The Messengers, Nabiys and Others Who Were Contemporaries

By Saim Bakar

The Biblical narrative (both Jewish Bible and New Testament) suggests a historical timeline for the existence of the various “prophets” like Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Still there is no certainty about the Biblical timeline.  For example christian writers say that Noah is believed to have lived 3000 to 5000 years ago. The timeline is very wide. 

Some Christian sources say that “Noah died just two years before Abram was born.  Abraham was the tenth generation from Noah through Shem and was born 352 years after the Deluge, in 2018 B.C.E.  Abraham died in 1843 B.C.E.  Moses was born in 1593. B.C.E.”

But all these are disputed because no one knows for certain. 

This article lists out clear verses from the Quran which show quite a different timeline for these messengers and nabiy.   The Quran places all these messengers and nabiys within a contemporary time frame.  And the Quranic verses show that these messengers and nabiys also lived within some proximity to each other.  The purpose of this article is to list these verses from the  Quran.  The readers are invited to cross-check the references and satisfy themselves.

To begin with here is a verse in the Quran which calls Maryam (mother of Jesus) as the sister of Aaron (Harun).

19:28 “O sister of Aaron (ukhti Harun), your father was not a bad man, nor was your mother unchaste.”

Since Aaron was the brother of Moses this immediately means Moses was also the uncle of Jesus. And this also means that Zachariah who was the guardian of Maryam (3:37) and Yahya (John) who was Zachariah’s son (19:7) were all contemporaries with Moses, Aaron and Jesus.

It is to be noted that the Maryam of the Quran is Miriam in Hebrew. And in the Jewish Bible (Torah) Moses and Aaron do have a sister who was named Miriam.

“Miriam was the daughter of Amram and Jochebed; she was the sister of Aaron and Moses, the leader of the Israelites in ancient Egypt. The narrative of Moses’ infancy in the Torah describes an unnamed sister of Moses observing him being placed in the Nile (Exodus 2:4); she is traditionally identified as Miriam”.

In the Quran there is indeed the story of a sister of Moses (and hence of Aaron too) observing him being placed in the river (28:11). In the Torah the Jews identify her as Miriam / Maryam. Therefore Sura 19:28 which identifies Maryam as the sister of Aaron (and hence of Moses as well) does not contradict the Biblical Miriam who is also the sister of Moses and Aaron.

But what this really means is that Sura 19:28 (Sura Maryam) erases the Biblical timeline which places about 1,000 years between Moses / Aaron and Maryam / Jesus.

Also do note the following verses :

6:84 And we granted him (Abraham)  Isaac and Jacob, and we guided both of them. Similarly, we guided Noah before that, and from his descendants (dhurriyat) David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron. We thus reward the righteous.

So David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses and Aaron were all descendants (dhurriyat) of Noah. Since Joseph was the grandson of Abraham (through Jakob) this means that Joseph and Noah were also contemporaries (within grandfather to grandson range).

Because the Quran says that Noah and Abraham were contemporaries: 37:79 Peace be upon Noah among the peoples.  37:83 Among his party / group (shi’atihi) was Abraham

6:84 continues into 6:85 where it says that Zachariah, Yahya, Jesus and Elias were contemporaries and also descendants of Noah.

6:85 Also, Zachariah, Yahya, Jesus, and Elias; all were righteous.

In the next verse 6:86 Ismail was the son of Abraham and Lot was living close to Abraham. They were all contemporaries with Noah as well.

6:86 And Ismail, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot; each of these we distinguished over all the people.

Then we come to the Rasul or Messenger who is commonly identified as the last nabiy (khataman nabiyeen),  the praiseworthy or “muhammadun”.

There is no proper noun “Muhammad” in the Quran. What is mentioned are muhammadun (3:144, 33:40, 48:29) and muhammadin (47:2).  Muhammadun and muhammadin simply mean praiseworthy.  

The last Nabiy and Lot were Contemporaries

37:133 Lot was one of the messengers.

37:134 We saved him and all his family.

37:135 Only the old woman was doomed.

37:136 We annihilated all the others.

37:137 you pass them in the morning (Wa-innakum la-ta mur-roona alayhim musbiheena)

37:138 And at the night (wa bi laylin)

In 37:137 and 37:138 it says that our Rasul (the last nabiy), passed by the people of Lot in the morning and in the night.

For comparison here are SEVEN other translations of 37:137 by different translators:

Pickthal    And lo! ye verily pass by them in the morning

Arberry     and you pass by them in the morning

Shakir       And most surely you pass by them in the morning,

Saheeh     And indeed, you pass by them in the morning

Maulana Ali   And surely you pass by them in the morning,

Qaribullah  You pass by them in the morning

Hilali/Khan  Verily, you pass by them in the morning.

This means that our Rasul, whom we also know as the last nabiy, the praiseworthy or “muhammadun”  was a contemporary of the people of Lot. He lived close to the people of Lot and passed by them in the morning and by night.  If he was a contemporary and a neighbour of Lot he was also a contemporary and a neighbour of Abraham, Noah and all the other messengers.

57:26 We sent Noah and Abraham, and we granted their descendants prophethood and the scripture

ABRAHAM, ISHMAEL, ISAAC, JACOB, JOSEPH WERE CONTEMPORARIES

19:49 Because he (Abraham) abandoned them and the idols they worshiped beside Allah, we granted him Isaac and Jacob, and we made each of them a prophet.

In Surah 12 (Surah Yusuf) Jacob is the father of Joseph (Yusuf).

Abraham had three sons Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob. Jacob’s son was Joseph. 

ABRAHAM, LOT, ISAAC, JACOB WERE CONTEMPORARIES

21:69 We said, “O fire, be cool and safe for Abraham.”*

21:70 Thus, they schemed against him, but we made them the losers.

21:71 We saved him, and we saved Lot, to the land that we blessed for all the people.

21:72 And we granted him Isaac and Jacob as a gift, and we made them both righteous.

29:31 our messengers went to Abraham ..” to annihilate the town..”

29:32 He said, “But Lot is living there.” his wife; she is doomed.”

THE WIVES OF NOAH AND LOT WERE CONTEMPORARIES

66:10 ALLAH cites as examples of those who disbelieved the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were married to two of our righteous servants, but they betrayed them and, consequently, they could not help them at all against ALLAH. The two of them were told, “Enter the fire with those who deserved it.”

LOT AND SHUAYB WERE CONTEMPORARIES AND LIVED CLOSE TO EACH OTHER

11:89 (SHUAYB SAID) And, O my people, do not be provoked by your opposition to me into incurring the same disasters as the people of Noah, or the people of Hood, or the people of Saaleh; and the people of Lot are not too far from you.

DAVID AND THE LAST NABIY WERE CONTEMPORARIES

DAVID MAKES ARMOUR FOR “YOU”

21:80 And We taught him (DAVID) to make armour for “you”, to protect you from battle; will you then be grateful?

Wa’allamnaa-hu san’ata laboosin la-KUM li-tuhsina-KUM min ba’si-KUM fahal ANTUM shakiroona

DISBELIEVERS WERE CONDEMNED BY THE TONGUE OF BOTH DAVID AND JESUS. THEY  WERE CONTEMPORARIES

5:78 Condemned are those who disbelieved among the Children of Israel, by the tongue of David and Jesus, the son of Maryam. This is because they disobeyed and transgressed (ala lisani dawooda wa-eesa ibni maryama).

2:246 Do you not see the leaders of Israel after Moses? They said to their nabiy, “If you appoint a king to lead us, we will fight in the cause of Allah.” He said, “Is it your intention that, if fighting is decreed for you, you will not fight?” They said, “Why should we not fight in the cause of Allah, when we have been deprived of our homes, and our children?” Yet, when fighting was decreed for them, they turned away, except a few. Allah is aware of the transgressors.

2:251 They defeated them by Allah’s leave, and David killed Jaluth / Goliath. Allah gave him kingship and wisdom, and taught him as He willed. If it were not for Allah’s support of some people against others, there would be chaos on earth. But Allah showers His grace upon the people.

So David was a contemporary of Jesus whose uncle was Moses.

AAD, THAMUD, LOT, AIKAH WERE CONTEMPORARIES (HENCE WITH ABRAHAM AND NOAH)

69:6   As for `Aad, they were annihilated by a persistent, violent storm.

69:7   He subjugated it on them seven nights and eight days ominously, (uprooting), so you see them flattened, as if they are fallen palm trees.

69:8   Can you see any of their survivors?

89:6   Did you not see what your Lord did to ‘Aad?

38:13 Also, Thamoud, the people of Lot, the dwellers of the Woods; THOSE WERE THE CONFEDERATES / ALLIES (AL AHZAB)

29:38 And Ad, and Thamood — it has become clear to you from their dwelling-places; and Satan decked out fair to them their works, and barred them from the way, though they saw clearly.

So the Aad, Thamoud, the people of Lot were confederates. They were contemporaries with Abraham and Noah.

The verse 29:38 “And Ad, and Thamood — it has become clear to you from their dwelling-places” refers to the last nabiy. They were all contemporaries. 

A LONG LIST OF MESSENGERS WERE CONTEMPORARIES WITH THE LAST NABIY

The 50 verses from 21:41 until 21:92  mention a long list of Messengers (rasul). Then in 21:92 it says :

21:92 Surely this is your community, one community, and I am your Lord; so serve Me.

21:92 Inna hathihi ummatukum ummatan wahidatan wa-ana rabbukum fa’budooni

So all the messengers listed from 21:41 to 21:91 are the same community as the last nabiy, the praiseworthy or ‘muhammadun’. They were contemporaries.

The last nabiy is also mentioned as a warner (nazeer) from among the earlier warners (nuzurin oola).

53:56  This is a warner from the earlier warners

53:56  Hatha nazeerun min-al nuzuri al-oola

Again in 53:56 above the last nabiy was a contemporary with the earlier messengers before him. And this is further supported by the following verse which says that the last nabiy could engage in conversation with the messengers who came before him, they were contemporaries and also engaged in conversation: 

43:45   And ask those We sent from before you from Our messengers : “Did We appoint from other than the Merciful idols to be served?”

43:45   Was-al man arsalna min qablika min rusulina aj’alna min dooni al-rahmaani aalihatan yu’badoona

To be able to go and  “ask those We sent from before you from Our messengers” both the party who asks and the party being asked must both be alive and meet and speak to one another.  They were contemporaries. 

So all the rasuls and nabiys mentioned in these verses including Noah, Lot,  Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David (hence Solomon), Shuayb, Moses, Jesus, Zachariah, Yahya, Maryam, the wives of Lot and Noah, Maryam the mother of Jesus and many more were all contemporaries including the last nabiy.

This contemporary timeline off all these messengers and the nabiys  in the Quran completely negates the information that has been acquired and passed down to us from the Jewish and Christian sources plus also other extra Quranic sources.  What the Quran says is completely different.