The Beautiful Story of Prophet Jacob

Prophet Yaqub also known as Jacob, is a prophet in Islam who is mentioned in the Quran. He is acknowledged as a patriarch of Islam. Muslims believe that he preached the same monotheistic faith as did his forefathers: Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim), Prophet Isaac (Ishaq) and Prophet Ishmael (Ismail). Jacob is mentioned 16 times in the Quran. In the majority of these references, Jacob is mentioned alongside fellow Hebrew prophets and patriarchs as an ancient and pious prophet who remained in the "company of the elect". Muslims hold that Jacob was the son of Isaac and that he preached the Oneness of God throughout his life. As in Christianity and Judaism, Islam holds that Jacob had twelve sons, each of which would go on to father the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Prophet Jacob (Yaqub) plays a significant role in the story of his son, Prophet Joseph (Yusuf), and is referenced around twenty-five times throughout the narrative. The Quran further makes it clear that God made a covenant with Jacob and Jacob was made a faithful leader by God's command. Jacob is mentioned by name in the Quran around sixteen times. Although many of these verses praise him rather than recount an instance from his narrative, the Quran nonetheless records several significant events from the life of Jacob. Although Muslim tradition and literature greatly embellishes upon the narrative of Jacob, the earliest event involving Jacob in the Quran is that of the angels (malaikah) giving "glad tidings" to Abraham and Sarah of the future birth of a prophetic son by the name of Isaac as well as a prophetic grandson by the name of Jacob. The Quran states: When he had turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped besides Allah, We bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob, and each one of them We made a prophet. (Quran, surah 19 (Maryam), ayah 49) The Quran also mentions that Abraham taught the faith of pure monotheism to his sons, Ishmael and Isaac, as well as Jacob. The Quran records Abraham telling Ishmael, Isaac