Book 60: Prophets
Overview
Sahih al-Bukhari Book 60 (Prophets) serves as a foundational text for Islamic prophetology (the study of prophets). It synthesizes narratives about biblical and extra-biblical figures—including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Khidr—recasting them strictly within an Islamic theological framework. The text establishes a continuity of the prophetic message (Tawhid/monotheism) while systematically dismantling Jewish and Christian claims about these figures. Key narratives include the physical descriptions of prophets (e.g., Adam being 60 cubits tall), the origins of Meccan rituals (Abraham and Hajar at Zamzam, building the Ka'ba), and Moses' encounter with the supernaturally endowed Khidr. Theologically, the text reaches its climax in its eschatology: on the Day of Resurrection, all major prophets (Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus) will be too terrified of Allah's unprecedented wrath to intercede for humanity, pointing instead to Muhammad as the sole, supreme intercessor. Furthermore, the text explicitly attacks Christian Christology, portraying Jesus as a mere slave and prophet who will return in the end times to 'break the Cross,' kill pigs, and enforce Islamic law, thereby denying his crucifixion, deity, and atoning work.
Key Figures
- Muhammad: The final prophet, the seal of the prophets, and the only one granted the right of intercession on the Day of Resurrection when all other prophets refuse.
- Adam: The first man, created 60 cubits tall, who argues with Moses about predestination and refuses to intercede on Judgment Day due to his sin of eating from the tree.
- Abraham (Ibrahim): The 'Khalil' (Friend) of Allah, builder of the Ka'ba with Ishmael, who told three 'lies' and refuses to intercede on Judgment Day.
- Moses (Musa): A highly revered prophet who spoke directly to Allah, met Khidr to learn divine mysteries, slapped the Angel of Death, and will be seen holding Allah's Throne on Resurrection Day.
- Jesus (Isa): The son of Mary, a prophet and slave of Allah, described as having a red complexion. He will return to break the cross, kill pigs, and judge mankind justly, explicitly denying Christian claims of his divinity.
- Noah: The first messenger to the people of the earth, who will testify on Judgment Day with Muhammad's followers as his witnesses.
- Gabriel (Jibril): The archangel who guided Muhammad through the heavens during the Night Journey and provided answers to Abdullah bin Salam.
- Ishmael: Son of Abraham, who helped build the Ka'ba and whose mother Hajar discovered the Zamzam well.
- Hajar (Ishmael's mother): The woman whose desperate search for water between Safa and Marwa established the Islamic pilgrimage ritual, and who was given the Zamzam well by an angel.
- Al-Khadir (Khidr): A mysterious servant of Allah possessing divine knowledge superior to Moses in a specific instance, demonstrating that Allah's wisdom transcends human understanding of justice.
- David: A prophet known for his moderate and beloved fasting (alternate days) and prayer schedule, and for earning his living through manual labor.
- Solomon: Son of David, a prophet who asked for an unparalleled kingdom and forgot to say 'If Allah will' when planning to father 70-90 knights in one night.
- Joseph: Described as the most honorable person (a prophet, son of a prophet, son of a prophet, son of Allah's Khalil).
- Mary (Maryam): Daughter of Imran, described as one of the few women to reach perfection, and the mother of Jesus.
- Job (Aiyub): A prophet who, while bathing naked, collected gold locusts sent by Allah because he could not dispense with Allah's blessings.
- Jonah (Yunus bin Matta): A prophet whom Muhammad explicitly states no one should claim to be better than.
- Dajjal: The false messiah of the end times, described as blind in the right eye (like a bulging grape), who will bring a deceptive paradise that is actually hell.
- Gog and Magog: End-times peoples who will make up 999 out of every 1,000 people sent to the Hellfire.
- Eve: Blamed in the text for the betrayal of husbands by wives.
- Sarah: Abraham's wife, who was protected from a tyrant by Allah's intervention and given Hajar as a servant.
- Lot: A prophet whom Muhammad says wished for powerful support, and whom Allah is asked to forgive.
- Aaron: Met by Muhammad in the fifth heaven during the Night Journey.
- Isaac: Son of Abraham, part of the noble lineage of Joseph.
- Jacob: Father of Joseph, whose example Aisha cited when she was slandered.
- Asia: Pharaoh's wife, described as one of the few women to reach perfection.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Eschatological Intercession (Shafa'a)
Assertion
On the Day of Resurrection, all major prophets (Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus) will refuse to intercede for humanity out of fear of Allah's unprecedented wrath, pointing to their own past mistakes. Only Muhammad will be granted the right to intercede.
Evidence from Text
They will go to Noah... Noah will reply: 'Today my Lord has become so angry as he had never been before... Myself! Myself! Go to the Prophet (Muhammad).' The people will come to me, and I will prostrate myself underneath Allah's Throne. Then I will be addressed: 'O Muhammad! Raise your head; intercede, for your intercession will be accepted...'
Evangelical Comparison
In this text, the Day of Judgment is depicted as a scene of sheer terror where even the greatest prophets are paralyzed by fear of Allah's wrath, each crying 'Myself! Myself!' due to their past sins (e.g., Adam eating the fruit, Abraham's lies). They pass the burden of intercession down the line until it reaches Muhammad, who alone is permitted to intercede. This establishes Muhammad as the supreme savior figure in Islamic eschatology. Evangelical Christianity stands in stark contrast to this. According to 1 Timothy 2:5, 'For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.' Furthermore, Hebrews 7:25 states that Jesus 'always lives to make intercession for them.' In the biblical worldview, believers do not face a terrifying, unappeased wrath on Judgment Day, nor do they rely on a human prophet who must ask for permission to intercede. Instead, Christ's finished work on the cross has already satisfied God's wrath (propitiation), and believers have absolute assurance of salvation (Romans 8:1).
Islamic Christology (Isa as Slave and Prophet)
Assertion
Jesus is merely a human prophet and a slave of Allah. He will return in the end times to break the cross, kill pigs, and abolish the Jizya, thereby enforcing Islam and proving Christianity false.
Evidence from Text
By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, surely (Jesus,) the son of Mary will soon descend amongst you and will judge mankind justly (as a Just Ruler); he will break the Cross and kill the pigs and there will be no Jizya... Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians praised the son of Mary, for I am only a Slave.
Evangelical Comparison
The Hadith presents a highly polemical view of Jesus designed to dismantle Christian theology. By stating that Jesus will 'break the Cross,' the text asserts that the crucifixion is a falsehood and an idol that Jesus himself will destroy upon his return. By stating he will 'kill the pigs' and abolish the Jizya (tax on non-Muslims), it means Jesus will enforce Islamic law universally, leaving no option for Christians to remain in their faith. Muhammad also explicitly commands his followers not to elevate him as Christians elevated Jesus, reinforcing that Jesus is 'only a Slave.' This is the ultimate Gospel antithesis. Evangelical Christianity is built on the historical and theological reality of the crucifixion and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Jesus is not a mere slave or prophet; He is the Word made flesh, the second person of the Trinity, who is 'over all, God blessed forever' (Romans 9:5). The Islamic Jesus (Isa) is a theological construct created centuries later to fit Muhammad's narrative, stripping Christ of His atoning work and divine nature.
Predestination and Fatalism (Qadar)
Assertion
A person's ultimate spiritual destiny (wretched or blessed) is written by an angel while they are in the womb. A person may do the deeds of Paradise their whole life, but if written to be wretched, they will do the deeds of Hell right before death and enter Hell (and vice versa).
Evidence from Text
Then Allah sends an angel to write four items: He writes his deeds, time of his death, means of his livelihood, and whether he will be wretched or blessed (in religion)... a person may do deeds characteristic of the people of Paradise, so much so that there is only the distance of a cubit between him and it, and then what has been written (by the angel) surpasses, and he starts doing deeds of the people of the (Hell) Fire and enters the (Hell) Fire.
Evangelical Comparison
This text outlines a terrifying view of divine sovereignty. It asserts that a person's eternal destiny is locked in before birth, which is not entirely foreign to Calvinistic views of predestination. However, the mechanism described here—where a person genuinely lives a righteous life but is suddenly forced by their written destiny to commit evil right before death and is thus damned—creates immense psychological terror. It means no Muslim can ever have assurance of salvation, as their past obedience guarantees nothing about their final state. Evangelical Christianity, while debating the nuances of predestination (Calvinism vs. Arminianism), universally agrees on the assurance of salvation for the believer. Romans 8:29-30 describes a golden chain of redemption: those He foreknew, He predestined, called, justified, and glorified. Philippians 1:6 promises that 'he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.' In the Gospel, God does not trick righteous believers into damnation at the last moment; rather, He preserves His saints by grace.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
Islam views prophets as a succession of lawgivers culminating in Muhammad, denying the need for blood atonement. Christianity views the prophets as pointing to the singular, necessary, and finished atoning work of God the Son, Jesus Christ.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap between this text and Evangelical Christianity is unbridgeable, centering primarily on Christology and Soteriology. In this Hadith, the prophetic office is strictly human. Prophets are sent to warn, establish laws, and call people to monotheism. They are prone to fear and rely entirely on Allah's arbitrary mercy. Jesus is explicitly reduced to a 'Slave' who will return not to save, but to enforce Islamic law by breaking the cross—the very symbol of Christian atonement. Evangelicalism, rooted in the biblical narrative, sees the prophetic office as preparatory. The Old Testament prophets did not merely bring laws; they brought types, shadows, and prophecies of a coming divine Savior who would solve the fundamental problem of human sin through substitutionary atonement. By denying the crucifixion and the deity of Christ, Islam removes the mechanism of grace. Consequently, Islamic soteriology becomes a terrifying system of works-righteousness mixed with fatalism, where even the greatest prophets cry 'Myself! Myself!' in terror on Judgment Day, lacking the assurance provided by the blood of Christ.
For All Ages
Imagine you owe a billion dollars to a bank, and you have no money. In Islam, God sends messengers (prophets) to tell you to work really hard, be good, and beg for forgiveness, and maybe, just maybe, the bank manager will cancel your debt on the last day if Muhammad asks him to. But you never really know if you've done enough, and even the messengers are terrified of the bank manager. In Christianity, God knows you can never pay the debt. So, God Himself comes down as Jesus. Jesus pays your billion-dollar debt with His own money (His life on the cross). When you trust in Jesus, your account says 'Paid in Full.' You don't have to be terrified of the bank manager anymore, because Jesus already paid what you owed. Islam says Jesus was just another messenger telling you to work hard; Christianity says Jesus is the Savior who did the work for you.
Friction Points
Christology (Deity and Atonement)
The text explicitly denies Jesus' divinity ('I am only a Slave') and his atoning death (he will 'break the Cross').
Sola Fide (Justification by Faith Alone)
Salvation is based on a mixture of predestined fatalism, works, and Muhammad's future intercession, destroying any present assurance of salvation.
Sola Scriptura
The text claims the Jews and Christians altered their religions and that Muhammad's new revelations supersede the biblical text.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Jesus (Isa)"
In This Text
A human prophet, slave of Allah, who did not die on the cross and will return to destroy Christianity.
In Evangelicalism
The eternal Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, who died for sins and rose bodily from the dead.
"Intercession (Shafa'a)"
In This Text
Muhammad begging Allah for mercy on behalf of Muslims on the Day of Judgment.
In Evangelicalism
Jesus Christ's ongoing, guaranteed mediation for believers based on His finished atoning sacrifice.
"Prophet"
In This Text
A human messenger who brings laws and warnings, protected from major sin but capable of minor errors.
In Evangelicalism
A human messenger who speaks for God, often deeply flawed, whose primary purpose is to point to the coming Messiah.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Rescue from the Hellfire and admission into Paradise (described with physical pleasures like houris, musk, and gold combs).
How Attained: Through submission to Allah, obedience to Muhammad, avoiding Shirk, and ultimately relying on Allah's arbitrary mercy and Muhammad's intercession.
Basis of Assurance: Virtually non-existent. The text explicitly states a person can do the deeds of Paradise their whole life but be thrown into Hell based on a pre-written decree just before death.
Comparison to Sola Fide: This system is the antithesis of Sola Fide. While it acknowledges that works alone don't save (Allah's mercy is needed), it lacks a mechanism of justice (atonement). Therefore, God's mercy is arbitrary, and the believer must constantly perform works in fear, never knowing if they have done enough or if their destiny is already written for Hell. Romans 5:1 offers peace with God through faith, a concept entirely absent here.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Treat women nicely.
- Do not enter the ruined dwellings of those who were unjust to themselves unless weeping.
- Practice archery.
- Fast moderately (like David, on alternate days).
- Do not exaggerate in praising Muhammad as Christians praised Jesus.
- Call Muhammad the Slave of Allah and His Apostle.
- Obey the Caliphs who are given the pledge of allegiance.
- Pronounce the Adhan twice and the Iqama once.
- Convey Muhammad's teachings to the people.
- Dye grey hair and beards to do the opposite of the Jews and Christians.
- Do not approach a land where a plague has spread, and do not flee a land if you are in it when a plague appears.
- Do not differ in the recitation of the Quran.
Implicit Obligations
- Believe in the physical and historical descriptions of the prophets as narrated by Muhammad.
- Rely on Muhammad's intercession for the Day of Judgment.
- Accept that the Ka'ba was built by Abraham and Ishmael.
- Acknowledge that Jesus did not die on the cross and is not divine.
- Fear Allah's wrath constantly, as even the prophets are terrified of it.
Ritual Requirements
- Perform a bath (Ghusl) after a nocturnal discharge if water is noticed.
- Perform five daily prayers (reduced from fifty during the Night Journey).
- Wash the head and body at least once every seven days (on Friday).
- Perform prostrations during specific Quranic recitations (though noted as not strictly compulsory for Surah Sad).
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- In the story of the Day of Judgment, why are all the great prophets like Abraham and Moses so terrified of Allah's wrath that they refuse to help anyone?
- If Jesus is returning to judge mankind, break the cross, and kill the pigs, what makes his role in the end times so unique compared to other prophets?
- The Hadith says an angel writes whether a person will be wretched or blessed in the womb, and they might do good deeds their whole life but still go to Hell. How does that make you feel about your own standing before God?
- If the prophets themselves cry 'Myself! Myself!' on Judgment Day, how can an ordinary person have peace with God today?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
The man who murdered 99 people and was forgiven.
This story shows a deep human intuition that God's grace can overcome even the most horrific lifetime of sin. However, in Islam, this forgiveness is arbitrary. In the Gospel, God can forgive the worst of sinners (like Paul, the murderer of Christians) because the penalty for those sins was actually paid by Jesus. Grace isn't a geographic technicality; it's a blood-bought reality.
The terror of the Day of Judgment.
The text rightly recognizes that human righteousness (even of prophets) cannot stand before a holy God. This terror is exactly why we need a Savior who doesn't just intercede, but who shields us from wrath by taking it upon Himself.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The doctrine of Qadar (predestination) described here means a believer can strive their entire life, doing the deeds of Paradise, only to be forced into Hell at the last moment because it was written in the womb. This creates a paralyzing fear and absolute lack of assurance.
The depiction of Judgment Day is one of unmitigated horror, where even the greatest friends of God (Abraham, Moses) are terrified of His wrath. If the prophets have no peace, the average believer must live in constant dread of the afterlife.
Despite the reliance on mercy, the text constantly emphasizes the weighing of deeds, creating a performance treadmill where the believer must constantly try to tip the scales without ever knowing the score.
The strict commands to do the opposite of Jews and Christians (dyeing hair, prayer postures) forces the believer into a rigid, oppositional identity that breeds suspicion and separation from non-Muslims.