We are told in the Quran that the prophets of God are sent with the Scripture:
[2:213] The people used to be one community when God sent the prophets as bearers of good news, as well as warners. He sent down with them the Scripture, bearing the truth, to judge among the people in their disputes"
The term 'Scripture' is consistantly 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 their names. Each one of these 20 is specifically called a prophet in the Quran.
If we read verses 83-86 of Sura 6 we read 18 names, starting with Abraham and ending with Lot. Verse 89 confirms that all these 18 were prophets of God:
"These are the ones to whom we have given the Scripture wisdom and prophethood"
These prophets are:
- Abraham (also named as a prophet in 19:41 and 33:7)
- Isaac (also in 19:49 and 37:112)
- Jacob (also in 19:49)
- Noah (also in 33:7)
- David (also in 17:55)
- Moses (lso in 19:51 and 33:7)
- Aaron (also in 19:53)
- John (also in 3:39)
- Jesus (also in 19:30 and 33:7)
- Ismail (19:54)
- Idris (named a prophet in 19:56)
- Muhammad (who is confirmed to be the last of the prophets (33:40)
If we add the names of the two prophets:
We find that the total number of those who are named as prophets in the Quran is 20
However we are told that that the two prophets Moses and Aaron received the same Scripture. The Statute book was given to both Moses and Aaron (37:117 and 21:48), therefore the total number of Scripture given to the 20 prophets is 19. This means that the Quran, besides being the last Scripture, is also the 19th Scripture delivered through the 20 prophets mentioned in the Quran.
We note that there are others spoken of in the Quran, but not as prophets, nor as deliverers of Scripture, they are:
Adam (described as one of the chosen 3:33 …….. not associated with the word messenger or prophet)
Hud, Saleh, and Shu 'aib (named as messengers in 26:125,143,178 respectively)
Zal-Kifl (described as steadfast, patient and righteous 21:85 and 38:48)
Luqman (described as one endowed with wisdom 31:12)
Nowhere in the Quran is any of these messengers associated with the term 'Scripture'. None of them delivered a Scripture. Thus 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 informs us that God has sent other messengers in the past that we are not told about in the Quran:
[40:78] We have sent messengers before you, some of them we mentioned to you, and some We did not mention to you. (also 4:164)
However, it is indeed of interest to note that the only two verses that assert that fact (40:78 and 4:164), both speak of messengers and not of prophets.
This confirms that God Almighty has sent to mankind 19 Scripture.
The Quran is the 19th and Final Scripture.