Hebron, West Bank – Palestine
Coordinates: 31.524705, 35.110715
Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام is recognized as a prophet and messenger of Allah by Muslims.
As in Judaism and Christianity, Islam maintains that Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام was the son of the Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام from his wife Bibi Sarah رضي الله عنها.
Muslims hold Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام in deep veneration because they believe that both Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام and his older half-brother Hz. Ismael عليه اسلام continued their father’s spiritual legacy through their subsequent preaching of the message of Allah after the death of Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام.
Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام is mentioned in fifteen passages of the Qur’an.
Along with being mentioned several times in the Qur’an Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام is held up as one of Islam’s prophets.
Bibi Rebekah رضي الله عنها
She appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام and the mother of Hz. Yaqub عليه اسلام and Esau.
According to biblical tradition, Rebecca’s father was Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram, also called Aram-Naharaim. Bibi Rebekah’s رضي الله عنها brother was Laban the Aramean, and she was the grand daughter of Milcah and Nahor, the brother of Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام.
Bibi Rebekah رضي الله عنها and Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام were one of the four couples that some believe are buried in the Cave of the Patriarchs, the other three being Hz. Adam عليه اسلام Bibi Hawwa رضي الله عنها (acc. to some local traditions), Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام and Bibi Sarah رضي الله عنها, and Hz. Yaqub عليه اسلام and Bibi Leah رضي الله عنها.
Their Tombs
His tomb and that of his wife Bibi Rebekah رضي الله عنها is considered to be in Haram al-Ibrahimi Complex (Cave of the Patriarchs) in Hebron.
Story narrated by Ibn Kathir from Stories of the Prophets
Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام’s Sons – from Commentators
The Quran does not give details of Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام’s life, but reliable Quranic commentators mentioned that when Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام felt that his life was drawing to a close, he wished to see Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام married.
He did not want Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام to marry one of the Canaanites, who were pagans, so he sent a trustworth servant to Haran in Iraq to choose a bride for Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام.
The servant’s choice fell upon Bibi Rebekah Bint Bethuel Ibn Nahor رضي الله عنها ,(who was a brother of Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام).
Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام married her and she gave birth to a set of twins, Esau (Al Eis) and Hz. Yaqub عليه اسلام.
Ill feelings developed between the two brothers when they grew into manhood. Esau disliked the fact that Hz. Yaqub عليه اسلام was favoured by his father and by Allah with prophethood.
This ill feeling became so searious that Esau threatened to kill his brother. Fearing for his life, Hz. Yaqub عليه اسلام fled the country.
Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام’s Sons – from the People of the Book
The People of the Book said that when Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام was forty years old, he married Bibi Rebekah Bint Bethuel رضي الله عنها , during his father’s life.
They said she was sterile, so Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام prayed to Allah and then she became pregnant. She gave birth to twin boys. The first one was called Esau whom the Arabs called Al-Eis. He became the father of Rum. The second one was called Yaqub, which means Isreal, (belonging to the people of Israel).
Hz. Ishaq’s عليه اسلام Death
Hz. Yaqub عليه اسلام came to his father Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام and settled with him in the village of Hebron which lies in the land of Canaan where Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام had lived. Then Hz. Ishaq عليه اسلام fell ill and died when he was one hundred eighty years old. His sons Esau and Hz. Yaqub عليه اسلام buried him with his father Hz. Ibrahim Al Khalil عليه اسلام in a cave which he had bought.
