defiant. He arrogantly refused to accept the authority of a creature who was made of rubbish. Iblis thought himself superior to human being. As a result, God expelled Satan from the Garden of Bliss and deprived him of all Divine favours. Satan requested Almighty Allah to allow him to exist until the Day of Judgement. I would bring most of the descendants of Adam under my sway. I would lead them astray from the Right Path. Allah gave him respite. The conversation between God and Iblis has been narrated in the Holy Qur’an as follows:

“Iblis said: Give me respite till the Resurrection Day. Allah said: Be you among those who are given respite. He said: Because You have thrown me out of the way, I will certainly lie in wait for them on Your Straight Path. Then will assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, nor will You find most of them grateful.” (7: 14-18)

Devil is, in fact, an evil spirit which temps the man to indulge in sins. It invites the heart to do bad deeds and disobey Allah. It tries to weaken our sense of morality but if we are spiritually too strong to yield to its temptations, we become immune from all sins. Those who follow the Commandments of Allah, invite God’s grace to protect them. On the other hand those who deliberately follow the wrong way, are responsible because they put themselves into the hands of Evil Spirit.

Hawa Created:
In order to remove the lonesomeness of Adam, a female mate named Hawa (Eve) was created. The Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and his wife Hawa were given a place in the Garden (of Bliss) to reside. The Holy Qur’an affirms:

“And O’ Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the Garden (of Bliss) and eat therefrom wherever you will but approach not this tree lest you should be: among the wrong-doers.” (7: 20)

Trial of Prophet Adam:
The Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and his wife Eve continued enjoying each others company and carefully avoiding that specific prohibited tree. Iblis became very jealous when he saw the favours of the Almighty Allah on the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and he began to devise ways and means to humiliate them. He kept on making evil suggestions to the couple in a sneaky way. He tried to persuade them to approach the prohibited tree. One day the Iblis sympathetically said to them:

“Your Lord has only forbidden you this tree lest you should become angels or immortals, and he swore to them saying: Surely, I am a sincere counsellor unto you. So he beguiled them by deceit.” (7:22)

On hearing this both Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and Eve became curious. They started wondering as to why God did not want them to approach the specific tree. This temptation gradually became stronger but Allah guided them alright and warned that not to be taken in by the evil suggestions of Iblis. The Holy Qur’an says:

“Then We said: O’ Adam! Verily, this Iblis is an enemy to you and your wife, so let him not get you both out of the Garden so that you are landed in misery.” (20: 117)

The Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and his wife used to live happily in the Garden of Bliss. They were endowed with the knowledge to discriminate between good and evil. They were also warned of the power of evil. They overpowered all sorts of evil temptations at first and tried hard to ward off the influence of Satan. But he made numerous attempts to misguide them off and on. Finally Satan succeeded in his mission and made them approach that specific tree. Instantly evil consequences appeared. The Holy Qur’an says:

“When they both tasted of the tree, their private parts became manifest to each other and they both began to cover themselves with the leaves of the trees (in the garden), and their Lord called them saying: Did I not forbid you both from that tree and tell you that Satan was your avowed enemy. They said: Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If you forgive us not and bestow not upon us Your mercy, we shall surely be of the losers.” (7: 23, 24)

The Prophet Adam and Hawa Feel Penitence:
The Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and Eve followed the temptations of Iblis and were deprived of the heavenly bliss. They were, however, overflowed with grief. They requested Almighty Allah to forgive them. Allah, the Most Merciful accepted their repentance and chose them for His mercy. At the same time He dispelled them from the Garden of Bliss. They became ordinary people. They had to live like us for only a certain span of life on this earth. They would be recreated again to be judged for their actions on the Day of Judgement.

Allah gives Directions:
They lived for many years. Allah sent directions and guidance to the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). He taught others about the religion of Allah. He advised his followers to do good and avoid evils. He told the people to act upon the Commandments of Allah and follow his guidance. It would serve the purpose of shield to do away with the attacks of the devil. Allah says:

“Whoso shall follow My Guidance, on them shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve. But those who will disbelieve and treat Our Signs as lies, they shall be the inmates of the fire and they shall abide therein.” (2: 39, 40)

Copied from ‘THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR’

2

HAZRAT SHETH (AS)

Sheth was the third son of the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). When he was born, his father, the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) had attained the age of 130 years. Allah conferred upon him the honour of prophethood after his father. It is said that Allah revealed to him fifty small portions of scripture. When the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) was on death bed, he appointed Sheth as his successor and advised his descendants to follow him and live peacefully in perfect harmony. He tried to guide his followers to the right path but some of them were depraved by the Satan. They began to worship his self-made portrait. He passed away at the age of 912 years. Anush, his son won a remarkable position after him. In the fourth century there existed in the Egypt a sect of Gnostics, calling themselves Sethians. They regarded Sheth as a divine emanation.

Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'

3

HAZRAT IDRIS (AS)

As a result of the efforts of the Prophet Sheth (peace be upon him) some people began to believe in Allah. As the time passed they began to worship the statue of their prophet. They became polytheists, irreligious and faithless. They adopted indecent ways of life. Under such circumstances Allah sent the Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) for the reformation and guidance of those who had gone astray. The Holy Qur'an makes mention of him in the following Verse:

"Commemorate Idris in the Book, verily he was a man of truth and a Prophet and We raised him to a lofty station." (19: 56)

Preaching and Opposition:
The Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) preached monotheism. He directed his people to abandon idol-worship. He emphasised them not to be captivated by the love of wealth and property. He advised them to abstain from drinking wine and other intoxicants. Only a few men paid heed to his teachings but majority of the people opposed him bitterly. The Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) did not lose heart and continued preaching with unshakeable constancy. He is appreciated for his firm faith and forbearance in the following Verses of the Holy Qur'an:

"All (Isma'il, Dhul-Kifl and Idris) were men of constancy and patience. We admitted them into Our mercy, for they were of the righteous ones." (21:85,86)

Migration to Egypt:
In spite of untiring efforts the Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) could not attain considerable success and felt disgusted with the indifferent attitude of the public. He was directed to migrate to Egypt and settle on the bank of the river Nile. He preached the religion of Allah among various tribes and admonished them to be good and civilised. Consequently he brought about a remarkable change in the moral and social life of the people.

Some Sayings of the Prophet Idris:
His lectures were full of admonition and good advice. Some of his sayings are given below:

  1. Do not feel jealous of the prosperity of others.

  2. He who has unlimited desires, is deprived of the wealth of contentment.

  3. One should be sincere in acts of devotion.

  4. It is an act of grave sin to take false oaths.

  5. Patience is a key to victory.

  6. He who controls his passions, is fortunate. Only a good act will be a living intercessor before Allah on the Day of Judgement.

  7. One who is desirous of attaining perfection in knowledge, should have no concern with immoral acts.

The Learned Prophet:
The Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) was born one hundred years after the death of Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). He was the first man who learnt to write. It is said that thirty portions of Allah's sacred scriptures were revealed to him. He was the inventor of the science of astronomy and arithmetic.

Death Event:
The Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) was taken alive to Heavens at the age of 365 years. Ibn Jarir relates in Rauzatul Ahbab that the Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) was the special friend of one of the angels of heaven. The angel took him up into the heavens and when they arrived in the fourth heaven, they met the Angel of Death. The angel questioned the Angel of Death how many years there were remaining of the life of the Prophet Idris(peace be upon him). The Angel of Death said: Where is Idris because I have been commanded to end his life. The Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) then remained in the fourth heaven and he died in the wings of his angel friend who had taken him from earth.

Mutwaslah was one of his distinguished son who made his mark.

Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'

4

MASHALLAH

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK BRO

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

5

HAZRAT NUH (AS)

Moral Degradation:
The Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) had left his progeny in a state of social and moral health but gradually they began to forget the teachings of Allah. They adopted the wrong path and indulged in corruption and depravity. They became mean, evil-doers and greedy. They cheated and hurt one another. They began to worship idols and forgot to pray to Almighty Allah. The entire society had been split up into different sections and this state of affairs had given birth to oppression and injustice.

The Advent of Prophet Nuh:
Under these circumstances Allah, the Most Merciful, wanted the people to be good again. He sent Nuh as His apostle for the reclamation of the depraved humanity dwelling in that part of the earth which is called 'Iraq in the present era. Those people believed in Allah but they associated other gods with Allah, the Supreme. The priests of these deities exercised great control over all affairs. The people offered sacrifices in the name of their deities to please them. They spent the money lavishly and thus their condition became miserable. The Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) like other prophets was sincere, pious, patient and trustworthy. He was strong in his will and determination. Angel Gabriel (Jibra'il) conveyed him the teachings from Allah. He was commanded to reform the people who had been led astray by the Satan. He kept on preaching the faith of Allah and directed the people to pray to One God. He advised them to refrain from doing evil deeds. The Holy Qur'an affirms his endeavours to reform his people in the following Verses:

"He (Nuh) said: 0' my people! serve Allah. There is no god other than Him. If you refuse, verily I fear for you chastisement of a grievous day. The Chiefs of his people said: Most certainly we perceive you in clear error. He said: O' my
people! There is no error in me but I am an Apostle from the lord of the worlds. I deliver to you the message of my Lord and I counsel you right (7: 59,60)

Again in the following Verses the Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) warned his people by declaring:

"O' my people! Surely I am a plain warner to you bidding you to serve Allah and be mindful of your duty to Him, and obey me so that He may forgive your faults." (71:2-4)

The Prophet Nuh was opposed:
Most of the people did not believe in the Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him). They made fun of him and ridiculed him as a mad man. Whenever he tried to convey the message of Allah to them, they began to thrust their fingers into their ears. They persisted in their infidelity and proudly disdained his counsel to do good deeds. The people were so stubborn under the influence of their priests that they paid no heed to the message of Allah and their aversion rapidly increased. At last in sheer disgust the Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) had to cry out:

"My Lord! Leave not upon land any dweller from among the disbelievers. For surely if You leave them, they will lead astray Your servants and will not beget any but immoral ungrateful offspring.

My Lord! Forgive me and my parents and him who enters my house believing, and the believing males and females and do not increase the unjust in aught but destruction." (71: 26-28)

Preparation of an Ark:
Consequently Almighty Allah answered the prayer of Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) by asking him to build an ark (a very big boat). The Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) knew that Allah planned to drown all those sinners who had rejected His Commandments. He began to build the ark with the help of his followers. They went on working constantly from dawn to dusk. When the boat began to take shape, the disbelievers made fun of them. The transgressors thought that the Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) and his followers were becoming crazy and were losing their balance of mind. The Holy Qur'an says:
"And he began to build the ark and whenever the chiefs among his people passed by him, they deride him but he said: Though you scoff at us now, we will scoff at you in Hereafter." (11:38)

Calamity befalls:
When the big ark was completed, the sky became cloudy. It started to rain in torrents. The streams became bulging with water. The Valleys were in the grip of food. There was water everywhere. The lightning was frightening and the thunder made the hearts pound fast. Every one was scared and worried except the Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) and his Followers. The Holy Qur'an gives the description of this terrible deluge in the following Verses:

"So We opened the gates of the heavens with water pouring down and We caused the earth to gush forth its springs, so the water of the heavens and the earth gathered together according to measure already ordained." (54: 11, 12)

The Prophet Nuh (peace be upon trim) called on his family and followers to embark the boat. They came rushing to the ark. There was a special place in the boat for all the animates including human beings and their animals. The ark sailed amid waves like mountains while the streams of water were rising fast and filling many houses with water through the windows and the doors. Many houses collapsed and dashed to the ground. Some of them tried to swim but in vain. They were in a pathetic condition but they deserved it. The son of Nuh was separated from him because he was an evil-doer. The Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) prayed to his Lord and said:

"Surely, my son belongs to my family and Your promise is true. Allah said: Surely, he is not of your family. He is of evil conduct, therefore ask not of Me that of which you have no knowledge." (11:45, 46)

In the meantime the water rose higher and higher. The whole area was under the sway of flood and all the disbelievers were drowned. The Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) and his followers were safe and sound in the ark which was floating without any obstruction of huge waves. Finally the rain stopped and the water abated. The sky became clear.

The Prophet Nuh and his followers Remain Safe:
The Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) and his believers sheltered in a safe place. They built new houses and worked hard in the fields. The next generation which sprang up from the survived believers included God-fearing persons. They worshipped one God and acted according to His teachings. The Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) lived for about 950 years. After this dreadful destruction the people abstained from committing sins for sometime. Afterwards they began to be loose in their actions.

Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'

6

sup

I have one question....hazrat Adam(as) and ummah hawa(as) were the first pair rite...and we all as humans are from them rite?

soooooo how did we grow in number...I mean the size of the population was just 2 rite? then how did it grow...

"There as many ideas in the minds of men and women as there are stars in the sky, it is your job to hold on to one and make it come true"
Anonymous

7

HAZRAT HUD (AS)

Hud was the Prophet sent to the Bani Ad for their reformation. His lineage genealogy joins with the Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) and his sons. The Prophet Hud (peace be upon him) belonged to the Bani Ad. They were the descendants of Sam.

Outstanding Qualities of the Adites:
The Adites quarrelled with the children of Ham and left Babylon. They peopled a district in southern Arabia contiguous to Umman, Yaman and Hadramaut. There they built palaces, erected temples and worshipped deities and stars. The names of their chief deities were Saqi'ah, Salimah, Raziqah and Hafizun. The people belong to the Bani Ad were tall in stature and were skilful masons. Allah had given them abundance of wealth, cattle, children and gardens. They had attained a considerable degree of civilisation. Among them flourished the famous king Shaddad. He built a magnificent palace near Adal. It was known as the Garden of Iram. He was mighty king and his conquests extended to Syria, 'Iraq and the frontier of sub-continent of Indo-Pakistan. These people were proud of their achievements and considered themselves to be invincible. They were indulged in sins and committed acts of injustice and violence. Instead of expressing a deep sense of gratitude to the Almighty Allah for the favours He had bestowed upon them, they became transgressors and showed disobedience to Him.

The Prophet Hud appears and Preaches:
The Prophet Hud (peace be upon him) appeared among them for their guidance. He tried his best to bring them back to the worship of One God. He directed them to give up evil practices. He advised them to abstain from committing sins. They paid no heed to the teachings and warnings of their Prophets. The Holy Qur'an says:

"And to the Ad We sent their brother Hud. He said: 0' my people! Serve Allah, you have no god other than Him. Will you not then keep away from evil and be mindful of your duty to Him. The Chiefs of those who disbelieved from among his people said: Most surely, we see you in folly and indeed we think you to be of the liars. He said: O' my people! There is no folly in me but I am an Apostle of the Lord of the Worlds. I convey to you the message of my Lord and I am a sincere adviser to you." (7:65)

The Deluge is Descended:
The people did not listen to him and disobeyed the Commandments of Allah. For this disobedience the wrath of Allah came down upon them. A drought of unusual severity and a violent storm nearly annihilated the majority of the people of the Bani Ad. The Holy Qur'an describes:

"As to the Ad, they were destroyed by a roaring violent blast which He made to prevail over them for seven nights and eight days un-intermittingly so that you mightest have seen the people therein prostrate as if they were hollow trunks of palm tree." (69:6,7)

This storm had such a devastating effect as all the proud and disobedient people were completely destroyed but the Prophet Hud (peace be upon him) and his followers remained safe and sound. The Holy Qur'an says:

"So We delivered him and those with him by mercy from Us and We cut off the last of those who treated Our Signs as lies and were disbelievers" (7:72)

Afterwards the remnant who survived established themselves in Yaman. The grave of the Prophet Hud (peace be upon him) is in Hadramaut. It is visited by the Arabs in the month of Rajab.

Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'

8

very nice work…

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/ok.gif

…

9

HAZRAT SALIH (AS)

Salih was sent as a Prophet to the Bani Thamud to rectify their depraved people. The Thamudites were the descendants of Thamud, a grandson of Sam. They lived in Wadi al-Qura and al-Hajr between Syria and Hijaz. They worshipped idols and thought them very powerful. They believed that their idols provided them with food and rain, preserved them from all dangers and restored them to health when they were ill. This tribe flourished more than two centuries after Ad. Its people were famous for their longevity and enormous bulk. They built spacious buildings in the caves of the mountains and attained considerable powers.

Slaughtering of She-Camel:
The Prophet Salih (peace he upon him) was commissioned by Allah to invite the tribe to the worship of One God but they turned a deaf ear to his preaching. Whenever the Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) spoke ill of their deities, they behaved impudently towards him. At last they hatched a plan to put him to death. Allah fixed a she-camel as a sign and warned them that if they slew her, they would be overtaken by the chastisement from Allah. There is nothing strange in fixing she-camel as a sign. It is an admitted fact that Ka'bah, a constructed House, is one of the signs of Allah. Whoso tries to destroy it, perishes himself. Similarly she-camel was one of the signs of God. The Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) demanded that she should be allowed to graze in the pastures and drink water from the springs. The stubborn people slaughtered the she-camel provided by God while it was grazing in the pastures.

Chastisements Befalls:
When they were about to execute their final plan against Prophet Salih (peace be upon him), they were destroyed by God's punishment. A visitation befell them and they were exterminated by volcanic eruption which showered stones upon them. The calamity which overtook the Bani Thamud was very terrible.

Description in the Holy Qur'an:
Some references regarding the Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) and his people are as under:

"And to the Thamud We sent their brother Salih. He said: 0' my people: Serve Allah. You have no god other than Him. Clear proof, indeed, has come to you from your Lord. This is as Allah's she-camel for you, a sign. Therefore, leave her alone to pasture on God's earth and do not do her any harm. Otherwise painful chastisement will overtake you. And remember when He made you successors after Ad and settled you in the land. You made mansions on its plains and hew out houses in the mountains; remember, therefore, Allah's benefits and do not act corruptly in the land making mischiefs. The Chiefs of those who behaved proudly among his people said to those who were considered weak, to those who believed from among them: Are you sure that Salih is sent by his Lord ? They said: Surely, we are believers in what he has been sent with. Those who were haughty said: Surely, we deny of what you believe in. So they slew the she-camel and revolted against their Lord's Commandments and they said: O' Salih! Bring us of what you have threatened us with if you are one of the Apostles. Then the earthquake overtook them so they became motionless bodies in their abodes." (7: 73-78)

Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'

10

love this

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/ok.gif

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

Don’t waste time, or it’ll waste you @:wink:

[This message has been edited by aMiGo (edited January 02, 2001).]

11

HAZRAT LUT (AS)

The Advent of Prophet Lut:
The Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) was contemporary of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). He was a nephew and follower of the Faith of his uncle. He was the resident of Ur, an ancient town in Mesopotamia God conferred prophethood upon him.

He was commanded to leave his native land and go to Sodom and Gomorra to warn and reform the people who were indulged in grave sins such as homosexual intercourse and robbery. The Holy Qur'an says:

"And Lut (remember) when he said to his folk: Will you commit abomination such as no creature ever did before. Lo! you come with lust unto men instead of women. Nay, but you are wanton folk." (7:80, 81)

In another Verse the Holy Qur'an throws a light on the character of those sinning people. It says:

"What? Do you not come to males and commit robbery on the highways and do evil deeds in your meeting?" (29: 29)

The Prophet Lut Preaches and is Opposed:
The Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) was an alien to those people. He began to preach the religion of God energetically. He advised the people to guard themselves against the punishment from God. He exhorted them to abandon sinful ways. He told them that God had created woman for them to satisfy their lust. They did not listen to the admonitions of their Prophet. They ridiculed and threatened him of dire consequences. They retorted that he would be expelled from that town in case he did not stop preaching and rebuking them. The Holy Qur'an affirms:

"And the answer of his people was only that they said (to one another): Turn them out of your township. They are folk who seek to keep pure." (7:82)

The same idea is expressed in the following Verses:

"They said: If you desist not, 0' Lut, you will soon be of the outcast. He said: I am, in fact, of those who hate your conduct. My Lord! save me and my household from what they do." (26: 167-169)

Gradually time passed by and the Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) did not achieve remarkable success on reforming those sinful persons. They were shamelessly addicted to grave sins and his warnings simply exasperated them.

Angels Appear as Guests:
One day three angels in the disguise of handsome young boys came to Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) and they conveyed to him a special message from Almighty Allah. The Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) and his followers were directed to leave the town because something very dreadful was going to happen. When the people got wind of the visit of charming boys they tried to invade the house of Prophet Lut(peace be upon him) and demanded of him to deliver the guests to them. The Prophet was much upset and he said:

"O' my people! Here are my daughters! They are purer for you! Beware of Allah and degrade me not in (the presence of) my guests. Is there not among you any upright man ?" (11: 78)

They rejected this appeal of the Prophet and said:

"Well, you know that we have no right to your daughters and well, you know what we want." (11:79)

The Prophet was much disappointed and said:

"Would that I had strength to resist you or had some strong support." (11: 80)

The Angels Convey Message:
The Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) warned the people of the inevitable punishment in case they insisted on committing indecency. They laughed and doubted his character. When all efforts were ended in smoke, the angels who were in the form of human beings, said:

"O' Lut, Lo! We are messengers of thy Lord; they shall not reach thee. So travel with thy people in a part of the night and not one of you turn round all save thy wife." (11:81)

The Prophet Lut is Delivered and his Nation Destroyed:
The Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) and his adherents left the city in the fagging part of the night and took shelter in a place of safety. Soon after an uproar took place. A sudden tremendous noise shock the earth. It was a scary and dreadful earthquake. The houses crumbled down and lofty buildings smashed to nothing but rubble. The rocks that went up in the air hit those who tried to escape. All arrogant sinners were completely destroyed. The Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) and his followers were saved but his wife could not survive because she sympathised with the sinners. The Holy Qur'an gives a brief description of this mishap in the following Verses:

"Then the (awful) cry overtook them at the sunrise: And We utterly confounded them, and We rained upon them stones of heated clay. Lo! therein verily are portents for those who read the signs." (15:73-75)

The Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) was admitted to God's mercy and was declared to be one of the righteous. He died in Palestine and was buried at Bani Na'ima near Hebron.

Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'

12

HAZRAT IBRAHIM (AS)

The Advent of Ibrahim:
Long ago Almighty Allah gave the honour of His choice to a man called Ibrahim. He became the Prophet. His native Mesopotamia is the present southern 'Iraq. He was an ideal model for mankind. Speaking highly of him the Holy Qur'an says:

"Ibrahim was indeed a paragon of virtue, obedient to Allah, ever inclined to Him and he was not of those who set up equals to Allah. He was ever grateful for His favours, We chose him and guided him to a straight path; and We bestowed on him good in this world and in the Hereafter, he will surely be among the righteous." (16: 121-123)

His Nation was Staunch Worshippers of Idols:
In the days of the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) ignorance prevailed upon the minds of the people. Most of the people had no knowledge of Allah and His teachings. They worshipped the sun, the moon and the stars. They were astronomers and maintained the records of the movements of the planets. They prayed to the idols made of wood and stone and made many offerings for them. The priests enjoyed a prominent place in the society. They commanded respect among their followers. They were paid well. The poor people were ruled by the chiefs. They were subjected to their cruelty and injustice.

The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was the son of Terah whose surname Adhar was popularly known. He was a doll carver and a staunch worshipper of idols. He did all he could to compel Ibrahim (peace be upon him) to worship the handicrafts of man but flatly refused to do so. He hated even an idea of worshipping the idols which could neither see, nor hear, nor speak.

The Prophet Ibrahim's Preaching:
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) received the message of Allah through a special angel Gabriel (Jibra'il). Gradually he was commanded to start preaching. As he was a strong man in his will and determination, he worked very hard. He began his mission in the teeth of opposition. He argued with his people with great vigour regarding the folly of worshipping the idols. The Holy Qur'an says:

"When he said to his father and his people: What are these images to which you are so devoted ? They replied: We found our fathers worshipping them. He said: Then you as well as your fathers have indeed, been in manifest error. They said: Is it really the truth that you have brought for us or are you jesting ? He replied: Nay, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth; He brought them into existence and I am of those who bear witness to this, and by Allah, I will certainly plan against your idols after you have gone away and turned your backs." (21: 53-58)

Opposition by the People and Discussion with the King:
The people paid no heed to his teachings. They insisted on their ways. They did not refrain from worshipping the twinkling stars, shining moon and ugly idols. The priests kept on encouraging the people to disbelieve in the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). They were afraid lest they should be deprived of their priesthood if the people abandoned idol-worship. As a matter of fact the king Nemrùd in that area thought himself to be god. He had a big castle and many soldiers at his disposal. He desired to argue with the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) one day. They met to hold discussions: The king looked at the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) mockingly for a while. Then he said: What is this thing you are calling the people for? Why do you persuade the People to worship God Who is invisible? The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) replied boldly: My God is the One: Who gives and takes away life. Nemrud answered arrogantly: I have also the power to do that. I can kill the persons and can spare them also. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) asked a clever question that caught every one by surprise. He said: My God causes the sun to rise from the East and set it in the West. Can you make it come from the east? On hearing the king remained silent because he knew that no man had the power to do so.

Breakage of the Idols:
After a few days a special event took place. There was a grand ceremony outside the locality and every one had to participate in the celebrations. Most of the evil-doers drank; liquor and became noisy and wild. They were losing their balance of mind in a state of intoxication. There was a great hustle. Almost every one from the town attended the ceremony except the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). He had a special plan in his mind. He proceeded towards the Temple escaping the sight of others. When he entered the Temple, he saw there many statues which stood motionless and helpless.

The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) lifted his heavy axe and began to smite the idols turn by turn. The idols fell to the ground with a big thud. The floor was loaded with numerous noses, ears, heads, arms, legs and other parts of the idols. He broke all the idols in the sanctuary but spared the Chief one. He did so to demonstrate that the idols had no power to cause harm to any one or bestow benefits upon others. They were as helpless as mere stones and it is against the dignity of human beings to pay homage to them. When the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) finished his job, he left the Temple cautiously making sure that no one had seen him.

Decision to Burn Ibrahim Alive:
When the celebrations came to an end, the people returned. The priests went directly towards the Temple as usual and some people accompanied them. They saw that the idols were smashed to pieces. The floor was littered with stones and the Chief idol was standing with an axe hanging down along its neck. The priests began to scream and became confused. The people rushed to the Temple on hearing a deafening hue and cry. Every one was in a furious mood. They wanted to know who had dared do this trouble to the idols. They wished to take revenge. Then some one said that the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) would have done so because he consistently spoke ill of our gods and advised the people to worship One God. The Holy Qur'an relates:

"Then he broke them into pieces except the Chief of them that haply they may return to him. They said: Who has done so to our gods? Most surely he is one of the evil-doers. We heard a youth called Ibrahim making mention of them." (21:57)

The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was summoned to appear before the king. When he came, he was asked if he had destroyed all those idols. He remained silent for a while. Afterwards he directed the king to ask the chief idol on whose neck was hung the axe with which the havoc was done. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was mocking and making fun of those stupid people who worshipped helpless, dumb and deaf idols made of stones. The king as well as the priests did not like to prolong their discussions because the arguments of the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) were very sound and convincing. The Holy Qur'an relates:

"Then they said to Ibrahim: Is it you who has done so to our gods? He replied: Well, some one has surely done this. Here is the chief of them, so ask them if they can speak. Then they turned towards one another and said: You yourselves are surely in the wrong. Then they were made to hung down their heads out of shame and said to Ibrahim: Certainly you know that they do not speak." (21: 65-68). Although they felt ashamed yet they remained stubborn. They decided to burn the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) alive for causing destruction to their idols.

Fire does not Burn The Prophet Ibrahim:
A big furnace was prepared for this purpose. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was tied with a rope and he could hardly move. He was quite calm and cheerful believing firmly that Allah would save him. He did not even resist and the spectators were amazed at his attitude.

The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was thrown in the centre of the furnace. The flames of the fire were blazing. They sizzled and hissed but the Almighty Allah ordered the fire not to harm His friend Ibrahim (peace be upon him):

"We said: 0' fire! Be thou a means of comfort and security for Ibrahim." (21:70)

The transgressors thought that the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) had burnt to death. They did not hear the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) shouting with pain. Some time later the people saw the prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) walking out of the fire safe as if nothing had touched him. They were much surprised to see him.

Migration to Palestine:
In spite of this miracle the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) could not have a large number of people following his teachings. He went on preaching and underwent a chain of tests and trials to prove his obedience and sincerity. When his people tortured the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), he was ordered to leave that area and go to the blessed land which is now called Palestine. In compliance with the Commandment of Almighty Allah the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) did not lose a moment's rest without getting in touch with the people and teaching them about God and His message. Nothing seemed to discourage him.

Birth of the Prophet Isma'il and Migration to Mecca:
As the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) had no off-spring from his first wife Sarah, he entered into matrimonial alliance with another woman called Hajira (Hagar). He prayed for a son in all sublimity and his prayer was granted. Some time later Hajira announced happy news that she was expecting a baby. As time passed she gave birth to Isma'il (Ishmael). Soon after God ordered the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) to take his wife Hajira and the Prophet Isma'il(peace be upon him) to the valley of Bathã (Mecca). In accordance with the Divine Commandment he set out on a long and troublesome journey. They arrived at the spot after a long time. It was hilly area without any trees and water. They set up their tents and looked around but nothing was visible except sand. The Prophet Ismail (peace be upon him) had attained the age of a few months only when the event of migration took place. He began to cry because of thirst. His mother began to look for water but it was not available anywhere.

Zam Zam is Discovered:
She ran desperately in quest of water between two hillocks called Safa and Marwa but found no water. She came back to her thirsty infant and was surprised to see the spring of Zam Zam emerged from beneath the foot of the Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him). She heaved a sigh of relief. She quenched the thirst of her baby with water. Many people from far and wide came to the spot where Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his family had settled. Gradually this locality named Mecca became the birth place of Islam.

Vision of the Prophet Ibrahim Regarding the Sacrifice of the Prophet Isma'il:
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) went back to Palestine to join his first wife, the beloved Sarah. He received a Commandment in his vision to sacrifice his only son, Isma'il. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) had no hesitation in complying with what he was ordered to do but his son was infant at that time. He had to wait until he grew older. Due to delay the temptation of not doing what he was supposed to do, was certainly there. But the Prophet Ibrahim (peace he upon him) had a solid faith in Allah and his life was all dedicated to His' service. So he kept on waiting until Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) became a teenager. One day the father told his son about the dream. To his great surprise he saw that Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) had no objection and was willing to be sacrificed as Allah had willed it. He said:

"O' my father! Do what you have been commanded to do; then you will find me of the patients." (37: 10, 11)

This was a hard decision for a young man to take and it was a moment of great faith in Allah.

The Ordeal of Sacrifice of Prophet Ismail:
On the tenth of Dhil Hijja the father and his beloved son walked side by side. A young lad possessed forbearance and the old man was full of determination and spirit to complete submission to Allah. Their purpose was to carry out the orders of their Lord. Nothing was dearer to them than the service of Allah. They proceeded towards Mina with a sharp butcher's knife that, the old shaky Ibrahim had in his hand. Many a thought and memories of the past must have crossed in their minds. Finally they reached a special spot. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) looked at his loving son whereas Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) cast a glance at his, father obediently and cheerfully. The father laid his son prostrate on the ground. He was standing beside him. His heart was beating violently. He was shaking with emotions when he drew the knife across the neck of his son. It was a moment of action, an action that was very hard to put into practice.

God highly appreciated them for their obedience and they heard a voice:

"0' Ibrahim! you have indeed shown the truth of the vision. Surely do We reward the doers of good." (37:105)

When Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) fulfilled the command of the dream, he was ordered not to sacrifice his own son. A ram was provided in his stead. The Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) stood up and the ram was sacrificed. So the moment of suspense came to an end and both the father and the son expressed a deep sense of happiness and gratitude. From that time until today, the savage custom human sacrifice has been absolutely abolished.

Glad Tidings Regarding the Birth of Prophet Ishaq:
When the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) displayed his unstinted submission to the orders of Allah by trying to sacrifice his beloved son Ismail he was informed of a glad-tiding regarding the birth of baby from Sarah, his first wife. The Holy Qur'an affirms:

"And We gave him the good news of Ishaq (Isaac), a Prophet among the good ones and We showered our blessings on him and on Ishaq, and of their offspring are the doers of good and also those who are clearly unjust to their ownselves." (37: 112, 113)

Time passed by and Sarah, the old lady got pregnant. At last she gave birth to a male baby and they gave him the name of Ishaq. Later on Isma'il (peace be upon him) proved to be the Prophet of the Muslims and Ishaq (peace be upon him) became the Prophet of the Jews.

Re-construction of Ka'bah:
The first House of Allah, the Ka'bah was erected by the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). It was reconstructed by the Prophet Ibrahim and the Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon them). The Muqam-e-Ibrahim is still outside the enclosure. It is a place of marble-like stone on which he stood to raise the walls of the sanctuary at Mecca. This stone contains the sunken imprints of the feet of the great Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). The Holy Qur'an testifies to the hallowed sanctity of this stone by declaring it to be one of the Signs of Allah. It says:

"We made the House a resort for men and a place of security after saying: Take as your place of worship the spot where Ibrahim stood to pray. And We enjoined Ibrahim and Isma'il by saying: Purify My House for those who visit it and those who meditate therein; and those who bow down and those who prostrate themselves." (1:125)

Burial Place:
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) lived for 175 years. His life was full of happenings, tests and trials. He had a firm faith in Allah. He never missed a moment's rest in calling for the message of Allah. He gained thousands upon thousands of believers. When he passed away, he was buried in Hebron, twenty miles south-west of Jerusalem.

Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'

13

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/ok.gif

May Allah’s blessings be on the progney of Ibraheem from Ismail(Ahle-bayt).

Now I guess you will go to hazrat Ismail and hazrat Isaaq on to hazrat yousuf.

** my best friend is he who critizes my faults**

Imam jaffar-Saddiq

14

YES! Allah (SWT) willing.

15

HAZRAT ISMA'IL (AS)

Advent of Prophet Isma'il and Desertion by his Father:
The Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) was the eldest son of Prophet Ibrahim (peace he upon him) by his second wife Hajira. As he had no off-spring from his first wife Sarah, he entered into matrimonial allegiance with Hajira, a devoted lady. He did so with the consent of his first wife. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace he upon him) prayed to his Lord to bless him with a son. The Prophet Isma'il (peace he upon him) was born to him in response to his prayers. The Holy Qur'an makes mention of it in these words:

"Ibrahim said: My Lord! Grant me of the doers of good deeds. So We gave him the good news of a boy possessing forbearance." (37: 100, 101)

Shortly after his birth, in obedience to a Divine behest, he was left by his father Ibrahim (peace be upon him) along with his mother at the place where stands Ka'bah. It was a barren and waterless place with no trace of life in any form. The great Patriarch, Ibrahim (peace be upon him) left them to their fate with a heavy heart and prayed:

"O' Lord! I have made some of my off-spring settle in this barren valley near the Sacred House so that they may keep up prayer." (14: 37)

The scene of departing Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) from his family was highly pathetic. It is narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Abbàs that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) brought with him his wife Hajira and his son Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) whom she suckled. They placed the child close by the spot where Ka'bah now stands. In those days Mecca was uninhabited and without water. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) placed beside them a bag full of dates and a skin full of water. When Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) returned, the mother of Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) ran after him and said: Ibrahim! Where are you going? Why have you left me in the wilderness where none is to take pity on us. Nothing is available here to eat and drink. She repeated this several times but Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) did not hearken to her voice. Then she asked him. Have God Commanded you to do so? He replied in affirmative. She said: Then God will cause no harm to me. Thereupon she returned back. When Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) got out of sight, he faced towards Ka'bah and prayed: 0' Lord! Grant that the hearts of some men may be affected with kindness towards them and bestow upon them all sorts of fruit so that they may be thankful. After this the mother of Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) began to suckle her child and to drink water out of the skin until it was emptied. Soon after her son felt thirsty. She could not bear to see him in such plight. Hajira ran seven times from the hill of Safa to Marwa in quest of water. As she was about to commence the eighth trip, her attention was drawn to the crying child who in the agony of thirst was kicking the ground. Lo! the water gushed forth miraculously from the earth in the form of fountain to save Prophet: Isma'il (peace be upon him) from the tortures of thirst. Then she drank the water and suckled her child. May God bless the mother of Prophet Isma'il! Had she left the Zam Zam as it was or had she not filled her skin with water, the Zam Zam would always have remained an overflowing mountain. (Bukhari)

Trial of Sincerity:
The origin of the custom of true believers running between Safa and Marwa at the time of Hajj is deep connected with Hajira, the mother of Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him). Similarly the rite of sacrifice also owes its origin to the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his obedient son. He had received a Divine Command to sacrifice his beloved son. Both of them stood the test with credit. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) decided to fulfil the vision on one hand whereas the Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) was ready with alacrity to lay down his life to win the favour and pleasure of Allah. While they were proceeding towards Mina for the performance of the solemn duty, Satan tried to dissuade them from their firm resolve but to no effect. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) passed the sharp knife over the throat of his son but an angel turned the knife upside down and a heavenly message forbade the act. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was desired to sacrifice in lieu of his son, a ram. So he slaughtered a well-fed ram presented by Allah. When the Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) grew up, he married a girl of the tribe but soon divorced her at the request of his father to whom she proved to be discourteous. After this he married a daughter of the Jurhum Chief.

Re-construction of the House of Allah:
Ka'bah is the veritable heart of Islam towards which all the prayers of the Muslims flow to vivify their souls. It was built by the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him), the father of the human race. When it was damaged by flood, it was reconstructed on the same foundations by the Prophet Ibrahim (peace he upon him) with the help of his son Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him), the ancestors of the Arabs. The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) directed his son to bring a good stone to mark the corner of foundation. He brought one of which the angel Gabriel gave him information. It was the sacred Black stone-Hajar al-Aswad. When the Prophet Ibrahim and Isma'il (peace be upon them) raised the foundations of the House of Allah they prayed:

"Our Lord! Accept from us; surely You are the Hearing, the Knowing. Our Lord! Make us both submissive to You and raise from our off-spring a nation submitting to You and show us ways of devotion and turn to us mercifully. You are the oft-Returning to mercy, the Most Merciful." (1:127, 128)

"Our Lord! And raise up in them an Apostle from among them who shall recite to them Your communications and teach them the Book and the Wisdom and purify them. Surely You are the Mighty, the Wise." (2: 129).

Mecca is Habitated:
The Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him) and his mother settled down in the vicinity of the Ka'bah. His progeny multiplied and ramified into numerous tribes. One of these is known as the Quraysh from which the Ishmaelite Arabs sprang up. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) belonged to this family. They habitated the city of Mecca which became the centre of Islam.

Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'

16

can someone plzzzzz answer my Q

thanks

"There as many ideas in the minds of men and women as there are stars in the sky, it is your job to hold on to one and make it come true"
Anonymous

17

[quote]
Originally posted by Ahl_e_Sunnah:
**sup

I have one question....hazrat Adam(as) and ummah hawa(as) were the first pair rite...and we all as humans are from them rite?

soooooo how did we grow in number...I mean the size of the population was just 2 rite? then how did it grow...

**
[/quote]

They had children, their children had children, and their children had children and it has been going on until today and will go on until the day of QUYAMAT.

18

how could that possibly happen

ok U have kids…in order for them to have kids…they have to marry rite…soo Prophet Adam’s and Eve’s(pbut) children had to marry outside the family…it’s not like they married thier sister’s man(inouzubillah)

seee…I’m still perplexed

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/confused.gif

latez
oh by the way…good job with the prophet’s(pbut) stories…latez dude

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/ok.gif

“There as many ideas in the minds of men and women as there are stars in the sky, it is your job to hold on to one and make it come true”
Anonymous

19

ALLAH (SWT) allowed it!

20

allah allowed it to happen...U mean allowed it to happen between brother and sister?

"There as many ideas in the minds of men and women as there are stars in the sky, it is your job to hold on to one and make it come true"
Anonymous