Stories of the Prophets for Young Readers
Adam, Nuh, Ibrahim, Yusuf, Musa, Yunus, ‘Isa and Muhammad ﷺ — told simply, with the lessons for us
Contents
1. Adam — the first human
Allah created Adam from clay, breathed life into him and taught him the names of all things. He honoured him and commanded the angels to bow. Iblis refused out of pride.
Adam and his wife Hawwa lived in the Garden, but Shaytan tricked them into eating from the one tree that was forbidden. They did not blame anyone — they turned to Allah and said: “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves; if You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will surely be among the losers.” (Quran 7:23)
2. Nuh — the patient caller
Prophet Nuh called his people to worship Allah alone for nine hundred and fifty years (Quran 29:14). He called them by night and by day, in public and in private, but only a few believed.
Allah commanded Nuh to build an Ark. People laughed at him for building a ship on dry land. Then the great flood came, and Allah saved Nuh and the believers.
3. Ibrahim — the friend of Allah
As a young man, Ibrahim looked at the stars, the moon and the sun and realised that they all set — none of them could be God. He said: “I have turned my face to the One who created the heavens and the earth.” (Quran 6:79)
He broke his people’s idols, and they threw him into a huge fire. Allah said: “O fire, be coolness and safety for Ibrahim.” (Quran 21:69) Later, with his son Isma‘il, he built the Ka‘bah in Makkah.
4. Yusuf — from the well to the palace
Young Yusuf saw eleven stars, the sun and the moon bowing to him in a dream. His jealous brothers threw him into a well. He was sold as a slave in Egypt, wrongly accused and put in prison — yet he stayed honest and patient.
Allah gave him the gift of interpreting dreams. He explained the king’s dream about seven fat and seven thin cows, and became the minister in charge of Egypt’s food. When his brothers came begging for grain, he forgave them: “No blame on you today.” (Quran 12:92)
5. Musa — courage before Pharaoh
Pharaoh was killing the baby boys of the Children of Israel. Musa’s mother placed him in a basket on the river, trusting Allah, and Allah brought him up in Pharaoh’s own palace.
Years later, Allah spoke to Musa and sent him with his brother Harun to Pharaoh. Musa was afraid, so he prayed: “My Lord, expand my chest and make my task easy for me.” (Quran 20:25–26) Allah parted the sea for Musa and his people, and saved them.
6. Yunus — dua from the darkness
Prophet Yunus left his people in anger before Allah allowed him to. On a ship in a storm he was thrown into the sea and swallowed by a great fish. In three darknesses — the night, the sea and the belly of the fish — he called out:
The dua of Yunus
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minaz-zalimin
There is no god but You, glory be to You; I have been among the wrongdoers.
Quran 21:87
7. ‘Isa — a miracle from birth
Maryam was a pure, devoted woman. Allah gave her a son, ‘Isa, without a father. When people accused her, baby ‘Isa spoke from the cradle: “I am the servant of Allah.” (Quran 19:30)
Allah gave ‘Isa miracles — healing the blind and the sick by Allah’s permission — and he called people to worship Allah alone. Muslims love and honour him as one of the greatest Prophets.
8. Muhammad ﷺ — the final Messenger
Muhammad ﷺ was known in Makkah as “al-Amin”, the trustworthy, even before prophethood. At forty, the angel Jibril brought him the first words of the Quran in the Cave of Hira: “Read in the name of your Lord who created.” (Quran 96:1)
For twenty-three years he taught people to worship Allah alone, to be honest, kind and just. He forgave his enemies when he returned to Makkah, and he was the most merciful of people. Allah says: “And We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds.” (Quran 21:107)
Scholar review. This guide is general guidance, written to be accepted by the major schools, with differences noted where they matter. It is being reviewed by Sukon’s Scholar panel. For a question about your own situation, ask a verified scholar — always free.
© INDO CHATS PRIVATE LIMITED. Written for Sukon. Free to read, print and share unchanged for non-commercial use, with credit to Sukon (sukon.in). Quran and hadith references are given with every quotation.