A clear and well-established fact in the Qur’an states that Allah Almighty sends Prophets and Messengers to all nations of the world to warn them against disbelief and give glad tidings of the reward that awaits them in the Hereafter, if they obeyed Allah’s Messengers, followed their guidance and acted upon the Divine teachings. Allah Almighty says, “Lo! We have sent thee (Muhammad) with the Truth, a bearer of glad tidings and a warner; and there is not a nation but a warner hath passed among them.” (Fatir: 24)
Dr. Muhammad M. Abu Laylah, Professor of the Islamic Studies & Comparative Religions at Al-Azhar University, states the following: “We, Muslims, believe that Allah never deprive any nation in the world of having access to a divine message. This fact is referred to in the Qur’an, as Allah Almighty says: “And unto thee have We revealed the Scripture with the truth, confirming whatever Scripture was before it, and a watcher over it. So judge between them by that which Allah hath revealed, and follow not their desires away from the truth which hath come unto thee. For each We have appointed a divine law and a traced-out way. Had Allah willed He could have made you one community. But that He may try you by that which He hath given you (He hath made you as ye are). So vie one with another in good works. Unto Allah ye will all return, and He will then inform you of that wherein ye differ.” (Al-Ma’dah: 48)
He Almighty also says: “Lo! We have sent thee with the Truth, a bearer of glad tidings and a warner; and there is not a nation but a warner hath passed among them.” (Fatir: 24)
Allah tells us in the Qur’an that He doesn’t hold any person accountable for his deeds and words unless He has sent a Prophet to guide and teach him, for our mental faculty can not in itself search and know about God and goodness. Allah Almighty says: “Whosoever goeth right, it is only for (the good of) his own soul that he goeth right, and whosoever erreth, erreth only to its hurt. No laden soul can bear another’s load. We never punish until We have sent a messenger.” (Al-Israa’: 15)
Also, in the Qur’an Allah reveals that He sent many Prophets. Some of them are mentioned in the Qur’an and others are not. He Almighty says: “ O ye who believe! Believe in Allah and His messenger and the Scripture which He hath revealed unto His messenger, and the Scripture which He revealed aforetime. Whoso disbelieveth in Allah and His angels and His scriptures and His messengers and the Last Day, he verily hath wandered far astray.” (Al-Nisaa’: 136)
The Qur’an also refers to some Divine Scriptures such as the Scrolls of Abraham, the Torah of Moses, the Gospel of Jesus. We believe that before these books, Allah also revealed sacred revelations and inspirations. Having stated this, we’d like to make it clear that no nation was not exempted from this general Divine rule.