Stories of the Prophets

Yaqub (A.S.)

Prophet Yaqub (Jacob)

Isaac's Sons - Jacob and Esau

Isaac married Rebekah Bint Bethuel, Ibn Nahor, and she gave birth to a set of twins, Esau (Al

Eis) and Jacob (Yaqub). Ill feelings developed between the two brothers when they grew into

manhood. Esau disliked the fact that Jacob was favored by his father and by Allah with

prophethood. This ill feeling became so serious that Esau threatened to kill his brother. Fearing

for his life, Jacob fled the country.

Isaac's Sons - from the People of the Book

The People of the Book said that when Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, Bint

Bethuel, during his father's life. They said she was sterile, so Isaac prayed to Allah and then she

became pregnant. She gave birth to twin boys. The first one was called Esau whom the Arabs

called Al-Eis. He became the father of Rum. The second one was called Jacob, which means

Isreal, (belonging to the people of Israel).

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.