Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of SunBow
SunBowFlag for United States of America

asked on

Do heavens rank prophets?

In the beginning, but not before:
Greeting the Prophets
http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/1534/
In the heavens, by the number:

1) Adam

2) Muhammad saw the two cousins, Prophet John (known in Christian traditions as the Baptist) and the Messenger of God, Prophet Jesus

3) Joseph

4) Idris (Enoch)

5) Aaron

6) Moses

7) Abraham


MQ:

Are these 8 the only recognized prophets of Islam?


(prior to Muhammad who would make it 9 in number, and goes further to Paradise)

Can we assume that the number identifies their relative rank? Or should we presume that some prophets & dignitaries were ... unavailable to meet.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of Professor J
Professor J

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
Avatar of SunBow

ASKER

It remains here to refine number of heavens (maybe an eighth one unlisted) or whether there is a difference between them. Perhaps some unlisted. perhaps connected linearly, or as a round-table.  Presumption is that number of prophets is a constant, since there are to be no more (as distinguished from saints, whose number changes).

So either other prophets were in a heaven but were not met, or were elsewhere at the time, or just not mentioned to save space in the narrative.

As such we should be able to make complete list, although that seems unlikely.

Found:

So when he [Abraham] abandoned them and what they served besides God, We granted him Isaac and Jacob, and each of them We made a prophet.
—Qur'an, sura 19 (Maryam), ayah 49
[Yaqoub = Jacob]

With these two, the total here is ten (10)

As for [Abandoned (3 Days)]
Thank you, Closing now