Real-Life Stories on the Power of Istighfar (With Authentic References)

 

              

                         Miracles of The Prophets

Allah Almighty aided His messengers with miracles to help their people believe in the message of the Oneness of God. Prophethood in Islam involves experiencing miracles gifted by Allah the Almighty. Some of the miracles mentioned in the Qur’an are those of Musa, ‘Isa, Ibrahim, Saleh, Sulaiman, and Muhammad, Peace and Blessings be upon them all. Musa, peace be upon him, was sent to Bani Israel, a nation notorious for its magical practices. Allah Almighty gifted Musa peace be upon him with miracles that made Bani Israel believe the magic they did was falsehood. Allah Almighty mentions in the Qur’an:

وَمَا تِلْكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يَا مُوسَى* قَالَ هِيَ عَصَايَ أَتَوَكَّأُ عَلَيْهَا وَأَهُشُّ بِهَا عَلَى غَنَمِي وَلِيَ فِيهَا مَآرِبُ أُخْرَى* قَالَ أَلْقِهَا يَا مُوسَى* فَأَلْقَاهَا فَإِذَا هِيَ حَيَّةٌ تَسْعَى* قَالَ خُذْهَا وَلَا تَخَفْ سَنُعِيدُهَا سِيرَتَهَا الْأُولَى

“‘Moses, what is that in your right hand?’‘It is my staff,’ he said, ‘I lean on it; restrain my sheep with it; I also have other uses for it.’God said, ‘Throw it down, Moses.’ He threw it down and- lo and behold!- it became a fast-moving snake. He said, ‘Pick it up without fear: We shall turn it back into its former state.”(Qur’an 20: 17-21)

It was with this stick that Musa, peace be upon him, fought the corrupt magicians and emerged victorious. The incident has been mentioned in great detail in the Qur’an more than once. Musa, peace be upon him, was also gifted with other miracles.

The miracle of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the Qur’an. Arabs of the age of ignorance took great interest in poetry and were well-versed in the use of Arabic language principles in their poetry. Revelation of the Qur’an shook them. They wholeheartedly accepted that such beautiful verses couldn’t be the work of a man. Allah Almighty challenged the Arabs to bring a book like the Qur’an in the following ayah:

قُلْ لَئِنِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الْإِنْسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَى أَنْ يَأْتُوا بِمِثْلِ هَذَا الْقُرْآنِ لَا يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِيرًا

“Say, ‘Even if all mankind and jinn came together to produce something like this Quran, they could not produce anything like it, however much they helped each other.’" (Qur’an 17:88)

Ar-Rasul and An-Nabi   الرسول والنبي

Before diving into the depths of learning more about the prophets, it’s important that we define the terms رسول (Rasul) and نبي (Nabi). While the term prophet is commonly used in the English language, Arabic language differentiates between the two. A Nabi is generally known as someone who preaches the word of Allah Almighty but brings no new source of sharia’s for his people.  He follows the commands of the previous book of guidance. A Rasul meanwhile is given a new source of guidance by Allah Almighty for his people. For example, Musa be peace be upon him, was given the Torah as a source of guidance for the people of Israel, and those prophets who followed him used Torah as a source of guidance without the addition of any new commandments.

Number of Prophets

عن أبي ذر قال : قلت :  يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَمِ الْأَنْبِيَاءُ ؟  قَالَ: ( مِائَةُ أَلْفٍ وَعِشْرُونَ أَلْفًا)، قُلْتُ :يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَمِ الرُّسُلُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ؟ قَالَ : (ثَلَاثُ مِائَةٍ وَثَلَاثَةَ عَشَرَ جَمًّا غَفِيرًا)، قَالَ قُلْتُ : يَا  رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ كَانَ أَوَّلُهُمْ ؟ قَالَ : (آدَمُ .... ) رواه ابن حبان 361

It was narrated that Abu Dharr said: I said: O Messenger of Allah, how many Prophets were there? He said: “One hundred and twenty-four thousand.” I said: O Messenger of Allah, how many of them were Messengers? He said: “Three hundred and thirteen, a good number.” I said: O Messenger of Allah, who was the first of them? He said: “Adam.” … (Narrated by Ibn Hibbaan, 361)

Islam and Belief in Prophets

Belief in Prophets forms an integral part of Islam. The Shahadah that one takes at the time of entering into Islam has two parts: one is that there is no god but Allah, second is that Muhammad ﷺ is the messenger of Allah.  Prophets have played the role of messengers that bring about the Divine message from Allah Almighty to their people. Belief in all prophets in Islam is very important.  Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an:

آَمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ آَمَنَ بِاللهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِه

“The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, as do the faithful. They all believe in God, His angels, His scriptures, and His messengers. ‘We make no distinction between any of His messengers,’ they say, ‘We hear and obey. Grant us Your forgiveness, our Lord. To You we all return!’-” (Qur’an, 2:285)

The ayah obligates Muslims to believe in all Prophets without any distinction amongst them. Belief in all Prophets also forms a part of our Iman as mentioned in the following hadith:

Abu Hurairah is reported to have said: One day, while the Prophet peace be upon him was sitting in the company of some people, (The angel) Gabriel came and asked, "What is faith?" Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, replied, 'Faith is to believe in Allah, His angels, (the) meeting with Him, His Apostles, and to believe in Resurrection." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitaab al Iman, Hadith 43)

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the Last Prophet to Mankind

As Muslims, we firmly believe that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the last of the Prophets and the خاتم الأنبياء (Seal of Prophets). Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an:

مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمْ وَلَكِن رَّسُولَ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا

“Muhammad is not the father of any one of you men; he is God’s Messenger and the seal of the prophets: God knows everything..” (Qur’an 33:40)

All Prophets were sent to their nations and preached only to their people. An example is that of Musa, peace be upon him. The Qur’an mentions his conversation alongside his brother with Pharaoh in Surah Taha:

إنا رسولا ربك فأرسل معنا بني إسرائيل

“'Indeed, we are messengers of your Lord, so send with us the Children of Israel.” (Qur’an 33: 47)

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, unlike the previous Prophets, is a messenger for all mankind, regardless of time and geography, as mentioned in the Qur’an:

وما أرسلناك إلا كافة للناس بشيراً ونذيرا

“We have sent you [Prophet] only to bring good news and warning to all people, but most of them do not understand.” (Qur’an 34:28)