Were Isma’il and Ishaq Prophets or Messengers?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
Was Ishaq a prophet or a messenger, and was Isma‘il a prophet or a messenger?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.
Ishaq and Isma‘il (peace be upon them both) were both prophets.
Belief in all the Messengers is obligatory in general terms, and they are from Adam to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon them all), and in detail in specific terms. They are twenty-five, eighteen of whom are mentioned in the following verse in Surat al-An‘am (The Cattle): “And that is Our proof”. See below. The rest are Muhammad, Adam, Shu‘ayb, Salih, Hud, Idris, and Dhul-Kifl (peace and blessings be upon them all). There is disagreement regarding Luqman, Uzayr, and Dhul-Qarnayn.
[Sawi, Hashiyat al-Sawi ‘Ala Jawharat al-Tawhid]
Allah (Most High) said in the Quran, “This was the argument We gave Abraham against his people. We elevate in rank whoever We please. Surely your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing. And We blessed him with Isaac and Jacob. We guided them all as We previously guided Noah and those among his descendants: David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron. This is how We reward the good-doers. Likewise, ˹We guided˺ Zachariah, John, Jesus, and Elias, who were all of the righteous.˹We also guided˺ Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot, favouring each over other people ˹of their time.”
[Quran, 6:83-87]
I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction in sha Allah.
Related
- Is Isma‘il the Father of the Arabs?
- Where Are the Prophet’s (Allah bless them and give them peace) Right Now?
- 05 – Belief in the Prophets – Essentials of Islamic Belief – Ushi’s Bad’ al-Amali Explained – SFR
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I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received a traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.
