Answer · confidence: partial
How do the Quran and old scholars treat Jacob's family, and is Esau named?
Research question: How do the Quran and classical Islamic commentary treat Jacob and his family, and does Esau appear in them?
The Quran presents Jacob as a father who charged his sons, along with Abraham, to die only as Muslims, and who asked them what they would worship after him 15. It names the family of Jacob as recipients of God's completed favor, linked to Abraham and Isaac 4, but the passage naming Jacob's family in Quran 19:6 does not mention Esau 3. The classical commentary in the Tze'enah Ure'enah, as presented in the 2017 translation, does bring Esau into the story, reporting that the twins argued in the womb 12, that Esau was named for coming out red and hairy 15, and that Jacob no longer feared Esau after Joseph's birth 11. The newest facts are dated 2017 111215, so the commentary evidence is about nine years old as of October 2026, and the Quran facts carry no date.
Checked 2026-10-21. Only documented and supported facts are used.
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[1] documented
Jacob, along with Abraham, charged his sons on the religion of submission to God, telling them not to die except as Muslims.
"وَوَصَّىٰ بِهَآ إِبْرَٰهِۦمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَٰبَنِىَّ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰ لَكُمُ ٱلدِّينَ فَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ"Quran 2:133-135 (Al-Baqara) [Quran (Arabic, Uthmani script)]
[2] supported
Jacob (Yaqub) is named as the father who instructed his sons to enter Egypt through different gates, and the verse says this could not protect them from God's decree.
"وَقَالَ يَٰبَنِىَّ لَا تَدْخُلُوا۟ مِنۢ بَابٍۢ وَٰحِدٍۢ وَٱدْخُلُوا۟ مِنْ أَبْوَٰبٍۢ مُّتَفَرِّقَةٍۢ ۖ وَمَآ أُغْنِى عَنكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ"Quran 12:67-69 (Yusuf) [Quran (Arabic, Uthmani script)]
[3] documented
In Quran 19:6, Zakariyya asks God for a son who will inherit from him and from the family of Jacob (Al Ya'qub); the passage names Jacob's family but does not mention Esau.
"يَرِثُنِى وَيَرِثُ مِنْ ءَالِ يَعْقُوبَ"Quran 19:4-6 (Maryam) [Quran (Arabic, Uthmani script)]
[4] documented
The verse presents Jacob's family ('the family of Jacob') as recipients of God's completed favor, alongside Yusuf, and links this to the earlier blessings given to Jacob's forefathers Abraham and Isaac.
"وَيُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰٓ ءَالِ يَعْقُوبَ كَمَآ أَتَمَّهَا عَلَىٰٓ أَبَوَيْكَ مِن قَبْلُ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ"Quran 12:4-6 (Yusuf) [Quran (Arabic, Uthmani script)]
[5] supported
On his deathbed, Jacob asked his sons what they would worship after him, and they answered that they would worship his God and the God of his fathers Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac, one God.
"إِذْ حَضَرَ يَعْقُوبَ ٱلْمَوْتُ إِذْ قَالَ لِبَنِيهِ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنۢ بَعْدِى قَالُوا۟ نَعْبُدُ إِلَٰهَكَ وَإِلَٰهَ ءَابَآئِكَ إِبْرَٰهِۦمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ إِلَٰهًۭا وَٰحِدًۭا وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ"Quran 2:133-135 (Al-Baqara) [Quran (Arabic, Uthmani script)]
[6] supported
The verse describes the advice Jacob gave as a need in his soul that he fulfilled, and it says he had knowledge that God taught him.
"إِلَّا حَاجَةًۭ فِى نَفْسِ يَعْقُوبَ قَضَىٰهَا ۚ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَذُو عِلْمٍۢ لِّمَا عَلَّمْنَٰهُ"Quran 12:67-69 (Yusuf) [Quran (Arabic, Uthmani script)]
[7] supported
Yusuf tells his father Jacob of a dream in which eleven stars, the sun and the moon bow to him, showing Jacob is the one he addresses in the family narrative.
"إِذْ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَٰٓأَبَتِ إِنِّى رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًۭا وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِى سَٰجِدِينَ"Quran 12:4-6 (Yusuf) [Quran (Arabic, Uthmani script)]
[8] supported
Believers are told to affirm faith in what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes (al-Asbat), without distinguishing between any of the prophets.
"وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِۦمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ"Quran 2:133-135 (Al-Baqara) [Quran (Arabic, Uthmani script)]
[9] documented
Jacob's other sons say that their father loves Yusuf and his full brother more than them, calling their father to be in clear error.
"إِذْ قَالُوا۟ لَيُوسُفُ وَأَخُوهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىٰٓ أَبِينَا مِنَّا وَنَحْنُ عُصْبَةٌ إِنَّ أَبَانَا لَفِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍ"Quran 12:4-6 (Yusuf) [Quran (Arabic, Uthmani script)]
[10] documented
The brothers propose killing Yusuf or casting him away to a land so that their father's attention will turn to them.
"ٱقْتُلُوا۟ يُوسُفَ أَوِ ٱطْرَحُوهُ أَرْضًۭا يَخْلُ لَكُمْ وَجْهُ أَبِيكُمْ"Quran 12:4-6 (Yusuf) [Quran (Arabic, Uthmani script)]
[11] supported
In the classical commentary of Rashi on Genesis 30:25, after Joseph's birth Jacob no longer feared Esau and wanted to return home.
"When Joseph was born, who was the opponent of Esau, Jacob no longer feared Esau and wanted to return home."Tze'enah Ure'enah, Vayeitze 87 [A Critical Translation into English; Edited and translated by Morris M. Faierstein. De Gruyter, 2017]
[12] supported
Classical commentary says Jacob and Esau argued inside their mother Rebecca's womb.
"Jacob and Esau argued in their mother’s body."Tze'enah Ure'enah, Toldot 10 [A Critical Translation into English; Edited and translated by Morris M. Faierstein. De Gruyter, 2017]
[13] documented
Jacob's sons, speaking to Yusuf in Egypt, say that hardship has afflicted them and their family.
"مَسَّنَا وَأَهْلَنَا ٱلضُّرُّ"Quran 12:88-90 (Yusuf) [Quran (Arabic, Uthmani script)]
[14] documented
In this midrashic reading, Jacob wanted to exit the womb when Rebecca passed a house of study.
"When Rebecca walked past the door of a house of study , Jacob wanted to get out."Tze'enah Ure'enah, Toldot 10 [A Critical Translation into English; Edited and translated by Morris M. Faierstein. De Gruyter, 2017]
[15] documented
The Tze'enah Ure'enah commentary says the first twin was named Esau because he came out red and hairy.
"The first one came out red and was full of hair and they called him, Esau, because he was hairy."Tze'enah Ure'enah, Toldot 17 [A Critical Translation into English; Edited and translated by Morris M. Faierstein. De Gruyter, 2017]
[16] documented
Yusuf asks his brothers whether they know what they did to him and his brother when they were ignorant.
"هَلْ عَلِمْتُم مَّا فَعَلْتُم بِيُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ إِذْ أَنتُمْ جَٰهِلُونَ"Quran 12:88-90 (Yusuf) [Quran (Arabic, Uthmani script)]
[17] documented
The commentary says Jacob was named for grabbing his brother's heel at birth.
"They called him Jacob, because he grabbed the heel."Tze'enah Ure'enah, Toldot 17 [A Critical Translation into English; Edited and translated by Morris M. Faierstein. De Gruyter, 2017]
[18] supported
Jacob asks his sons to bring the whole family to him, including the family members who had come to Egypt.
"وَأْتُونِى بِأَهْلِكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ"Quran 12:88-90 (Yusuf) [Quran (Arabic, Uthmani script)]
[19] supported
The commentary's passage on the twins' birth is attributed to Rashi's commentary on Genesis 25:26.
"19 Rashi, Genesis, 25:26."Tze'enah Ure'enah, Toldot 17 [A Critical Translation into English; Edited and translated by Morris M. Faierstein. De Gruyter, 2017]