Life of the Prophets

THE PROPHETS OF GOD  “So relate the stories, perhaps they may reflect” (7:176)

THE PROPHETS OF GOD  Adam, Idris, Nuh, Salih,Ibrahim,  Isma’il,Ishaq,Lut,Ya’qubYusuf,  Shu’aib,Ayyub,Musa,Harun,  Dhul Kifl,Dawud,Sulaiman,Ilyas,  Al Yasa’,Yunus,ZakariyaYahya  Isa, Muhammad  May Allah be pleased with them.

MESSENGERS OF ALLAH  Ibrahim (Abraham)  Dawud (David)  Musa (Moses)  Eesa (Jesus)  Muhammad  May peace be upon them.

THE PROPHETS OF GOD  “They are those whom Allah had guided. So follow their guidance.”  Quran 6: 90

WHY WE NEED TO KNOW THE PROPHETS OF GOD  It is a religious duty for us to learn about the prophets and messengers;  So that we may contemplate upon the meaning of the stories;  They are the best of creation;  To love them.

WHY WE NEED TO KNOW THE PROPHETS OF GOD  We are going to face problems similar to those faced by the prophets.  For example:  Musa (Moses) dealt with the problems of dictatorship; oppresive leadership and government plus problems of the Muslims Ummah at that time (i.e Banu Israil)  Lut dealt with problems of homosexuals;  Ibrahim and Salih dealt with adolatory etc.

WHY WE NEED TO KNOW THE PROPHETS OF GOD  Shu’aib (Madyan) dealt dealt with people who were cheating in business transactions;  We are going to run into problems of every Prophet mentioned in the Qur’an;  Thus through stories of the Prophets, Allah is teaching us lessons of how to deal with these particular situations.

THE BEST OF STORIES  The story of Yusuf  “Indeed in their stories, there is a lesson for men of understanding.” (12:111)

THEORY OF EVOLUTION  This story is from the best of stories because of what it relates from the varying phases of life:  from trial to tribulation,  from being tested to being blessed,  from humiliation to grandeur,  from slavery to kingship,  The Umayyads felt threatened by this man that they conspired against him to his death by poisoning him at the young age of 39

THE STORY OF YUSUF (A.S)  from division to unity,  from grief to joy,  from superfluity to famine,  from hardship to ease,  and from denial to affirmation.  So blessed be the One who revealed it in the best manner possible.

THE BEST OF STORIES  The story of Yusuf  “Indeed in their stories, there is a lesson for men of understanding.” (12:111)  WHAT ARE THE LESSONS?

LESSONS # 1  The importance of being cautious of the evil results of sins, because one sin often leads to many others. For the brothers of Yusuf tried varying plots when they wanted to separate him from his father; they lied many times, they falsified the blood on the shirt, they came at night pretending to cry, and all of this is as a result of one sin, one thing leading to a next.

LESSON # 2  When there is an atmosphere for sin, the servant should always return unto Allah and distance himself from his own strength and power based on the statement of Yusuf, “Unless You turn away their plot from me, I will feel inclined towards them and be one (of those who commit sin and deserve blame) of the ignorants.”

LESSON # 3  Whenever the servant sees a situation that might be one of fitnah or cause of sin, he should flee as far as possible from it to save himself from sin.

LESSON # 4  Whenever eemaan enters the heart and one makes his whole affair sincerely for Allah sake, Allah will indeed repel and defend one from all types of evil and vulgarity because of one’s eemaan and sincerity due to Allah’s statement, “Thus it was, that We might turn away from him evil and illegal sexual intercourse. Surely, he was one of Our sincere slaves.”  “So relate the stories, perhaps they may reflect” (7:176)

LESSON # 5  The importance of priorities. For when he was asked by the two young men to interpret their dreams, there were other matters of importance that they were in greater need of knowing before their questions were to be answered. This is a sign of a teacher possessing great intelligence, and the ability to correctly guide and teach, for when Yusuf was asked by the two young men about their dreams, he first called them to Allah before interpreting their dreams.

 Love your siblings.  Never be jealous, it can lead you to killing someone. (Ayah 10)  Sometimes you know when someone is lying, but you shouldn’t say it without proof. (Ayah 13)  Don’t make false promises. (Ayah 14)  Never lie. (Ayah 17+18)  Allah will always take care of his true servants. (Ayah 19)  Allah teaches the Prophets so that they can teach others. (Ayah 21)  Don’t leave young men alone with women. Always control your desires. (Ayah )

 When you do something wrong, admit it, and don’t blame someone else. (Ayah 25)  Stand up for the truth! (Ayah 26)  Don’t cover up the truth, act fairly. (Ayah 29)  We must live a good life, so people will have confidence in us. People who have knowledge influence others in any circumstance. (Ayah 36)knowledge  When you have the chance, always tell others about your religion. (Ayah 37)  Call people to the true faith. Sometimes it is good to compare to explain something. (Ayah 39)  Ask only from Allah, and no one else. (Ayah 42)

 Don’t justify ignorance. (Ayah 44)  People must always think long term. Always be prepared for disasters. (Ayah 47)  When judging a situation, you must be fair. (Ayah 51)  Try to protect your honor. (Ayah 52)  Always have a good intention. (Ayah 55)  Allah gives all power. (Ayah 56)  Always keep in mind about the hereafter. (Ayah 57)hereafter  Be kind to those who aren’t kind to us. (Ayah 59)  Trust in Allah, and believe in Him to guard us. (Ayah 64)

 Always listen to your parents. (Ayah 68)  Don’t talk about someone when they are not there. (Ayah 77)  Observe the rules of fairness for everyone. The guilty one has to be punished, not the innocent. (Ayah 79)  Always obey your parents. (Ayah 80)  Always be patient under all circumstances, and never lose hope in Allah. The true believer will feel that whatever happens will happen for the best. (Ayah 83)  Your parent’s love is true love. (Ayah 85)  Try to hold in your anger. A person, who believes in Allah, will only complain to Allah. (Ayah 86)

 Don’t lose hope in Allah. Always believe there was a good reason why something happened. (Ayah 87)  When we don’t know why something is happening, remember that Allah has a reason. (Ayah 88)  Always have patience, and Allah will grant you what you want most. (Ayah 90)  If you have the faith, Allah will always be there. (Ayah 91)  When you have power over your enemy, always forgive him. If you forgive somebody, then Allah will forgive you. The people who forgive others, are the servants of Allah. (Ayah 92)  Jealousy is a disease which affects the soul. (Ayah 95)

 Allah is the most forgiving, and there is no sin he won’t forgive, other than shirk. No matter how big the sin is, Allah will always be there to forgive it. Allah’s actions can never be questioned. (Ayah 98)  Respect your parents. (Ayah 99)  Your parents are superior to you, and you must always give them a higher status. (Ayah 100)  A true believer’s prayer will be that he dies a Muslim. (Ayah 101)  Learning history is important. (Ayah 102)  We have no excuse to reject the call of the Prophet. He is not asking for anything in return. His conveying of the message is benefiting you only. (Ayah 104)  We have to observe and learn from the signs of Allah. Eg. Sun, moon, stars, and ocean etc. (Ayah 105)

 The Day of Judgment will come without a warning. The earth and the people will be in total confusion. (Ayah 107)  A prophet will always call people to Allah only. If we are the followers of the Prophet, we must also call people towards Allah with our actions. (Ayah 108)  The prophets are human beings and not angels. The knowledge of the Prophet is from Allah. The disbelievers are the losers in the hereafter because of their disbelief in the Prophet. (Ayah 109)  Don’t give up in Allah. Always believe that He is there to help you. (Ayah 110)  The stories in the Quran are not made up tales. They are true, and are lessons for us. (Ayah 111)