Prophet Isaac

Arabic NameIshaqFatherAbrahamMotherSarahSpouseRebeccaOffspringEsau and Jacob/YaqoobPlace of BurialCave of Patriarchs

LanguagesHindiPortuguese

(Dr. Imran Khan & Mufti. Shah Rafi Uddin Hamdani)

Isaac , ¹ known as Ishaq (اسحاق) in Arabic was a Prophet of Allah² and an important figure in Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He was born to Abraham and Sarah after Ishmael . ³ He was the father of Jacob and the grandfather of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Birth

The Bible explains that glad tiding of his birth was given to Abraham when he was 100 years old. He was informed that he would have a son whose name would be Isaac . ⁴ The details are mentioned in the Holy Quran as:

وَلَقَدْ جَاءَتْ رُسُلُنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ بِالْبُشْرَىٰ قَالُوا سَلَامًا   ۖ قَالَ سَلَامٌ   ۖ فَمَا لَبِثَ أَن جَاءَ بِعِجْلٍ حَنِيذٍ69فَلَمَّا رَأَىٰ أَيْدِيَهُمْ لَا تَصِلُ إِلَيْهِ نَكِرَهُمْ وَأَوْجَسَ مِنْهُمْ خِيفَةً   ۚ قَالُوا لَا تَخَفْ إِنَّا أُرْسِلْنَا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِ لُوطٍ 70وَامْرَأَتُهُ قَائِمَةٌ فَضَحِكَتْ فَبَشَّرْنَاهَا بِإِسْحَاقَ وَمِن وَرَاءِ إِسْحَاقَ يَعْقُوبَ 71قَالَتْ يَا وَيْلَتَىٰ أَأَلِدُ وَأَنَا عَجُوزٌ وَهَٰذَا بَعْلِي شَيْخًا   ۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيْءٌ عَجِيبٌ 72قَالُوا أَتَعْجَبِينَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ   ۖ رَحْمَتُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ   ۚ إِنَّهُ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ 73⁵

And indeed, Our deputed angels came to Ibrahim (Abraham), bearing glad tidings. They greeted him, saying: ‘Peace (be on you),’ and Ibrahim reciprocated: ‘Peace (be on you).’ Then he did not take any time and brought (them) a roasted calf (out of hospitality). Then, when (Ibrahim) saw that their hands did not stretch towards that (dish), he took them as strangers and felt a little fear of them in (his) heart. They said: ‘Do not be afraid. We have been sent to the people of Lut (Lot).’ And his wife (Sara) who was standing (beside him) laughed. So We conveyed to his (wife) the glad tidings of the birth of Ishaq (Isaac) and beyond Ishaq of Ya‘qub (Jacob). She said: ‘Amazing! Shall I bear a child whilst I have grown old and my husband (too) is an old man? This is extremely astonishing indeed!’ The angels said: ‘Are you wondering at Allah’s command? O people of the house, (showered) upon you are mercy and blessings of Allah. Indeed, He (is) Praiseworthy, Glorious.

The glad tidings were conveyed to Abraham and Sarah through the 3 angels (Gabriel , Mikaeel and Israfil ) who were on their way to the people of Lot at Madayn to punish them for their evil ways. When they gave the glad tidings of Isaac to Sarah , she laughed and said that she was an old woman (around 90 years) and her husband was also an old man (around 100 years), and having a child at that age was considered to be impossible. The angels said that it was in the power of God Almighty to bless people with children at any age and he had bestowed his favors upon them. ⁶ Hence, Isaac was born.

The Sacrifice: Isaac or Ishmael

Although the Bible and the Holy Quran have clearly identified the person who was chosen for the sacrifice, still some Jew and Christian scholars give contradicting views about it. As per the Bible and the Holy Quran, the person who was chosen for the sacrifice was none other than Ishmael . However, the Jewish and Christian scholars state that it was Isaac and provide the following Biblical verse as evidence:

וַיְהִי, אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, וְהָאֱלֹהִים, נִסָּה אֶת-אַבְרָהָם; וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו, אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי. וַיֹּאמֶר קַח-נָא אֶת-בִּנְךָ אֶת-יְחִידְךָ אֲשֶׁר-אָהַבְתָּ, אֶת-יִצְחָק, וְלֶךְ-לְךָ, אֶל-אֶרֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּה; וְהַעֲלֵהוּ שָׁם, לְעֹלָה, עַל אַחַד הֶהָרִים, אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיךָ. ⁷

And it came to pass after these things, that God tested Abraham, and He said to him, "Abraham," and he said, "Here I am." And He said, Please take your son, your only one, whom you love, yea, Isaac, and go away to the land of Moriah and bring him up there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains, of which I will tell you.

The translation of the Biblical verses clearly show that God tested Abraham with his ‘Only Child’ which could not have been Isaac (as mentioned in the text, which looks like an addition) because the other verses of the Bible state that Isaac was not their only child. At Isaac’s birth, Ishmael was already there and was around 14 years old. Furthermore, the Bible stated that Abraham was 86 years old when Ishmael was born, and he was 100 years old when Isaac was born. This alludes to the fact that the ‘only child’ which the Bible was referring to was Ishmael and not Isaac . This can be depicted in the translations of the following Biblical verses:

Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. ⁸

And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction. ⁹

Hagar bore Abram a son, and he named him Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old at the time. ¹⁰

And God said unto Abraham, “As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her and give thee a son also by her. Yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.” Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear?” And Abraham said unto God, “O that Ishmael might live before Thee!” And God said, “Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed, and thou shalt call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. Twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But My covenant will I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.” ¹¹

The initial three references from the Bible depict the glad tidings which were given to Abraham regarding his first son which was born to Hajar and was named Ishmael , while the last reference gives details regarding the glad tidings of the second son, which was born to Sarah and was named Isaac . This proves that the only son which the Bible referred to, was none other than Ishmael . Hence, he was the one presented for the sacrifice. The same detail is depicted in the Holy Quran as:

فَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِغُلَامٍ حَلِيمٍ 101 فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْيَ قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ إِنِّي أَرَىٰ فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ فَانظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ   ۚ قَالَ يَا أَبَتِ افْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ   ۖ سَتَجِدُنِي إِن شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّابِرِينَ 102 فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ 103 وَنَادَيْنَاهُ أَن يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ 104 قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّؤْيَا   ۚ إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ 105 إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ الْبَلَاءُ الْمُبِينُ 106 وَفَدَيْنَاهُ بِذِبْحٍ عَظِيمٍ 107 وَتَرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ فِي الْآخِرِينَ 108 سَلَامٌ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ 109 كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ 110 إِنَّهُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ 111 وَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِإِسْحَاقَ نَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ 112¹²

So, We gave him the good news of a very forbearing son (Ismail undefined). Then when (Isma‘il) reached (the age of) the ability to run about with him, Ibrahim said: ‘O my son, I have seen in a dream that I am sacrificing you. So, think, what is your opinion?’ Ismail said: ‘O my father, do that (immediately) which you are being commanded. If Allah wills, you will find me amongst the patient (and steadfast).’ So when both submitted (to the will of Allah i.e., both surrendered to Allah’s command), and Ibrahim laid him down on his forehead—(the subsequent sight has not been described;). And We called out to him: ‘O Ibrahim! (How wonderfully) have you made your dream really true!’ Surely, We pay back the spiritually excellent the same way. (So, you are blessed with the prominence of Our closest friend.) It was by far a great open trial. And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice. And We preserved his virtuous remembrance (i.e., praise) amongst the succeeding generations. Peace be upon Ibrahim! That is how We pay back those who are committed to spiritual excellence. Surely, he was of Our servants with (perfect faith). And (after Ismail) We gave him the good news of Ishaq. He was (also) a Prophet, one of the most pious.

This account also states that Isaac was born after Ishmael , rather after the trial of Abraham . Therefore, it can be said with absolute surety that it was Ishmael who was presented for the sacrifice.

Marriage

When Abraham felt that he was nearing the end of his worldly life, he wished to see Isaac married. Since he did not want Isaac to marry one of the Canaanites, who were pagans, he sent a trustworthy servant to Haran in Iraq to choose a bride for Isaac . The servant's choice fell upon Rebekah (Rebecca) bint Bethuel ibn Nahor. ¹³ Isaac married Rebecca and she bore him a set of twins which were named Esau and Jacob (Yaqub). ¹⁴

Prophethood

The Holy Quran states that Joseph adopted the way of his forefathers (which were Abraham and Isaac and Jacob ) and did not associate any being with Allah. ¹⁵ This shows that Isaac was a monotheist who followed the religion of his father Abraham . Furthermore, like his brother Ishmael , Isaac was also bestowed with Prophet Hood. As the Holy Quran states:

وَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِإِسْحَاقَ نَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ112¹⁶

And (after Ismail) We gave him the good news of Ishaq (Isaac). He was (also) a Prophet, one of the most pious.

Isaac followed in the footsteps of his father Abraham and his elder brother Ishmael and propagated the message of God to his people as long as he lived. After his demise, Isaac and his wife were buried in Ibrahim Mosque, which is also known as the cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron. It is recorded that he lived for 180 years. ¹⁷

• ¹  The Bible, Genesis 21: 3
• ²  Holy Quran, Al-Saffat (The Ranking) 37: 112
• ³  The Bible, Genesis 17: 15-21
• ⁴  The Bible, Genesis 17: 17-19
• ⁵  Holy Quran, Hud 11: 69-73
• ⁶  Abul Fida Ismail bin Kathir Al-Damishqi (2014), Al-Bidayah wa Al-Nihayah (Translated by Rafiq Abdul Rehman), Darul Isha’at, Karachi, Pakistan, Vol. 1, Pg. 257.
• ⁷  The Bible, Genesis 22: 1-2
• ⁸  The Bible, Genesis 16: 1-4
• ⁹  The Bible, Genesis 16: 11
• ¹⁰  The Bible, Genesis 16: 15-16
• ¹¹  The Bible, Genesis 17: 15-21
• ¹²  Holy Quran, Al-Saffat (The Ranking) 37: 101-112
• ¹³  Abul Fida Ismael bin Kathir Al-Damishqi (N.D.), Stories of the Prophets (Translated by Muhammad Mustapha), Darus Salam, Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, Pg. 55.
• ¹⁴  The Bible, Genesis 25: 21-26
• ¹⁵  Holy Quran, Yousef (Prophet Joseph) 12: 38
• ¹⁶  Holy Quran, Al-Saffat (The Ranking) 37: 112
• ¹⁷  The Jewish Encyclopedia (Online): https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8148-isaac: Retrieved: 25-03-2021