STORY OF ISHAQ

Prophet Ishaq

Prophet Ishaq (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) was the second son of Prophet Ibrahim (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) and half brother to Prophet Ishmael (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ). Prophet Ishaq (AS) is also the father of Prophet Yaqub (AS).

Prophet Ibrahim(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)and his first wife Sarah had grown old and white-haired together.One day, they had three visitors. As was customary for Arabs at the time, Prophet Ibrahim(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)invited the three men for a meal.

"Who are they?"Sarah asked her husband."I do not know any of them,"he answered,"What food have we got?"“Half a sheep,”she replied."Half a sheep! Slaughter a fat calf for them; they are strangers and guests,"he ordered.

So a servant came and roasted a fat calf for them, and Prophet Ibrahim (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) invited the guests to dine. But, before long,he observed that their hands did not reach for the food.His suspicions arose, and he grew fearful.

This moment is vividly captured in the Qur'an:

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, ayah 70)

Realizing the guests were angels since they do not eat or drink, Ibrahim (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) wondered about their purpose.Were they here to reprimand him or his household? To ease his worry, they reassured him,“Fear not. We have been sent to the people of Lot.”

They also brought the joyous news of the future births of Ishaq(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)and Yaqub(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)

Sarah, long believed to be infertile,was astonished at the prospect of bearing a child in her old age.She expressed her wonderment,'Alas for me! Shall I bear a child, seeing I am an old woman, and my husband here is an old man? That would indeed be a wonderful thing!'— (Surah Al-Hud, ayah 72)

Details about the life of Prophet Ishaq(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)are sparse and limited in Islamic literature. However, reliable Quranic commentators narrate that when Prophet Ibrahim(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)sensed that his life was coming to an end,He(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)sought a righteous wife for his son.Prophet Ibrahim(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)did not want his son Ishaq(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)to marry one of the Canaanites, as they were known to be pagans. So, to find a suitable match, he had his trusted servant, Haran, in Iraq to search for a bride.The servant selected Rebekah (Rifaqah), daughter of Bethuel and granddaughter of Milcah and Nahor, Prophet Ibrahim's(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)brother. This union was blessed with the birth of twins: Al-Eis and Prophet Yaqub(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ).

Narrations also reveal that Al-Eis was envious of Yaqub (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) due to the latter's favor with their father and his bestowed Prophethood. Yaqub (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) faced such severe threats from Al-Eis that he fled the country to ensure his safety. Prophet Yaqub (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) went on to become the father of the Israelites.

Prophet Ishaq(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)fell ill and passed away when he wasone hundred and eight years old. He was buried next to his father, Prophet Ibrahim(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ).