Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Knowledge of the prophets

Knowledge of the prophets through the channel of revelation originates from the limitless knowledge of God. Almighty Allah raised the prophets in order to convey the laws and programs of religion to human beings in a perfect way. They make efforts in guidance and hand over the causes of perfection and success to the people. That is why the prophets are supposed to be aware of all the matters connected with religion, which the people might be in need of so that they may be able to fulfill the aim of Almighty Allah in sending them to humanity.

Allah, the Mighty and Sublime has not left the success giving program of religion as defective and ambiguous and does not deprive people from the path of perfection and proximity. Therefore there is no other way to guide and instruct the people other than the channel of prophets, hence they should be perfectly cognizant of all the programs of religion.

Sciences necessary for prophethood can be divided into the following:

1. Perfect recognition of God, His names and qualities;

2. Perfect recognition of the world of Purgatory (Barzakh) and its specialties; complete awareness of the circumstances of Judgment Day, accounting, scroll of deeds, balance of deeds, Paradise and Hell.

3. Complete cognition of human soul and spiritual diseases and the methods of prevention and cures of these spiritual diseases; identification of good and bad morals and the method of purifying the soul and discipline and perfection of the self.

4. Complete knowledge of all the laws and programs of religion, following which can guarantee the success of man in the world and the hereafter.

The prophet should have complete knowledge of all the above mentioned points so that he may be able to guide the people on the straight path of religion. If he himself is not having knowledge, how he would be able to guide the people? Therefore, the God who sent prophets for the guidance of people, it is not possible that He should keep these prophets deprived of the necessary knowledge.

This point is mentioned in a number of verses of the Holy Quran. For example:

لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَنزَلْنَا مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْمِيزَانَ لِيَقُومَ النَّاسُ بِالْقِسْطِ

“Certainly We sent Our apostles with clear arguments, and sent down with them the Book and the balance that men may conduct themselves with equity…” (57:25)

On another occasion He says:

وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ كُلًّا هَدَيْنَا وَنُوحاً هَدَيْنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِ دَاوُدَ وَسُلَيْمَنَ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُوسُفَ وَمُوسَى‏ وَهَرُونَ وَ كَذ لِكَ نَجْزِى الْمُحْسِنِينَ / وَزَكَرِيَّا وَيَحْيَى‏ وَعيْسَى‏ وَإِلْيَاسَ كُلٌّ مِنَ الْصَّلِحِينَ / وَإِسْمَعِيلَ وَالْيَسَعَ وَيُونُسَ وَلُوطاً وَكُلًّا فَضَّلْنَا عَلَى الْعلَمِينَ‏ / وَمِنْ ءَابَآئِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّتِهِمْ وَإِخْوَنِهِمْ وَاجْتَبَيْنَهُمْ وَهَدَيْنَهُمْ إِلَى‏ صِرَ طٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ / ذَلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِى بِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُواْ لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُم مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ / أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَهُمُ الْكِتَبَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ فَإِن يَكْفُرْ بِهَا هَؤُلَاءِ فَقَدْ وَكَّلْنَا بِهَا قَوْماً لَيْسُواْ بِهَا بِكَفِرِينَ / أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ فَبِهُدَيهُمُ اقْتَدِهْ قُلْ لَا أَسْئَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْراً إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرَى‏ لِلْعَلَمِينَ

“And We gave to him Ishaq and Yaqub; each did We guide, and Nuh did We guide before, and of his descendants, Dawood and Sulaiman and Ayyub and Yusuf and Musa and Harun; and thus do We reward those who do good (to others). And Zakariya and Yahya and Isa and Ilyas; every one was of the good; and Ismail and Al-Yasha and Yunus and Lut; and every one We made to excel (in) the worlds: and from among their fathers and their descendants and their brethren, and We chose them and guided them into the right way. This is Allah’s guidance, He guides thereby whom He pleases of His servants; and if they had set up others (with Him), certainly what they did would have become ineffectual for them. These are they to whom We gave the book and the wisdom and the prophecy; therefore if these disbelieve in it We have already entrusted with it a people who are not disbelievers in it. These are they whom Allah guided, therefore follow their guidance. Say: I do not ask you for any reward for it; it is nothing but a reminder to the nations.” (6:84-90)

Prophets and the knowledge of Unseen

Existing things can generally be divided into two groups. Hidden (unseen) things, called as the world of Ghaib and world of seen beings, which is called as the world of visibility.

Beings and things which can be perceived through the five senses are included in the world of visibility; like matter, body and generally all its effects and specialties, like colors, quantities, forms, foods, smells, voices, softness and hardness, heat and cold and generally all matter and material things are included in this world of visibility. Things which man can perceive through his senses and about which he can gain knowledge.

World of the unseen is opposed to the world of visibility and all the beings that are beyond matter and materiality are included in the world of unseen. Like God, His names and qualities, angels, world of Purgatory (Barzakh), existing things of Barzakh, Judgment Day, Paradise and Hell, bounties of Paradise and chastisements of the hereafter; existences of these types are abstract things and they are superior to matter. Therefore they are included in the world of unseen. That is why we cannot maintain contact with the unseen world with our senses and create knowledge about it. This understanding and intelligence of ours for the unseen world should have been obtained through a channel other than the senses, which in terminology is called as knowledge of unseen.

Through the five senses we can only maintain contact with the things of the world of matter and we gain knowledge directly or indirectly, although in those instances also our knowledge is limited and conditional. Our eyes see, but only those that which possesses a particular volume and which is at a particular distance and having some special conditions of space and time. If that thing is very tiny or it is at a long distance of time or space from us or it is in darkness or there is something obstructing our view, it cannot be seen by us. Events of the period of Prophet Nuh (a) or a thousand years after that cannot be seen by us. We cannot with the help of the tools of our knowledge get connected to those events directly. They are unseen from us. Although they exist in the presence of God and He has knowledge of all of them; He encompasses all the existing things of the world of matter and the unseen. In the Holy Quran, He says:

عَلِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَ الشَّهَدَةِ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ

“Knower of the unseen and the seen; and He is the Wise, the Aware.” (6:73)

وَلِلَّهِ غَيْبُ السَّمَوتِ وَالْأَرْضِ

“And Allah’s is the unseen in the heavens and the earth…” (11:123)

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ

“Surely Allah knows the unseen things of the heavens and the earth.” (49:18)

ذَ لِكَ مِنْ أَنْبَآءِ الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ

“This is of the announcements relating to the unseen which We reveal to you…” (3:44)

Is the knowledge of Unseen only for Allah?

At this point, a question arises: Whether the knowledge of the unseen is restricted only to Almighty Allah; or human beings can also become aware of it? Some intellectuals consider the knowledge of unseen to be restricted only to Almighty Allah and they have reasoned through verses of Quran, like:

وَعِنْدَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَآ إِلَّا هُوَ

“And with Him are the keys of the unseen treasures - none knows them but He…” (6:59)

وَيَقُولُونَ لَوْلَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ فَقُلْ إِنَّمَا الْغَيْبُ لِلَّهِ فَانتَظِرُواْ إِنِّى مَعَكُم مِّنَ الْمُنْتَظِرِينَ‏

“And they say: Why is not a sign sent to him from his Lord? Say: The unseen is only for Allah; therefore wait - surely I too, with you am of those who wait.” (10:20)

قُل لَّا يَعْلَمُ مَن فِى السَّمَوَاتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ مَا يَشْعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُونَ

“Say: No one in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen but Allah; and they do not know when they shall be raised.” (27:65)

قُل لَّآ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِنْدِى خَزَآئِنُ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّى مَلَكٌ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَى‏ إِلَىَّ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى الْأَعْمَى‏ وَ الْبَصِيرُ أَفَلَا تَتَفَكَّرُونَ‏

“Say: I do not say to you, I have with me the treasures of Allah, nor do I know the unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel; I do not follow aught save that which is revealed to me. Say: Are the blind and the seeing one alike? Do you not then reflect?” (6:50)

قُل لِّا أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِى نَفْعاً وَلَا ضَرّاً إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ اللَّهُ وَلَوْ كُنتُ أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ لَاسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِىَ السُّوءُ إِنْ أَنَاْ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ وَ بَشِيرٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ‏

“Say: I do not control any benefit or harm for my own soul except as Allah please; and had I known the unseen I would have had much of good and no evil would have touched me; I am nothing but a warner and the giver of good news to a people who believe.” (7:188)

They have reasoned through the apparent meaning of these verses and have said: Knowledge of unseen is only with Almighty Allah and human beings are ignorant of it.

But through other verses it can be concluded that there are some human beings also have access to this knowledge of unseen. For example:

عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلَا يُظْهِرُ عَلَى‏ غَيْبِهِ أَحَداً / إِلَّا مَنِ ارْتَضَى‏ مِن رَّسُولٍ فَإِنَّهُ يَسْلُكُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ رَصَداً

“The Knower of the unseen! so He does not reveal His secrets to any. Except to him whom He chooses as an apostle; for surely He makes a guard to march before him and after him.” (72:26-27)

مَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَذَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى‏ مَآ أَنْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ حَتّى‏ يَمِيزَ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُطْلِعَكُمْ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَجْتَبِى مِن رُّسُلِهِ مَن يَشَآءُ

“On no account will Allah leave the believers in the condition which you are in until He separates the evil from the good; nor is Allah going to make you acquainted with the unseen, but Allah chooses of His apostles whom He pleases…” (3:179)

ذِى قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِى الْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍ / مُّطَاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ / وَ مَا صَاحِبُكُم بِمَجْنُونٍ / وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ بِالْأُفُقِ الْمُبِينِ / وَ مَا هُوَ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ بِضَنِينٍ

“The processor of strength, having an honorable place with the Lord of the Dominion, One (to be) obeyed, and faithful in trust. And your companion is not gone mad. And of a truth he saw himself on the clear horizon. Nor of the unseen is he a tenacious concealer.” (81:20-24)

ذَ لِكَ مِنْ أَنْبَآءِ الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ

“This is of the announcements relating to the unseen which We reveal to you…” (3:44)

From the above verses, it can be concluded that since the knowledge of unseen is itself restricted to the being of Almighty Allah and the way of access to unseen for human beings is closed, but the selected prophets are able to connect to the world of unseen through revelation and gain knowledge and learn about the realties of unseen.

On the whole it can be concluded from these verses that absolute unseen is restricted only to Almighty Allah since His being is unlimited and He has complete knowledge about seen and unseen world, so much so that even the prophets do not have this knowledge in the beginning, but since they have the capacity to receive revelation and get connected to the unseen world, through the assistance and grace of Almighty Allah they can maintain contact with unseen world and according to their own capacity and capability get access to the unending realities of the unseen world.

Miracle - a Testimony of Prophethood

Prophets claim to have connection with Almighty Allah and the unseen world and that they are appointed by God on the office of conveying His message to the people and to guide them to the path of religion. These claims are very great and people will not accept their statements without any reliable testimony. Therefore they should have evidence to prove the veracity of their claims. The greatest proof is the miracle of the prophets. Miracle is an extraordinary act which ordinary people are unable to perform. Prophets must have miracles in order to prove their extraordinary claims. So that the veracity of their claims is proved and the argument is exhausted. If it is not so how people would understand that they are true in their claims? And how can they distinguish the true prophets from false claimants of prophethood?

In view of the Holy Quran, it is necessary for divine prophets to display miracles, and this point is mentioned on numerous occasions. For example the staff of Prophet Musa (a), which used to be transformed into a python and swallowed the ropes of sorcerers; he stroke the staff on stone and springs of water gushed out from it; he stroked the staff on the surface of water and it split exposing a path through which the Bani Israel crossed to the opposite side. Another example is that of the talking of Prophet Isa (a) while he was yet an infant in a cradle; his curing the born leper and raising the dead, giving life to the bird of clay and the cooling of the inferno for Prophet Ibrahim (a).

For example, pay attention to the following verses:

قَالَ إِن كُنتَ جِئْتَ بَِايَةٍ فَأْتِ بِهَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّدِقِينَ / فَأَلْقَى‏ عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِىَ ثُعْبَانٌ مُّبِينٌ‏ / وَ نَزَعَ يَدَهُ فَإِذَا هِىَ بَيْضَآءٌ لِّلنّظِرينَ‏

“He said: If you have come with a sign, then bring it, if you are of the truthful ones. So he threw his rod, then lo! it was a clear serpent. And he drew forth his hand, and lo! it was white to the beholders.” (7:106-108)

وَ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَى‏ مُوسَى‏ أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ فَإِذَا هِىَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ‏

“And We revealed to Musa, saying: Cast your rod; then lo! it devoured the lies they told.” (7:117)

وَإِذْ اسْتَسْقَى‏ مُوسَى‏ لِقَوْمِهِ فَقُلْنَا اضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ فَانْفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْناً قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ مَّشْرَبَهُمْ كُلُواْ وَ اشْرَبُواْ مِن رِّزْقِ اللَّهِ وَلاَ تَعْثَواْ فِى الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ‏

“And when Musa prayed for drink for his people, We said: Strike the rock with your staff. So there gushed from it twelve springs; each tribe knew its drinking place: Eat and drink of the provisions of Allah and do not act corruptly in the land, making mischief.” (2:60)

فَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَى‏ مُوسَى‏ أَنِ اضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ الْبَحْرَ فَانفَلَقَ فَكَانَ كُلُّ فِرْقٍ كَالطَّوْدِ الْعَظِيمِ / وَأَزْلَفْنَا ثَمَّ الْآخَرِينَ‏ / وَأَنجَيْنَا مُوسَى‏ وَمَن مَّعَهُ أَجْمَعِينَ / ثُمَّ أَغْرَقْنَا الْآخَرِينَ / إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لَآيَةً وَمَا كَانَ أَكْثَرُهُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

“Then We revealed to Musa: Strike the sea with your staff. So it had cloven asunder, and each part was like a huge mound. And We brought near, there, the others. And We saved Musa and those with him, all of them. Then We drowned the others. Most surely there is a sign in this, but most of them do not believe.” (26:63-67)

قَالُواْ حَرِّقُوهُ وَانصُرُواْ آلِهَتَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ فَاعِلِينَ‏ / قُلْنَا يَا نَارُ كُونِى بَرْداً وَسَلَاماً عَلَى‏ إِبْرَاهِيمَ‏

“They said: Burn him and help your gods, if you are going to do (anything). We said: O fire! be a comfort and peace to Ibrahim…” (21:68-69)

From these verses and tens of others like it, it can be concluded that existence of miracles of prophets in the view of Quran is a fact and whoever considers Quran as a heavenly book, cannot deny the origin of miracles. Basically, Quran introduces itself as a miracle and says:

قُل لَّئِنِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الْإِنسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَى‏ أَن يَأْتُواْ بِمِثْلِ هَذَا الْقُرْءَانِ لَا يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِيراً

“Say: If men and jinn should combine together to bring the like of this Quran, they could not bring the like of it, though some of them were aiders of others.” (17:88)

Definition of Miracle

Miracle is an extraordinary act performed through an unnatural and unknown way. In other words, law of causality is a complete rational law and Quran has also accepted it. That is why nothing comes into existence without a cause; so much so that miracles are also not without a cause.

Finally, the fact is that a phenomenon can be produced in two ways: natural and unnatural (miraculous); for example a staff can transform into a python in two ways:

Firstly: Through the channel of natural causes and factors; that is by the passage of time, natural actions and reactions, when the matter of the staff develops the capability to accept the being of the python. After that from the side of Almighty Allah the form and being of the python is added to it. In this case the python has come into being through natural causes and factors and no miracle has been employed.

Secondly: Through miracle. In this instance also the matter of the staff develops the capability of accepting the soul of the python not through natural actions and reactions, on the contrary it is instantly through the spiritual power of the prophet and his absolute intention that such a capability has developed in the matter of the staff. At that moment the soul of the python is added to it by Almighty Allah and it is transformed into a real python. Therefore, in case of a miracle also the phenomenon does not occurs without a cause; at the most its natural cause is not recognized; on the contrary it occurs as a result of divine will and unnatural and extraordinary causes. From this aspect, it is named as a miracle and it is a testimony to the veracity of the prophet.

Whose act is a Miracle?

Is the miracle a directly action of Almighty Allah without any intermediary or it is the act of the prophet only as a demand of circumstances? Or is it the act of the prophet himself that he performs with his own will?

In some verses, the Holy Quran has related miracle to the prophets; for example: He says in the words of Prophet Isa (a):

أَنِّى قَدْ جِئْتُكُمْ بَِايَةٍ مِّنْ رَّبِّكُمْ أَنِّى أَخْلُقُ لَكُمْ مِّنَ الْطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الْطَّيْرِ فَأَنْفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيْراً بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَأُبْرِئُ الْأَكْمَهَ وَالْأَبْرَصَ وَأُحْىِ الْمَوْتَى‏ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَ أُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا تَأْكُلُونَ وَمَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِى بُيُوتِكُمْ

“That I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I determine for you out of dust like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird with Allah’s permission and I heal the blind and the leprous, and bring the dead to life with Allah’s permission and I inform you of what you should eat and what you should store in your houses.” (3:49)

In Surah Maidah, He says:

وَإِذْ تَخْلُقُ مِنَ الطِّينِ كَهَيَْةِ الطَّيْرِ بِإِذْنِى فَتَنفُخُ فِيهَا فَتَكُونُ طَيْراً بِإِذْنِى وَتُبْرِئُ الْأَكْمَهَ وَالْأَبْرَصَ بِإِذْنِى وَإِذْ تُخْرِجُ الْمَوْتَى‏ بِإِذْنِى

“…and when you determined out of clay a thing like the form of a bird by My permission, then you breathed into it and it became a bird by My permission, and you healed the blind and the leprous by My permission; and when you brought forth the dead by My permission.” (5:110)

With regard to Prophet Musa (a), He says:

قَالَ إِن كُنتَ جِئْتَ بَِايَةٍ فَأْتِ بِهَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصَّدِقِينَ / فَأَلْقَى‏ عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِىَ ثُعْبَانٌ مُّبِينٌ‏ /

“He said: If you have come with a sign, then bring it, if you are of the truthful ones. So he threw his rod, then lo! it was a clear serpent. And he drew forth his hand, and lo! it was white to the beholders.” (7:106-108)

In some verses, the miracle has also been related to Almighty Allah; for example:

وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ الْغَمَامَ وَأَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَى

“And We made the clouds to give shade over you and We sent to you manna and quails.” (2:57)

In any case, it can generally be concluded from the verses that miracle is the direct act of the prophet, which is performed through his will and intention; but the prophet is not independent in its performance; instead, his action is subject to the permission and help of Almighty Allah. Although will and intention of the prophet is a means to causes, but the one who has given reality to it is Almighty Allah. That is why in most verses, the performance of miracle is related to the prophet, but it is made conditional to His leave. In one verse, this point is mentioned with more clarity:

وَمَا كَانَ لِرَسُولٍ أَن يَأْتِىَ بَآيَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ قُضِىَ بِالْحَقِ‏ّ وَخَسِرَ هُنَالِكَ الْمُبْطِلُونَ‏

“…and it was not meet for an apostle that he should bring a sign except with Allah’s permission, but when the command of Allah came, judgment was given with truth, and those who treated (it) as a lie were lost.” (40:78)

Difference between Miracle and Magic

At this point the question arises: If prophet from the aspect of miracle performs an extraordinary act that others cannot do, the sorcerer also performs amazing acts which others are unable to do. Thus what is the difference between miracle and magic? And how can one be satisfied that the act of the claimant of prophethood is a miracle and not magic? In reply to this question, we shall mention some differences:

Firstly: In magic, the occurrence which takes place is not real; on the contrary the sorcerer influences the senses and perception of people in order to display a non-factual and unreal happening. Thus in the story of Prophet Musa (a), the magicians threw ropes, staffs and other instruments of magic before the people and by magic performed acts so that in the view of people they appeared as pythons and snakes, who came into being and moved about here and there horrifying the audience, while in fact there were no pythons and snakes there. Therefore Quran says:

قَالَ أَلْقُواْ فَلَمَّآ أَلْقَوْاْ سَحَرُواْ أَعْيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ وَ جَآءُو بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍ‏

“He said: Cast. So when they cast, they deceived the people’s eyes and frightened them, and they produced a mighty enchantment.” (7:116)

But in case of miracle, a factual and natural matter comes into existence. In the story of Prophet Musa (a), his staff really changed into a python and it really swallowed up the magic of the magicians. Almighty Allah told Prophet Musa (a):

قُلْنَا لَا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْأَعْلَى‏ / وَأَلْقِ مَا فِى يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُواْ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُواْ كَيْدُ سَاحِرٍ وَ لَايُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَى‏ / فَأُلْقِىَ السَّحَرَةُ سُجَّداً قَالُواْ آمَنَّا بِرَبِ‏ّ هَارُونَ وَمُوسَى

“We said: Fear not, surely you shall be the uppermost, and cast down what is in your right hand; it shall devour what they have wrought; they have wrought only the plan of a magician, and the magician shall not be successful wheresoever he may come from. And the magicians were cast down making obeisance; they said: We believe in the Lord of Harun and Musa.” (20:68-70)

That is why when the magicians saw that the python of Prophet Musa (a) has swallowed the instruments of their magic, they understood that the act of Musa (a) was a miracle and that it was totally different from their act. Therefore they surrendered before it and embraced faith.

Secondly: The sorcerer is needful of special acts for his job or he has to use some recitations and magic words; or to draw some figures etc. and write some charms. But no such thing is required for magic; only the will and desire of the prophet is enough to perform that act through the help of Almighty Allah.

Thirdly: Miracle is never defeated; that is when the prophet desires something it definitely turns into a reality and no human power can prevent its occurrence or that he should be able to invalidate it after its occurrence, since it has originated from divine power; but such is not the case with regard to magic; because it is possible that a magician superior to him can defeat him or a prophet can invalidate it as happened in the story of Prophet Musa (a).

Fourthly: Magic is considered as a science and a craft; on the contrary showing miracles cannot be taught and learnt. An ordinary person can learn magic through training and practice and he does not need to have faith in Almighty Allah or develop connection with Him; but the power of miracle is a divine bestowal and is not obtained through learning and practice and the performer of miracle is in possession of extensively lofty faith and has a deep connection with Almighty Allah.

Methods to recognize the prophet

The following methods may be employed in order to recognize true prophets and to certify their claims:

1. Miracle: Asking for a miracle is the best and the most satisfactory way to recognize the prophet. If the claimant of prophethood is in possession of miracle or miracles to prove the veracity of his claim, its existence is absolute proof like witnessing or a reliable and definite report and hence his prophethood is proved.

2. Information given by Past Prophets: In case the previous prophet, whose prophethood had been proved, gives information about the advent of the prophet after himself and mentions his distinctive qualities perfectly, the prophethood of the latter would also be proved as happened in case of the Prophet of Islam. The past prophets gave glad tidings of his arrival, which were recorded in their books. Quran has mentioned this same point in the words of Prophet Isa (a):

وَإِذْ قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ يَابَنِى إِسْرَآءِيلَ إِنِّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُم مُّصَدِّقاً لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَىَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَمُبَشِّراً بِرَسُولٍ يَأْتِى مِن بَعْدِى اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ

“And when Isa son of Maryam said: O children of Israel! surely I am the apostle of Allah to you, verifying that which is before me of the Taurat and giving the good news of an Apostle who will come after me, his name being Ahmad…” (61:6)

3. Study of the text of the laws and programs of religion of the prophet: If an intellectual or researcher studies in detail religious cognitions, laws, rules and programs of religion and its different dimensions without prejudice and evaluates them, he can discover the value and comprehensiveness of that religion. Whether the view of the laws of that religion are according to the criterion of reason and its rules have really complied with the actual needs of the society and that it defends individual rights and social units of the community and observes social justice; and assures the success of man in the world and the hereafter. And by observing its good ethics, which advise its followers to keep away from bad manners etc. he discovers the truthfulness and perfection of that religion and in this way it supports and verifies the prophethood of the prophet.

At this point it is necessary to mention two points: Firstly: Such minute research and indeed all aspects of reformation of people would be limited and cannot become the responsibility of the people. Secondly: In case of certainty, it can be relied upon only within limit of contexts and testimonies, but it cannot be presented as decisive proof. In any case, it does not make us needless of the proof of miracle.

4. Study of life, character and behavior of the claimant of prophethood: If the claimant of prophethood is a person whose trustworthiness, honesty and truthfulness is proved to others and there is no weak point in his internal and external character and he practices what he preaches, he would be supported and verified by the people with regard to the claim of prophethood also. But this topic also would be considered only as a confirmation and not an absolute proof and lawful argument.

Revelation

According to the dictionary meaning, revelation is the conveying of a message in a secret manner to another. In Islamic terminology it is defined as the dialogue of Almighty Allah with the prophets. They were claiming to have a special connection with God and that Almighty Allah speaks to them and conveys His messages to the people through them. They claimed that they can hear the statements of Almighty Allah and see realities in the unseen world and that they have been appointed on behalf of God so that they may convey His messages to the people.

Knowledge of the prophets is obtained through the channel of revelation and it is absolutely opposed to our acquisition of knowledge. We have three kinds of knowledge: Knowledge of senses, knowledge gained through generalities and internal perceptions and realizations. Knowledge of senses is obtained directly from the five senses. The senses also have a role in the knowledge of generalities, because their parts previously were realized through the channel of these senses. After that the generalities are separated from them. The third type is through the inner senses, like: the perception of pain, hunger, thirst, happiness and sorrow. All our knowledge is obtained through the channel of inner or outer senses directly or indirectly. But revelation is not a part of any of them and is having no similarity to them.

Prophets witness the reality in the unseen world and hear the words of God, but not with these eyes and ears. In this instance, knowledge is transferred from Almighty Allah to the heart of the prophets through revelation and at that moment it becomes apparent. Exactly opposed to it is ordinary knowledge which in the beginning is obtained through senses and in the end it enters our selves and hearts. The Quran has also interpreted revelation in this manner:

وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنزِيلُ رَبِ‏ّ الْعَالَمِينَ / نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ / عَلَى‏ قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنذِرِينَ‏ / بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِىٍ‏ّ مُّبِينٍ

“And most surely this is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. The Faithful Spirit has descended with it. Upon your heart that you may be of the warners, In plain Arabic language.” (26:192-195)

قُلْ مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوّاً لِّجِبْرِيْلَ فإِنَّهُ نَزَّلَهُ عَلَى‏ قَلْبِكَ

“Say: Whoever is the enemy of Jibraeel- for surely he revealed it to your heart…” (Surah Baqarah 2:97)

It is mentioned in Tafsir Ruhul Bayan that:

Whenever revelation descended on Prophet Muhammad (S), it first descended upon his heart as he was extremely thirsty for it. At that moment his heart absorbed it. Then he understood it through his heart and heard it and this is in the meaning of coming down from a height and this is the status of the special ones.[3]

The late Allamah Tabatabai (q) has said: Heart denotes the self of man, which has the power of perception, perhaps the reason why Quran has mentioned:

نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ / عَلَى‏ قَلْبِكَ

“The Faithful Spirit has descended with it. Upon your heart…” (26:193-194)

And did not say: “upon you”, which indicates the comprehensiveness of Quran from the side of the Holy Prophet (s) and also whatever he received from the soul was his noble self without his conscious perception having any interference in it.

Therefore, he hears whatever is revealed to him without the intervention of his eyes and ears. Because if his seeing and hearing had been through the apparent eyes and ears, everything he heard would be shared by others; that is whatever he sees, people also see it, while the fact is that traditional reports have refuted this meaning absolutely.[4]

That is why, the knowledge of prophets, which is obtained through revelation, is not like obtained knowledge learned through perception and human thinking, on the contrary it is of a higher type, whose essence is not clear to us. It is a type of secret and hidden understanding and errors and doubts cannot enter it.

From some verses, it is learnt that revelation takes place in one of the following three ways:

First method: Almighty Allah reveals matters directly on the heart of the prophet.

Second method: Matters are sent down to another place and the prophet obtains from there, like in the case of the conversation of Prophet Musa (a) at Mount Tur through the tree. The Holy Quran says:

فَلَمَّآ أَتَاهَا نُودِىَ مِن شَاطِىِ الْوَادِ الْأَيْمَنِ فِى الْبُقْعَةِ الْمُبَارَكَةِ مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ

“And when he came to it, a voice was uttered from the right side of the valley in the blessed spot of the bush…” (28:30)

Third method: Some points are revealed through the angel of revelation (Jibraeel) on the heart of the prophet.

These three methods are mentioned in the Holy Quran when Almighty Allah says:

وَمَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَن يُكَلِّمَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَّا وَحْياً أَوْ مِن وَرَآىِ حِجَابٍ أَوْ يُرْسِلَ رَسُولًا فَيُوحِىَ بِإِذْنِهِ مَا يَشَآءُ إِنَّهُ عَلِىٌّ حَكِيمٌ‏

“And it is not for any mortal that Allah should speak to him except by revelation or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger and revealing by His permission what He pleases, Surely He is High, wise.” (42:51)

But it should be known that in every method, the dialogue is only with Almighty Allah and that is why in most verses, revelation is related to Almighty Allah, but through a medium of cause and effects, one of them being Jibraeel.

Hence, these three methods of revelation should be interpreted in the effect of psychological conditions of the prophet and various divine emotions. In this case, sometimes the ethereal soul of the prophet rises up to the position of Jibraeel and he hears the divine revelation from him. But he does not see himself till he himself saw Jibraeel with his eyes. Sometimes the progress of his soul is to the limit that he hears the speech of Almighty Allah at a designated place like a tree etc. In that case also, his soul rises up such a level that he sees the medium and hears the dialogue directly from Almighty Allah.

Allamah Tabatabai (q) has mentioned the same point when he says:

The proof of veil (Hijab) or the conveyer of the message at the time of speaking does not use the medium of revelation, because revelation like his other characters is not without a medium, only the pivot is the attention of the one who is addressed. Thus if the prophet were to see through which he is getting divine revelation, and through this medium he veils the statement and message, which has come to him from Almighty Allah; like the medium of angel, in that case revelation is on that angel. Thus when the prophet looks at God, the revelation will be from Almighty Allah. Although there is also a medium, but the prophet pays no attention to it.[5]

That is why revelation is a kind of a hidden and inner understanding and perception, which the apparent and hidden perceptions and logical prefaces have no intervention in. On the contrary, it is directly inspired to the heart of the prophet. Since the self of the prophet has reached to the highest level of humanity it has the capacity to obtain such information; but revelation is not ordinary knowledge; it is an extraordinary matter. Therefore people demand miracle from the prophets. The latter also in order to prove the veracity of their claim, perform miracles in situations that demand it.

Number of Prophets

Throughout the history, a large number of prophets were sent to guide human beings. His Eminence, Adam (a) was the first of the divine prophets and The Holy Prophet Muhammad (s) was the last of them. The exact number of prophets is not known, but in some traditions their number is mentioned as 124000. Some prophets were having special and particular laws and some others were not having special code of laws; on the contrary they promoted the Shariah of the previous prophet. Some of them brought scriptures and some others did not bring any books. Sometimes there were more than one prophet in a single town or city, who fulfilled the duties of prophethood.

It is narrated from Abu Zar that one day he asked the Messenger of Allah (s): How many prophets are there in all? He replied: One hundred and twenty four thousand. He then asked: How many of them were messenger prophets? He replied: Three hundred thirteen from the above group. He asked: Who was the first of them? He replied: Adam. He asked: Was he a messenger prophet? He replied: Yes, Almighty Allah created him with His own hands and blew His spirit into him. At that moment the Holy Prophet (s) said: O Abu Zar:

There were four from the Syriac prophets: Adam, Sheeth, and Ukhnuh, who is also called Idris and who was the first to write and Nuh. Four of them were Arabs: Hud, Salih, Shuaib and your prophet, Muhammad. The first prophet among Bani Israel was Musa and the last of them was Isa and they were in all six hundred prophets.

Abu Zar asked: O Messenger of Allah (s), how many heavenly scriptures descended? He replied: One hundred and four, of which Almighty Allah revealed to Sheeth fifty scrolls, thirty on Idris and twenty on Ibrahim. He also revealed Taurat, Injeel, Zabur and Quran.[6]

Five great divine prophets brought new sets of laws (Shariah) and they are known as Ulul Azm prophets. They were: Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa and Muhammad (s).

Ismail Jofi has narrated from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a) that he said:

The Ulul Azm prophets are five in number: Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa and Muhammad (s).[7]

We do not have detailed information about the names of all the prophets; in books of history also only some of their names are mentioned. In the Holy Quran, twenty-six of them are mentioned by names: They are: Adam, Nuh, Idris, Hud, Salih, Ibrahim, Lut, Ismail, Al-Yasa, Zulkifl, Ilyas, Ayyub, Yunus, Ishaq, Yaqub, Yusuf, Shuaib, Musa, Harun, Dawood, Sulaiman, Zakariya, Yahya, Ismail the keeper of his word, Isa and Muhammad (s).