The Quran was revealed by Allah for the guidance of the entire humanity. While this guidance is often conveyed directly, the Quran also enlightens its readers through narrations and examples from the lives of earlier generations. We tend to learn readily through parables, and the lessons conveyed using narrations often make a lasting impact on our minds. Moreover, people are generally curious about the lives and circumstances of the prophets and others whom Allah honoured. It is for such reasons that stories, quotations, and examples from the past are plentiful in the Quran, with many ayaat (verses) and even complete surahs (chapters) dedicated to these.
Allah states in the Quran, 'We relate to you the best of stories in what We have revealed to you of this Quran although you were, before it, among the unaware.' (12:3) Allah describes the stories of the Quran as the 'best of stories'; the corresponding Arabic phrase ahsan al'qasas has alternatively been translated as 'the most beautiful of stories'. The purpose of these stories is not to entertain, however.
They inspire us to attain true faith, and motivate us to act righteously under all circumstances. Some of these stories may even appeal to us in a personal way, and give us ideals to follow.
The stories of the Quran are further meant to strengthen our trust in Allah, to highlight the power of prayer, and to demonstrate what great things can be achieved with Allah’s help and our own unwavering determination. These stories give us beautiful lessons in courage, steadfastness, love, repentance, truthfulness, and trust in Allah. Indeed, each story has its own set of lessons and insights. We must remember though that the Quran does not mention all the stories of previous prophets and their respective nations; it only speaks about the most important ones, as well as those most relevant for all times and places, in keeping with the universal status of the Quran.
Another important aspect of the stories of the Quran is their varied nature. Musa (AS), for instance, belonged to a tribe in slavery to the Pharaoh whereas Sulayman (AS) possessed a magnificent kingdom; the father of Ibrahim (AS) was a staunch idol'worshipper whereas the father of Yahya (AS) was a prophet with a noble lineage; Nuh (AS) lived for nearly a thousand years whereas Isa (AS) was raised by Allah at a young age. Some prophets were granted greater authority than others; some were assigned more laborious tasks; and some were honoured by Allah above the rest.
However, all prophets, despite their contrasting circumstances, conveyed the same message of true monotheism, and emphasized good values. They called upon their people to reflect on the universe and recognize Allah through His signs. They informed people about the Day of Judgement, and made clear the consequences of their actions. Moreover, Allah commands us in the Quran to respect all prophets equally and not to discriminate between any of them:
'Say: We believe in Allah and that which is revealed to us and that which was revealed to Ibrahim and Ismail and Ishaq and Yaqub and the tribes, and that which was vouchsafed to Musa and Isa and the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have surrendered.' (3:84)
Although the stories of the Quran mostly revolve around the prophets, they were not the only ones to be honoured by Allah. For example, Allah blew into Maryam (AS) through His Spirit, miraculously granting her a son, which was a tremendous tribute to her piety and chastity. Similarly, the great strength of DhulQarnayn, the fore'knowledge granted to Khidr, and the resolve of the young men who hid in the cave, all have an honourable mention in the Quran. It is thus clear that any individual can attain a lofty status in the sight of Allah by always being conscious of Him, and remaining steadfast on what is just. The stories of the Quran give us much to ponder over and implement in our lives.