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Al-Asbat
(Abundance/Trees with many branches)
The word al-Asbat
is a plural of Sabt that means abundant or excessive.
Sabt
is also a bush with a single root and many branches. This word is generally used
as a phrase to define descendants and means the race or family.
The
Children of Ishaq A (Isaac) were known as Asbat and
the Children of Isma'il (Ishmael) as Qaba”el
(Tribes).
In the Qur-an the word al-Asbat
is used for the Children of Yaqub A (Jacob/Israel) who were
the grandchildren of Ishaq A (Isaac). Many Rusul (Messengers)
of Allah (God) were born in this race so after mentioning a few
of these Messengers, the word al-Asbat has been used collectively
for all other Messengers who followed in the family tree. This word is used at
five places in the Holy Qur-an.
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Say (O
Muslims), "We believe in Allah and that which
has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim
(Abraham), Isma‘il (Ishmael),
Ishaq (Isaac), Ya‘qub
(Jacob), and to Al-Asbat
[the offspring of the twelve sons of Ya‘qub (Jacob)], and that
which has been given to Musa (Moses)
and ‘Isa (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).
Surah (Chapter) al-Baqarah (The Cow) The Qur-an
2:136 |
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Or
say you that Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma'il (Ishmael),
Ishaque (Isaac), Ya'qub (Jacob) and
Al-Asbat [the twelve sons of Ya'qub (Jacob)] were Jews or
Christians? Say, "Do you know better or does Allah (knows
better… that they all were Muslims)? And who is more unjust than he who
conceals the testimony [i.e. to believe in Prophet Muhammad Peace
be upon him when he comes, written in their Books. (See Verse 7:157)] he
has from Allah? And Allah is not unaware of what you do.
Surah (Chapter) al-Baqarah
(The Cow) The Qur-an 2:140 |
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Say (O
Muhammad صلى الله
عليه وسلم): "We believe
in Allâh and in what has been sent down to us, and what was sent down to Ibrâhîm
(Abraham), Ismâ‘îl (Ishmael), Ishâq (Isaac), Ya‘qûb (Jacob) and Al-Asbât
[the offspring of the twelve sons of Ya‘qûb (Jacob)] and what was given
to Mûsâ (Moses), ‘Îsâ (Jesus) and the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction
between one another among them and to Him (Allâh) we have submitted (in Islâm).
Surah (Chapter) Al-‘Imran (The Family
of ‘Imran) The Qur-an 3:84 |
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Verily, We have
sent the revelation to you (O Muhammad
صلى الله
عليه وسلم)
as We sent the revelation to Nuh (Noah)
and the Prophets after him; We (also)
sent the revelation to Ibrahim (Abraham),
Isma‘il (Ishmael),
Ishaq (Isaac),
Ya‘qub (Jacob),
and Al-Asbat [the offspring of the
twelve sons of Ya‘qub (Jacob)], ‘Isa (Jesus),
Ayyub (Job),
Yunus (Jonah),
Harun (Aaron),
and Sulaiman (Solomon);
and to Dawud (David)
We gave the Zabur (Psalms).
Surah (Chapter) an-Nisa” (The
Woman) The Qur-an 4:163 |
In Surah
al-A’raf (The Heights), the word al-Asbat is
used in its literal meaning, only once, but still it refers to the Children of
Yaqub A (Jacob/Israel).
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And We
divided them into twelve tribes (as distinct) nations. We revealed to Musa (Moses)
when his people asked him for water (saying): "Strike the stone with your
stick", and there gushed forth out of it twelve springs, each group knew
its own place for water. We shaded them with the clouds and sent down upon them
Al-Manna and the quails (saying): "Eat of the good things with
which We have provided you." They harmed Us not but they used to harm themselves.
Surah (Chapter) al-A’raf (The Heights)
The Qur-an 7:160 | |
