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The miraculous announcement of the birth of Ishaq (عليه السلام)
البشارة بميلاد إسحاق عليه السلام
The story of Ishaq (عليه السلام) begins with a miraculous visit of the angels to Ibrahim (عليه السلام). These messengers of Allah (عز وجل) came with good news and greeted Ibrahim saying "Salam". Ibrahim answered "Salam" and hastened to serve them a roasted calf.
وَلَقَدۡ جَآءَتۡ رُسُلُنَآ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ بِٱلۡبُشۡرَىٰ قَالُواْ سَلَٰمٗاۖ قَالَ سَلَٰمٞۖ فَمَا لَبِثَ أَن جَآءَ بِعِجۡلٍ حَنِيذٖ
And certainly did Our messengers come to Abraham with good tidings; they said, "Peace." He said, "Peace," and did not delay in bringing [them] a roasted calf.
Surah Hud, verse 69
When Ibrahim saw that his guests were not touching the meal, he became distrustful and was afraid of them. The angels reassured him by telling him that they were sent to the people of Lut (عليه السلام) to chastise them.
فَلَمَّا رَءَآ أَيۡدِيَهُمۡ لَا تَصِلُ إِلَيۡهِ نَكِرَهُمۡ وَأَوۡجَسَ مِنۡهُمۡ خِيفَةٗۚ قَالُواْ لَا تَخَفۡ إِنَّآ أُرۡسِلۡنَآ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِ لُوطٖ
But when he saw their hands not reaching for it, he distrusted them and felt from them apprehension. They said, "Fear not. We have been sent to the people of Lot."
Surah Hud, verse 70
Sarah, the wife of Ibrahim, was standing and she laughed on hearing this conversation. It was then that the angels announced to her the birth of Ishaq (عليه السلام) despite her advanced age, and after Ishaq , that of Ya'qub (عليه السلام), thus perpetuating the prophetic line.
وَٱمۡرَأَتُهُۥ قَآئِمَةٞ فَضَحِكَتۡ فَبَشَّرۡنَٰهَا بِإِسۡحَٰقَ وَمِن وَرَآءِ إِسۡحَٰقَ يَعۡقُوبَ
And his Wife was standing, and she smiled. Then We gave her good tidings of Isaac and after Isaac, Jacob.
Surah Hud, verse 71
Sarah was astonished at this announcement, wondering how she could give birth when she was so old and her husband was also an old man.
قَالَتۡ يَٰوَيۡلَتَىٰٓ ءَأَلِدُ وَأَنَا۠ عَجُوزٞ وَهَٰذَا بَعۡلِي شَيۡخًا إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيۡءٌ عَجِيبٞ
She said, "Woe to me! Shall I give birth while I am an old woman and this, my husband, is an old man? Indeed, this is an amazing thing!"
Surah Hud, verse 72
The angels reminded her that nothing is strange in the order of Allah (عز وجل), and invoked upon the family of Ibrahim the mercy and the blessings of Allah (عز وجل).
قَالُوٓاْ أَتَعۡجَبِينَ مِنۡ أَمۡرِ ٱللَّهِۖ رَحۡمَتُ ٱللَّهِ وَبَرَكَٰتُهُۥ عَلَيۡكُمۡ أَهۡلَ ٱلۡبَيۡتِۚ إِنَّهُۥ حَمِيدٞ مَّجِيدٞ
They said, "Are you amazed at the decree of Allah? May the mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, people of the house. Indeed, He is Praiseworthy and Honorable."
Surah Hud, verse 73
Authentic Sources
Quran: Surah Hud 11:69-73
The prophethood of Ishaq (عليه السلام)
نبوة إسحاق عليه السلام
Allah (عز وجل) chose Ishaq (عليه السلام) to be a prophet after his father Ibrahim (عليه السلام).
The Quran mentions that Ishaq (عليه السلام) was among the righteous and that Allah (عز وجل) guided him to the straight path. He was patient, pious and devoted in his worship, following perfectly in the footsteps of his father.
وَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِإِسْحَاقَ نَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
And We gave him good tidings of Isaac, a prophet from among the righteous.
Surah As-Saffat, verse 112
Authentic Sources
Quran: Surah As-Saffat 37:112, Surah Al-An'am 6:84
The marriage of Ishaq (عليه السلام) and the birth of the twins
زواج إسحاق وولادة التوأمين
Ibrahim (عليه السلام) therefore had a son named Ishaq (عليه السلام). Ishaq is the half-brother of Ismail (عليه السلام). The mother of Ismail is Hajar and the mother of Ishaq is Sarah, the first wife of Ibrahim (عليه السلام).
Ishaq (عليه السلام) grew up and he married. When he married, his wife gave birth to twin boys. The first was called El'Eiss (Esau), he is the father of the Romans, and the second is called Ya'qub (Jacob) (عليه السلام).
Jacob is also called Israel and all the prophets who come from Ya'qub (عليه السلام) are called "the sons of Israel" (Bani Israel).
وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ ۖ كُلًّا هَدَيْنَا
And We gave to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - all [of them] We guided.
Surah Al-An'am, verse 84
Authentic Sources
Surah Al-An'am, verse 84
The journey of Ya'qub (عليه السلام) to his uncle's
رحلة يعقوب إلى عمه
When Ya'qub (عليه السلام) and Esau grew up, they had a disagreement. Their mother decided to move Ya'qub (عليه السلام) away from his twin brother so that their disagreement would not get more complicated, so she sent him to Laban, the uncle of Ya'qub (عليه السلام), in Harran (in southern Turkey).
Ya'qub (عليه السلام) stayed a long time with his uncle Laban, he was a shepherd. He married at first the eldest daughter of his uncle, Leah, then he married the youngest daughter of his uncle, who was more beautiful, her name is Rahil (Rachel). In their time, the religion of Allah (عز وجل) allowed being married to two sisters at the same time.
He married the first then the second and had twelve boys. These twelve boys are called the "tribes" (Asbatt).
Authentic Sources
Sheikh Nabil Al-Awadi
The birth of Yusuf (عليه السلام)
ولادة يوسف عليه السلام
The second wife Rahil (Rachel), the most beautiful, gave birth to a very beautiful child. This child had half of the beauty of all humanity, his name is Yusuf (Joseph) (عليه السلام).
Yusuf, the noble, the son of the noble (Ya'qub), the son of the noble (Ishaq), the son of the noble (Ibrahim). Yusuf son of Ya'qub, son of Ishaq, son of Ibrahim (عليهم السلام جميعاً).
Rahil (Rachel) gave birth after Yusuf to a boy called Binyamin (Benjamin); he is the brother (of the same parents) of Yusuf (عليه السلام).
وَلَقَدْ كَانَ فِي يُوسُفَ وَإِخْوَتِهِ آيَاتٌ لِّلسَّائِلِينَ
Certainly were there in Joseph and his brothers signs for those who ask,
Surah Yusuf, verse 7
Authentic Sources
Quran: Surah Yusuf 12:7
The return of Ya'qub (عليه السلام) and the prophetic legacy
عودة يعقوب والإرث النبوي
Ya'qub (عليه السلام) remained 20 years with his uncle then he decided to return once again to the country of his father, the country of Canaan, the country also of his grandfather Ibrahim (عليه السلام).
On the way, when he was with his wives, his sons and his daughters, he stopped in a region called Urshalim (Jerusalem), what is today called Al-Quds. At Urshalim (Jerusalem), Ya'qub (عليه السلام) built a house to worship Allah (عز وجل), it is the Temple of the sanctuary (Bayt Al-Maqdiss). This place which is blessed by Allah (عز وجل).
When Ya'qub returned to his country, he found his brother El'Eiss (Esau). El'Eiss was glad to see his brother again after 20 years of absence. He found his father Ishaq (عليه السلام) who had grown old, his sight had become weak with age. Ya'qub and El'Eiss set about taking care of their father Ishaq until he died and was buried.
After the prophet Ya'qub (عليه السلام), it is Yusuf (Joseph) (عليه السلام) who was the prophet of Allah (عز وجل). The whole line of descent gave prophets: Ibrahim, then Ishaq, then Ya'qub, then Yusuf (عليهم السلام جميعاً).
Authentic Sources
Sheikh Nabil Al-Awadi