THE ETHOS OF PROPHET JACOB (A.S.)

THE ETHOS OF PROPHET JACOB (A.S.)

JACOB was the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham.  His mother is Rafaqah, the daughter of Betoeel, the brother of Abraham.  He married his cousin, Laeeya who gave birth to many children. After the death of Laeeya, he married her sister, Raheel (Racchel),.  Joseph and Benjamin were of her children.

According to Immam Baqer (A.S.) he used to live in Kan'aan.  But he left it for Egypt where he passed away and his body was returned to Kan'aan.

According to Naasikh At-Tawarrekh, Jacod and his twin brother - Isa- passed away on the same day and buried by Joseph near each other.  That was 3630 years after the fall of Adam.

HIS HOSPITALITY

Immam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) said: Prophet Jacob had a herald who heralded everyday from Jacob's house up to distance of six kilometers: “O people! Whoever wants to have lunch should come to Jacob's house " and when evening came, he heralded: " O people! Whoever wants to to have dinner should come to Jacob's house."

GOOD FOR GOOD

Isaac said to Jacob: Allah has appointed you as Prophet and your sons as Prophets.  He has placed in you good and blessing.  And he ordered him to go to a place in Damascus by the name o Fadan.

When he reached that place, he saw a girl standing at a well intending to water a sheep.  On top of the well, there was a stone which could only be removed by a number of men.  Jacob said: Who are you ? She said “I am daughter of Laban who was Jacob's uncle.  Jacob removed the stone immediately, helped the girl and watered that sheep.  Then, he went to his uncle and sought her hand in marriage Laban, which was accepted and Jacob married her.

JACOB'S FAMILY

When it was morning, Joseph wore his clothes, fastened his belt took his staff in his hand and left home together with his brethren.  Jacob too poured Joseph's provision in the same bowl in which Abraham poured Isaac's provision.  When Jacob went to see off his children, they said:

O Prophet of Allah! Go back.

Jacob said: O sons! I advise you to piety (guard against evil) and to my beloved, Joseph.  I beseech you by Allah to feed Josepeh when hungry and water him when thirsty.  Keep on safe-guarding him.  Do not abject him.  Be merciful and grateful to him.

They said: O our father! We are all your sons and he too is our brother but since you love him he is more beloved than we are.

 Jacob said: Yes, my sons! Allah is my witness over you.  While I fear you might harm him.  Then he came to Joseph, embraced him, drew him closely to his chest, kissed him between the eyes, saying: I entrust you to Allah.  Then he went back home.

 HIS GRIEF

 When Jacob heard the news about Joseph from his sons, he turned his face from them saying:

Woe to me for separation from my dear Yusuf.  He wept so much that his eyes went blind and the grief of separation agonized his heart.  Jacob's sons said to him: By Allah, you will repeat Yusuf's name so many times that you will get sick because of separation or you will die.

 Jacob said to his sons: I only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allah, and I know from Allah what you do not know (Holy Quran 12:86)

 GOOD NEWS FOR JACOB

Immam Sadiq (A.S.) said: An Arab Bedouin came to Joseph to buy the provision from him.  When he did so, Joseph asked: Where is your house? He said: In such and such place.

Joseph said: When you pass by such and such desert, stop for while and cry loud: O Yaqoob! O Yacoob! Then a graceful handsome man will come and answer you.  Tell him: In Egypt I saw a man.  He sends regards to you and says: Your trust is with Allah- Glorified and Honored- and that he has not been killed.

When the Arab Bedouin reached that place, he told his servants to look after his camels, and then cried: O Yaqoob! O Yaqoob!

 A handsome tall strong blind man came out groping against the wall and approached him.  The Bedouin said:  Are you Yaqoob? He said: Yes.  Then the Bedouin conveyed his message, telling him what Joseph had said.  Hearing this, Yaqoob became unconscious and fell on the ground.

After some time he came to and said: O Bedouin! Do you want to pray to Allah for your needs?

The Bedouin said: Yes, I am wealthy and married to my cousin but she has not given birth to any child yet.  I want you to pray to Allah to give me a child.

Yaqoob performed ablution and a two-rak'at prayer invoking Allah to give the man a child.  Yacoob's prayer was answered and the man's wife gave birth to twins for four or six times.

 COMPLETE FAVOR

It is reported that Jacob asked the messenger who brought the good news of Joseph's being alive: How is Yusuf? The messenger said: He is the king of Egypt and master of that terrorist.

Jacob said: What am I do with his kingdom and terrorist? In what religion did you find him? The man said:  In Islam, the Jacob said:  Now the favor has been completed.

HIS LETTER TO THE KING

 Jacob wrote a letter to Joseph which read: From Yaqoob son of Ishaq, sacrifice of Allah, son of Ibraahem, the friend of Allah, to the king of Egypt.

But next: We are the household constantly prone to tribulation.  My grandfather, Ibraaheem afflicted with tribulation.  He was thrown into fire.  My father, Ishaq was afflicted with being sacrificed.

I had a son being apple of my eyes, whose sight made me happy.  He was devoured by a wolf.  I wept over him so much that my eyes went blind.

He had brother who made me glad after him but you took him for a thief whereas we are a household never committing theft, nor being known as thieves.  Do me a favor by setting free my son whom you have taken as a thief.

When the letter reached Joseph, he opened it and by reading the letter, he yelled, went inside and stared weeping.  Then Joseph washed his face, came out and read the letter again.  Then he yelled, wept and went inside and wept once again. Then he washed his face and returned to his brother saying:

Do you know how you treated Yusuf and his brother when you were ignorant? (H.Q. 12:89)

When Jacob and Joseph met, they embraced each other and started weeping.  Then Joseph said: O father! You have wept over me so much that you have gone blind.  Don't you know that we are gathered on the Day of Judgment when we will meet?

Jacob said: Yes, my son! I knew this but I feared you might lose your faith and we will be separated on the Day of Judgment.

ADVISING HIS SONS

 Being at the point of death, Jacob called his son

 What will you serve after me?  

They said: We will serve your Allah and the Allah of your fathers, Ibraaheem and Ismail and Ishaq, One and Only, and to Him do we submit (HQ: 2:133)

Jacob said: O my sons! Surely Allah has chosen for you (this) faith, therefore die not unless you are Muslims  ( H.Q. 2:132)

SERVICE OF BAYTUL- MUQADDAS

He was the first to enter it and the last to leave it.  He used to light the candles there in.