Risalah, Holy Books & Prophethood
Risalah — Prophethood
Risalah means prophethood. Muslims believe Allah did not leave humanity without guidance — He sent prophets (messengers) at different times throughout history to teach people how to live according to His will. Prophets are human beings chosen by Allah. They are not divine, but they are considered sinless (ma’sum) and perfectly obedient to God.
The Qur’an mentions 25 prophets by name, but Muslims believe there were many more — some traditions say 124,000. Every nation received at least one prophet. The specification requires knowledge of three key prophets: Adam, Ibrahim (Abraham) and Muhammad.
Adam was the first human and the first prophet. Allah created Adam from clay and breathed life into him. Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden with Hawwa (Eve). When they disobeyed Allah by eating from the forbidden tree, they were sent to earth. However, Adam repented sincerely and Allah forgave him. In Islam, Adam is not seen as carrying “original sin” — his repentance was accepted, and every person is born sinless.
Ibrahim (Abraham) is one of the most important prophets in Islam, known as “Khalilullah” — the Friend of Allah. Ibrahim demonstrated perfect submission to God. When Allah commanded him to sacrifice his son Isma’il, Ibrahim was willing to obey, proving his total faith. Allah intervened and provided a ram instead. This event is commemorated during the festival of Id-ul-Adha. Ibrahim also rebuilt the Ka’aba in Makkah with Isma’il, establishing the site of Hajj.
Muhammad is the final and most important prophet — the “Seal of the Prophets” (Khatam an-Nabiyyin). Surah 33:40 states: “Muhammad is… the messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets.” This means no more prophets will come after him. Muhammad received the Qur’an from the angel Jibril over 23 years, beginning in 610 CE. His life and teachings (the Hadith) are a model for all Muslims to follow. Muhammad’s example is known as the Sunnah.
Muhammad is called the “Seal of the Prophets” (Surah 33:40), meaning he is the last and final messenger of Allah. No new prophets will come after him. His message — the Qur’an — is considered the complete and final revelation from God.
The Holy Books (Kutub)
Muslims believe Allah revealed His guidance through several holy books, each given to a different prophet. Belief in these books is the third article of Sunni faith (Kutub). However, Muslims believe that all previous scriptures were either lost, altered or corrupted over time. Only the Qur’an remains in its original, unchanged form.
The Qur’an was revealed to Muhammad through the angel Jibril over 23 years. It contains 114 surahs (chapters) and is considered the literal, unchanged word of Allah in Arabic. It is the supreme authority in Islam — every other source of guidance is secondary to it. Muslims treat the physical Qur’an with great respect: it is kept on the highest shelf, hands are washed before reading it, and nothing is placed on top of it.
The Torah (Tawrat) was revealed to the Prophet Musa (Moses). It contained Allah’s laws and guidance for the Israelites.
The Psalms (Zabur) were revealed to the Prophet Dawud (David). They contained hymns and praises to Allah.
The Gospel (Injil) was revealed to the Prophet Isa (Jesus). It contained guidance and teachings from Allah for the people of that time.
The Scrolls of Abraham (Suhuf Ibrahim) were among the earliest revelations, given to the Prophet Ibrahim. They have been lost entirely.
The Qur’an has supreme authority in Islam because Muslims believe it is the only holy book that has never been changed or corrupted. It is the direct word of Allah, revealed in Arabic through Jibril, and it supersedes all previous scriptures.
The Qur’an: Revelation and Authority
The Qur’an was revealed to Muhammad beginning on the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr) in approximately 610 CE. Muhammad was meditating in a cave on Mount Hira near Makkah when the angel Jibril appeared and commanded him to “Read!” (Surah 96:1–5). Muhammad could not read, but Jibril pressed him forcefully three times and commanded him to recite. As recorded in Sahih Bukhari (Hadith 3), the Prophet returned trembling, his heart beating severely. Revelations continued for the next 23 years until Muhammad’s death in 632 CE.
The Qur’an’s authority in Islam is absolute. It is the primary source of Shari’ah (Islamic law) and provides guidance on worship, morality, family life, justice and social conduct. When a question arises, Muslims turn first to the Qur’an, then to the Hadith and Sunnah, and then to scholarly interpretation.
The Imamate in Shi’a Islam
The Imamate is the fourth root of Usul ad-Din and is unique to Shi’a Islam. Shi’a Muslims believe that after Muhammad’s death, leadership of the Muslim community should have passed to his cousin and son-in-law Ali, and then through a line of twelve Imams descended from Muhammad’s family (Ahl al-Bayt).
Divine appointment: Shi’a Muslims believe each Imam was chosen by Allah, not elected by the community. This gives them a religious authority that Sunni caliphs did not claim.
Infallibility: The Imams are considered ma’sum (sinless and infallible). They cannot make mistakes in matters of faith and are perfect interpreters of the Qur’an and Islamic law.
The Twelfth Imam: Shi’a Muslims believe the twelfth Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, went into “occultation” (hiding) in 874 CE. He is believed to be alive and will return at the end of time as a messianic figure to establish justice and peace on earth.
Influence today: Because the twelfth Imam is in hiding, Shi’a scholars (ayatollahs and mujtahids) act as his representatives, interpreting Islamic law on his behalf. This gives senior Shi’a clergy a level of religious authority that has no parallel in Sunni Islam.
The Imamate is a key difference between Sunni and Shi’a Islam. Sunni Muslims do not believe in divinely appointed, infallible leaders after Muhammad. They followed elected caliphs and rely on scholarly consensus for interpretation of Islamic law. For Shi’a Muslims, the Imamate is not merely a political institution — it is a core theological belief about how Allah continues to guide humanity.