Prophets and Books By Khalid Baig According to a report in
Musnad Ahmed collection of Ahadith, Prophet Muhammad, Sall-
Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "From Adam to me, Allah sent a
hundred and twenty-four thousand Prophets, of whom three hundred
and fifteen were entrusted with a Book." The question is why
were there so many more Prophets than Books? To reflect on this
is to gain an understanding about the very institution of
Prophethood. If the role of a Prophet were simply to deliver the
Book, as some mis-guided people in our time try to argue, there
should have been as many Books as Prophets. But the very fact
that there have been many Prophets without a new Book, firmly
establishes the need for the Prophets as a source of guidance in
its own rights. It had to be so because life emulates life. We
need live human beings to inspire us; to show right from wrong
in every day struggles of life; to confront us and pose
questions; to answer questions; to clarify misconceptions; to
hold our hand; to be the model. We