Foremost among the prophets descended from Isaac are his son Jacob and his grandson Joseph. From among the Children of Israel, who descended from Jacob, came many prophets such as Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elijah, Elisha, Zechariah, John and Jesus. According to the Quran, God granted Abraham Isaac and Jacob and gave prophethood to their descendants.
Quick Summary
- Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah.
- His name appears in seventeen places in the Quran.
- His son Jacob is also called “Israel,” and the Children of Israel take their name from him.
- Jacob’s twelve sons are regarded as the ancestors of the twelve tribes of the Children of Israel.
- The Quran states that prophethood and the Book were given to this line.
- The Prophet Muhammad, by contrast, descends from Ishmael, Abraham’s other son.
Contents
- His life
- His place in the Quran
- Who was the son to be sacrificed?
- Esau and Jacob
- Jacob and his twelve sons
- Joseph
- Moses and Aaron
- David and Solomon
- Other prophets
- The Cave of Machpelah and Hebron
- Table of descent
- Frequently asked questions
Who Was Isaac?
Isaac was the son born to Abraham by his wife Sarah. According to the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, Abraham first had a son named Ishmael by his concubine Hagar. Sarah, however, could not have a child until late in life. In her old age God gave Sarah the good news that she would have a son, and the child who was born was given this name.
According to the encyclopedia, the name comes from a Hebrew root meaning “to laugh.” It appears as Yishak in Hebrew and Isaak in Greek. According to the Torah, he married Rebecca, and his twin sons Esau and Jacob were born. According to the account of the Torah, he died in Hebron at the age of 180 and was buried in the cave of Machpelah.
Isaac and His Descendants in the Quran
According to the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, the name appears in seventeen places in the Quran. In six places he is mentioned in the order “Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac.” In Surah as-Saffat his birth is announced to Abraham, and in Surah Hud to Sarah. In nine places Abraham, his son and his grandson Jacob are mentioned together.
According to the encyclopedia, three passages of the Quran state that this son was granted to Abraham after he left his idolatrous people. Verse 27 of Surah al-Ankabut states that prophethood and the Book were given to their descendants. The subject of the prophets descended from Isaac rests on this verse.
In Surah Hud, when the angels come as Abraham’s guests, they give Sarah the good news first of her son and then of her grandson Jacob. Sarah is astonished, because both she and her husband have grown old. The angels, however, say that God’s mercy and blessings are upon the people of this house.
Who Was the Son to Be Sacrificed?
Islamic scholars have debated who the son was whom Abraham intended to sacrifice. According to most scholars, this son was Ishmael. According to the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, the account in Surah as-Saffat also supports this. The verses first relate the trial of the sacrifice and then give the good news of the second son.
According to the encyclopedia, some scholars, on the other hand, argued that the son to be sacrificed was Isaac. Abdullah ibn Masud also refers to him as “dhabihullah,” the one offered in sacrifice to God. In the Torah, too, the son to be sacrificed is described as Sarah’s son.
Esau and Jacob
According to the Torah, Rebecca bore twin sons. Esau, the firstborn, was a hunter, while Jacob preferred a quiet life. When their father grew old and lost his sight, Jacob received his blessing. The descendants of Esau are called the Edomites. This people settled in the region south of the Dead Sea.
The Torah relates these events in detail, while the Quran does not mention Esau at all. According to the encyclopedia, Jacob worked for many years for his uncle Laban and married his daughters.
Jacob and His Twelve Sons
Isaac’s son Jacob is a prophet according to the Quran. According to the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, Jacob’s other name is Israel, and the Children of Israel take their name from him. In Jewish belief, Jacob, together with his father and his grandfather Abraham, is regarded as one of the three patriarchs of Israel.
According to the encyclopedia, Jacob had twelve sons by his four wives. They were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan and Naphtali. These twelve sons are regarded as the ancestors of the twelve tribes of the Children of Israel. Most of the later prophets came from these tribes.
Among the tribes, the tribe of Levi took on religious duties. The tribe of Judah, in time, became the most powerful tribe. The word “Jew” also comes from the name Judah. Two separate tribes were also formed in the names of Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh.
Joseph
Joseph was Jacob’s most beloved son, and his mother was Rachel. One surah of the Quran is devoted entirely to his life. Out of jealousy his brothers threw him into a well, and Joseph was taken to Egypt as a slave. There he was slandered and imprisoned, then rose to prominence through his interpretation of dreams and was appointed to a high office. The Quran describes this story as “the best of stories.”
In the years of famine his brothers came to Egypt to obtain provisions. Joseph forgave them and brought his father Jacob and the whole family to Egypt. In this way the Children of Israel settled in Egypt. According to the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, Islamic sources relate that Joseph introduced himself as one descended from the line of prophets.
Moses and Aaron
Over time the Children of Israel came under heavy oppression in Egypt. In this period Moses and his brother Aaron, from the line of Jacob’s son Levi, were sent as prophets. Moses struggled against Pharaoh and led the Children of Israel out of Egypt. The Torah was revealed to him. Aaron helped him and acted as his spokesman.
Moses’ struggle with Pharaoh and the exodus of the Children of Israel from Egypt are among the stories most often told in the Quran. Aaron’s descendants served as priests in later periods.
David and Solomon
The Children of Israel later settled in the land of Canaan. David, from the tribe of Judah, became both a prophet and a king. The Quran relates how David defeated Goliath. He was given the Psalms (Zabur). His son Solomon, like his father, was both a prophet and a king.
It is accepted that the great temple in Jerusalem was built in the time of Solomon. We told the story of David’s life in our article When did the Prophet David live?
Who Are the Other Prophets?
The prophets descended from Isaac are not limited to these. According to the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, when the Children of Israel forgot the covenant they had made with God and began to worship other gods, the prophet Elijah was sent to them. After Elijah, Elisha continued on his path. Some sources also count Dhu al-Kifl among these prophets.
Zechariah and his son John are also among the prophets sent to the Children of Israel. Zechariah was the prophet who took on the care of Mary. John is known as the prophet who announced the coming of Jesus. Jesus is mentioned in the Quran as a prophet sent to the Children of Israel. His mother Mary belonged to one of the distinguished families of the Children of Israel.
According to one report cited in the encyclopedia, the prophet Job also descended from Isaac on his father’s side and from Lot on his mother’s side. Job is known for his patience and is remembered in the Quran for enduring the hardships that befell him. In the Quran he is praised as “an excellent servant.”
The Cave of Machpelah and Hebron
According to the Torah, Abraham, Sarah, Rebecca, Jacob and Leah were also buried in the cave of Machpelah. Today the cave is in the city of Hebron (al-Khalil) in the West Bank. Above it stands a historic building known as the Haram al-Ibrahimi, the Sanctuary of Abraham. The site is regarded as sacred by Muslims, Jews and Christians. We wrote about holy pilgrimage sites in our article on the places of Christian pilgrimage.
Table of Descent
The main prophets descended from this line and the tribes to which they belonged are summarized below.
| Prophet | Line of descent |
|---|---|
| Jacob | Son |
| Joseph | Grandson (son of Jacob) |
| Moses and Aaron | From the line of Jacob’s son Levi |
| David and Solomon | From the line of Jacob’s son Judah |
| Elijah and Elisha | From the Children of Israel |
| Zechariah and John | From the Children of Israel |
| Jesus | From the Children of Israel through his mother Mary |
| Job | According to one report, from this line on his father’s side |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the prophets descended from Isaac?
The main ones are Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elijah, Elisha, Zechariah, John and Jesus. According to one report, Job also belongs to this line.
What is the difference between Isaac and Ishmael?
Both were sons of the prophet Abraham. Ishmael was born to Hagar, and his brother to Sarah. The prophets of the Children of Israel descend from Sarah’s son, while the Prophet Muhammad descends from Ishmael.
Where was the prophet Isaac buried?
According to the Torah, he was buried in the cave of Machpelah in Hebron. Today the cave lies within the Haram al-Ibrahimi in the city of al-Khalil.
How many sons did the prophet Jacob have?
He had twelve sons. These sons are regarded as the ancestors of the twelve tribes of the Children of Israel.
Where does the name Children of Israel come from?
It comes from Israel, the other name of the prophet Jacob. The Children of Israel are the community descended from Jacob’s twelve sons.
Is the Prophet Muhammad also descended from this line?
No. The Prophet Muhammad descends from Ishmael, Abraham’s other son. We told the life of his grandfather Abd al-Muttalib in our article Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim.
Conclusion
The prophets descended from Isaac form the foundation of the religious history of the Children of Israel. This chain, which began with his son Jacob, continued with Joseph, Moses, Aaron, David and Solomon. Elijah, Elisha, Zechariah, John and Jesus are also among the prophets descended from this line. The Quran states that prophethood and the Book were given to the descendants of the son granted to Abraham and of his grandson Jacob. This chain is also an important part of the shared history of the three great religions.
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