Story of Joseph


Story of Moses

Story of Jonah

Story of Job

Story of David

Story of Solomon

Story of Zachariah

Story of Jesus

Muhammad (pbuh)
[The Last Prophet]

 Story of Joseph


Joseph was the eleventh of the twelve sons of Jacob. One day, he told his father that in a dream he had seen eleven stars, the sun and the moon prostrating before him. Jacob realized that Joseph, who had always impressed him as a noble and gentle soul, was blessed by God. Sensing the greatness that lay ahead of his son, Jacob became more protective of him and asked him not to narrate his dream to his brothers, who, out of jealousy, might try to harm him.

He told his son: The Lord has chosen you, O Joseph, for a much loftier purpose; He has given you His power to interpret dreams and foretell events; He has blessed you with His grace, as He had likewise blessed your forebears from Abraham to Isaac, for He is All-Knowing and full of wisdom. [12:6]

The other sons were aware of their father's extreme fondness for Joseph and were resentful of it. They decided that they would either have to 'kill Joseph or cast him out to some unknown land in order to win Jacob's favor'. One of the brothers pleaded with the others not to kill Joseph; instead he suggested that they should find a pit or well and leave him there for some passing caravans to take him away.

The others agreed. They asked Jacob to let Joseph go out and play with them, assuring him that Joseph would be taken good care of. Jacob was not happy at the suggestion; he told them that he feared they might not attend to him, and a wild animal such as a wolf might devour the young Joseph. But the brothers told their father not to worry, for there were so many of them that even if a wolf were to attack them, it would have to devour them first before it could do harm to their little brother.

So they took Joseph along with them, far away from home, threw him into a well and returned home weeping. They told Jacob that while they were away, racing with one another, a wolf, as the father had feared, has seized Joseph and devoured him. 'We searched for him but in vain; all we could find was his blood-stained shirt.' This they showed to Jacob, who refused to believe their story. In his distress he turned to God; he had a strong feeling within him that no harm could have come to Joseph, for God was sure to protect him.

Meanwhile, a caravan passed by the well into which Joseph had been cast. Halting to draw a bucket of water, a water-carrier saw the handsome young boy struggling to get out of the well. He dragged the boy out, took him along with him and hid him in his merchandise. When he reached Egypt, he sold Joseph for a few dirhams to an Egyptian nobleman of high rank, an officer in the royal court.

He took Joseph home and told his wife, Zuleikha, a lady of great beauty and charm, to take good care of him. As they had no children, he told her that they could adopt him as a son. And so Joseph was brought up in happy surroundings. He was given the best of training in the affairs of the world. The Almighty was working out His objective -- of which no one was aware -- of equipping Joseph with worldly wisdom and spiritual knowledge, with a view to making him His messenger.

Zuleikha felt deeply and passionately attracted to Joseph, but he maintained his distance and did not respond to her overtures. One occasion, when her husband was out, Zuleikha called Joseph to her room. As soon as he entered, she locked the door and said, 'Now come to me, my dear one.' Taken aback by this advance, Joseph told her: 'God forbid. My master has been generous to me; I cannot betray his trust. Those who do evil can never prosper.' So saying, he rushed towards the door and tried to unlock it.

Zuleikha caught hold of his tunic from behind and, in the tussle, it was torn. Joseph managed to unlock the door, but only to find his master outside. Zuleikha cried: What is the fitting punishment, my master! against one who has evil design against your wife, but prison and chastisement! [12:25]

Joseph denied the charge and said that it was Zuleikha who had sought to seduce him. An advisor from the household, a lady of reputation, was asked to settle the dispute. If Joseph's tunic was torn from the front, she said, then he was guilty; but if it was torn from the back, then Zuleikha should be held accountable. The husband saw that the tunic was torn from the back; he told his wife that she had been at fault. He asked her to seek forgiveness, for truly it was she who had sinned.

The news of the incident spread through the city like wildfire, and women in particular began to gossip about Zuleikha having gone astray. When she heard of their malicious talk she was furious. She invited all the noble ladies to a banquet at the palace; when they sat down for the feast she gave each of them a knife to hold in their hands, and then ordered Joseph to present himself.

The women were so struck by the extraordinarily good-looking young man that they could not take their eyes off him; in the excitement they cut their fingers with their knives in their hands. They exclaimed: O God preserve our chastity. He is not a man! He looks an angel. [12:31]

Zuleikha retorted: This is the man about whom you noble ladies blamed me. It is true I tried to seduce him, though he resisted me and remained guiltless. Even now I shall not give him up. If he does not respond, he shall be cast into prison and He will be with the vilest. [12:32]

Joseph prayed to God: Help me, O my Lord! Prison will be better than what I am asked to do. Do not desert me. The snare is such that in my youth I may succumb to temptation. [12:33]

Joseph was all the same jailed, since the master could not displease his wife. In prison, Joseph had two young men as his companions, who became friendly with him. One day, one of them told Joseph that he had dreamt that he was pressing grapes to make wine. The other prisoner narrated his dream, in which he saw himself carrying bread on his head while a flock of birds were pecking at it.

Joseph interpreted these dreams for his companions. He told the first that he would pour wine for his master, while the other would be beheaded and birds would peck at his head. That was what the future held for them. Joseph asked the one who was to serve wine not to forget him when he took service in the royal court. But after his release, when he became cup-bearer to the King, the young man forgot to mention Joseph, and so he continued to languish in jail.

One day, the King told his counselors that he had had a strange dream. He saw seven lean cows devour seven fat cows, and he saw seven green corns being replaced by seven dry, withered ones. He asked the wise men to tell him what this dream foretold. The counselors tried, but had to admit that they did not have the knowledge to interpret dreams. At that time the cup-bearer informed the King of his erstwhile friend Joseph and his uncanny ability to interpret dreams.

The King sent the cup-bearer to the prison with orders that Joseph should be freed at once. The King asked for Joseph to be brought before him, but Joseph refused, saying that unless the false charge of seducing Zuleikha was investigated and he was exonerated, he would not appear at the royal court.

The King agreed and ordered and investigation into the matter. The charge was found to be false, and Zuleikha admitted that she had tried to seduce Joseph and that Joseph was innocent. The King acquitted Joseph with honor. Joseph was happy that his innocence had been proved and that everyone now knew that he had not betrayed his master.

He cautioned the people, however: 'I do not want to justify myself or boast about my innocence. for any man can succumb to temptation and give in to evil; it is by the mercy of God that I was able to resist it and remain pure.' In his case, he said, the Lord was more than merciful to him.

Joseph then appeared before the King, who was so impressed by his honesty and candor that he declared that henceforth he would be his most trusted minister. Joseph asked the King to put him in unfettered charge of the storehouses of the kingdom, so that he could look after the needs of the people. the news of Joseph's appointment spread far and wide, and people from every part came to him for grain. His brothers were among those who came in search of food.

They did not know Joseph's real identity, but Joseph recognized them and asked them to bring their youngest brother, Benjamin, who was Joseph's only real brother. He would then, he said, give them the full measure of their requirements, warning them at the same time that if they failed to bring Benjamin, they would get no supplies. They promised to bring Benjamin with them on the assurance that Joseph accepted their money and kept it as a deposit against future sales of grain.

The brothers returned home and told their father what had happened. They begged him to send Benjamin with them, for otherwise they might all have to starve and die of hunger. They promised to take good care of him. 'No', said Jacob angrily. 'How can I trust him with you, knowing what you did to his brother Joseph?'

The brothers persisted, pleading with their father to let Benjamin go with them, so that 'we can secure what we need to keep our families alive'. Jacob reluctantly relented, but on one condition: that they would take a solemn oath before God that they would bring Benjamin back unless some dire calamity overtook each one of them. The brothers readily took the oath.

Jacob advised them 'not to go to the city through the same gate; each one of you should enter from a different gate.' So they entered the city through different gates and went straight to Joseph.

Joseph was happy to see Benjamin; he called his younger brother aside and informed him that he was his long-lost and only brother; the others were his step-brothers. He told Benjamin that he was deliberately putting the King's drinking-cup into his saddlebag so that Benjamin could stay back with him. Joseph then directed the attendants to search every visitor since the King's cup was missing.

Before doing so a reward was announced: whoever brought the cup back would get a camel-load full of corn. The brothers were upset; they told the attendants that they were no thieves, nor had they come to do any wrong. They agreed that whoever was found guilty should be punished.

Everyone was searched, and of course the cup was discovered in the saddlebag of Benjamin; the brothers told the minister that they were not surprised, as his brother Joseph was also a thief. Little did they realize that the person they were addressing, the King's minister, was none other than Joseph himself. But they were worried about how they would face their father, who had made them take a solemn pledge that they would bring back Benjamin.

They pleaded that Benjamin be freed: O powerful minister! we have a father old and venerable; he will grieve for him. Please take one of us in his place as a surety. Grant us this request, for you are most gracious. [12:78]

But Joseph refused. He told them: God forbid that we take someone other than the one with whom our property was found. That would be against the law, and we cannot act wrongfully. [12:79]

The brothers returned with the grain but without Benjamin. They told their father what their youngest brother had done, but he refused to believe them, saying that it was the evil in their hearts that was the real cause of the trouble. They had done the same with Joseph as they had now done with Benjamin. He scolded them for their lapse but said that he would also bear this loss with fortitude, for he knew the Lord would bring both his sons back and thus unite the family.

But he wept so bitterly that his eyes grew weak and weary. He told his sons that God had endowed Joseph with knowledge of which they were not aware. 'Hence,' Jacob said, 'go and search for Joseph and Benjamin. God's spirit is protecting them.'

So the brothers were back in the city once again. They told the King's minister of their father's state of health. 'He is heartbroken; he cried so much that he has lost his eyesight.'

Joseph then revealed his true identity and the reason for keeping Benjamin with him. The brothers felt ashamed of their past conduct and their evil ways. They begged Joseph's forgiveness.

Joseph embraced them and said: This day let us forget the past and let me not reproach you. God will forgive you for what you did for He is, indeed, Most Merciful. [12:92]

Joseph asked them not to worry about the condition of their father. 'Take this shirt of mine,' he said, 'place it on his eyes, and he will recover his eyesight. Then all of you -- our parents and you, my brothers -- come to me, and we will once again be one family and live together.'

The brothers went back and brought their parents to Egypt, where Joseph embraced and welcomed them. He asked them to live with him in safety. He brought his father and mother on to the royal dais, and all of them prostrated before the Lord in gratitude. Joseph reminded his father of his dream, long long ago, and told how it had come true.

Then, raising his hand in supplication to God, he prayed, 'O my Lord, you have given me power and taught me to interpret events. I beseech You to guide me to the right path so that I may die in peace and be among the righteous.' He was well aware that all he encountered in life was in fulfillment of God's plan.

He told his father: God has indeed been good to me all along; even when I was in prison it was He who took me out. Again He has brought all of us back together here. Though Satan had sown enmity between me and my brothers, God wiped out everything and united us in one family. Verily, He understands the worst of our miseries and arranges to remove them, for He is Wise and All-Knowing. [12:100]

Story of Moses



A hundred years after the passing away of the Prophet Joseph, the rulers of Egypt passed a decree that a son born to an Israelite parent would be put to death; only daughters would be spared to serve the followers of Pharaoh. This was a 'dreadful torment' inflicted on Israelites.

During this dreaded era, Moses was born; his mother was, however, commanded by God 'not to cast the child into the river on birth, but to suckle it' till such time as she felt that there was real danger to his life.

For about three months she reared him and then she put him in a box and lay it in the river. God promised her that her child would be safe, that he would soon be restored to her, and that he would be made 'one of our apostles'.

The box was carried by the river Nile to the banks close to the palace of Pharaoh. A servant of Pharaoh who was passing by picked up the box and took the child to the Queen. Pharaoh was informed, and he ordered that the child be put to death.

But the Queen, who was childless, was enchanted by the baby, for, she said, God had made him 'such a lovely child that the beholder could not but love him'. She beseeched Pharaoh to spare his life. 'Let us adopt him. He will be raised in our palace and would never know that he was an Israelite. He will be one of us and will, in fact, be useful in our fight against the Israelites.'

Pharaoh relented. The Queen took to Moses as a mother would to her own new-born son. But the baby was restless and cried incessantly; no nurse was able to feed him.

Moses' mother, who felt utterly bereft without her child, had asked ten-year-old daughter to follow the course of her brother's journey in the box, and to keep a watch on him. The little girl did as she was told. She entered the palace after the baby was taken there and managed to get close to the Queen, eventually gaining her confidence.

As the child became weak through lack of nourishment, she talked to the Queen of a 'particular' nurse who might be able to suckle the child, to feed him with great affection and to bring him up. 'Thus', says God in the Koran, 'We restored Moses to his mother, so that her eyes might be cooled and she would cease to grieve and would know that God's promise was fulfilled.'

Moses grew up in Pharaoh's household under the benevolent care of the Queen. When he reached manhood, God 'gave him the power of knowledge and judgement'. Once, while on a visit to the city, he saw two men fighting; one was an Israelite, the other an Egyptian. The Israelite asked Moses for help, so Moses came to the rescue and struck the Egyptian forcefully. The Egyptian collapsed and died instantly.

Moses was most perturbed and asked God for forgiveness, saying, 'I shall never come to the help of those committing wrong.' The next morning, the man he had helped again called out for assistance. Moses realized that he was a quarrelsome person and rushed to lay his hands on him. 'Do you intend to kill me as you had killed the man yesterday?' the man shouted. 'Do you wish to become a tyrant in the land?'

Moses prayed to the Lord. 'Oh, my Lord, saave me from such people who are given to wrongdoing.' Then a man came running and informed Moses that Pharaoh's chiefs were planning to hang Moses and advised him to run away.

So Moses left Egypt in the direction of Madyan, praying to the Lord to guide him to the right path. On reaching the waters of Madyan, he saw a number of men drawing water for their animals, while two women stood by quietly, holding back their animals. Moses asked them why they were waiting.

They replied, 'We cannot water our animals until the men have left; that is our misfortune. Our father could not come to draw water for our animals as he is too old.' Moses drew water for both of them, and the women were grateful for his help. One of them went home and informed her father of what Moses had done. The father asked her to fetch Moses so that he might pay him the wages for the work.

Moses told the old man the circumstances under which he had had to leave Egypt. 'Have no fear any more,' he assured Moses, 'It is good you have escaped from those wicked people.' He was impressed by Moses and offered one of his daughters in marriage, provided Moses promised to live with them for eight years, or even longer if he so wished. Moses agreed and started his life in Madyan.

After eight years, Moses left with his wife and family. On their journey he saw a fire in the direction of Mount Tur. He made his family halt there, while he ran towards the fire hoping to obtain some information about the neighborhood, or at least get a burning firebrand to keep his family warm.

When Moses reached the spot he heard a voice from above the trees on the right side of the sacred valley. 'What have you in your right hand?' the voice said. Bewildered, Moses replied: 'It is my staff, with which I bring down the leaves for my sheep and do many other things.'

The voice spoke again: O Moses, I am the Lord of the Universe. Cast down your staff and listen to me. [20:19]

Moses threw it down, and there before his eyes it became a writhing serpent. The Lord spoke again: [ Draw near it and fear not: now seize the serpent and do not be afraid. It will become a staff again. [20:21]

Moses did as he was told. God then asked him to place his right hand into his bosom and to bring it out again; it was shinging white and without any stain. God then blessed him with supreme revelations and commanded him to go to Pharaoh and his people and to preach to them the Oneness of God and the glory of righteous conduct.

Moses prayed to God: Oh my Lord, enlarge my heart and strengthen me by curing my speech so that people may understand what I say. Also lighten my burden by assigning Aaron, my brother, to assist me. [20:25-32]

The Lord granted his prayer and asked him to proceed with His Signs: Go, you, O Moses and your brother, with Our Signs to Pharaoh. Speak gently to him but make him see the truth and fear Us. [20:43-44]

Moses and Aaron told the Lord that Pharaoh might subject them to violence, as Moses was wanted by his chiefs for killing one of their men.

The Lord assured them not to have any fear in their hearts: I am with you; I hear and see everything. Tell Pharaoh that you are My messengers. Ask him to let the Israelites be with you, and to torture them no more. [20:46-47]

Armed with the divine mission and the Book that was sent down to him which was to be the 'means of enlightenment to the people and a guidance and mercy to mankind', Moses left for Egypt with Aaron. They first went to the people and asked them to worship the true God. Moses showed them His Signs, but the people dismissed these as 'nothing but false magic' and laughed at him.

He asked them to sacrifice a cow as an offering to God. 'What sort of cow?' they asked him in jest. Moses told them that God wanted a cow which was neither young nor old but of middle age. 'What about its color?' they asked. Moses said it should be deep and bright yellow. There were several cows of this color, they told Moses.

He clarified that it should be a cow that was neither yoked nor had ploughed any field; further, it was to be of sound mind and wholesome body. The people then realized what Moses meant; he wanted them to kill the golden cow that they and their forefathers had been worshipping. They asked Moses first to approach Pharaoh, their King, and if he agreed, they too would follow him.

Moses approached Pharaoh and appealed to him to give up his arrogance and high and mighty ways and to bow before the Lord, who was indeed the ruler of the world. Purify yourself, O Pharaoh, so that I may guide you to the right path. [29:18]

Pharaoh was furious and asked Moses who was this God of his, whose messenger he claimed to be. Moses replied: Our Lord is the one who creates all things; He gives them form and then guides them. [20:50]

Pharaoh enquired about the generations that had passed away. Knowledge of them, Moses said, was with God alone. He then asked Pharaoh to look around and see the variety of God's creations -- the rain, the wind, the cattle and the plants, all were the signs of His supremacy. Pharaoh asked Moses whether he had any proof of his prophethood. Moses threw down his staff and it became a live serpent. He then drew his hand out of the pocket of his cloak, and it shone with dazzling brightness.

Pharaoh's chiefs said Moses was no more than a magician; they told Pharaoh: 'Call the best of magicians from our cities to counter his magic'. Moses agreed to face them, and the Festival Day was fixed for the event. Two of the best magicians confronted Moses. They threw their ropes and staves at Moses, which turned into serpents and coiled around him.

Moses prayed to his Lord for help. The Lord told him not to lose nerve, and commanded: Throw your staff down and it will swallow everything which they have faked here; theirs are only magic tricks, what you have is real. No magician ever thrives, whatever he may do or wherever he may go. [20:69]

Moses threw his staff on the ground and it turned into a bigger serpent which swallowed all the other serpents. The magicians were wonderstruck and at once prostrated themselves, declaring that they believed in the God of Moses and Aaron.

Pharaoh thundered with rage: 'How dare you do so without my leave?' He warned them that he would cut off their hands and feet on alternate sides and crucify them on the trunks of palm trees if they did not desist from following Moses.

The magicians showed no fear and told Pharaoh that he could do what he liked with them but they would not retract from the clear path shown by Moses. They believed that his God was superior to Pharaoh. They asked for the forgiveness of the Lord for the sins of sorcery that Pharaoh had compelled them to commit.

Pharaoh grew more furious, and decided to wipe out every trace of the teachings of Moses. He issued a proclamation: O my people, I am the sovereign of Egypt; even rivers flow beneath my feet. Are you to listen to a man who cannot even speak properly? If he is really the Almighty's messenger, why is he not loaded with gold or attended upon by angels? [43:51-53]

Moses warned him that, if he disobeyed his call, 'we have been told by God that a grievous punishment awaits you.' But Pharaoh and his men paid no heed to Moses' warning.

Thus they were struck by the plague and other diseases; they begged Moses to save them from the scourge. But no sooner were they cured than they went back to the worship of Pharaoh. Two of Pharaoh's chiefs, Qaran and Haman, behaved particularly abominably; greed for wealth and lust for power blinded their vision.

With the passage of time, the attitude of Pharaoh towards Moses worsened: he denounced him publicly and tortured his followers. He declared that there was no other god except he. He told Haman: 'Build me a high tower, so that I may go to the top and find out who this God of Moses is.'

He ordered his chiefs to show no mercy to Israelites; they should be driven out of Egypt. A reign of terror was unleashed. As a result, many of Moses' people left him, while only a few remained as his followers. But Moses was not dismayed; he remained steadfast in the pursuit of his faith.

Then God came to Moses' rescue. He was told to gather his followers and take them through the midst of the seas, on a path that would be specially carved for them by God. Pharaoh and his men, fully armed, attempted to pursue them along the same path. As soon as Pharaoh and his men set foot on the path, however, it vanished, and they were drowned in the raging seas.

Israelites then settled in a secure habitation provided with all amenities and comforts. After some time, Moses, accompanied by seventy of his followers, ascended to the heavens to see God, leaving his people in the charge of his brother, Aaron. He bade Aaron to have no dealings with evil-doers and to perform his task with 'an honest heart'. Moses had what the Koran describes as 'a communion with God for thirty nights'. Subsequently, ten more nights were added, to make forty nights in all, which was the appointed time of communication with the Lord.

When Moses came to the appointed place, the Lord blessed him. Moses prayed: 'O my Lord, let me look at You.' The Lord said, 'You cannot see Me when I manifest My glory. But look upon the mountain; if it stays firm in its place, then you shall see Me. Now turn towards it.' And in an instant the mountain crumbled and became dust. Seeing this, Moses fell down in a swoon. [7:143]

When Moses recovered, God enquired: 'Why have you come in such haste to Us?' 'My people have taken to the path shown by You, my Lord,' he replied. 'I have come to seek Your blessings.' 'In your absence your people have gone astray,' God told him. 'They have been misled by a person called al-Samiri.'

Moses was grief-stricken. He begged God to forgive his followers and not to destroy them for their betrayal. God granted his wish and gave him tablets of stone bearing precepts that his people were to follow in order to achieve the best, both on earth and in the hereafter.

Moses returned to earth with a heavy heart and found that, under the guidance of al-Samiri, his followers had begin to worship the image of a calf made out of their ornaments. More in sorrow than in anger, he chided them and asked why they had broken their pledge to him. They said that al-Samiri had asked them to throw their ornaments into a fire, out of which had an effigy of a golden calf which made a lowing sound.

They were misled by this and began to worship the calf, believing that it was the God of Moses. Moses asked them if they were so naive to think that the calf had life? It could neither hear nor speak, nor do any good or harm to them. Aaron had warned them of the wrong they were doing, but they had insisted that until Moses returned they would continue to worship the calf.

Moses threw down the tablets, telling his people that they were not worthy of them. He dragged Aaron by the hair and asked him why he had flouted his command and not prevented his people from being misled. Aaron replied that the people had become so rebellious that they would have killed him had he tried to restrain them. Besides, he did not want to create a division in their ranks.

Moses asked God to forgive Aaron, and then turned to al-Samiri. 'Begone,' said Moses. 'You will remain an untouchable all your life, and hell shall be your destination.' Taking the effigy of the calf in his hands, Moses consigned it to the fire, which soon reduced it to ashes.

He told the Israelites that he had been chosen as the messenger; God had said to him: O Moses! I have chosen you in preference to others, and entrusted you with the mission to convey My words as contained in My revelations to all the people around, and to join the ranks of these who are grateful to Me. [7:144]

God imparted knowledge to Moses for the good of Israelites, and inscribed on the tablets 'detailed precepts' of faith in His oneness and the code of righteous conduct. In the tablets We have ordained laws concerning all matters, and We command you to hold to them firmly and be among those who are faithful to the best of the precepts they contain. [7:145]

Moses warned his people that those who repudiated God's Signs and the judgment to come were bound to meet their doom; no one would be able to save them then. He also asked them to remember the grace of God, because of which prophets were raised among them and were made rulers. No other people in the world had had such benevolence from the Lord. God had assigned Palestine to them, and so Moses called on his followers to enter this holy land.

They hesitated and told Moses: 'How can we? The land is inhabited by a mighty people. Until they leave, we cannot possibly enter it.' However, two among them, who were brave and God-fearing, volunteered. Moses asked God for his direction.

He answered: To those who have defied your command, O Moses! this land is proscribed for forty years. They will wander around the world but will have no home of their own. You need not sorrow over them, for that is the fate of rebellious people. [5:29]

The Israelites were divided into twelve tribes: The Lord commanded Moses to strike the rock with his staff. No sooner was this done than twelve springs gushed forth. Each group then took its own spring to drink, and to each the Lord gave shades of cloud as cover and manna and quail to eat, and all other good things. But the unbelievers rebelled and did not follow the command; they only harmed themselves. The Lord is, indeed, above all harm. [7:160]

Story of Jonah

Jonah was a simple man who lived in a large town on the shores of the sea. He was appointed by God to be His messenger and to preach faith in His unity and virtuous conduct. But the people jeered at him and paid no heed to his call. Jonah became angry and lost patience; he was so disgusted with the attitude of his people that he decided to leave his town and take to the sea.

When his ship was in deep waters, it was rocked by storm and Jonah was thrown overboard and swallowed by a big fish. As he lay in the belly of the fish, Jonah wondered why he was being punished when God had chosen him to be His messenger; where had he gone wrong? He then realized that he should not have acted in anger, because God wished that he be patient and more persuasive.

He prayed for forgiveness and for another opportunity to prove himself. Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the company of the righteous. [68:50]

God listened to his prayers and miraculously took him out of the belly of the fish and cast him, albeit in a sickly condition, upon a deserted shore. Having recovered in the shadow of a gourd-tree, he went to the nearby town, where he pursued his mission, this time with greater persuasion and forbearance and despite all the jeers of the people, continuing with his work to bring them to the right path.

God told Jonah: Had your Lord so wished, all people everywhere would have been believers. But that is not His way, hence do not force anyone to take to Our path unless they do so willingly. No one can believe except by the will of God; only those who are skeptics do not understand His message. [10:99-100]

Story of Job



Job was the epitome of suffering. He was made a messenger by God not only to preach the true faith revolving around the oneness and supremacy of God, but also the demonstrate how a believer should never lose faith despite all the tribulations he might have to go through in its pursuit.

He was asked to take in his hand 'a bundle of rushes to strike with' and under no circumstances 'to go back on the oath' he had taken. He remained steadfast and firm in his commitment to his Creator. He was afflicted with a great deal of pain but he never wavered in his faith in God.

Finally, the Lord relieved him and his family of their suffering; they were dying of thirst, when God asked Job to strike the ground and cool water gushed from the earth.

Story of David

David was a shepherd whom God chose to be not only His messenger but also the King of His people. This came about in a strange way.

After Moses passed away the chiefs of the Israelites approached the aged Prophet Samuel and asked him to appoint a king who would lead them in their fight for the cause of their Lord. Samuel told them he was not convinced they would want to fight Goliath, the powerful enemy. 'How can we not fight him,' they replied, 'when he has driven our people out of their homes and separated parents from their children?'

Samuel, under God's command, appointed Saul as king. The chiefs were not happy with the appointment, but Samuel said that Saul would get them back the Ark which contained the sacred relics of the house of Moses and Aaron and fragments from the divine tablets given to Moses. The chiefs were satisfied and joined the army of Saul.

Saul warned his army that God had commanded them not to drink the water of the river when they halted by it; one could at best take a sip of it. But despite the warning, most of them drank to their fill to quench their thirst. With their bellies full and bloated, they were unable to fight Goliath and his army.

Saul was left with just a few believers who decided to put up a fight against Goliath. David, then a young man with hardly any experience in fighting, was one of those who stood by Saul. He challenged Goliath, who laughed at his audacity. But in the encounter, David slayed Goliath and his men were routed. As a reward for his bravery, David was made King of the Israelites.

David's rule was just and good; the mountains praised him at sunrise and sunset and the birds sang his praises while in flight. His Kingdom prospered and became strong because of his wisdom and vision. He was given Zabur, or the Psalms, and he was in particular charged by God to keep the scales of justice even. As the Koran says:

O David! God made you a vicegerent on earth so that you may judge properly between men and men and not be misled by lust within your heart. Remember, those who stray from the right path will suffer grievous penalty when accounts are taken. [38:26]

Two intruders broke into David's private sanctuary one day, climbing the high walls surrounding it. He eas taken aback, but before he could apprehend them, they pleaded with him, for they had come to him, they said, only to get justice. A quarrel had taken place between the two brothers and one had injured the other. They wanted David to decide who was at fault. One of the brothers had ninety-nine ewes, and the other had only one. The former demanded that the latter hand over his ewe; when his brother refused, he overpowered and assaulted him.

David told the injured one that he had been wronged, but life is like that: the strong always oppressed the weak. The oppressors were no doubt in the wrong, and they would be punished by God. He explained that only believers were on the right path, for they feared the wrath of God and thus acted justly.

On another occasion, a herd of sheep belonging to one person had wandered at night into somebody else's field and eaten up the crops. The owner of the field approached David for justice: David's son, Solomon, was with him at the time. David decreed that, as compensation, the owner of the sheep must hand over the sheep to the person who had lost his crops.

Solomon disagreed with his father; he said the compensation was not fair. For the loss of just one year's crops, it would not be just for the whole herd of sheep to be handed over. The owner should get back the sheep as soon as the owner of the field had recovered the loss of his harvest. David upheld Solomon's view, because it was, as the Koran points out, based on 'fuller understanding of the matter'.

Story of Solomon

Solomon was the youngest son of David; he succeeded his father, according to some traditions, in 965 BC, almost a thousand years before the birth of Jesus. Like his father before him, Solomon was chosen as God's messenger.

The Lord granted him knowledge of the speech of birds and many other bounties, as well as an 'abundance of wealth'. He could harness the winds at his bidding; he could summon up demons and those fettered in chains. His army consisted of men, jinn and birds. As he told his people: We have been taught the speech of birds and on us God has bestowed knowledge of all things in this world. Indeed, He has been most gracious to us. [27:16]

One day, while Solomon was passing through the Valley of Ants, one of the ants, seeing Solomon and his army, cried: 'Get into your anthills, all you ants, lest you be crushed unwittingly.' As Solomon knew their language, he smiled and prayed to God that he might be guided right, as were his parents. He should be prevented from committing any wrong and be ever mindful of doing good, so that God might be pleased with him and take him into the ranks of 'His righteous servants'.

While inspecting his army of birds once, Solomon found the hoopoe missing. He was upset and said he would punish the hoopoe unless it gave good reason for its absence. The hoopoe did not take long to return. On arrival, it informed Solomon that it had seen a prosperous kingdom called Sheba, which was ruled by a powerful queen who possessed a magnificent throne. But neither she nor her people were rightly guided: they worshipped the sun and not God, the Lord of the universe.

Solomon promptly dispatched the hoopoe with a letter, calling upon the Queen to take to the true faith and to give up the worship of everything else except the Creator of all beings. On receiving the letter, the Queen consulted her council of advisors. The asked them to give their considered view so that she might take a correct decision.

They told her she was powerful enough not to bow before anyone, and further that they were prepared at her behest to fight against Solomon. She pondered for a while: wars, she said, only resulted in destruction. She would therefore resort to a peaceful method: she would send a precious gift to the King as a gesture of goodwill and await his reaction.

Her envoys took the gift to Solomon, who was very angry. 'Do you want to bribe me with this wealth?' he asked. 'God has given me much more than what your Queen possesses. She will now have to face our armies and her people will suffer an ignoble defeat.'

Solomon asked his nobles which of them would be the first to bring the Queen's throne to him. One from among the jinn assured Solomon that before he rose from his seat, the throne would be at his feet. And within the twinkling of an eye, the throne was brought and placed before him. Solomon bowed his head in gratitude to God for the esoteric power with which he was blessed.

Meanwhile, the Queen decided to see Solomon personally. When she came, Solomon asked her whether the throne that she saw in his palace was hers. The queen was dumbfounded, for it did indeed look like hers. Solomon then asked her to enter the palace. At the entrance, there seemed to be a lake. The queen lifted her skirt and bared her legs in an attempt to cross it. But Solomon stopped her, saying that it was no lake: the way was paved with glass, and hence what looked like something was really not. It was a mere reflection in the glass.

Likewise, there was only one reality and that was God. Everything else was an illusion. Hence the Queen should give up the worship of the sun and worship the One who created everything. She understood the significance of Solomon's message and at once embraced the new faith.

Such was Solomon's power of persuasion: He enjoyed a nearness to God, for which he has been granted a beautiful abode in the Hereafter. [38:40]

Story of Zachariah

Zachariah was very old when God made him His messenger. His wife, who had borne him no children, had also reached an advanced age, and it was no longer possible for her to have a child.

One day, while praying in the Ka'aba, Zachariah beseeched the Lord: 'Please hear my prayer, My Lord! Grant me an offspring. I am a feeble old man. My hair has become snow-white. My wife is forlorn without a child. Both of us yearn for an heir. I am afraid my kinfolk will harm the cause I have served all my life if I die without an heir.'

When Zachariah finished his supplication, angels descended from above and told him: 'O Zachariah! god has granted your prayer. You will soon be blessed with a son. He will be called John [Yahya]; he will be a prince among men, chaste and virtuous, and he will be a messenger of God.'

Zachariah himself before God and thanked Him for granting a son to an old man and his barren wife. He declared, 'God does what He wills and so it shall be.' Zachariah then asked the Lord: 'What should I do now?' 'Do not speak to anyone for three days,' the voice replied. 'Convey whatever you have to only by gestures.'

Zachariah followed the instructions faithfully and waited for the happy event. As ordained by God, a lovely son was born to his wife. Zachariah and his wife doted on John. He brought great happiness to his aged parents. When he was still a child, God blessed him with the Book and asked him to hold it 'with all your strength'.

John grew up to be straightforward, humble and gentle-mannered. He was loving, caring and compassionate to all creatures; he was especially kind to animals. The Koran refers to him fondly: God's blessings were upon him from the day John was born to the day he passed away and his blessings will be upon him, the day he is raised again. [19:15]

Story of Jesus

When the wife of Imran gave birth to a daughter, she had already vowed to God that her unborn child would be offered to Him. She was disappointed not to have a male, but the Lord told her, 'We have named her Mary and entrusted her to your care and her seed after her.'

From then on, the Lord made Mary grow in purity and beauty, and he assigned her to the care of Zachariah. Whenever Zachariah went to her chambers, he found her well provided with food. 'Who provides you with this?' asked Zachariah. '

The Lord Almighty,' replied Mary. ' He gives in plenty to whom He pleases.' the angels told her: O Mary! God has purified you and chosen you above all women. Hence worship Him with devotion and prostrate yourself before Him. [3:42-43]

Apart from the fact that Mary had all her needs taken care of, she also had angels attending to her. They informed her that she was the purest of the pure; she had been placed above every woman in the world.

One day, they told her that she was to give birth to a son: The Lord gives you glad tidings that you shall be blessed with the Word. His name will be Jesus. He will be honored by Him in this world and in the Hereafter and he will have his place among the nearest to His Lord. [3:45]

Mary was taken aback. 'O my Lord,' she asked in bewilderment, 'how shall I bear a son when no man has touched me?' 'It is God's will,' came the reply. 'He creates as He wishes. When He decrees something, He has only to say "Be" and it is done.'

But how would she face the world? The Voice declared, 'Your son is Our responsibility. We will teach him the Scripture, the Torah, the Gospel and the Wisdom, and he shall be Our messenger.' He would be, Mary was assured, 'a sign to humanity and a token of Our mercy.'

As Mary's pregnancy became more evident, she withdrew to a remote spot. When she suffered the pains of labor she cried out to the Lord in anguish. She heard a Voice that came from above a palm tree: 'Be not depressed. We have provided a stream beneath you and fresh ripe dates on the palm tree. Look around and enjoy Our bounties. If anyone accuses you of anything, tell them that you are under an oath to Us and that you will not converse with anyone.'

After the birth of her son, who was named Jesus [Isa], she took him to her family. 'Mary! What have you done?' they rebuked her. 'You are the sister of prophet Aaron. Your father was not a man of evil, nor your mother an unchaste woman.'

The child, from the cradle, spoke to them: I am the slave of God. The Lord has given me the Book and made me His messenger. I am blessed by Him wherever I be. He has commanded me to worship Him and show compassion to all. It is my duty to serve my mother and not be overbearing or miserable. I am blessed now, at my birth, and I shall be blessed on my death and on my resurrection. [19:30-33]

On achieving manhood, Jesus went forth among the people and told them: [ Verily, I have come to you to show you the path of wisdom and make clear to you things which may cause you confusion. So listen to me and fear the Lord. Fear Him, for He is my Lord and yours; worship Him and be steadfast in your belief. [43:63-64]

In order to convince them about the truth of his mission, Jesus was endowed by the Lord with powers of life and death; he was asked to tell them: I have come to you with my Lord's blessings. Out of clay, I will shape for you the form of a bird; and as I breathe on it, it will become a bird by God's will. I will heal the blind and the lepers, and bring the dead to life by God's authority. [3:49]

Jesus showed in practice what the Lord had endowed him with; he cured the ailing and brought many people to life. He gave eyesight to the blind. He made birds out of clay and breathed life into them. Despite these signs the people of Israel mocked him and accused him of sorcery. His disciples asked him whether his Lord could send down a table from the heavens so that they could have a feast and thus be assured of a good life ahead; such was their skepticism and their love of hedonism.

Jesus warned them to fear the Lord and not be enamored with the pleasures of this world. The disciples protested that they had asked for the table so that their minds might rest in the knowledge that Jesus had spoken the truth and that they might themselves be witness to the miracle.

Jesus then prayed to the Lord: O Lord, send us from Above a Table spread with food so that we may have a solemn celebration. Provide amply for our sustenance, as You are the Supreme Provider for all. [5:115]

And the Lord granted Jesus his prayer. At the same time He warned that whoever resisted faith in Him would suffer the severest retribution. Jesus told his people: O People of the Book! Do not indulge in excesses; Remain steadfast in truth. Resist vain desires and do not follow people who were in the wrong and who strayed from the even path. [5:80]

Among the disciples of Jesus, only one group stood by him; the rest betrayed him. So God helped the former and made them victorious, while the non-believers suffered chastisement.

The Koran does not endorse the concept of Trinity; Jesus himself repudiates it in one of its verses. He asks Christians to stop associating anyone with God. God describes Jesus as 'the son of Mary' and 'Our messenger and Our Word - which We imparted to Mary - and Our Spirit'.

The Koran states: Proclaim to all: God is One. He is the only one. He is the Eternal. He is the Absolute. He has begotten none and of none has He been begotten. There is, indeed, none to compare with Him. [112:1-4]

The Koran also does not accept the Christian belief that Jesus was killed on the cross. It states that he was neither killed nor crucified: There are people who boast that they killed Jesus Christ, the son of Mary and apostle of God; but that is not really so though it was made to appear so. The truth is that God lifted him up and brought him closest to Himself. God is, indeed, wise and exalted in power. [4:157-158]