The Quran
19th and Final Scripture
Researched by A. Mohamed
We read in the Quran that the prophets of God are sent with the Scripture:
The people used to be one nation, then God sent the prophets as bearers of good news and warners, and He brought the Scriptures down with them with truth to judge between the people regarding that over which they differed. 2:213 (also confirmed in 3:81)
The term "Scriptures" is consistently associated with "prophets" in the Quran.
If we count the number of prophets named in the Quran we find a total of twenty prophets mentioned by name. Each one of these 20 prophets is specifically called a prophet in the Quran.
If we read verses 83-86 of Sura 6, we find 18 names, starting with Abraham and ending with Lot. Verse 89 confirms that all these 18 were prophets of God:
Those are the ones to whom We have given the Scripture, the law and the prophethood.
The prophets mentioned in these verses are:
1- Abraham (Ibrahim), also named as a prophet in 19:41 and 33:7
2- Isaac (Ishaq), also in 19:49 and 37:112
3- Jacob (Yaqub), also in 19:49
4- Noah (Nuh), also in 33:7
5- David (Dawood), also in 17:55
6- Solomon (Sulayman)
7- Job (Ayub)
8- Joseph (Yusof)
9- Moses (Musa), also in 19:51 and 33:7
10- Aaron (Harun), also in 19:53
11- Zachariah (Zakarreyyah)
12- John (Yehya), also in 3:39
13- Jesus (Isa), also in 19:30 and 33:7
14- Elijah (Ilyas)
15- Ishmael (Ismail), also in 19:54
16- Elisha (Al-Yasaa)
17- Jonah (Yunis)
18- Lot (Lut)
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Two more prophets are mentioned in the Quran and they are:
19- Enock (Idris), also in 19:56
20- Muhammad (who is confirmed to be the last of the prophets (33:40)
The total number of those who are named prophets in the Quran is 20
The Quran makes it clear that the two prophets Moses and Aaron received the same Book. The Statute Book was given to both Moses and Aaron (37:117 and 21:48). Therefore the total number of Scriptures given to the 20 prophets is 19. This means that the Quran, besides being the last Scripture, is the 19th Scripture delivered through the 20 prophets mentioned in the Quran.
Three other men are named as messengers in the Quran but not prophets, they are:
- Hud (26:124-125), the messenger sent to the people of Aad
- Saleh (26:142-143), the messenger sent to the people of Thamoud
- Shu'aib (26:177-178), (Jethro), the messenger sent to the people of Midyan
Others mentioned in the Quran but not described as prophets or messengers are:
- Adam: described as one of the chosen 3:33, but not associated with the word messenger or prophet.
- Zal-Kifl (Ezekiel): described as steadfast, patient and righteous 21:85 and 38:48.
- Luqman: described as one endowed with wisdom 31:12.
Nowhere in the Quran do we find any of these messengers associated with the term "Scripture". None of them delivered a Scripture. Therefore, according to the definition of 2:213, they are not prophets. Three of the six are called messengers (Hud, Saleh, and Shu'aib) while the other three (Adam, Zal-Kifl and Luqman) are only spoken of as receiving God's blessings.
We note that the Quran confirms that God has sent other messengers in the past that we are not told about in the Quran:
We have sent messengers before you, some of whom We have narrated to you and some We have not narrated to you. 40:78 (also 4:164)
However, it is interesting to note that the only two verses that assert this fact (40:78 and 4:164), both speak of messengers and not of prophets.
In contrast, the words in 6:89 say:
Those are the ones to whom We have given the Scripture, the law and the prophethood.
It would have been different if God said:
"Those were among the ones to whom We gave the Scripture, the law and the prophethood". The deliberate wording indicates that these were the only Scripture-bearing prophets sent by God.
The above information confirms that God Almighty has sent 19 Scriptures to mankind and that the Quran is the 19th and Final Scripture.
This is quite significant since the number 19 is the code on which the Quran is mathematically structured.
Please see: Miracle of the Quran