Description

LINEAGE

Prophet Yaqub (AS) was born in Palestine and was the son of Prophet Ishaq (AS). Yaqub (AS) ibn Ishaq ibn Ibrahim, is a prophet in Islam. Yaqub (AS) is mentioned sixteen times in the Quran.

LIFE

The Prophet Ishaq (AS) had two twin sons named Esau (AS) and Yaqub (AS), who was loved more by their father. For this reason, Esau (AS) envied his brother a lot.

This feeling grew as time went by and even became dangerous. When Allah chose Yaqub (AS) as a prophet, Esau (AS) became so enraged that he threatened his brother to death. So, Yaqub (AS) decided to flee.

He then found a place to rest and placed a stone underneath his head. He dreamt about a ladder that connected the Earth to Heaven with angels coming down to inform him about his future generation would be from this land. Happy, he promised Allah that if he returned to his family, he would construct a mosque and donate a portion of his property. Before leaving the place, which was Jerusalem, he placed some oil on the stone so that he could recognize it later.

He got married to two sisters and had two sons with his youngest wife, named: Yousef and Benyamin. After the birth of the latter, the second wife died and the first one was pregnant.

Allah encouraged Prophet Yaqub (AS) to go back to his father and his people. When he went, the angels greeted him close to his home and announced that his name would be Israel. When Yaqub (AS) asked his brother to befriend him, the latter refused, and instead brought men to chase him. Yaqub (AS) asked Allah to stop his brother’s bad deeds.

He then prepared and sent a gift consisting of various animals for his brother. Esau (AS) was impressed and humbled himself to make peace with Prophet Yaqub (AS). Both brothers have united again. They both went to their father’s place, which would be where the prophet Ibrahim (AS) used to live.

At the age of 180 years old, their father died of illness and was buried near their grandfather, Ibrahim (AS). Then, Prophet Yaqub (AS) fulfilled his promise and built a mosque in Jerusalem where he placed oil on the stone, which Prophet Suleiman (AS) expanded later.

Prophet Yaqub (AS) had 12 sons in all. Prophet Yaqub (AS) requested the whole family to move to Egypt and lived there for 17 years and passed away at the age of 147.

MIRACLES

Yaqub (AS) took fresh rods of poplar and almond. He peeled streaks in them and cast them into the water troughs 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.