Stories of earlier peoples

Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the prophets, whose name is written in the Torah and the Gospel and whom Jesus announced by the name Ahmad, sent to all people as a mercy, a witness, a bringer of good news and a warner.

Allah took His servant Muhammad by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque to show him some of His signs.

Allah told the angels that He would place a vicegerent on earth, created Adam from clay, breathed spirit into him and taught him the names of all things.

Noah was sent to his people and called them night and day, openly and in private, to worship Allah and seek His forgiveness, but they stopped their ears, mocked him and clung to their idols; he stayed among them nine hundred and fifty years.

Hud was sent to the people of Ad, their own brother, calling them to worship Allah alone and to seek forgiveness and repent, asking no reward.

Salih was sent to Thamud, who lived among gardens and springs and carved houses out of the mountains, to call them to worship Allah alone.

Abraham observed a star, the moon and the sun and then disowned idolatry, counselled his father, smashed his people's idols and was saved by Allah from a fire made cool.

Lot believed in Abraham and was rescued with him to the blessed land, then was sent to his own people.

The story of Joseph is called the best of stories: his dream of eleven stars, the sun and the moon, his brothers who threw him into a well, the advances of the wife of al-Aziz which he refused, until al-Aziz saw Joseph's shirt torn from behind and said "your scheming is great", and Joseph then chose prison, his call to tawhid and his interpretation of dreams in prison, until he became the treasurer of Egypt.

Shuaib was sent to the people of Madyan and the dwellers of the wood (Aikah) to call them to worship Allah alone, give full measure and weight, not cheat people of their due, and not spread corruption in the land.

Prophet Job was afflicted with illness and the loss of his family, and he called on his Lord, the Most Merciful of the merciful.

Pharaoh tyrannised Egypt and killed the sons of the Children of Israel, and Moses' mother was inspired to set him adrift on the river, so that he was raised in Pharaoh's house and returned to his mother.

Allah reminds the Children of Israel of His favours: they were saved from Pharaoh, the sea was parted for them, they were shaded with clouds and given manna, quails and springs from the rock, and Moses received the Tablets of the Torah after forty nights.

Moses travelled with his young companion to the meeting of the two seas to find a righteous servant given mercy and knowledge from Allah, named al-Khidr in both tafsirs, and asked to follow him and learn.

David killed Goliath when Saul's army defeated his forces, and Allah gave him kingship, wisdom and knowledge and revealed the Psalms to him.

Solomon inherited David's prophethood, knowledge and kingdom, was taught the speech of birds and given understanding in judging disputes.

Prophet Jonah left his people in anger without his Lord's leave, boarded a laden ship, lost the casting of lots and was swallowed by a great fish.

Zechariah, who had charge of Mary, saw the provision with her and prayed in a hushed voice for offspring, although he was old and his wife was barren.

Mary's mother, the wife of Imran, vowed the child in her womb to the service of Allah; Allah accepted her, raised Mary well and placed her in the care of Zechariah.

Jesus son of Mary was born without a father as a word from Allah, and he and his mother were made a sign of His power; while still in the cradle he said that he was a servant of Allah who had been given the Scripture and made a prophet.

Some young believers refused to worship anything besides Allah, left their people and took refuge in a cave, praying for mercy and right guidance.

Dhul-Qarnayn was given authority on earth and the means to everything; he travelled to where the sun sets, then to where it rises, and to the people at the setting of the sun he declared that the wrongdoer would be punished and the believer well rewarded.

Allah gave wisdom to Luqman and told him to be grateful.

Qarun was one of the people of Moses who was given vast treasures, but he grew arrogant and claimed that his wealth came from his own knowledge.

Surah Al-Fil recalls what Allah did to the army of the elephant, which according to the tafsir was led by Abraha and came to destroy the Ka'bah.