Questions and Answers on Islamic Doctrine

Chapter 2: Belief in Prophets and Missions

Question 14: Why were the first batch of prophets sent to certain geographical areas and not others?  How can we judge those areas which received no prophets?  Why were they left without the word of God?

Answer 14: Judging by the accounts given by the Prophet’s hadiths (sayings) God sent to various folks 124,000 prophets, while God’s messengers numbered 314.[1]  Such a large number of prophets and messengers prove that not one nation or area went without one (or some).  In this regard God Almighty says: “…And there never was a nation but a warner had passed among them” (Holy Qur’an: 35: 24).  And again, He also says: “And verily, we have sent among every ummah (community/nation) a messenger (proclaiming): ‘Worship God (alone), and avoid taghut (all false deities)’.” (Holy Qur’an: 16: 36).

[1]  Cited in Ahmad (vol., 5 Hadith No. 178), Al-Hakim (vol., 2 Hadith No. 288) and others.