Author: Abdul Hai Lay'yan
The Divine Education Model in the Family of the Prophets (Part 53)
Educational Lessons from the Story of Ya‘qub (peace be upon him)
Ya‘qub (AS) was the son of Ishaq, and Ishaq was the son of Ibrahim (peace be upon them). The angels whom Allah Almighty sent to destroy the people of Lut gave Ibrahim (AS) and his wife the glad tidings of the birth of Ishaq, and after him, Ya‘qub. Allah Almighty says: “وَامْرَأَتُهُ قَآئِمَةٌ فَضَحِكَتْ فَبَشَّرْنَاهَا بِإِسْحَاقَ وَمِن وَرَاء إِسْحَاقَ یعْقُوبَ”[1] Translation: “His wife was standing by, and she laughed. Then We gave her glad tidings of Ishaq, and after Ishaq, Ya‘qub.”
When the wife of Ibrahim (AS) heard this glad tiding, she said: “قَالَتْ یا وَیلَتَى أَأَلِدُ وَأَنَاْ عَجُوزٌ وَهَذَا بَعْلِی شَیخاً إِنَّ هَذَا لَشَیءٌ عَجِیبٌ”[2] Translation: “She said: Woe to me! Shall I give birth while I am an old woman, and this husband of mine is an old man? Indeed, this is something astonishing.”
The angels who brought the glad tidings replied: “قَالُواْ أَتَعْجَبِینَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللّهِ رَحْمَتُ اللّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ عَلَیكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَیتِ إِنَّهُ حَمِیدٌ مَّجِیدٌ”[3] Translation: “They said: Do you marvel at the command of Allah? May Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon you, O people of the house. Surely, He is Praiseworthy, Glorious.”
The Prophethood of Ya‘qub (AS)
Allah Almighty placed prophethood in the descendants of Ibrahim (AS), meaning in his sons Isma‘il and Ishaq (AS). Allah Almighty says: “وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَاقَ وَیعْقُوبَ وَجَعَلْنَا فِی ذُرِّیتِهِ النُّبُوَّةَ وَالْكِتَابَ وَآتَینَاهُ أَجْرَهُ فِی الدُّنْیا وَإِنَّهُ فِی الْآخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّالِحِینَ”[4] Translation: “We granted him Ishaq and Ya’qub and placed prophethood and the Book among his descendants. We gave him his reward in this world, and in the Hereafter, he is among the righteous.”
And He says: “إِنَّا أَوْحَینَا إِلَیكَ كَمَا أَوْحَینَا إِلَى نُوحٍ وَالنَّبِیینَ مِن بَعْدِهِ وَأَوْحَینَا إِلَى إِبْرَاهِیمَ وَإِسْمَاعِیلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَیعْقُوبَ وَالأَسْبَاطِ وَعِیسَى وَأَیوبَ وَیونُسَ وَهَارُونَ وَسُلَیمَانَ وَآتَینَا دَاوُودَ زَبُوراً”[5] Translation: “We have revealed to you as We revealed to Nuh and the prophets after him; and as We revealed to Ibrahim, Isma‘il, Ishaq, Ya‘qub, the Tribes, Isa, Ayyub, Yunus, Harun, and Sulayman; and We gave Dawud the Psalms.”
And He says: “وَاذْكُرْ عِبَادَنَا إبْرَاهِیمَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَیعْقُوبَ أُوْلِی الْأَیدِی وَالْأَبْصَارِ * إِنَّا أَخْلَصْنَاهُم بِخَالِصَةٍ ذِكْرَى الدَّارِ * وَإِنَّهُمْ عِندَنَا لَمِنَ الْمُصْطَفَینَ الْأَخْیارِ”[6] Translation: “And remember Our servants Ibrahim, Ishaq, and Ya‘qub—men of strength and insight. We purified them with a pure quality: remembrance of the Hereafter. Indeed, they are, with Us, among the chosen and the best.”
And He says: “فَلَمَّا اعْتَزَلَهُمْ وَمَا یعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَاقَ وَیعْقُوبَ وَكُلّاً جَعَلْنَا نَبِیاً * وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِنَا وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ لِسَانَ صِدْقٍ عَلِیاً”[7] Translation: “When he withdrew from them and from what they worshipped besides Allah, we granted him Ishaq and Ya‘qub, and each of them We made a prophet. We bestowed upon them from Our mercy and granted them an honorable and exalted name.”
And He says: “وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَاقَ وَیعْقُوبَ نَافِلَةً وَكُلّاً جَعَلْنَا صَالِحِینَ وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَئِمَّةً یهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا وَأَوْحَینَا إِلَیهِمْ فِعْلَ الْخَیرَاتِ وَإِقَامَ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِیتَاء الزَّكَاةِ وَكَانُوا لَنَا عَابِدِینَ”*[8] Translation: “We granted him Ishaq and Ya‘qub as an additional gift, and all of them We made righteous. We made them leaders guiding by Our command, and We revealed to them the doing of good deeds, establishment of prayer, and giving of Alms (Zakat). They were worshippers of Us alone.”
The Character of Ya‘qub (AS) in the Qur’an
Thus, Ya‘qub (AS) was a prophet and leader who called people with insight, was sincere in his guidance, and established prayer.
The Noble Qur’an does not provide extensive details about the lives of Ya‘qub, his father Ishaq, or his uncle Isma‘il (peace be upon them and upon our Prophet and all prophets). Rather, it mentions some of their noble qualities and virtuous characteristics. Little is mentioned about their preaching, their communities, or their personal lives.
However, the Qur’an refers to the disappearance of his son Yusuf (AS), which resulted from a plot by his brothers driven by jealousy and resentment, and it mentions the successive events that followed until Yusuf (AS) was eventually found again.
For this reason, in the upcoming pages, we will focus only on those events in the life of Yusuf (AS) that relate to him, his father, and his brothers, and which are relevant to our research. «و بالله المستعان».
Continues…
Previous Part
References:
[1]. Hud: 71
[2]. Hud: 72
[3]. Hud: 73
[4]. Al-‘Ankabut (The Spider): 27
[5]. An-Nisa’ (The Women): 163
[6]. Sad: 45–47
[7]. Maryam: 49–50
[8]. Al-Anbiya’ (The Prophets): 72–73
