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Prophet 9 of 25

The Story of Prophet Ishaq

The son given to Ibrahim and his wife in old age, announced by angels, a prophet among the righteous.

Ishaq is mentioned in the Quran as a gift and a glad tiding: a son born to Ibrahim in old age, and the father of Yaqub. The Quran gives his birth announcement in detail and honours him among the prophets.

وَلَقَدْ جَآءَتْ رُسُلُنَآ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ بِٱلْبُشْرَىٰ قَالُوا۟ سَلَٰمًۭا ۖ قَالَ سَلَٰمٌۭ ۖ فَمَا لَبِثَ أَن جَآءَ بِعِجْلٍ حَنِيذٍۢ

Surah Hud 11:69
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Chapter 1 of 3

Good news for an old couple

Story narration · written from the Quranic account, not Quran

When the messengers visited Ibrahim on their way to the people of Lut, his wife laughed, and they gave her the good news of Ishaq, and after Ishaq, of Yaqub. She said: woe to me, shall I give birth when I am an old woman and my husband an old man? They replied: do you wonder at the decree of Allah? The mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you, people of the house.

Quran · recitation and translation
Surah Hud 11:71–73

وَٱمْرَأَتُهُۥ قَآئِمَةٌۭ فَضَحِكَتْ فَبَشَّرْنَٰهَا بِإِسْحَٰقَ وَمِن وَرَآءِ إِسْحَٰقَ يَعْقُوبَ ﴿71﴾ قَالَتْ يَٰوَيْلَتَىٰٓ ءَأَلِدُ وَأَنَا۠ عَجُوزٌۭ وَهَٰذَا بَعْلِى شَيْخًا ۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَىْءٌ عَجِيبٌۭ ﴿72﴾ قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَعْجَبِينَ مِنْ أَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ رَحْمَتُ ٱللَّهِ وَبَرَكَٰتُهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ ٱلْبَيْتِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ حَمِيدٌۭ مَّجِيدٌۭ ﴿73﴾

(71) And his Wife was standing, and she smiled. Then We gave her good tidings of Isaac and after Isaac, Jacob. (72) She said, "Woe to me! Shall I give birth while I am an old woman and this, my husband, is an old man? Indeed, this is an amazing thing!" (73) They said, "Are you amazed at the decree of Allah? May the mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, people of the house. Indeed, He is Praiseworthy and Honorable."

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Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:28–30

فَأَوْجَسَ مِنْهُمْ خِيفَةًۭ ۖ قَالُوا۟ لَا تَخَفْ ۖ وَبَشَّرُوهُ بِغُلَٰمٍ عَلِيمٍۢ ﴿28﴾ فَأَقْبَلَتِ ٱمْرَأَتُهُۥ فِى صَرَّةٍۢ فَصَكَّتْ وَجْهَهَا وَقَالَتْ عَجُوزٌ عَقِيمٌۭ ﴿29﴾ قَالُوا۟ كَذَٰلِكِ قَالَ رَبُّكِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ﴿30﴾

(28) And he felt from them apprehension. They said, "Fear not," and gave him good tidings of a learned boy. (29) And his wife approached with a cry [of alarm] and struck her face and said, "[I am] a barren old woman!" (30) They said, "Thus has said your Lord; indeed, He is the Wise, the Knowing."

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Chapter 2 of 3

A prophet from the righteous

Story narration · written from the Quranic account, not Quran

Surah As-Saffat says Allah gave Ibrahim good news of Ishaq, a prophet from among the righteous, and blessed him and Ishaq; among their descendants were those who did good and those who clearly wronged themselves. Surah Al-Anbiya calls Ishaq and Yaqub an additional gift, and says Allah made them righteous.

Quran · recitation and translation
Surah As-Saffat 37:112–113

وَبَشَّرْنَٰهُ بِإِسْحَٰقَ نَبِيًّۭا مِّنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ﴿112﴾ وَبَٰرَكْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَىٰٓ إِسْحَٰقَ ۚ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا مُحْسِنٌۭ وَظَالِمٌۭ لِّنَفْسِهِۦ مُبِينٌۭ ﴿113﴾

(112) And We gave him good tidings of Isaac, a prophet from among the righteous. (113) And We blessed him and Isaac. But among their descendants is the doer of good and the clearly unjust to himself.

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Surah Al-Anbiya 21:72–73

وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُۥٓ إِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ نَافِلَةًۭ ۖ وَكُلًّۭا جَعَلْنَا صَٰلِحِينَ ﴿72﴾ وَجَعَلْنَٰهُمْ أَئِمَّةًۭ يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْهِمْ فِعْلَ ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ وَإِقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَإِيتَآءَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةِ ۖ وَكَانُوا۟ لَنَا عَٰبِدِينَ ﴿73﴾

(72) And We gave him Isaac and Jacob in addition, and all [of them] We made righteous. (73) And We made them leaders guiding by Our command. And We inspired to them the doing of good deeds, establishment of prayer, and giving of zakah; and they were worshippers of Us.

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Chapter 3 of 3

In the line of the prophets

Story narration · written from the Quranic account, not Quran

The Quran repeatedly names Ishaq in the line of prophets to whom revelation was given, alongside Ibrahim, Ismail and Yaqub, and instructs the believers to declare faith in what was revealed to all of them without distinction.

Quran · recitation and translation
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:136

قُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِۦمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ مُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍۢ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ

Say, [O believers], "We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him."

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Surah An-Nisa 4:163

۞ إِنَّآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ كَمَآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍۢ وَٱلنَّبِيِّۦنَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ ۚ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَعِيسَىٰ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ وَهَٰرُونَ وَسُلَيْمَٰنَ ۚ وَءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُۥدَ زَبُورًۭا

Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him. And we revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the book [of Psalms].

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Surah Maryam 19:49

فَلَمَّا ٱعْتَزَلَهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَهَبْنَا لَهُۥٓ إِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ ۖ وَكُلًّۭا جَعَلْنَا نَبِيًّۭا

So when he had left them and those they worshipped other than Allah, We gave him Isaac and Jacob, and each [of them] We made a prophet.

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Where is this story mentioned?

Passages about Ishaq in the Quran

Opening passage, rendered from the stored text:

  1. Surah Hud11:69

    وَلَقَدْ جَآءَتْ رُسُلُنَآ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ بِٱلْبُشْرَىٰ قَالُوا۟ سَلَٰمًۭا ۖ قَالَ سَلَٰمٌۭ ۖ فَمَا لَبِثَ أَن جَآءَ بِعِجْلٍ حَنِيذٍۢ

    And certainly did Our messengers come to Abraham with good tidings; they said, "Peace." He said, "Peace," and did not delay in bringing [them] a roasted calf.

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The story of Ishaq

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