Prophet Yaqub (Jacob)
Isaac's Sons - Jacob and Esau
Isaac's Sons - from the People of the Book
The People of the Book claimed that when Isaac
(pbuh) grew old and his eye sight had weakened, he had a desire for food, so he
asked his son Esau to go hunting and bring him some cooked game. Esau asked him
to bless the food and pray for him. Esau, a hunter, went out to get his father
the meat. Rebekah, overhearing this, ordered her son Jacob to slaughter two
goats of his best flock and cook them as his father liked and bring it to him
before his brother returned. She dressed Jacob in his brother's clothes and put
goat skin on his arms and neck, for Esau was hairy while Jacob was not. When he
approached his father with the food, his father asked: 'Who are you?' Jacob
answered: 'I am your son.' When his father finished eating, he prayed for his
son to be the more blessed brother and to prevail over them and all people, and
for Allah to sustain him and his children.
When he left his father, his brother Esau, who had carried out his
father's command, entered. Isaac asked him: "What is this my son?" He
answered: "This is the food you like." Isaac asked: "Did you
bring it an hour ago and ask me to pray for you?" Esau said: "No, I
swear I did not," and he knew his brother had preceded him in this matter
and he was sick at heart.
Jacob Leaves his Home - from the People of the Book
The People of the Book said Esau threatened to kill
his brother when their father was dead. They also said that he asked his father
to pray for him that Allah make the earth good for his offspring and multiply
his sustenance and fruits.
When their mother knew that Esau threatened his brother Jacob, she
commanded her son Jacob to go to her brother Laban in the land of Haran and
abide with him for a time until his brother's anger had abated, and to marry
one of the Laban's daughters. She told her husband Isaac to command him with
that advice and pray for him, and he did.
Jacob's Promise
Jacob (pbuh) left his family, when night came he found a place to rest.
He took a stone and put it under his head and slept. He dreamed of a ladder
from heaven to earth. Angels were ascending and descending and the Lord
addressed him and said to him; "I will bless you and your offspring and
make this land for you and for those who come after you."
When he awoke he felt joyful from what he had seen
in his dream and vowed, for Allah's sake that if he returned to his family
safely, he would build here a temple for Allah the Almighty. He also vowed to
give one tenth of his property for the sake of Allah. He poured oil on the
stone so as to recognize it and called the place "Ayle's House"
(Bethel), which means "House of Allah". It was to be the location of
Jerusalem later.
Jacob's Wives - from the People of the Book
The
People of the Book also said that when Jacob came to his maternal uncle in the
land of Haran, his uncle had two daughters. The elder one was called Leah (Lia)
and the younger one was Rachel (Rahil). The latter was the better and lovelier
of the two. His uncle agreed to marry his daughter to him on the condition that
Jacob pasture his sheep for seven years.
After a
period of time, his uncle prepared a feast and gathered people for the wedding.
He married Leah, his elder daughter, to him at night. She was weak-sighted and
ugly. When morning came, Jacob discovered she was Leah and he complained to his
uncle. "You deceived me; I was engaged to Rachel and you married me to
Leah." His uncle said: "It is not our tradition to marry the younger
daughter before the elder daughter. However, if you love her sister, work
another seven years and I will marry you to both of them."
Jacob worked for seven years and then married
Rachel. It was acceptable in their time, as described in the Torah, for a man
to marry two sisters. Laban gave a female slave to each daughter. Leah's slave
was called Zilpah and Rachel's slave was called Bilha.
Jacob's Children - from the People of the Book
Almighty Allah compensated Leah's weakness by giving her sons. The first
one was named Rueben (Robel), after whom there were Simon (Shamun), Levi
(Lawi), and Judah (Yahudh). Rachel felt jealous of Leah's having sons, as she
was barren. She gave her slave Bilha to her husband and he had relations with
her until she became pregnant. She gave birth to a son and named him Naphtali.
Leah was vexed that Rachel's slave had give birth to a son, so she in turn gave
her slave Zilpah to Jacob (pbuh), Zilpah gave birth to two sons, Gad and Asher.
Then Leah got pregnant and gave birth to her fifth son, Issaacher, and later
she gave birth to a sixth son Zebulun. After this Leah gave birth to a daughter
named Dinah. Thus, Leah had seven sons from Jacob.
Then Rachel prayed to Allah to
give her a son from Jacob. Allah heard her call and responded to her prayer.
She gave birth to a son, great, honorable, and beautiful. She named him Joseph
(Yusuf). All of this happened when they were in the land of Haran and Jacob
(pbuh) was pasturing his uncle's sheep, which he did for a period of twenty
years.
Jacob's Request - from the People of the Book
Jacob then asked his uncle Laban to let him go and
visit his family. His uncle said to him: "I have been blessed because of
you; ask for whatever money you need." Jacob said: "Give me each
spotted and speckled goat born this year and each black lamb."
But at Laban's command his sons removed their
father's goat that were striped, spotted or speckled, and the black lambs, lest
others should be born with those traits. They walked for three days with their
father's goats and sheep while Jacob tended the remaining flock.
The People of the Book said that Jacob (pbuh) took fresh rods of poplar,
almond, and plane. He peeled streaks in them and cast them into the water
through for the goats to look at. The young inside their abdomens were
terrified and moved and they were born striped, spotted or speckled.
When the sheep were breeding, he set their faces towards the black sheep
in Laban's flock and put the rods among them. Their lambs were born black. This
was considered an example of supernatural powers, a miracle. Jacob had many
goats, sheep, beast and slaves. His uncle and his sons faces changed as if they
the sheep and goats had been stolen from them.
Jacob Accused of Taking Idols
Allah the Almighty inspired Jacob to return to the country of his father
and people, and He promised to stand by him. Jacob told his family that, and
they responded and obeyed him. Jacob did not tell Laban of his plans, however,
and left without bidding farewell.
Upon leaving, Rachel stole her father's idols.
After Jacob and his people had fled for his country, Laban and his people
followed them. When Laban met with Jacob, he blamed him for leaving him without
his knowledge. He would have liked to know so that he could have made them
leave with celebration and joy, with drums and songs, and so that he could have
bidden his daughters and sons farewell. And why have they taken his idols with
them?
Jacob had no knowledge of his idols, so he denied
that he had taken them from him. Then Laban entered the tents of his daughters
and slaves to search, but he found nothing, for Rachel had put the idols in the
camel saddle under her. She did not get up, apologizing that she had her
menses. Thus, he could not perceive what they had done.
Then they sat on a hill called Galeed and made a
covenant there. Jacob would not ill treat Laban's daughters nor marry others.
Neither Laban nor Jacob would pass the hill into the other's country. They
cooked food and their people ate with them. Each bade the other farewell as
they departed, each returning to his own country.
Jacob Prepares to meet Esau
When Jacob approached the land of Seir, the angels
greeted him. He sent a messenger ahead with greetings to his brother Esau,
asking forgiveness and humbling himself before him. The messenger returned
greetings and told Jacob that Esau was riding towards him with four hundred
men. This
made Jacob afraid and he entreated and prayed to Allah Almighty. He
prostrated in humiliation and asked Him to fulfill His promise which He had
made before. He asked Him to stop the evil of his brother Esau. Then Jacob
(pbuh) prepared a great present for his brother: two hundred female goats and
twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, and thirty milch camels,
forty cows and two bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.
He commanded his slaves to take the animals, each drove by itself, and
pass on ahead of him with a space between the droves. He instructed them:
"When you meet my brother Esau he will ask you, 'to whom do you belong?
where are you going?' you shall say, 'they belong to your servant Jacob; they
are a present to my master Esau. Moreover, he is behind us."
Jacob stayed behind with his two wives, his slaves
and his children for two nights, then continued walking by night and resting by
day.
Jacob becomes Israel
When the dawn of the second day came one of the angels appeared in the
shape of a man. Jacob began to wrestle with him. They were neck and neck until
the angel injured his thigh and Jacob became lame. When the day was breaking,
the angel said to him: 'What is your name?' He answered: 'Jacob.' The angel
said: "After today you shall not be called anything but Israel."
Jacob asked: "Who are you? What is your name?" He vanished. Then
Jacob knew that he was one of the angels. Jacob was lame, and for this reason
the children of Israel do not eat the thigh muscle on the hip socket.
Jacob and Esau Meet
Jacob raised his eyes and saw his brother Esau
coming. Jacob prostrated seven times before him for it was their salutation in
that time. It was lawful for them just as the angels had prostration in
salutation to Adam.
When Esau saw him, he ran towards him, embraced and kissed him and wept.
When Esau raised his eyes and saw the women and children he asked: "Who
are these with you?" Jacob answered: "Those whom Allah has given me,
your servant." Leah, Rachel, their slaves, and all the children approached
and prostrated before him. Jacob asked Esau to accept his gift and insisted
until he did so. Esau returned and went in advance before him. Jacob and his
family followed with the flocks and herds and slaves to the mountains (Seir).
Jacob Builds Ayl
When he came to Succoth (Sahur), he built a house for himself and shades
for his beasts. Then he passed by Jerusalem, the village of Shechem, and camped
before the village. He bought a farm from Shcehm Ibn Hamor with one hundred
goats and built an altar, which he called Ayl, as Allah commanded him. He built
the altar where Jerusalem stands today and later Solomon son of David (pbuh)
rebuilt it. It is in the place of the stone which he had earlier anointed with
oil as was mentioned before.
The people of the book tell a story of Dinah, daughter of Jacob and
Leah. Shechem Ibn Hamor seized her and lay with her by force. Then he asked her
father and brothers to let him marry her. Her brothers said : "Circumcise
all of you, and we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your
daughters for ourselves; but we do not marry with uncircumcised people."
They (the men of the city) agreed to that, and all of them were circumcised.
When the third day came, the pain from the circumcision had increased, Jacob's
sons approached and killed them till the last one. They killed Shchem and his
father for the evil they had committed against them and for their worship of
idols. That is why Jacob's sons killed them and seized their money as spoils.
Rachel's Death
Then Rachel got pregnant and gave birth to a son,
Benjamin, but she had a hard labor and died after delivery. Jacob buried her in
Ephrath (afrath). The tomb of Rachel is there till the present day.
The Sons of Jacob
Jacob's sons were twelve men. From Leah there were Rueben (Robil), Simon
(Shamun), Levi (Lawi), Judah (Yahudh), Issachar (Isakher), and Zebulun
(Zablun). From Rachel there were Joseph (Yusuf) (pbuh) and Benjamin. From
Rachel's slave there were Dan and Naphtali (Neftali), and from Leah's slave
there were Gad and Asher.
Isaac's Death
Jacob came to his father Isaac and settled with him in the village of
Hebron which lies in the land of Canaan where Abraham had lived. Then Isaac
fell ill and died when he was one hundred eighty years old. his sons Esau and
Jacob buried him with his father Abraham Al Khalil in a cave which he had
bought. It was said that Abraham died at the age of one hundred seventy five.
The Prophet's last Wish
Allah the Almighty declared in
the Glorious Quran:
"And who turns away from the
religion of Abraham (Islamic Monotheism) except him who befools himself? Truly,
We chose him in this world and verily, in the Hereafter he will be among the
righteous.
When his Lord said to him:
"Submit (be a Muslim)!" He said: "I have submitted myself (as a
Muslim) to the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists)."
And this (submission to Allah,
Islam) was enjoined by Abraham upon his sons and by Jacob, (saying): "O my
sons! Allah has chosen for you the true religion, then die not except in the
Faith of Islam (as Muslims -- Islamic Monotheism)."
Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob? When he said unto his
sons: "What will
you worship after me?" They said: "We shall worship you (Ilah
(God - Allah) the Ilah (God) of
That was
a nation who had passed away. They shall receive the reward of what they earned
and you of what you earn. And you will not be asked of what they used to do.
Quran's Way of Confronting People of the Book
They say: "Be Jews or
Christians, and then you will be guided." Say (to them O Muhammad):
"Nay (we follow) only the religion of Abraham, Hanifan (Islamic
monotheism, i.e. to worship none but Allah Alone, and he was not of the Al
Mushrikeen (those who worshipped others along with Allah)."
Say (O
Muslims): "We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and
that which had been sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and to Al Asbat
(the twelve sons of Jacob), and that which has been given to Moses and Jesus
and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no
distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam)."
So if
they believe in the like of that which you believe, then they are rightly
guided, but if they turn away, then they are only in opposition. So, Allah,
will suffice you against them. He is the All Hearer, the All Knower.
(Our
Sibghah, religion is) the Sibghah (religion) of Allah (Islam) and which Sibghah
(religion) can be better than Allah's. We are His worshippers.
Say (O Muhammad, to the Jews and Christians):
"Dispute you with us about Allah while He is
our Lord and your Lord? And we are to be rewarded for our deeds and you
for your deeds. We
are sincere to Him in worship and obedience (i.e., we worship Him Alone
and none else, and we
obey His Orders)." Or say you that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob,
and Al Asbat (the twelve
sons of Jacob) were Jews or Christians? Say: "Do you know better or
does Allah know
better....that they all were Muslims? And who is more unjust than he who
conceals the testimony
(to believe in the Prophet
Muhammad, when he comes written in their books) he has from Allah? Allah is not
unaware of what you do."(Ch 2:130-140 Quran)
In another surah Almighty Allah
declared:
"O People of the Scripture
(Jews and Christians)! Why do you dispute about Abraham, while the Torah and
the Gospel were not revealed till after him? Have you then no sense? Verily,
you are those who have disputed about that of which you have no knowledge. Why
do then dispute concerning that which you have no knowledge? It is Allah Who
knows, and you know not. Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was
a true Muslim Hanifan (Islamic Monotheism), to worship none but Allah Alone and
he was not of the polytheists (he joined none in worship with Allah).
Verily,
among mankind who have the best claim to Abraham are those who followed him,
and this Prophet (Muhammad) and those who have believed (Muslims). And Allah is
the Wali (Protector and Helper) of the believers.(Ch 3:65-68 Quran) Allah the
Exalted also affirmed:
"
Then verily! Your Lord for those who do evil
(commit sins and are disobedient to Allah) in ignorance and afterward repent
and do righteous deeds, verily, your Lord thereafter to such is
Verily,
Abraham was an Ummah (a leader having all the good righteous qualities or a
nation), obedient to Allah, Hanifan (to worship none but Allah), and he was not
one of those who were Al Mushrikeen (polytheists, idolaters, disbeliveers in
the Oneness of Allah and those who joined partners with Allah). He was thankful
for His (Allah's) Graces. He (Allah) chose him (as an intimate friend) and
guided him to a Straight Path (Islamic Monotheism, neither Judaism or
Christianity). We gave him good in this world and in the Hereafter he shall be
of the righteous. Then, We have inspired you (O Muhammad saying): "Follow
the religion of Abraham Hanifan (Islamic Monotheism to worship none but Allah)
and he was not of the Mushrikeen (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbeliveers
in the Oneness of Allah and His Messenger Muhammad, those who worship others
along with Allah or set up rivals with or partners to Allah)." (Ch 16:119-123 Quran)
No comments:
Post a Comment
give us your comments to develop our site