Islam’s Prophetic Heritage
Islam’s Prophetic
Heritage
Say: We believe in God
and that which is revealed unto us
and that which was revealed unto Abraham,
and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes;
and that which Moses and Jesus received,
and that which the prophets received from their Lord.
We make no distinction between any of them,
and unto Him we have surrendered.
Qur’an 2:13
Say: We believe in God and that which is revealed unto us
and that which was revealed unto Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes;
and that which Moses and Jesus received, and that which the prophets received from their Lord.
We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered.
Qur’an 2:136
IN PART BECAUSE OF its recognition of common roots and principles, the centuries of governance under the rule of Islam have been characterised by harmony and respect between the different religious communities living together within Jerusalem. These principles, derived from the revelation of the Qur’an and the sayings and practices of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, include the belief in One God (whose name in Arabic is Allah), His angels, His books (specifically including those revealed to Jesus and Moses), His messengers, the Day of Judgement, and divine destiny.
While these basic beliefs may be have been shared by all of the prophets, they each brought a methodology for realising them appropriate for their time and place. The way of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was for the last phase of history, for all people and all places, and is based on simple but effective practices for maintaining the remembrance of God in the face of the myriad distractions of this age.