Prophets of Islam

In Islam, prophets and messengers (in Arabic the words nabi and rasul are used) are people chosen by Allah (God) to guide mankind, and their communities especially when they need it most and to bring them back to the path towards Allah. 

According to the hadith of Ibn Hibban, 361: Allah has sent over 124,000 prophets to every nation and Muhammad was Allah's last prophet sent to convey Allah's message to the idol-worshipping Arab tribes during his time and to convey the Quran for mankind to use and to learn from after his passing, and Muhammad was the last and final prophet and messenger of Allah.

 Qur'an 
There are many prophets in Islam, of them 25 prophets are mentioned by name in the Qur'an. These are:
 Adam (آدم)
 Idris (إدريس) (Enoch)
 Nuh (نوح) (Noah) 
 Hud (هود) (Eber)
 Saleh (صالح) (Methuselah) 
 Ibrahim (إبراهيم)(Abraham)
 Lut (لوط) (Lot)
 Ismail (إسماعيل) (Ishmael)
 Ishaq (إسحاق) (Isaac)
 Ya'qub (يعقوب) (Jacob)
 Yusuf (يوسف) (Joseph)
 Ayub (أيوب) (Job)
 Shu'aib (شعيب) (Jethro) 
 Musa (موسى)(Moses)
 Harun (هارون) (Aaron)
 Dul-Kifl (ذو الكفل) (Ezekiel)
 Dawud (داود) (David)
 Sulaiman (سليمان)(Solomon)
 Ilyas (إلياس) (Elijah)
 Al-Yasa (اليسع) (Elisha)
 Yunus (يونس)(Jonah)
 Zakaria (زكريا)(Zechariah)
 Yahya (يحيى) (John the Baptist)
 Isa (عيسى) (Jesus)
 Muhammad (محمد)

 Other prophets and/or chosen figures 
Muslims believe in other prophets and/or chosen figures other than those mentioned by name in the Qur'an, such as:  Joshua, Samson, Luqman, Caleb, Seth, Daniel, Isaiah, Hosea, Jeremiah, Shem, Benjamin, Khidr, and Dhu al-Qarnayn (traditionally believed to be a reference to Cyrus The Great).

 Known prophets 

 Prophets and messengers named in the Quran 
According to tradition, Prophets (Nabi) mentioned in the Quran are sometimes interchanged with the word Messengers (Rasul), but not all Prophets were Messengers.

+Prophets and messengers in the Quran Chronologically Ordered Number NameArabic
(transliteration) Equivalent  Prophet
(nabī) Messenger
()!! BookTime when a prophet lived (event or years) Sent to Notes1Adamآدَم
(ʾĀdam)Adam ✓  ✓ Birth of humanity as we know it Earth First Prophet2Idrisإِدْرِيس
(ʾIdrīs)Enoch✓ BabylonTailor; inventor of the needle3Nuhنُوح
(Nūḥ)Noah ✓  ✓ Great Flood The people of Noah Survivor of the Great Flood4Hudهُود
(Hūd)Eber ✓  ✓  ʿĀd tribe Merchant5Salehصَالِح
(Ṣāliḥ)Methuselah ✓  ✓  Thamud tribe Camel breeder6Ibrahimإِبْرَاهِيم
(ʾIbrāhīm)Abraham ✓  ✓ Scrolls of AbrahamMigration to Iraq and spread of the message of Monotheism The people of Iraq Builder of the Kaaba, Founder of  Abrahamic Religions 7Lutلُوط
(Lūṭh)Lot ✓  ✓   The people of Lot Historian and traveler8Ismailإِسْمَاعِيل

(ʾIsmāʿīl)Ishmael ✓  ✓   Mecca Founder of the Arabian people9Ishaqإِسْحَاق

(ʾIsḥāq)Isaac ✓     Jerusalem/Palestine Founders of the Israelite people; Isra’ill10Yaqubيَعْقُوب

(Yaʿqūb)Jacob ✓     11Yusufيُوسُف
(Yūsuf)Joseph ✓  ✓   Egypt Inventor12Ayyubأَيُّوب

(ʾAyyūb)Job ✓     Edom Known for his patience 13Shuʿaybشُعَيْب

(Shu‘ayb)Jethro ✓  ✓  MidianShepherd14Musaمُوسَىٰ

(Mūsā)Moses ✓  ✓ Tawrah (Torah) Suhoof Musa (Scrolls of Moses)"~1400s BCE-1300s BCE, or ~1300s BCE-1200s BCEPharaoh and his establishmentChallenged the Pharaoh and spread the word of the Torah/Tawrat, Founder of Judaism 15Harunهَارُون
(Hārūn)Aaron ✓    Pharaoh and his establishmentVizier16Dhul-Kiflذُو ٱلْكِفْل

(Zūlkifli)Debated, Ezekiel, Buddha, Joshua, Obadiah Footnote: "Scholars are in disagreement as to whether Ⱬul-Kifl was a prophet or just a righteous man. Those who maintain that he was a prophet identify him with various Biblical prophets such as Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Obadiah." Isaiah. ✓     Iraq 17Dawudدَاوُۥد \ دَاوُود

(Dāūd)David ✓   ✓Zabur (Psalms) ~1000s BCE-971 BCE Jerusalem Spread the word of Psalms/Zabur18Sulaymanسُلَيْمَان

(Sulaymān)Solomon ✓   ~971 BCE-931 BCE Jerusalem Copperworker, third and last king of the United Monarchy; built the First Temple; Son of Dawud19Ilyasإِلْيَاس

(ʾIlyās)Elijah ✓  ✓   The people of Ilyas Silk weaver20Alyasaٱلْيَسَع
(Alyasaʿ)Elisha ✓     Samaria 21Yunusيُونُس
(Yūnus)Jonah ✓  ✓   The people of YounisSwallowed by large fish22Zakariyyaزَكَرِيَّا
(Zakarīyā)Zechariah ✓     Jerusalem Father of Yahya23Yahyaيَحْيَىٰ
(Yaḥyā)John the Baptist ✓     Jerusalem 24Isaعِيسَىٰ
(ʿĪsā)Jesus ✓  ✓ Injil (Gospel) ~4 BCE-~30 CE, or ~0-~30 CE The Children of Isra’illThe Messiah, spread the word of the Gospel/Injil, Founder of Christianity25Muhammadمُحَمَّد
(Muḥammad)Muhammad ✓ Page 50 "As early as Ibn Ishaq (85-151 AH) the biographer of Muhammad, the Muslims identified the Paraclete - referred to in John's ... "to give his followers another Paraclete that may be with them forever" is none other than Muhammad."Quran 33:40 ✓ Quran571-632 The Arab Tribes and mankind Shepherd, Founder of Islam; Seal of the Prophets, spread the word of the Quran

 Figures whose prophethood is debated 
+Figures whose prophethood is debated NameArabic
(transliteration) Equivalent  Sent to  Note Daniyalدانيال

(Dānīyāl)DanielBabylonTabari, i, 665-668, 717Usually considered by Muslims to be a prophet, but he is not mentioned in the Qur'an, nor in Sunni Muslim hadith, but he is a prophet according to Shia Muslim hadith.A-Z of Prophets in Islam and Judaism, B.M. Wheeler, DanielDhu Al-Qarnaynذُو ٱلْقَرْنَيْن
(Ḏū al-Qarnayn) Traditionally identified with Alexander the Great, while some modernists have identified him with Cyrus the Great, and others with Imru'l-Qays, Messiah ben Joseph, Darius the Great,Pearls from Surah Al-Kahf: Exploring the Qur'an's Meaning, Yasir Qadhi Kube Publishing Limited, 4 Mar 2020,  Oghuz Khagan)   The people he met on his travelsHe appears in the Quran as one who travels to east and west and erects a barrier between mankind and Gog and Magog (called Ya'juj and Ma'juj).Hizqilحزقيل
(Ḥizqīl)EzekielIraqHe is often identified as being the same figure as Dhul-Kifl,Reisebeschreibung nach Arabian Copenhagen, 1778, ii. 264–266 Although not mentioned in the Qur'an by the name, Muslim scholars, both classicalIbn Kutayba, Ukasha, Tabari, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Ishaq, Masudi, Kisa'i, Balami, Thalabi and many more have all recognized Ezekiel as a prophet. and modern have included Ezekiel in lists of the prophets of Islam.Irmiyaإرْميا
(Irmiyā)JeremiahPalestineHe does not appear in the Quran or any canonical hadith, but his narrative is fleshed out in Muslim literature and exegesis, moreover some non-canonical hadith and tafsirs narrate that the Parable of the Hamlet in Ruins is about Irmiya.Tafsir al-Qurtubi, vol. 3, p. 188; Tafsir al-Qummi, vol. 1, p. 117.Khidrٱلْخَضِر
(al-Khaḍir)Unknown, sometimes identified as Melchizedek, and sometimes equated with ElijahAl-Tabari (1991). The History of al-Tabari. Albany: State University of New York. p. 3.   The seas,M. C. Lyons The Arabian Epic: Volume 1, Introduction: Heroic and Oral Story-telling Cambridge University Press 2005  p. 46 the oppressed peoples, Isra’ill, Mecca, and all lands where a prophet existsİmam Muhammed bin Muhammed bin Süleyman er-Rudani, Büyük Hadis Külliyatı, Cem'ul-fevaid min Cami'il-usul ve Mecma'iz-zevaid,  c.5., s.18The Quran also mentions the mysterious Khidr (but does not name him), identified at times with Melchizedek (who is the figure that Abram accompanies on one journey). Although most Muslims regard him as an enigmatic saint, some see him as a prophet as well.Maryamمَرْيَم
(Maryam)Mary   PalestineShoemaker, Stephen J., 'The Ancient Palestinian Cult of the Virgin and the Early Dormition Traditions', Ancient Traditions of the Virgin Mary's Dormition and Assumption (Oxford, 2003; online edn, Oxford Academic, 1 Nov. 2003), https://doi.org/10.1093/0199250758.003.0003, accessed 25 Dec. 2025.Some scholars regard Maryam (Mary) as a messenger and a prophetess, since God sent her a message through an angel and because she was a vessel for divine miracles. Islamic belief regards her as one of the holiest of women, but the matter of her prophethood continues to be debated.Luqmanلقمان
(Luqman) -   EthiopiaIbn Kathir, Hafiz, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Dar-us-Salam Publications, 2000 (original ~1370)Al-Halawi, Ali Sayed, Stories of the Qurʼan by Ibn Kathir, Dar Al-ManarahThe Quran mentions the sage Luqman in the chapter named after him, but does not clearly identify him as a prophet. The most widespread Islamic belief views Luqman as a saint, but not as a messenger, however, other Muslims regard Luqman as a messenger as well. The Arabic term wali is commonly translated into English as "Saint". This should not be confused with the Christian tradition of sainthood.Samuilصموئيل
(Ṣamūʾīl)Samuel   IsraelAbdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation and Commentary, Note 278 to verse 246: "This was Samuel. In his time Israel had suffered from much corruption within and many reverses without. The Philistines had made a great attack and defeated Israel with great slaughter. The Israelites, instead of relying on Faith and their own valor and cohesion, brought out their most sacred possession, the Ark of the Covenant, to help them in the fight. But the enemy captured it, carried it away, and retained it for seven months. The Israelites forgot that wickedness cannot screen itself behind a sacred relic. Nor can a sacred relic help the enemies of the faith. The enemy found that the Ark brought nothing but misfortune for themselves, and were glad to abandon it. It apparently remained twenty years in the village (qarya) of Yaarim (Kirjath-jeafim): I. Samuel, 7:2. Meanwhile, the people pressed Samuel to appoint them a king. They thought that a king would cure all their ills, whereas what was wanting was a spirit of union and discipline and a readiness on their part to fight in the cause of Allah."Quran Search Engine, Ayat Search Samuel.Phonetic Search Engine. القرآن الكريم in Arabic, Urdu, English Translation  Al-Baqara [2:247, 248 & 251]Not mentioned by name, only referred to as a messenger/prophet sent to the Israelites and who anoints Saul as a king.Shithشيث
(Šiṯ)SethMankindIbn Kathir, Al-Bidāya wa-n-nihāyaHe is not mentioned in the Quran, but he is mentioned in Hadith, and is revered within Islamic tradition.Talutطالوت
(Ṭālūt)Traditionally identified with Saul,M. A. S. Abdel Haleem: The Qur'an, a new translation, note to 2:247. while some have identified him with Gideon   IsraelSome Muslims refer to Saul as Talut, and believe that he was the commander of Israel. Other scholars, however, have identified Talut as Gideon. According to the Qur'an, Talut was chosen by Samuel to lead them into war. Talut led the Israelites to victory over the army of Goliath, who was killed by Dawud (David).Uzairعزير
(ʿUzayr)EzraIsraelHe is mentioned in the Quran,Quran 9:30 but he is not specified to have been a prophet, although many Islamic scholars hold Uzair to be one of the prophets.Ashraf, Shahid (2005). "Prophets 'Uzair, Zakariya and Yahya (PBUT)". Encyclopaedia of Holy Prophet and CompanionsIbn Kathir. "'Uzair(Ezra)". Stories Of The Quran.Yushaيُوشَعُ
(Yūša)Joshua   IsraelYusha (Joshua) is not mentioned by name in the Quran, but his name appears in other Islamic literature and in multiple Hadith. In the Quranic account of the conquest of Canaan, Joshua and Caleb are referenced, but not named, as two men, on whom God "had bestowed His grace". Yusha is regarded by most scholars as the prophetic successor to Musa (Moses).

 References 

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Category:History of Islam