Jacob's testament to his sons as he approached death
Selections from the Book The Prophet Minister Joseph al-Siddiq…
Written by Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi...
Episode (31)
Jacob, peace be upon him, lived in the land of Egypt in honor for seventeen years, until his total lifespan became one hundred and forty-seven years, as some history books mentioned, then death came to him. And he had left this will to his sons, which the Qur’an told about in the last moments of his life (peace be upon him), and it was in Egypt and among his children: Almighty Allah said: {(And Abraham instructed his sons [to do the same] and [so did] Jacob, [saying], {O my sons, indeed Allah has chosen for you this religion, so do not die except while you are Muslims" (132) Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob, when he said to his sons, “What will you worship after me?” They said, “We will worship your God and the God of your fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac – one God. And we are Muslims [in submission] to Him (133)} [Al-Baqarah: 132-133].
Jacob, peace be upon him, the noble prophet, remained a devout caller to Allah throughout his final moments. He continuously reminded his sons of the importance of Islam and worshipping Allah. Gathering them before his death, he emphasized this truth and urged them to adhere to it, taking a solemn pledge from them not to deviate from it. This aspect of Jacob's life serves as a valuable lesson for those studying history, highlighting the importance of steadfastness in faith and the transmission of religious values from one generation to the next.
Jacob, peace be upon him, told his sons while he was on his deathbed to worship his God and the God of his fathers: Isaac, Ishmael, and Abraham. He urged them to have faith in Allah alone and to stay away from worshipping anyone else. This is the essence of the upright religion. His final words, this testament, were in line with the guidance of all prophets and messengers, from the time of Adam to Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets, peace and blessings be upon them all. They all lived and died while calling people to worship Allah alone, to adhere to His religion, and to avoid associating partners with Him or committing sins and transgressions. Jacob lived and died while addressing his people and his nation, just as Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets, addressed his nation and all people: {Say, [O Muhammad], "I am only a man like you to whom it has been revealed that your god is but one God; so take a straight course to Him and seek His forgiveness." And woe to those who associate others with Allah} [Fussilat: 6].
Indeed, the religion of Jacob, peace be upon him, is Islam, which is the religion of all prophets and messengers collectively. Every prophet came with Islam and urged his people to enter it and to worship Allah Almighty with excellence. Islam is the religion of Jacob, peace be upon him, and the religion of every messenger. However, it is not Islam in the specific sense that applies to the religion of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, which abrogated previous messages and laws, but Islam in its broader sense; entails submission and surrender to Allah by directing others to worship Him and obey His commands.
Jacob, peace be upon him, left this life reassured about his sons, after they answered his question that occupied his mind while he was on his deathbed: O my sons, what will you worship after me? What religion will you adhere to after me?
The answer came: "We worship the Lord of the worlds alone, for He is our Lord, Creator, and Deity. He is the God of your forefather Abraham, your uncle Ishmael, and your father Isaac. He is the One God, with no partners, and we are Muslims to Him, submitting to Allah, entering into the religion of Allah, and committed to obeying Him". {and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him} [Al-Baqarah :136]; This verse came to clarify the true religion of Ibrahim and Jacob (peace be upon them) in response to the discussions with Jews and Christians, refuting their claim of lineage to Abraham and Jacob (peace be upon them).
The address in the verse: {Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob, when he said to his sons, "What will you worship after me?" They said, "We will worship your God and the God of your fathers…"} [Al-Baqarah :133] is directed towards the Jews and the Christians, saying to them: "Why do you claim that Jacob was a Jew or a Christian? Were you present, witnessing, and listening to the last words Jacob said before he died?"
You were not there with him at that moment; because you were not born yet. He enjoined his sons to follow Islam as their religion, and the sons accepted their father's counsel, saying: We will worship your God and the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac, and to Him we submit [in Islam].
- Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi, The Prophet Minister Joseph al-Siddiq, pp. 626-628.
- Quranic Stories, (2/70).
- The Jewish Personality, Dr. Salah al-Din al-Khalidi, Dar al-Qalam Syria, first edition, 1998, p. 63.
For further information and review of the sources for the article, see:
The Book of The Prophet Minister Joseph al-Siddiq on the official website of Sheikh Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi:
