The 25 Prophets of Islam

Who are the 5 highest Prophets according to Islam?

 

We assumed by highest; or by rank, there is a verse of Quran that might answer the question.

 

Say, [O believers], "We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him." - Surah Al-Baqarah (2:136)

In this verse Allah says that there shouldn't be any distinction between prophets.  In the same Surah Allah says,

Those messengers - some of them We caused to exceed others. Among them were those to whom Allah spoke, and He raised some of them in degree. And We gave Jesus, the Son of Mary, clear proofs, and We supported him with the Pure Spirit. If Allah had willed, those [generations] succeeding them would not have fought each other after the clear proofs had come to them. But they differed, and some of them believed and some of them disbelieved. And if Allah had willed, they would not have fought each other, but Allah does what He intends. - Surah Al-Baqarah (2:253)

And in this verse Allah says that he has raised some of them in degree (with respect to others).  And further in the same Surah (in a very famous verse).

The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction between any of His messengers." And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination." Surah Al-Baqarah (2:285)

And in Surah Al-Isra Allah says,

And your Lord is most knowing of whoever is in the heavens and the earth. And We have made some of the prophets exceed others [in various ways], and to David We gave the book [of Psalms]. - Surah Al-Isra (17:55)

Some critics of Islam has called this as a discrepancy in Quran that in the same Surah (Al-Baqarah) Allah says don't make distinction between prophets and that some of them have different ranks.
But there isn't any discrepancy, if you observe the ayat 136 & 285 of Surah Al-Baqarah, it is what Allah is commanding us to "Say", it’s not an interpretation, Allah is commanding Muslims to Say "We don't make distinction between prophets and we are Muslims". Whereas the following verses of Quran (2:253 & 17:55) Allah is saying in 2nd / 1st person, that He (Allah) has raised some of them in degree, the degree and the prophets who exceed others, and the knowledge of who he raised in degree and to what extent is with Allah, Allah might make distinction and has rank among them, but as far as Muslims is concerned - No distinction between prophets.

There are also some Sahih Hadith concerning the matter,

 

Narrated by Abu Huraira : Once while a Jew was selling something, he was offered a price that he was not pleased with. So, he said, "No, by Him Who gave Moses superiority over all human beings!" Hearing him, an Ansari man got up and slapped him on the face and said, "You say: By Him Who Gave Moses superiority over all human beings although the Prophet (Muhammad) is present amongst us!" The Jew went to the Prophet and said, "O Abu-l-Qasim! I am under the assurance and contract of security, so what right does so-and-so have to slap me?" The Prophet asked the other, "Why have you slapped". He told him the whole story. The Prophet became angry, till anger appeared on his face, and said, "Don't give superiority to any prophet amongst Allah's Prophets, for when the trumpet will be blown, everyone on the earth and in the heavens will become unconscious except those whom Allah will exempt. The trumpet will be blown for the second time and I will be the first to be resurrected to see Moses holding Allah's Throne. I will not know whether the unconsciousness which Moses received on the Day of Tur has been sufficient for him, or has he got up before me. And I do not say that there is anybody who is better than Yunus bin Matta (Jonah)." (Sahih Bukhari - Vol 4, Book 55 Number 626)

and similar hadith with different narrators,

 

The Prophet said, "None should say that I am better than Yunus bin Matta (Jonah)"

The above Sahih hadith is narrated by

·        Ibn 'Abbas - Sahih Bukhari - Vol 4, Book 55 Number 625

·        'Abdulllah - Sahih Bukhari - Vol 4, Book 55 Number 624

·        Ibn 'Abbas (In a different narration) - Sahih Bukhari - Vol 4 Book 55 Number 608

·        Abu Huraira - Sahih Bukhari - Vol 4, Book 55 Number 624

This doesn't mean by any stretch and it shouldn't be interpreted that Muhammad  (PBUH) is not important

Narrated by Abu Huraira "Allah's Apostle said, "By Him in Whose Hands my life is, none of you will have faith till he loves me more than his father and his children." (Sahih Bukhari Vol 1 Book 2 Number 13)

The 25 Prophets of Islam

Adam (AS) The first Prophet of Islam (Adam)

Nuh (AS)  The second Prophet of Islam (Noah)

Idris  (AS) The third Prophet of Islam (Enoch)

Hud  (AS) The fourth Prophet of Islam (Eber)

Salih  (AS) The fifth Prophet of Islam (Saleh)

Ibrahim (AS)  The sixth Prophet of Islam (Abraham)

Lut  (AS) The seventh Prophet of Islam (Lot)

Isma'il  (AS) The eighth Prophet of Islam (Ishmael)

Is'haq  (AS) The ninth Prophet of Islam (Isaac)

Yaq'ub (AS)  The tenth Prophet of Islam (Jacob)

Yusuf  (AS) The eleventh Prophet of Islam (Joseph)

Ayyub  (AS) The twelfth Prophet of Islam (Job)

Shuayb  (AS) The thirteenth Prophet of Islam (Jethro)

Musa  (AS) The fourteenth Prophet of Islam (Moses)

Harun  (AS) The fifteenth Prophet of Islam (Aaron)

Dawud  (AS) The sixteenth Prophet of Islam (David)

Sulayman  (AS) The seventeenth Prophet of Islam (Solomon)

Ilyas  (AS) The eighteenth Prophet of Islam (Elijah)

Al-Yasa (AS)  The nineteenth Prophet of Islam (Elisha)

Yunus  (AS) The twentieth Prophet of Islam (Jonah)

Dhul-Kifl  (AS) The twenty-first Prophet of Islam (Ezekiel)

Zakariyah  (AS) The twenty-second Prophet of Islam (Zachariah)

Yahya  (AS) The twenty-third Prophet of Islam (John)

Isa  (AS) The twenty-fourth Prophet of Islam (Jesus).

Muhammad (PBUH)The twenty-fifth and final Prophet of Islam (Muhammad)

 

And Allah knows best, and hope it answers the question.