Most Muslims have not read the Bible carefully so they do not know what it actually says about God, Mankind, or the prophets. They know what their religion tells them, which is more often contradictory to the Bible.

The role of a prophet is considered far more important in Islam than in Christianity, especially their prophet that began their religion of Islam. I will do my best to explain this from what I have learned over the years.

There are said to be 124,000 prophets mentioned in Islam, but all of their names are not known, only a few. Certainly there are not this many prophets found in the Bible. Having this many more prophets than the Bible mentions poses a problem. Since there are no names they are not explained in there ministry. The Qur’an mentions approximately 25 prophets (some say less some say a few more); all of them are from the Bible (except one). The Qur’an mentions the important men of Bible history Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, Moses, Solomon, Elijah, Elishah, Jonah, John the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostles (not by name).

The Qur’an lists the prophets by their names (who by definition are also messengers). Sura 6:83-86 lists 18 prophets, they 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) Solomon Job, Joseph, Moses (also in 19:51 and 33:7), Aaron (also in 19:53) Zachariah, John (also in 3:39), Jesus (also in 19:30 and 33:7), Elias, Ismail (19:54) Elisha, Jonah and Lot.

Some list 20 prophets by name in the Quran. They have other lists which add a few more. Adam is described as one of the chosen 3:33, but not associated with the word messenger or prophet, others include him as a prophet.

1. Adam 2. Prophet Idris (Enoch) and when his people implemented their way Allah sent 3. Prophet Nuh (Noah) then 4. Prophet Hud 5. Prophet Salih 6. Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) 7. Prophet Isma'il (Ishmael) 8. Prophet Ishaq (Isaac) 9. Prophet Yaqub (Jacob) 10. Prophet Lot (Lot) 11. Prophet Shuaib 12. Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) 13. Prophet Ayoub (Job) 14. Prophet Dhul-Kifl (?) 15. Prophet Yunus (Jonah) 16. Prophet Musa (Moses) & Harun (Aaron) 17. Prophet Hizqeel (Ezekiel) 18. Prophet Elyas (Elisha) 19. Prophet Shammil (Samuel) 20. Prophet Dawud (David) 21. Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon) 22. Prophet Shia (Isaiah) 23. Prophet Aramaya (Jeremiah) 24. Prophet Daniel 25. Prophet Uzair (Ezra) 26. Prophet Zakariyah (Zechariah) 27. Prophet Yahya (John) 28. Prophet Isa (Jesus) 29. Prophet Muhammad – the last of the prophets.

Idris is named a prophet in sura 19:56. The Quran mentions three messengers (not named as prophets) they are: Hud, Saleh, and Shu'aib (named as messengers in 26:125;143;178). This brings the total of messengers mentioned by name in the Quran to over 30. Many prophets are mentioned by name in the Qur’an are also found in the Bible; for example, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus from the Biblical prophets. But there are many prophets whose names are not in the Bible which has the Qur’an making the claim of further revelation.

Sura 29:46 "...‘We believe in the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you..."

Apparently they are referring to the Bible: but you can’t believe both because of the contradictions.

Quran, 2:136 Say, 'We believe in God and in what was sent down to us and what was sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and what was given to Moses, Jesus, and all the prophets by their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we devote ourselves to Him.’”

Who are these people they speak of? The tribes of whom? Israel.

"Mankind is a single nation. So Allah raised prophets as bearers of good news and as warners. . ." (Quran 2:213) "And certainly We raised in every nation a messenger, saying: Serve Allah and shun the devil." (16:36)

God did not look at mankind as a single nation, a single humanity, but nation, no.(and he still does not)

According to Islam, God sent prophets to all the nations on earth, at various stages of their histories. The Quran: "And for every nation there is a messenger" (10:47).

Islam has a huge problem with those who claim prophets after Mohammed. Such as the Bahai’s and Mormonism, both who have prophets giving new revelation. What of Krishna, Buddha, and Confucius which Bahai recognize? If God sent Prophets to every nation, then there must be recognition of the founders of the other religions as Prophets and messengers of God before. There is no reference in Islam to what will be sent after their Prophet, the Qur’an does not have any mention of a future prophet or new revelation.

God gave us the scriptures through His people (Israel), by the prophets. So the prophets testify who the prophets are, many of them were contemporaries.

Jesus said in Matt 5:17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”

1 Peter 1:10 “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you.”

That grace came through Jesus, just as the law came through Moses (Jn.1:12).

Some of these same prophets in the Bible are spoken of in the Qur'an.

Sura 32:23 "We did indeed aforetime give the book to Moses. Be not then in doubt of its reaching (thee): and We made it a guide to the children of Israel."

So the Qu’ran does admit that they are Hebrew (Jewish) prophets.

Sura 3:84 . . . and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord.”

Sura 6:91 "No just estimate of Allah do they make when they say: ‘Nothing doth Allah send down to man (by way of revelation)’: say ‘Who then sent down the book which Moses brought? - a light and guidance.”
Sura 8:84-85 "We gave him [to Abraham] Isaac and Jacob, all (three) We guided; and before him we guided Noah and among his progeny David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron; Thus do we reward those who do good; And Zakariya and John [the Baptist] and Jesus and Elias [Elijah] all in the ranks of the righteous."

Does the Quran describe their activities?  Abraham is mentioned 76 times in the Qur’an. Moses the Hebrew prophet is mentioned 136 times in the Qur’an, far more than any other Hebrew prophet; even Jesus.

Sura 7:104 Moses said: "O Pharaoh! I am an apostle from the Lord of the worlds.” This is impossible since the word apostle is a New Testament term, used for one who was chosen by Jesus Christ to give the gospel.

One of the problems that is pointed out is that in the Hebrew/Christian Scriptures is not the same Abraham that we see in the Qur’an. 

Sura 2:124 And remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord with certain commands, which he fulfilled: He said: "I will make thee an Imam to the Nations." He pleaded: "And also (Imams) from my offspring!" He answered: "But My Promise is not within the reach of evil-doers."

As far as Abraham being an imam. An Imam is the person who leads prayers in a Mosque. Abraham had no such building. An imam is to give spiritual advice, this is not what God appointed Abraham for. Here is what is mentioned in the Bible

Gen. 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

This is far different than the Islamic view which came 2,600 years later. The God of Abraham says I will bless those who bless you (this is included to his offspring Isaac and Jacob)

In fact sura 2.125 states, We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il.”

So we have a prophet now saying something very different than what is found by God in the Bible. Gen. 17:19-21 Then God said: "No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. "And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. "But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year."

This is where Islam challenges God. The Arab nations come from Ismail and they were originally blessed by the same God that took Abraham from the pagans and gave him the Land of Canaan. But it was God who miraculously helped Sarah conceive in her old age and he chose the child the blessing would come through.

Surah 2:132 “And this was the legacy that Abraham left to his sons, and so did Jacob; "Oh my sons! God hath chosen the Faith for you; then die not except in the Faith of Islam."

2:133: "What will ye worship after me?" They said: "We shall worship Thy God and the God of thy fathers, of Abraham, Isma'il and Isaac”

2:140 Or do ye say that Abraham, Isma'il Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes were Jews or Christians? Say: Do ye know better than God?”

Do they know better than God? Yes, this God was of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Ismail and he was called the God of Israel.

The Bible teaches it was a covenant with Abraham and Isaac and there was no Islam then. And the Tribes were Hebrews/Jews, yet it is questioned as if God did not say this.

The Qur’an says 3:67 Abraham was not a Jew nor yet a Christian; but he was true in Faith.” Of course he could not be a Christian 2,000 years before Christ was born. Jesus is still 2,000 years in the future.

We know from the Bible and history that Abraham is called a Hebrew in Gen.14:13 as are Isaac and Jacob and Joseph (Gen.41)’ as are the prophets in the Bible.

Stephen in Acts 7:5 speaks what the whole Bibles history testifies to: "And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him.”

Acts 7:8 and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs.”

How were all the families, the nations blessed by Abraham? We are told in Galatians because Jesus came from his lineage. Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed," who is Christ.” So Jesus who is also a Hebrew confirms whom Abraham is.

Gal 3:7 “Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.” One is to have faith in the Messiah God sent to be of Abraham. Gal. 3:22 “that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” Believe what? V.26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” V.29 “And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

The stories that surround Abraham assume one has already read of him or heard of the Biblical account, the Qur’an gives no in depth, or detail like the Bible to add to the story of Abraham.

Muslims say it would not be fitting to call Isaac the only son of Abraham since Ishmael was first. But again this is not what God said or meant.

Gen 22:2 And He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

Now we know it was Isaac that was born according to the promise to Rachel, not Ishmael to his handmaiden.

Abraham was prevented doing this sacrifice, and it is no coincidence but God’s plan that His only begotten son nearly 2,100 years later would be the sacrifice at the same area.

Gen 22:12-15 And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."

Abraham’s action is a correlation to what God himself would do with Jesus.

V.14And Abraham called the name of the place, THE-LORD-WILL-PROVIDE; as it is said to this day, "In the Mount of The LORD it shall be provided."

And the Lord did provide the sacrifice who willingly went for all of us. But Islam does not recognize this at all.

One has to conclude (and they will agree) that the Jesus in the Qur’an is different than in the Bible. Because Muslims accept only what the Qur’an says about these men and rejects what the Bible says hundreds, even thousands of years prior it’s hard to have them understand the actual meaning. Their conclusion, God had sent man more revelation that contradicts what He formerly sent by the prophets themselves. Muslims may say peace be upon him [them] but they do not honor these men in the same way as the Bible does. The accounts in the Qur’an contradict the accounts in the Bible that came before it. Common sense tells us they could not possibly have been revealed by the same source. So then who is in error? Statements of generality are not revelation. The choice is between a prophet (nabi), or messenger (rasul) of God who says he was given His guidance long after the Bible was completed.

According to the Bible Jesus speaking as a prophet; His words meant life or death. No [prophet ever asked to believe in them], but believe the word they spoke from God. Jesus said for the people to believe him, to believe on him, to follow Him. That would mean he is more than a prophet. And if he is not then he was a deceiver,

John 6:28-29 Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?"

John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”

Speaking of himself he asked in John 9:35 "Do you believe in the Son of God?" (not that he as an offspring but had a unique relation to God that no man has had)

Jesus said believe in the gospel; believe In My name; believe in all that the prophets have spoken! And he pointed out they spoke of Him (Jn.5:39).

So if Jesus is considered a prophet as Islam teaches, would it not be spiritually important to listen to him?

Nowhere does it say to believe in the apostles as it does for Jesus. There is only one reference that comes close.

John 17:19-20 "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word” Which again points to Jesus. God asks for all to believe in Jesus, would basically mean to believe the words of himself.

And what did he say of himself: I Jn 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”

If one is going to use the names of the prophets from the Bible and use their ministry then how do they make the distinction that what the Bible said to be wrong? Why do they accept some things and not the others? Because it does not fit the narrative of their religion that came after the prophets of Israel.

Jesus is mentioned 25 different times in the Sura’s of the Qu’ran.  Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Muslims say he is a prophet, the Bible says Peter had a revelation from the Father saying he is the Messiah, the Son of the living God; which sets him apart from any other prophet.

Luke 24:25-27 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! "Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”

John 5:39-40 "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. "But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”

The scripture testifies of Jesus, not other prophets. He tells them he is the one that gives them life, eternal which means he is more than a prophet.

Sura 4:163-164 speaks of Mohammeds message in line with all the other prophets.

They claim the original teachings of previous Prophets are mostly lost, the sources of give the details of their Prophet.

Islam teaches "And those who believe in Allah and His messengers and make no distinction between any of them (in belief), to them He will grant their rewards." (4:152). Muslims are expected to believe in all the prophets and messengers of God, equally, without distinction, wherever they may have appeared. The Qu’ran (2:136, 285, and 3:84) states: "We make no distinction between them".

They are the ones that make the distinction. Their Jesus has no correlation to the Bibles teaching of Jesus. For example it says in Acts 10:43 "To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins."

They do not believe this. The name of Jesus is the way of forgiveness, Peter said all the prophets witness this. Therefore if one rejects Jesus, they are rejecting what ALL the prophets say, but they do not understand this.

I said: O Messenger of Allah, how many of them were Messengers? He said: “Three hundred and thirteen, a good number.” I said: O Messenger of Allah, who was the first of them? He said: “Adam.” …  (Narrated by Ibn Hibbaan, 361) 

They say the details were not preserved accurately in the Bible. The prophets prophesies and words in the Quran are not like in the Bible. How do they know they are there prophets if they don’t know what they said in prophecy? Because they are prophets that are mentioned in the Bible. They read their words in the Bible … but they do not believe the prophet’s words. What Hebrew prophet do they actually acknowledge? None because they do not say any are Jewish. The teachings of all the Prophets are called Islam, and the Prophets and their true followers are labeled Muslims (Sura 2:131-133 and 5:111). So do they really have the actual prophet’s words written in the Bible?

There are numerous problems of both accuracy and content. Islam teaches Adam supposedly came from heaven. That Adam was a prophet, but there are no references anywhere of him being a prophet in the Bible. There is prophecy spoken to him from God (Gen.3:15), that’s as close as we get.

Sura 20:120 But Satan whispered evil to him: he said, "O Adam! shall I lead thee to the Tree of Eternity and to a kingdom that never decays?"

According to the Bible Satan did not talk to Adam, but to Eve and eve spoke to Adam. Islam teaches both Adam and Eve resisted numerous evil temptations, influences of Satan who made many attempts to misguide them both, only this one succeeded.

Sura 20:121 “In the result, they both ate of the tree, and so their nakedness appeared to them: they began to sew together, for their covering, leaves from the Garden: thus did Adam disobey his Lord, and allow himself to be seduced.”

Nearly the same as the Bible, except … the Bible says Adam was not seduced, Eve was.

And what of the end of the prophets?

(Sura 33:40) Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Apostle of God, and the Seal of the Prophets.” Here we find use of the New Testament term apostle, that is not found in the Old Testament once.

So according to their teaching God has left Israel. But the Israelis are still guided by prophets if they read the Bible.

They say that the teachings given by all of the prophets were the same the teachings that God gave to their Prophet, and are meant for all nations, for all time … is this true?

Jesus’ last command Matt 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

Luke 24:47 "and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Matt 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations,

Mark 13:10"And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.

Where is the gospel given by the prophet priest and king Jesus in Islam? None of their prophets give the gospel.

 The gospel is about Jesus, it is HIS death and resurrection. Why would God teach Jesus the gospel, when He is the gospel?

Luke 24:25-27 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! "Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" And beginning at and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”

These are the apparent differences