The Holy Quran affirms that Allah has sent guidance to every people. It thus affirms the truth and righteousness of every prophet. Prophets have been sent for particular peoples at particular times in history to guide them to Allah. The Holy Prophet was the last law-bearing prophet and the message of Islam thus encompasses and supercedes all previous scriptures. Prophethood continues but only within Islam; prophets now appear so as to reflect the light of the Holy Prophet, and do not bring a new law.
The Holy Quran has described not only the positive aspect of prophethood; it also portrays the character of the opposition raised against all prophets. Pharaoh is the Quranic symbol of the forces opposed to every prophet.
22: 76. ALLAH chooses HIS Messengers from among angels and from among men. Surely, ALLAH is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.
16: 37. And WE did raise among every people a Messenger with the teaching, `Worship ALLAH and shun the Evil one.' Then among them were some whom ALLAH guided and among them were some who became deserving of ruin. So travel through the earth and see what was the end of those who treated the prophets as liars !
2: 31. And when thy Lord said to the angels, `I am about to place a vicegerent in the earth,' they said `Wilt THOU place therein such as will cause disorder in it, and shed blood ? - and we glorify THEE with THY praise and extol THY holiness,' HE answered, `I know what you know not.'
4:164. Surely, WE have sent revelation to thee, as WE sent revelation to Noah and the Prophets after him; and WE sent revelation to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and his children and to Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and WE gave David a Book.
4:165. And WE sent some Messengers whom WE have already mentioned to thee and some Messengers whom WE have not mentioned to thee - and to Moses ALLAH spoke at great length -
2:125. And remember when his Lord tried Abraham with certain commandments which he fulfilled, HE said, `I will make thee a leader of men.' Abraham asked, `And from among my offspring ?' God said, `MY covenant does not embrace the transgressors.'
2: 88. And verily WE gave Moses the Book and caused Messengers to follow in his footsteps after him; and to Jesus, son of Mary, WE gave manifest Signs, and strengthened him with the Spirit of Holiness. Will you, then, every time a Messenger comes to you with what you yourselves desire not, behave arrogantly and treat some as liars and slay others ?
10: 91. And WE brought the children of Israel across the sea; and Pharaoh and his hosts pursued them wrongfully and aggressively, till when the calamity of drowning overtook him, he cried, `I believe that there is no god but HE in Whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of those who submit to Him.'
10: 92. What ! Now ! while thou wast disobedient before this and wast of the mischief-makers.
10: 93. So this day WE will save thee in thy body alone that thou mayest be a Sign to those who come after thee. And surely many of mankind are heedless of Our Signs.
19: 17. And relate the story of Mary as mentioned in the Book, when she withdrew from her people to an eastern place;
19: 18. And screened herself off from them. Then WE sent OUR angel to her and he appeared to her in the form of a well proportioned man.
19: 19. She said, `I seek refuge with the Gracious God from thee if indeed thou dost fear HIM.'
19: 20. The angel said, `I am only a messenger of thy Lord, that I may give thee glad tidings of a righteous son.'
19: 21. She said, `How can I have a son when no man has touched me, neither have I been unchaste ?'
19: 22. The angel said, `Thus it shall be.' But says thy Lord, `It is easy for ME; and WE shall do so that WE may make him a Sign unto men, and a mercy from US, and it is a thing decreed.'
19: 23. So she conceived him, and withdrew with him to a remote place.
19: 24. And the pains of child-birth drove her unto the trunk of a palm-tree. She said, `O, would that I had died before this and had become a thing quite forgotten !
19: 25. Then the angel called her from beneath her, saying, `Grieve not. Thy Lord has placed a rivulet below thee;
19: 26. `And shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm-tree; it will drop upon thee fresh ripe dates;
19: 27. `So, eat and drink and cool thine eye. And if thou seest any man, say, `I have vowed a fast to the Gracious God; I will, therefore, not speak this day to any human being.'
19: 28. Then she brought him to her people, mounted. They said, `O Mary, surely, thou hast committed a monstrous thing !
19: 29. `O sister of Aaron, thy father was not a wicked man, nor was thy mother an unchaste woman !'
19: 30. Thereupon she pointed to him. They said, `How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle ?'
19: 31. Jesus said, `I am a servant of ALLAH. HE has given me the Book, and has made me a Prophet;
19: 32. `And HE has made me blessed wheresoever I may be, and has enjoined upon me Prayer and almsgiving so long as I live;
19: 33. `And HE has made me dutiful towards my mother, and has not made me arrogant and graceless;
19: 34. `And peace was on me the day I was born, and peace will be on me the day I shall die, and the day I shall be raised up to life again.'
19: 35. That was Jesus, son of Mary. This is a statement of the truth concerning which they entertain doubt.
3: 82. And remember the time when ALLAH took a covenant from the people through the Prophets, saying `Whatever I give you of the Book and Wisdom and then there comes to you a Messenger, fulfilling that which is with you, you shall believe in him and help him.' And HE said, `Do you agree, and do you accept the responsibility which I lay upon you in this matter ?' They said `We agree.' HE said `Then bear witness and I am with you among the witnesses.'
33: 8. And call to mind when WE took from the Prophets their covenant, and from thee, and from Noah and Abraham, and Moses and Jesus, son of Mary, and WE indeed, took from them a solemn covenant;