Prophet Jacob is one of a patriarchal line of prophets sent by God to teach his people to worship One God and to live a righteous life.

The Quran teaches that each and every one of the prophets taught the same fundamental message of submission to One God.

Say (O Muslims): ‘We believe in God and that which has been sent down to us and that which had been sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and to the twelve sons of Jacob, and that which has been given to Moses and Jesus and that which has been given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam).’ (Quran 2:136) And We bestowed upon him Isaac and a grandson Jacob, and made each of them righteous. (Quran 21:72) And remember Our slaves, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, (all) owners of strength (in worshiping Us) and (also) of religious understanding. (Quran 38:45)

The story of Jacob is short and most of what we know is contained in the story of his most beloved son Joseph.

Jacob is remembered for his great strength of character, his complete submission to the will of God and his firm and unwavering faith.

The Quran tells us very little, but there are great lessons to be learned. The Quran first mentions Jacob in reference to Prophet Abraham, his grandfather.

So when he (Abraham) turned away from them and from those whom they worshiped besides God, We gave him Isaac and Jacob and each one of them We made a prophet. (19:49)

Prophet Abraham is well known in all three monotheistic religions. In fact, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism are sometimes known as the Abrahamic faiths.

His Life

Jacob’s father was Prophet Isaac. Prophet Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were blessed by God and were given both mercy and honor.

And We gave them of our Mercy and We granted them high honor (reputation). (19:50)

Notable scholar of Islam, Ibn Kathir, mentions that Prophet Jacob left his family and traveled to his maternal uncle where he married two of his cousins, Leah and Rachel, and worked as a shepherd for his father-in-law. He was the father of twelve sons and their dynasties later became known as the 12 tribes of Israel.

In the Quran, Prophet Jacob is also called Israel and the scholars of Islam explain that this means ‘servant of God’. When the Quran mentions the Children of Israel, it is referring to the descendants of Jacob.

… All food was lawful to the Children of Israel except what Israel had made unlawful to himself before the Torah was revealed. (3:93) …and of the descendants of Abraham and Israel, and of those whom We guided and chose. When the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they fell down prostrating and weeping. (19:58)

Prophet Jacob’s most beloved son was Joseph and he plays a significant role in his son’s story which is told in one complete chapter of the Quran entitled ‘Joseph’.